Who I am Outside Steemit : An Introduce Yourself of jestermage

jestermage reads a book with Rocky Grayson KittyCat

Hello readers. I have been pleasantly surprised by the comments, and love the dialogue that Steemit creates with people about various subjects. I had no idea my model painting article would get as much love as it did, and I thoroughly appreciate it. I think so many of us have gotten used to, and sick and tired of many other social media & blogging platforms for their echo chamber effects, and the general toxicity and negativity they harbor. Yes, the world, on many levels, is often a shit hole ruled by tyrants, and those who would serve them, however, it is quite refreshing to be on a site where people can agree or disagree, but with higher standards of civility, while also possibly making a living at intellectual discourse, or just sharing who we are, our muses, our callings, our loves, and what ignites the fires of our passions. It’s a great place to be and I see so many other things that you just don’t get on other blogs or platforms. It feels refreshing, yet has the old familiarity of forums and chat rooms of yester decades. Carry on Minnows, posters, nerds, geeks, intellectuals, sentimentals, romantics, and bloggers of the interwebs.

I figured to get myself out there, and maybe explain a bit of the oddity in my posting, that I’d share with readers a little bit about who I am away from the keyboard of the decentralized bitcoin blockchain blogosphere. Outwardly, I am your typical long haired geeky bearded white guy that usually wears a lot of green and earthtone fabrics and cargo pants with some weird pagany/new agey jewelry. I also spend a lot of time at home...with my 3 cats. I love them, especially my two kitty boys Salem and Rocky. “The old lady” KitKat is great too, but definitely less cuddly and doesn't snuggle as much...She is oddly delightful and eccentric.

I live in a small house in a small town in rural New England that my beloved and I purchased and moved into last year. Fixing it up was not always enjoyable , but I know this home inside and out, and I love it, along with the satisfaction of hard work and visible improvement. Having a home has grounded me and made me a lot calmer and more emotionally even keeled, plus I have the space to cook food and enjoy my beloved friends and family.

Professionally I work as a mobile massage therapist, having been licensed for 6 years, and I am trained in Swedish/relaxation, Thai bodywork, reiki, shiatsu and A.C.E. Cupping. Such an industry gives me the freedom to study what fascinates me, but offers enough structure that I can stay grounded and focused. I have also started doing drives for Lyft which has been a great way to make money along the way doing trips I am already doing, or if I need to get out of the house. Before all that I worked as an elementary school teacher’s aide, and much longer ago I was a care-giver for adults with disabilities, and a camp counselor. I've taught all the humanities as a substitute teacher form elementary through high school, and as a camp counselor I have taught art, photography, and archery, also co-leading wilderness trips. My background is in Secondary Education: English, but I particularly like bodywork and the healing arts. Without the journey of learning reiki during college then becoming a master/teacher I would never have gained the confidence to apply for massage school. So yes, I like to study a lot of things at my own pace, improve stuff and generally help people feel better, but in quiet introverted ways. Think of me in real life as a multi-class Wizard/Druid with a lot of skill points, high dexterity, a few dips in rogue/ranger and a variety of tools.

I am a 21st century renaissance man jack of many trades with a broad range of interests that often surprises others. I’m very domestic, reasonably handy, and pretty adaptable. I particularly enjoy, outdoor adventuring, especially hiking, sitting around a campfire, exploring waterways, kayaking, canoeing and sailing. I am well trained in wilderness survival, wildcrafting edible and medicinal plants, and wound care. I love cooking...Soups, Indian, Thai and Mexican foods are my favorites, and baking has recently become a passion as well. I have both hippy and nerd tendencies with a very passionate love of tabletop and roleplaying games, most particularly Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons (3.5 and 5e are my favorites, but all editions have their merits) and the old D20 Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition. On the non-RPG side of table gaming I really enjoy, Catan (Settlers, Cities & Knights, etc...), Splendor, Ticket to Ride, Rock, Paper, Wizard, The Quiet Year, Odin’s Ravens, Time Stories, and Ascension. Gaming for me is less about winning and more about the enjoyment, hanging out with good people, the intellectual aspects, inside jokes and the tactics.

Creatively I enjoy, photography, drawing, flow arts/fire spinning, and sewing, my works often being naturey, new agey, spiritual, fantasy and mythology based. I joined Steemit as a thought experiment and to see where my ideas take me, so I am looking forward to offering you all something enjoyable, with a lot of focus on gamer stuff, herbal stuff, outdoor stuff and bodywork/healing arts stuff. Enjoy :)