Steem Basic Income Update #4: The Phantom Steemians

~~Short post!~~ ^_^

First of all, I'm going to brag a bit cuz I just crossed the 450 followers threshold, and given that I haven't even been doing this Steemit thing for a year yet (yeah, I signed up back in September 2016, but I didn't actually do anything with the site until the summer of 2017), it's mind-blowing to see a fan base like that. Y'all are a little scary. I'm nervous around crowds, so I hope you don't all decide to turn up at my house at the same time. :)

Humble-brag out of the way, it's time to unveil the latest people who got stealth-SBI'd with that sweet, sweet @steembasicincome sponsorship. Let's meet the lucky winners, shall we? :D

Say hello, everyone, to @barrister-batman! Yes, the World's Greatest Detective is also a lawyer--who knew? Actually living up to his username, he followed the clues and learned of his enrollment prior to this announcement, but I'm still giving him a shout-out anyway. Don't be fooled by his 'SlackerMan' moniker either...that's just his 'Millionaire Playboy' secret identity. I met the dark-cowled one when he posted a stunningly personal pictoral/essay seven months ago for a contest run by @surpassinggoogle. I was damn near in tears once I hit the end, and I had no choice but to comment. If I ever wind up in Nigeria, I would give this guy the biggest dude-bro hug of his life (and then he would probably kick my ass, but it would be hilariously worth it to recount the tale on here later). He writes poetry with a heartfelt passion I could never match, philosophizes about life in ways I'd never considered, and in general uses the Steemit platform the way everyone should: to inspire and pull others up.

So, my soft-but-well-spoken, heart-broken,
Dream-bedecked, amazingly-complect'd and awesomely respect'd,
Still-I-rise (don't eulogize!), kicked-in-the-soul-but-still-I-roll,
Rhyme-slinging, dream-clinging, no-faking,
Sound-of-glass-ceilings-breaking,
Truth-telling, out-and-out-yelling brother,
As we move toward a
World with no border
I've got your back if you've got mine
Day or night, anytime,
Keep up the fight for the truth of what's right in the light that's either too soft or too damn bright
Because these shadows are a thing of the past where we hid
As kids
But now we're adults, grown-up, out on our own
Left, so now far and wide we roam,
Always feeling like we're so far from home--
But we're not, because home's where these hearts are,
Just close your eyes, look to the skies, and see that star
Connecting you to me and me to you and us to them and them beyond
There's a million billion points of light we all spawned...
And yet here you sit, reading these words
Absurd?
I don't think so, man--you've earned 'em.
So enjoy your share of Steem Basic Income. :D

-mic drop-

Now that I've proven Eminem's in no danger of early retirement, it's time to go over and check out @carlossoublette. This dude's putting his SBI share to work already, churning out great video game related content in both Spanish and English for those of us too American to speak multiple languages. I love this dude's reviews, but more than that, I love how he focuses attention on other Steemians who make content he enjoys, day in and day out, always seeking to share what he loves with others. Your time is now, my good man: keep up the great work! :D

Last but not least, congrats are in order for @effofex, not only for having a name hilarious to my math-addled brain, but for stoking the fires of Steemians who write about everything from science and technology to comics and video games. I've found a ton of cool content thanks to this guy, even though most of what he's into is so far over my head the people writing it probably live on the International Space Station. Nevertheless, this guy's promoting such dangerous levels of social interaction that following him will probably be a crime in a few months, so indulge your inner outlaw and see what this scholar-cum-badass is all about! :D

Whew! That was quite the work-out y'all gave me this week! And just for @peekbit, who strives to make the world a happier place using nothing but the power of black-and-white photography, I present this handsome wolf who, like me, has a full belly and a desire to take a long nap: