"The only source of knowledge is experience." is a famous quote by Albert Einstein.
Think about that.

Now think how more complete our knowledge would be, if we could,
magically, acquire also the experience of others - and then implement
all that wisdom in our life!
This is why it is so important to read and learn from others'
experiences and to share our own "adventures", as well as the lessons
learned.
This post will be a short journey of my crypto-adventure. It will
start in 2008 and I will share some of my milestones, but most
importantly - lessons learned.

If you wish to skip all the details, there is a tl;dr (too long ; don't read) at the end of this post!

2008

I was young. It was my last year studying for my BSc, while working (too hard).

I was studying Computer Science, so as you can imagine, Bitcoin was a
subject that started being discussed in my circles. Not by many, but it
did come up.

It was all so new, so overwhelming, so difficult for me to understand...

I was thinking. I need to find available time, read more about it and
understand more about what we can do with it! I was trying to explain to
my mother, while saying to her "Oh, but I am so busy these days... I
just cant do it right now. I have to take a break from work, and this
and that..."

And as you may have guessed, time went by ... and I would just put it off.. and off.. and off..

Bitcoin Chart -screenshot by CoinMarketCap

Lesson learned:

Listen closely to the voice of your intuition; Act without delay when
the moment permits, for hesitation may blur the message, and who knows
when it will speak to you again!"

Sometimes I think about how things would be different if I had been in
crypto right from the start. There were so many opportunities! But then I
think to myself, how lucky I am because at least I discovered it - even
if it took a while :)

Fast Forward to 2017-2018

I had just left my job and had more time to spend online, doing one of the things I loved. Research!

I was searching a number of online, digital activities, side-hustles,
opportunities etc.. And guess what I found out! I again stumbled upon
Bitcoin .. and a few other coins as a matter of fact.

It was then that I decided to really do something about it.
I felt curious, excited, passionate! I started searching courses online
(and signed up for the free MOOC of University of Nicosia) and the
journey started :)

At the same time, I discovered decentralized social media! And
here I am, 5 years afterward, still on hive blockchain, still building,
still exploring, still learning - together with my crypto-travelers!

Lesson Learned:
In a world where change is constant, education is your compass. Keep learning, keep evolving.

BNB - Binance

I started looking at BNB and Binance, as I was searching for cexes to
sign up, to do my tests, and to implement what I was learning.

Again, I did not listen to my intuition. I was thinking to myself
that BNB would be an important asset in the future. But I was hesitant.
Alas, I did not create a Binance account until a few years later! I do
not feel well admitting that, but it is the truth.

Lesson Learned:

Education isn't just about theories; it's about understanding the risks and rewards of every decision. Dare to take calculated risks.
Risks are inevitable, but so are rewards. Assess, act, thrive!

BNB Chart - screenshot from CoinMarketCap

2024

Today, January 31st - is the final day of a Binance Contest.

The users are required to share their #binancetips for a chance to win.
As of now, more than 11K answers are posted. I don't think that I have a chance to win.

BUT.

Sharing my journey and insights is a privilege. If my words can
uplift someone's spirit and ignite their passion, I will feel really
fulfilled.

TL;DR

If you did not have the time to read all the above, take a moment and think about this...

Listen closely to the voice of your intuition; Act without delay
when the moment permits, for hesitation may blur the message, and who
knows when it will speak to you again!"In a world where change is constant, education is your compass. Keep learning, keep evolving.Sharing my journey and insights is a privilege. If my words can
uplift your spirit and ignite your passion, I will feel really
fulfilled.If you encounter any setback, see it as an opportunity to rewrite your story. Keep your head high and your dreams within reach.

I would be more than happy to address any questions that any of you may have!
(Find me on Twitter/X: katerinaramm1 or discord: katerinaramm)

Thanks for stopping by!

In case you have not noticed, new (decentralized or not) applications
& platforms are born all the time. There are a lot of different
options that you can choose from, when you want to digitally do ...
just about anything.

Let's use the example of content creation.

Blockchain based, crypto rewarding platforms are not new. But as crypto and web 3 are becoming more accessible and more mainstream, the new users are found in a dilemma.

Decentralized social media become now part of academic research!

As you know, one of my favorite activities is to try out a variety of apps.

Some of the questions I ask myself are...

Which app should I choose to sign up?

Is it safe?

Where do I start?

And in this post, I will share some of the things to consider before signing up, in order to remain safe and to make the most of every dApp!
New Mail & New Unique Password

Something very important is to have a 'burner' email, that will have a unique password (not used in any other apps)
This email should be used when signing up for apps, especially brand new applications, if you want to try them right away.

New Wallet

Some of the apps may request a wallet connection to be usable. Make
sure you have a new wallet, ideally with no or little funds inside.

What should you consider before testing out an app?

Website
Is there a website? Can you find all information you are looking fore?
(Whitepaper, documentation, tokenomics, team, social media, roadmap etc)Project
Is it a real project? Check out its social media. When were the channels
created? Do they make postings? Do they respond to queries? Do other
users interact with the accounts?Reviews
Check out user reviews. If you write in google/any other search engine /
or even if you ask AI, they will get back to you with user reviews and
the sites where the reviews are.Support - Contact
Do they offer support? Can you contact them?Community
Do they use community platforms for interactions and support, ie Telegram, Discord etc?KYC
What kind of information are needed for you to create an account? Will
they eventually need a KYC, or will a username & email be enough?Referral

Are there any referral rewards? Is there any friend of yours that is
already using the app? You could ask, use their referral and let them
know if you have queries about the app!
About Tokens

If these platforms reward you in tokens, you should check out

What are those tokens?

Find them in coingecko/coinmarket cap and check out their performance.
You can also see more information about them, like number of wallets,
price, exchanges etcHow will you earn and how will you redeem?

It is important to understand how you will earn those tokens, and
if/when earn - what can you do with them? Invest? Redeem? Exchange them
with fiat or other tokens?Etiquette - Guidelines

Something extremely important to consider, especially when it
comes to content creation is .. What are you allowed to post? Who
controls the posts and how are you also protected? Can you report an
account if harassed? Can you be reported or even have your account
blocked/ removed? And how do you appeal to that?

Time is our most precious asset, so it is best to research a project before joining in.

Please allow me to shortly share a personal story.

*I have signed up to test an app, which has taken lots of my time,
and I am at a dead end as we speak because support cannot help at all
with my questions/issues. I also cannot find tutorials/documentation and
I am looking for alternative ways to resolve those issues.
I will get back with another post, as soon as the issues are resolved.*

I hope that the above was useful to you!
Did I forget something?
What is the most important to you when you are looking to sign up for a new application?

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

I received a very interesting email yesterday. A great, extremely tempting offer.

I received a great, exciting new offer for my NFT!

What were my initial thoughts?
Oh, so great! I do have some NFTs in OpenSea, so let's see this opportunity!
I was so tired, because I was so long on my pc working, that I did not want to waste more time.. I almost ... clicked
But I am thankful that I did not.
This is probably a phishing scam email, aiming to steal my log in & wallet information. These are the reasons why I did not click.
.1. I did not recognize the sender

.2. I did not believe for one second that someone would offer 4.5 ETH for one of my creations!

Look how well this email is written! It could easily fool anyone!
.3. It invites you to click somewhere that you do not really see where the link goes to.
.4. Thankfully I had received another offer from OpenSea (for real!), so I knew what they are supposed to look like

Take a look at the sender, the links, and the disclaimer at the bottom of the email
So, what should you do to be safe?
Create some self-guidelines that you should always keep in mind.
These are not only for crypto, but for EVERYTHING!

-------

In Greece there are some very popular phishing attempts, sending emails / or sms to users pretending to be from bank/card/government and they always offer money or create an URGENCY.
I.e. Click now or your package will be returned.
You have won in a lottery!
We will cancel your card if you do not click
etc etc...

-----

Never click links from emails. Always go to the official website (i.e. bank, exchange, post office, platform)Read twice or three timesIf you don't have the time to deal with it, make sure to check it again with a clear mind.Don't be afraid to ask if you are not sureStay vigilant and remember that it's better to be safe than to be sorry...
Feel free to add in the comments any of your thoughts, experiences, tips :)

Thanks for stopping by!