Last month @streetstyle instigated the #SPUD initiative to encourage people to power up their Steem to show their commitment to the platform. We need more of it powered up so that it can be used for curation, especially of smaller accounts. We have to think of the long-term benefits rather than our own short-term profits. I have just powered up all my funds. I tend to let my Steem Dollars build up, but I do not need them right now. I did buy a small vote for @ocdb despite my reservations about 'bots'. I am just doing it on some posts that are paying 100% SP as a way to get a little more Steem. ![Wallet](https://img.esteem.ws/in93ib1r22.png) That 0.001 Steem came in from yet another spammy memo from some vote seller. I am happy to take their money. I bought the vote for my [latest post](https://steemit.com/steem/@steevc/free-steem-monsters-card-leases-if-you-help-with-tenkminnows) related to @TenKMinnows where I am giving away some @SteemMonsters leases. Still waiting for people to take up the offer, but others have offered their help. I also bought a vote from @Splinterlands using the DEC tokens you earn from playing the game. You get a better return that way than by just selling them. @ReviseSociology did a [very comprehensive post](https://steemit.com/steem/@revisesociology/spud-progress-report-for-may-2019-1030-steem-via-proxy-spum) on his recent Steem progress. I do track some stats, but not in such detail. I have added about 700 SP in the last month and some of that was by buying Steem. It is still relatively cheap. You can get from nothing to minnow for about $200. You can see from [SteemWorld](https://steemworld.org/@steevc) how much I have earned. I have bought a small amount and had various contest wins. I have also spend a couple of thousand Steem at least on Steemfest trips and my guitar. ![Earnings](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRdYYpUtW6ewmYotRPoVXTQmdhgodMSCweu9u6XdeFmZq/image.png) I should hit a milestone in the next few days when I reach a reputation of 72. I got to 71 in September last year. At this level it takes a lot of votes to make it go up. I could accelerate that by buying more votes, but I would prefer it to mostly come from the community. Of course a little income from Steem is nice, but I do not desperately need the money and I am happy to help build the community. If Steem grows then we all stand to benefit. There are others who need the extra income far more than I do. SPUD, U Like?

The geeky guitarist and facilitator of the 10K Minnows Project.

I'll buy guitar picks for Steem
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I have Steem accounts to give away to worthy people!