Nice Job!!
Personally I think Steemit should default to "new" not "trending", a no-brainer if the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few(I know corny but it's so fitting). Your assessment of HODL https://steemit.com/steemit/@stoner19/hodlcoin-the-hidden-gem is spot on. I'm HODLing right now at my office. When it comes to the getting involved in coins part, start looking for what I consider good names in the cryptocurrency world. I've seen and respect @stoner19, @kushed, @nextgencrypto which are 3 members I recognize in here so far and when I'm making a decision to invest in a coin it's always comforting to see crypto talent like these guys on the rich list. Be sure to check out SALUS.