# Why did the tofu cross the road?
First, let me tell you why I joined Steemit and how it changed my life.
 
Sometimes you make me laugh, sometimes you make me cry, most times you make me hungry, but above all else, you make me thankful every day. Cheesy as a vegan like me can be to say this, I love you Steemians!
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Somehow while I was in Maldives, crushingly separated from Steemit due to rarely ever being near an even remotely reliable internet connection, my account reached a massive celebratory status without proper celebration! *Well that just ain't right! Better late than never, however!* 

## 2000! 
![Screenshot (333).png](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1518448480/vgk40ekqt0ubsordakee.png)

Actually at the time of writing this it's 2152! It looks like the big 2-0-0-0 lined up right in time for my birthday too which I think is stupendous! I remember whenever getting to 1000 was **A HUGE DEAL** for me! I was erratic with ideas and barely slept as I immersed myself into this very world that had taken me in so kindly. I realize this pond has grown a whole lot bigger in the last little while, but I am just thanking my lucky stars to be here with you all!

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![heartsteem_2.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1518448657/i1yuyouwzs4dfqjxvnnc.jpg)
<center>(*Throwback to when my buddy @inquiringtimes asked me to be a Steemit wave haha 😂*)</center>
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So, in honor of this accomplishment, this feat, this milestone, I share with you a small story about me joining Steemit.

It was a quiet afternoon, I was sitting at the table aggressively trolling the internet looking for something to occupy my mind when the prospect of sharing my creative genius was offered up to me. 

“What if you could blog for money? Would you?” 

I thought about it for all of 10 seconds, said “nah” point blank and then continued on doing whatever I was doing before that conversation. I had been offered that gig before. Do a job, get paid. Have someone tell me what to write, hand it in, get paid. Not a big fan of the 1) topic delegation or 2) time frame/deadline. Basically, I was too much of a wild stallion.

It was only after seeing what Steemit was like on the inside- the possibilities that could come from it and the entirely different culture that was created here, that I then decided to sign up for an account and give it a whirl. 

Guys, I am so not the type to be doing this full time and yet here I am, turning this platform into the most fun ever! 
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![IMG_9749 rip.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1518448839/o754vwdwpwwi4zexcgk1.jpg)
<center>(*That time where I had a funeral for my speaker!*)</center>
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Do you know why? 

It’s not about the money. I see my account’s value go up and down every time I look at it and to me it’s just a reminder that everything in life is vulnerable. 

I am not motivated *primarily* by money. It helps, sure, who doesn’t enjoy some extra cash? I got myself a drone because I thought I was fancy AF after I reached 1200 followers. But, I get offered tons of jobs and I never feel intrinsically motivated enough to follow through with them. Steemit was different because of **the people, the community, the family.**

Laugh if you want. I would have too but honestly, I found a group of people that support each other, take interest in each other and genuinely connect to each other in a way I would have never imagined or dreamed of. 

I found myself waking up and wanting to check my messages, wanting to see what was trending, what vegan recipes had been posted the night before. It all became this playground that I loved being a part of and it caused me not only to stay active, but to incredibly immerse myself so much into the system that everything started spiraling forward for me in a way that shocked me. 

My content was liked. People wanted to read what was going on in my mind. My creativity splurged over into an abundance of content and I was all of a sudden filled with purpose. 
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For these years traveling, I have had no real clear line, no ambition, no mission. I've just been a rebel without a cause fighting the good fight, trying to promote a healthy, happy environment and inspire others to live in a world they love and can appreciate. As fun and wonderful as that may sound, I live for purpose. I needed a reason to keep going and despite my efforts, nothing was giving me that satisfaction because of **obligations** and **expectations**. 

I removed those horrible umbrellas hanging over my head when I came here and have never looked back. 

I know sometimes you say to me, "Cece, write about this" or "Cece, can you finish this story?" The answer is always yes my dear friends but I am too much of a rebellious little **** to do it right then and there ;) On that note, I finished not one but two chapters of the drastically ridiculous story of when I worked for a drug runner in the Dominican Republic, just got to format it and get it up here for you all to catch up on (*it's crazy but you already know that!*)
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I have so much to catch up on, so many of you to reconnect with, the contest to start up again, the stories to finish, the drone footage from Maldives and New Zealand to share with you... I am going to be one busy gal. Good thing that is what I love and I am so excited to continue this journey with you!

## Thank you all for your incredible, unwaivering support. For any of you I have lost touch with along the way as I have been on the go, camper-vanning around forests and then boating around tiny islands... I miss you and hope to hear from you soon! 

Sending you love, as always! Thanks for everything my friends! PS **TO PROVE HE WASN'T CHICKEN!**😂

![hearttoheart signature.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1518450075/tc4hfhredsbnno56uige.png)

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