I am new here and I understand where you are coming from. There are some toxic people on here and it will never be a genuine platform of friends if everyone wants something from you! Basically, it is the equivalent of your surfer buddies wanting your surfboard every time you meet up with them! Well. the same as you are doing now, you would not surf with them anymore! There was a girl on here that had a 25th birthday post on here a couple of weeks back and my girlfriend which is new said Happy Birthday. Her reply to my girlfriend was, well what are you going to give me. While her post was worth in the $1,500 range. This community will not last if it is just people begging for upvotes and I followed you, now you follow me posts! You know what is kind of fun, read a blog that is worth some money, then read the comments at the bottom to see who even read the damn thing and who didn't and call them out. I have done that a couple of times and seems satisfying! Well, good luck and maybe all you need is a little break and realize if you look through the 95% BS, there is 5% that actually is paying attention!
Wise words!
Thing is these surfers don't want my board, they have their own and don't care. As I said: it's a different world. You can't compare it to any other social community. Where else do you meet strangers and connect right away without any prejudice?
I know I'm asking for very much, and steemit won't ever be able to fulfill that. However, I'm convinced that I can at least ask for some respect.
Give me some months of surfing to forget about these birthday bloggers, recharge creative batteries and think about everything. Then I will reconsider my decision. My account is worth some bucks so I definitely won't simply shut that down. It took me one year to come so far.
All the best to you and your girlfriend! :)