About three months ago, I'd collect and showcase an anthology of my week on Steemit every Sunday in case you may have missed something you enjoy.

And then, I took a spotty three-month hiatus from regular posting. It had little to do with the price of Steem or the morale on the platform, and more with the cadence of my life. Money got tight, we moved into our slow rolling home without electricity or running water, and I was floundering for purpose. My confidence hit a serious low.

What Steemit has taught me is that if you persevere, even when your work isn't what you want it to be or you think your life isn't worth sharing, the consistency will save you. Breaking my routine of brainstorming, creating, publishing, and engaging set me on a downward spiral of loneliness and confusion.

I'm working to not put too much pressure on myself to be everything to everyone but to instead focus my energy on what I enjoy. This week was a little taste of that.

Without further ado! This week on Steemit...

The Ant Who Loved to Paint

The first [active] community I joined on Steemit back in January was the #freewrite community, now living in the @freewritehouse. Daily prompts and a time limit push me to stretch my creativity and accept what I produce, no matter what. The Ant Who Loved to Paint gushed out of me at the prompt "quit" and I can't explain why. I'm grateful to those of you who read it, and to @curie for honoring it with your vote.

Read The Ant Who Loved to Paint and have a little laugh with me.

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Wednesday Walk with @hobotang in Downtown Knoxville

The most recent community I've joined on Steemit is the #WednesdayWalk initiative, created by @tattoodjay. My beau and fellow Steemian @hobotang and I love to get out and shoot. The Wednesday Walk group is supportive and inspiring, and we took their lead and went out to explore our city. He brought his medium-format film camera and I brought my Sony a7RII DSLR into Downtown Knoxville to see what we could find.

See a small collection of photos and read about our day in Wednesday Walk with @hobotang in Downtown Knoxville.

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As She Ever Was

My goal was to write a freewrite each day, and this was the first of that string. I missed a few this week, and it may be because I got way too attached to this one! I've been experimenting with poetry and while this one is more prose-like than rhythmic, I still felt so connected to my characters.

I'd love to share As She Ever Was with you and hear your perspective on the characters' circumstances.

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Photo Sojourn at Meads Quarry • Ijams Nature Center | Fujifilm Superia 400

It's notevery day​y that I get to go out and shoot film by myself, at my own speed and in whatever location I choose! The last excursion to Meads Quarry at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville resulted in a blank roll of film - I was determined to go back and capture what I loved most. I poked around the boating and swimming area for a bit, capturing the header photo of a stranger as he jumped (against the suggestion of the sign) off the rock into the deep abyss. After a dip in the quarry, I went on a short hike and finished out my roll.

See the collection of photos, taken on my favorite film, in Photo Sojourn at Meads Quarry • Ijams Nature Center and share in the comments if you have a favorite!

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I've Never Been Much for the Gym

Not every freewrite is a winner! The prompt 'squash' simply did not speak to me. I thought about ideas, toyed around with concepts, but ultimately set the timer and sat there for a whole minute while my brain stood silent. Then, I remembered how I used to spend my lonely afternoons after school. I'd take the city bus to the gym where I was part of a family membership, and free dance in the squash courts. Fellow-gym goers must have thought I was nuts, and plenty of weirdo guys tried to strike up conversation. But, it was a fond memory of an activity that overall made me stronger, more confident, and a better dancer.

Get some inspiration for your next 'not so great' freewrite with I've Never Been Much for the Gym and remember, press Publish anyway!

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I've loved being back on Steemit this week!

I'm gearing up for @thealliance meetup in Atlanta next month, and have a string of photo + writing posts in the pipeline. I have my eye on the @sndbox community and hope to get back to @curie curating soon.

Know of any great communities or contests you think I might like? Leave me a link in the comments!

Hi, I'm Amelia! It's nice to meet you.

I'm a writer, minimalist, tiny home dweller, and maker living in East Tennessee, USA. You might have found me through the Ladies of Steemit curation initiative, showcasing the female voices on the Steemit platform. Let's hang out on the blockchain and see where it takes us.

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