Damn dude. You just spoke some serious wisdom. I get everything you said. I think that the buying Steem approach would be most sensible, but it'd be pittance compared to what I wanted stake. That's the tradeoff I suppose. The hole would be too much to replace at the level on income I generate with my recycling business for a while, but it is a long game and Steem rewards could also chip away at that.

utility value or emotional spark... could support your values and life goals

That really sums it up for me. The other core stuff is strictly financial. Steem is the exact opposite (but with that lottery ticket upside).

Thanks for the insight. I'll be mulling this over carefully.