How to create Steem account without Steemit

I was not even aware we have to "purchase" our accounts by either using cryptocurrency to buy in or by submitting telephone number/email address/our other social network accounts as payment for an in.
When I was signing up, all I submitted was an email address & chosen user name.
As the sign up process went, I submitted the email address & user name, and was then asked for a telephone number. At that point I chose to close the browser window (as I do not submit my phone number to anything internet, I get enough spam and junk calling as it is and really do enjoy my privacy/anonymity).
Figuring I would not be granted a user account on steemit for failing to give my phone number, I simply gave up on even considering being a user here. Yet the very next day I received 2 emails from steemit (with some odd links that did not go to steemit yet rather directed to u3137752 dot ct dot sendgrid dot net /bunchofgibberish). Fearing this was a phishing scam, I simply returned to the steemit website and selected the registration button. And BAM! it gave me a self generated password!
All I had to do from there was copy/paste the extremely long generated password into a verification field, and I became an active user with a 27 Steem Power delegated balance.
Not sure if this would be the case for every one attempting to sign up in this manner, yet it worked for me.
Screenshot at 2017-06-29 13-10-05.png