Thanks for all the helpful replies. I'm amazed that BTC is already so passé that replacements are emerging. I guess I will venture into bitcoin purchase and speculation instead of mining, like KWH helpfully summarized.

Thirdlight, when you said that bitcoin has a lot more to offer, do you mean the intellectual satisfaction of participating in a movement or something else altogether?

DanielleEber : working for money??? That's an interesting concept