For this interview, I asked @r2cornell if he would like to participate in an SBI interview. We discussed the ways I performed my interviews... keeping in mind most of us have a hectic blockchain life, as well as "normal" life (whatever normal is)... I was excited to see he agreed; his flower photographs alone are enough to keep you scrolling for days! So... let's dive in, and learn about the awesome @r2cornell.

Subject Intro: @r2cornell

Those of you who follow r2cornell know he takes wonderful photographs of flowers... as I have looked through many of his posts, he has a wonderful vibe through positive engagement, as well as, of course...flower photographs!

_{Image Credit r2cornell}

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When I first started researching for this interview, the first post I viewed by @r2cornell, was focusing on the SPACO token. Their Steem account can be found here, and the description was given on @r2cornell's referenced post...

Spaco is a Steem-Engine token and is traded on www.steem-engine.com. We have created Spaco to unite the Spanish community and to strengthen the Spanish vote

_Source

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Just another example of community my friends... @r2cornell's mindset was simple:

I was purchasing this token because of the many Spanish-Speaking followers and visitors to my posts. In that process I was contacted by someone from the project and informed about their incentive: We are giving away 1 million in SPACO delegation for life. I will leave the links for both the English and Spanish version of their post. For my Spanish-Speaking followers and visitors, take a good look at this incentive. A delegation for life, no matter the size is, a wonderful thing. Please take advantage of this.

_Source

For more information on this topic, I would suggest seeking the source provided above; once again... community... one of the foundations of the Steem Basic Income initiative. Let's see what inspired these things for @r2cornell...

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@wesphilbin: Certainly such a wonderful start to our interview, my friend. Would you mind giving our readers a little background about yourself?

@r2cornell: I live outside a small town in the Northern Panhandle of Idaho. I was raised on a dairy farm and have always tried to live in the country with some land around me and close to nature. I moved to my current location 37 years ago after I completed my Master’s Degree. I have spent my entire career working with the disabled, and was in private practice as a Rehabilitation Counselor until Spring of 2018. My wife and I have cared for disabled adults in our home for over 25 years. In Spring of 2018, my wife was in the hospital for 3 weeks and one of the ladies we cared for was also in the hospital. I knew my wife was going to also need a care provider so I closed down my company, quit a part-time job working with disabled youth, and had our in-home care business switched to my name. This way I was home as the lady I mentioned above was dying and needed extra care, and was available to take care of my wife.

@wesphilbin: I certainly hate to hear your wife had to spend time in the hospital... and of course hope she is doing better! Working as a Rehabilitation Counselor must have been both rewarding but strenuous; I worked several times as a Nurses Aid in my younger years. I also was raised by women, and my Grandparents were in their late 50's when I was a child. Such a change, from working in the Rehabilitation Field to our blockchain... I'm curious; what got you into STEEM?

@r2cornell: I did not get into cryptocurrency when I first heard about Bitcoin… I could not make sense of this blockchain technology, not that I fully understand it yet. I am proficient with the use of computers, but this was all too new for me. I kept reading about Bitcoin and when it was around $400 I started buying a little at a time. As I got more familiar with cryptocurrencies I got into Altcoins as well. During the 2017 run-up I sold enough to pay off some debt and put some cash away for retirement. I was grateful for getting into cryptocurrency when many were very cheap.

I had been hearing about Steem and Steemit for a while prior to signing up in March of 2017. The idea of blogging was of interest to me, although I had no idea where to start or what to blog about. When I began I experienced what many users have of being ignored by Whales, and even a few times treated poorly. I eventually stopped logging into Steemit for around 3 months. I am not sure why I came back. When I did come back I used some of the profits I made from other cryptocurrencies to purchase some STEEM. I gradually found my niche is photography; primarily of flowers, nature, and wildlife. I am as far from a professional photographer as you can get, but I try to capture what I am seeing and hope others enjoy it.

"I saw a potential outlet for my upcoming retirement years to be socially active on the Steemit platform. Little did I know that a year later I would no longer be counseling others in my work."

_@r2cornell

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@wesphilbin: So you certainly saw a change in plans; closing your business to care for your wife, leaving a part-time job to do the same... but you were trying to ensure that not only your wife was cared for, but also another person needing help... that is certainly commendable! Then you started your journey on the blockchain... learning the ins and outs of just what it takes, and were able to rely on some of your transactions to buffer your retirement and become more active on the blockchain. How was it that you learned of the Steem Basic Income initiative?

@r2cornell: I first heard about Steem Basic Income from a newcomer who I was coaching, as they were in their first couple of months on Steem. I investigated it and saw the potential to help others by sending them SBI units. The hardest thing for newcomers is to receive upvotes. SBI provided an avenue for them to receive upvotes, albeit small to start. When I was coaching someone that was new and they were putting forth a good effort and trying to improve and learn the platform I would gift them some units. I also gifted larger amounts to some of the charitable organizations I was supporting. I encouraged others to do the same... what better way to help someone and also receive an equal amount of units for your own account.

Interviewer note: At the end of discussing how @r2cornell had learned of Steem Basic Income, he stated something that I think is so wonderful... not only about @r2cornell but also the very concept of the Steem Basic Income community...

"Many of my followers on Steem do not have much STEEM so by receiving SBI upvotes it helps me earn more...this a wonderful aspect of SBI.""

_@r2cornell

_{Beautiful photo by r2cornell}

@wesphilbin: It's nice to see other's spreading positive energy on the blockchain, and I think @r2cornell is doing an outstanding job of doing so... not only helping to keep his own affairs in order, but also helping new Steemians by providing them with SBI units... helping both parties in the process. As I looked over the conversation @r2cornell and I had, I was reminded of how he mentioned coaching others to succeed on the blockchain. When I asked him if this was something that he was still actively doing, this is what he had to say...

"Yes, I continue to coach people using the Steemit platform, as well as some of the new Tribal platforms such as Neoxian City. I only continue with those who are willing to listen and work at improving. Some continue staying in communication with me after they are doing well, others come and go. It is difficult to find help, especially if English is not your native tongue. Sometimes a newcomer just needs a little "hand-holding" to get started and to be reassured it will take time to build a presence on Steemit".

_@r2cornell

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@wesphilbin: You certainly go out of your way to help others, which is a wonderful example of community and interaction. Moving forward, do you have any plans or potential projects "in the works"?

@r2cornell: I do not have specific projects in mind. I have three charitable organizations that I periodically add to their totals. When someone has asked for my assistance with Steemit, and I work with them for a while and I see they are growing in their understanding and in the quality of their posts, it is then I may buy some SBI units for them. It may be their first or it may be adding to what they already have.

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_{Image created by @ecoinstante}

@wesphilbin: I have certainly enjoyed chatting with you @r2cornell... with each new interview, and each new Steemian I meet, the focus is showing that we are all people, behind these screens and keyboards. What a trying but exciting life you have lived, my friend. As we come to a close on this interview, what are your thoughts on the future of Steem as well as the Steem Basic Income initiative?

@r2cornell: Steem is a big unknown as to where it is going. It is now valued around the price when I started in Spring of 2017. Now there is another HardFork coming and possibly the anticipation is depressing Steem's value. Hopefully, we will start to see improvement as the Hardfork solidifies... As for SBI, I see it as continuing to be important, especially for those who do not get many upvotes and have little Steem Power as it is. Those people who are trying to supplement their income probably benefit the most. The same for the social programs/charities that depend on every little bit of income they can get.

[Editor's note: This interview was prepared before HF21. We were going to publish it yesterday, but Steem is not fully settled into HF22 yet and unscheduled downtime prevented us from doing so.]

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Interview Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed this interview with @r2cornell... to me, another example of never giving up on what you want to obtain in life... family is important and community and interaction, both on the blockchain as well as our own lives, will always be something to hold dear...

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Sixteen total interviews for the @steembasicincome Group... and my eighth to date, as a writer for the SBI Group... With each Steemian I interview, I see a similar vibe my friends... sharing the positive effects of promoting community, a greater sense of why these Steemians are choosing to participate in the Steem Basic Income initiative... for not only themselves and their interaction on the block-chain, but also sharing the understanding of engagement, by sponsoring others. I thank you for sticking around, and reading yet another interview highlighting a prominant user involved in the Steem Basic Income initiative. Appreciate your continued support, involvment, and community interaction.

Who will we see on the next Steem Basic Income interview?

Until then my friends...

Wes