~ September 13, 2017 ~

--- Well, it is that time of year again... ***my Hive Birthday!*** It has been an incredible journey being here, and I have met many amazing people along the way. It is difficult to understand how fast the time has gone by. But, after having Åskar, it's much easier to believe how quickly time can get away from you. It seems like just yesterday i was making a post about him being born, and next month is his in-real-life second birthday. I won't lie, it has been a struggle to stay active and be as present here on the blockchain as much as i would have liked to be or as i had been before these last two years. I know everyone understands that family comes first, but my Hive friends here are like family as well. I always feel like i am missing out when i can't be online to take care of all that i have going on here with Hive. But lately, with him going to preschool now, i have finally been getting a bit more time online and have gained a bit of momentum. In my time here on the Hive blockchain i have been fortunate enough and privileged to curate for OCD as well as manage the Photography Lovers Community along with the Alien Art Hive Community. I also judge the weekly Splinterlands Art Contests. Just the curating and managing can take up all my computer time these days. That doesn't leave much room for the social and personal aspects i enjoy most about being here. I keep saying it... but i am going to try and post a bit of the personal stuff like life, photos, and my art etc. a bit more often! Even though i don't personally publish often, as most of my posts are community curations, i have had some posts that i resonated with the most or were very proud of since blogging was never really my thing. Over time i got to enjoy blogging and the documentation of my art in particular. I had never considered taking progress shots of my artwork until i realized it made for more robust content. Now, when i have a mind to do it, i would consider taking progress shots even if never meant to be shared or blogged. I always looked at old sketchbooks and compared them to my contemporary art at the time and it was like seeing progress but without the steps. Taking images of the process is like filling in that void that i depended on my not so great memory for. I have learned a lot from many of the people that i have met here throughout the years. Some have gone and some are still around. Some left and came back and left again. The cool thing is the blockchain keeps going with or without most of us. It's cool to be part of something on this scale and to have been here since the beginning. For those that weren't here for the ~~STEEMIT~~ days... be glad. Hive is really an interesting social experiment to be a part of. I want to thank everyone that has been a part of my Hive journey. Without everyone here there wouldn't be much reason to around! Having said all of that, i would now like to share some of those older posts i mentioned earlier for your viewing pleasure. I will skip the two tutorial/fundamentals of Hive posts to help the new users get a good start since most anyone reading this far are not new and don't need most of that info. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://image.ibb.co/eVUigG/Tim_Ross.jpg ^{My proper Introduction Post (which earned .54 cents for those that complain about not being noticed)} [WHO AM I, REALLY?](https://peakd.com/introduceyourself/@castleberry/who-am-i-really) A lot has obviously changed since my entry into the blockchain environment. I was pretty proud to have created such a big post with no clue how to do things since we didn't have built-in editors back then! It was cool to see everything formatted and presented as intended after much trial and error. Anyhow... that was one of my first moments of really appreciating the potential here and the fun of blogging for myself. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/http://image.ibb.co/d4dRAG/20s062.jpg [WHAT IS CRYPTO-CURRENCY?](https://peakd.com/cryptocurrency/@castleberry/what-is-crypto-currency) This was always one of my favorite posts. I didn't really understand much about cryptocurrency or blockchain technology at the time. I am still no expert today either! hahaha But i was curious and decided to do a write-up on what i learned as i explained the process. I tried to add a little humor since some of the information may be boring to most folks. The funny thing looking back is that most people who would read this post at that time probably were all much more knowlegeable than i was. Somewhat preaching to the choir, as they say. Still an enjoyable read for me... hopefully for you as well. Unfortunately, i don't think i ever did any of the follow-ups though. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://media.giphy.com/media/de7YjnUgKq5Ta/giphy.gif [Hive Gaming Community - MY Best Video Game Memories](https://peakd.com/hive-140217/@castleberry/hive-gaming-community-my-best-video-game-memories) This was one of the most fun posts to make. It really took me down memory lane to make. I remembered so many good childhood memories that i had forgotten about or kept in the outskirts of my mind. The Hive Gaming Community had made a theme of sharing Best Video Game Memories. I have to say it really made me feel very nostalgic and the older i find myself getting the more value i place on nostalgia. I ended up recalling so many different moments in my life that were centered around or included video games that i couldn't stop writing and sharing! I even go as far back here as some of the good old Atari days! We were very fortunate in my family to have had such access to the constantly evolving scene of video games. If you like video games and haven't read this post it should be fairly entertaining for you. I usually try to include some humor in many of my posts! .GIF is a love language of mine. hahaha I did end up making a follow up to this post which you can check out below. https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://media.giphy.com/media/eNYMWhdGY75kc/giphy.gif [ThrowBack Thursday - MY Best Video Game Memories 2](https://peakd.com/hive-140217/@castleberry/throwback-thursday-my-best-video-game-memories-2) ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/23tvVmGmxdVH9WURJHXFsynS2E9DKwxCmCng2tw4vtVtcY4GZVvFMCK25n4WSEvGP9V48.jpg [~ Many Irons In The Fire ~](https://peakd.com/hive-158694/@castleberry/many-irons-in-the-fire-) This post was kind of a recap going over a few of my duties here on Hive. I mention a lot of the tasks i perform mostly behind the scenes and i also go over some artworks that are for sale at [my NFT Showroom gallery](https://nftshowroom.com/castleberry/gallery). You can also see a bit of the A.I. artwork as it was back in 2021. You can see how far the technology has come in just these last few years. Pretty crazy to have been playing around with it back then before it exploded into such a common and popular thing. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/23tvqBkwQGZNxM9VhmCFKFWCsGYpuSWJVP5XjJp5THmc7ZjPR4bzwcjAMbB2bmZy35EWC.jpg [Waters of the Wombs](https://peakd.com/hive-158694/@castleberry/waters-of-the-wombs) This post shows one of my first attempts at making a collage in PhotoShop that i ever did. I also put it up for sale as an NFT in [my NFT Showroom gallery](https://nftshowroom.com/castleberry/gallery). It was a really fun yet difficult project for me. The NFT is in the form of a short video with music. My head was getting dizzy making this and the layers got pretty intense. I am sure most of our digital artists or professional photographers could whip up one of these in photoshop in a fraction of the time it took me. I have been meaning to make a new one of these kinds of arworks here soon... but i say that about everything, with good intentions, of course. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/23ywmC4upWSw5TvjX3C6YT5RGN6J8JPMBQXF57YPMS4yLZqNjgPA9QzBFUaUCHpfXJE7j.jpg [Flying Squirrel](https://peakd.com/hive-158694/@castleberry/flying-squirrel) I really loved the end result of this 'Flying Squirrel' artwork. In the post i show all the steps and describe the creative process. Just the concept of a squirrel riding a giant butterfly was always cool to me. I don't really remember what inspired the idea... maybe the fact i was making friends hand feeding a squirrel around that time. Either way, i enjoyed the inking and color work that went into this one. I minted it and the link for the NFT is in the post if you want to give it a look and/or read. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/EoyRr6vf2ny5PWCW2C5Lbbo5dxWp6uDXabF1BGrYN3tArfvczhmghUpAMfmNoA7vmfX.JPG [Expectant](https://peakd.com/hive-158694/@castleberry/expectant) I shared a few of the posts last year on my Hive Birthday post that i was going to share here. I didn't want to double up so i added different ones that i hadn't already advertised. It's funny though... i made a few works of art with a theme of pregnancy around this same time. Unbeknownst to me, we would end up pregnant about a year later. I almost wonder if my intuition was picking up on something ahead of time?! It's even more interesting because i was stuck in my motherland of Texas during the covid days and awaiting my return to Sweden. 'Expectant' ended up being one of my favorite creations in recent times. The post really shows all the steps and accentuates all the details and nuances that are in there. Much of the detail can be missed at first glance. My handmade artwork is always best viewed in hand and with the proper angles and lighting to really experience all the sheen and texture hidden in these pieces. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/Eq35bpAsxYb9fJRDsxXKBmtryfu6S1DLwJxrW13EHd5eQ4J6JDw3X59rSoTtDFZNeCh.JPG [Kalmar & Katharsis](https://peakd.com/hive-194913/@castleberry/kalmar-and-katharsis) Considering that half or more of my blog posts have been photography related, it would be a shame if i didn't share a couple of those posts as well. In most of my art posts i always try to use the art of photography to enhance the traditional art itself. I take macro shots focusing on texture, medium, or focal points. I choose angles that make the art look almost completely new and different as it is in the photo. One of my favorite photographic shots from 'Expectant' post is actually one of all the pencil shavings it took to make the art. In this post, Kalmar & Katharsis, i show a trip that we made to Kalmar and some of the photos i took around the Castle. If i remember correctly, this may have been one of my first times in Kalmar. I used to take my camera everywhere with me.... Just in case! On this occasion, i was certainly happy that i did. The garden and the cemetery just outside the castle borders are both historical and filled with amazing beauty. The giant anchor in this featured image is dwarved in comparison to the ramparts of the castle in the background. But, don't let that fool you... the anchor is humongous! ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/Eokchp3sEx9pZCCAChjDCfK5BcxdzwipDaXQzVHr8j3BznGcSZHfT1kXYcLA1v44bcu.JPG [CastleBerry Crunch](https://peakd.com/hive-194913/@castleberry/castleberry-crunch) Trying to share a bit more of my less than perfect photography, i included this post. It's mostly about me getting back into the swing of things here on Hive. I have had ebbs and flows of my ability to maintain my duties as well as i would like here on the blockchain. In retrospect, many of these posts are filled with my whining and complaints about being overburdened or behind on my work. From time to time though i do make a motivational post filled with my intentions of getting into a momentum flow that will carry me into the future without missing a beat. However, reality kicks in and i realize it's probably best to just do what i can do and be happy for that. I do hold myself to high standards in certain regards that cripple my progress or momentum as soon as some snag comes along to throw off the rhythm. Life is a struggle for balance. I talk about that in one of these posts and describe how difficult, if not impossible, that can be to do. That never stops us from trying though. ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/EpJVh5pavXnff6dvG6175zm9PygsgSCQzfZXoMr5HaHQVf8yW48iym6yH9KKx2EBwSt.JPG [Kalmarian Katharsis Complete](https://peakd.com/hive-194913/@castleberry/kalmarian-katharsis-complete) There were three posts of all my shots from that one day in Kalmar. I really enjoyed the shots in all three, but decided to just share the two posts here. As i mentioned about balance, i wanted to balance the content here from the past, between art and photography. It has been fun creating ways to make the experiences fun for the readers. Going back over some of my comment sections has reminded me that sometimes the design goes as planned. It is very rewarding when that happens. It's pretty deflating though when it doesn't work out. I can say, the non-stop flow of content here on Hive does not really incentivize anyone going backwards in the feed. The curation rewards are best within 24 hour window. Everything after that comes with a curation penalty. So, most can forget about anything they produce older than 7 days getting any real visibility. That is, of course, aside from posts like my - [How To Get A Great Start on the Hive Blockchain](https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@castleberry/how-to-get-a-great-start-on-the-hive-blockchain) - [How To Get A Great Start on Hive 2](https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@castleberry/how-to-get-a-great-start-on-hive-2) As long as the mechanics don't change... those posts are pretty timeless in the regard of helping new and old users understand some unspoken things that our Hive ecosystem expects from it's users! There is almost as much useful information in the comment sections as there is in the posts and they are still very much relevant today. Maybe i need to get part 3 out ASAP! ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/23tmHnJkiN4Je4EXWZdFagjDTvXbXs3xWRXr6ewwtv7q2NHwWNHJLU9UTw3cca7yKdxMt.jpg [Time Flies & Life Happens When You Are Busy Making Other Plans](https://peakd.com/hive-194913/@castleberry/time-flies-and) I couldn't leave out my boy! We had family from Chile come and a Netherlander as guests at this time. It was a first for my son as it was an extremely busy period for the first time in his life. I got some precious pictures of the time and i made a post explaining what all was going on in my life at that time. The title kind of sums up my life for the last decade or so... but even moreso in these last two years of being a dad. Next month is Åskar's second real life birthday. Maybe i should make him a Hive account for his future like @smallsteps! ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/23vsGGrxVVskfzdaWbm8vwZNGJAsX29ahQbSxnLvLHWwixR26kXM4kk7wxTU7W3scdgS2.jpg [Season of Change](https://peakd.com/hive-194913/@castleberry/season-of-change) In this last post i talk about the changes in my life. It was around his first birthday and we carved some pumpkins together. I mostly go over the carving process as i documented the experience photographically. I really enjoyed sharing the moment in my blog. I think trying to capture it for documentation purposes added to the moment's meaning and value. I for one am the first to say we have memories and brains. Put the device away and just live and document life the way it's meant to be. We have a memory for a reason. I love photography and capturing moments, don't get me wrong. However, remembering a moment in time or an experience and the way it made you feel is critical to being in touch with life. In stark contrast to just relegating events of life to be documented digitally in order to have value. I prefer the organic experience but that doesn't mean i am against documenting and capturing experiences digitally in a thoughtful way. This one was a juggling act because of the potential mess. The cat was crazy, the boy was crazy, and i had to manage the situation to be able to take any quality shots. Overall, i say job well done... but i always could have done better. Seeing the curiosity and fun everyone was having around the experience was truly memorable... with or without the post and photos. The post was a bit Halloween themed and it's cool that time of year is just around the corner yet again! ![dividers-04.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdvc788wxsBSQHY3z21o3wSTU7hqRnyYc2JFEn2pEYSev/dividers-04.png) So, there are a bunch of posts that i have made over the years that might be worth checking out. Overall, i just want to say thanks to everyone here. It's been my pleasure and honor to experience all the amazing photographers and artists on Hive that i have come across in all of this time. Some of the photography here on Hive has been the most amazing that i have ever seen in my life. The same goes for the artworks that i have seen here on Hive. It's even more cool that the art and photography is coming from such a wide and diverse range of talents, subjects, and expressions from all over the world. https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdDh2bXNsajBrMzVjOWsyZnJyMGZob29xaTBmMTNxbWpkcnI0c2hzOCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/FgqvzvlSu3SXm/giphy.gif I truly value what Hive is and the community available to be had if you put in the effort to connect here. I am thankful for all those that i have befriended along the way in my time here and i think this 8 years is worth celebrating. Thanks for joining me for this retrospect and reflection of the past. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store. Happy Birthday to ME! hahaha https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbDNiZGduejFpNXl4Y2ZtZG44a2ozbHlnNW91bmw1a3drcnFoYXFhZCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/g5R9dok94mrIvplmZd/giphy.gif https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/castleberry/mlVDH9ir-alien20hive.jpg

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