When You Know You're Successful 

Thanks for your thougts! I'm 37, depressed and low on energy, poor and with no sense of safety, fighting for myself and for my loved ones - definitely not what most folks would call successful... but I do my thing, and I'll Keri on supporting you as long and as much as I can. You're well worth it!

"Piles of lists" - relatable! Whenever someone says they are bored and nothing to do, I can't even imagine that. There's more to do that I could ever finish in my lifetime!

I always find it nice when people I don't know come up to me and say "hey, you're XJet aren't you?" before going on to explain that they watch the channel and like it. I find it amazing that, even in a tiny town like the one where I live, people who I'd never expect, watch my stuff -- especially when my niche is so small.

I think you show a passion for past achievements that are being lost to time, past accomplishments that can still massively contribute to innovation, success is reminding the world of these things and making sure they are never forgotten.

I appreciate what you do.

Hi Fran! We really enjoy your videos and appreciate you! 😊

Thanks for all you do Fran!

LOL! Just another one of your master class videos on talking from the hip on living a contented, happy life…..something we’re all chasing - for better or worse. I don’t know about others, but I get more psychological help (free no less) from your musings than I would from a professional head-shrink. LOL! I don’t really know you, but I do believe you may be the most authentic human soul on YT! 👍👏

Well done Fran, its the same for all creative people, I used to pull all nighters, some times still do, Oh I am 57 too, wow !

Keep on truckin' Fran.

Being thanked for something that you love to do and would do anyway is a DOUBLE COMPLIMENT!

I have learned a lot from you. Keep going strong.

What you are doing is important. Thank you for the knowledge and inspiration.

Thank you!

I love the stories you tell. Please keep it up!

Yes I like the old tech. And I appreciated when my father was a chief engineer of radio stations in Jacksonville Florida back in the '70s. I remember you were saying that you had a worked at a radio station. I love the watching the personalities of the DJs it was a lot of fun!

Great to hear more of your story. Thanks for the continuing inspiration 🖤

As long as you keep moving, you're doing ok. I've found that as I've aged (I'm 69), I can never complete my optimistic and, frankly, unrealistic goals for the day. But on the plus side, I'm never bored.

The description about how you feel when public recognition arises might be suggestive of a well adjusted person… the fact you are happy within yourself and love what you do is a blessing :-) Can relate to your lament re energy levels (and physical restrictions) as life quickly progresses :-)

The light pours out of you. xxx

You are doing great with this video, receiving the compliments of many. I was once told to learn how to take a compliment, so this is my hopefully relevant story. I'm not sure if I have, but I have learned to appreciate what it means now. Yes, the words don't initially seem to mean a lot, because talk is cheap. But it's an indication that someone may be willing to do something for you, or allow you certain freedoms, or just: the benefit of the doubt. This adds up over time, as you noticed in your Patreon account. So basically when you get a compliment, you have to make a little show of receiving the compliment - not to be transactional but as a means of communication. The person has to know that you get it, even though simply speaking it's just words. They feel it more than you do anyway, so why not make sure they feel that the compliment was received?

You sparkle in a different way, You must be on the spectrum. You're very much appreciated.

Your content is great because you *aren't* aiming to be popular/famous. The 'influencers' who are only doing content in pursuit of fame come off as very superficial and fake. You have been 100% genuine, which is enjoyable to watch.

I find your channel, and your outlook on various subjects, endlessly fascinating. Thank you.

Welcome to 'The Spectrum' enjoy the ride. ;)

Keep the content coming 🎉you’re out there😊 🙏

I am 49 years old. I am very nearly financially free to start saying No to things that don't bring me joy. I'm not rich, I just have a very low cost of living and have many things I would like to do for my own enjoyment that will also help others. I cannot understate the peace this has brought me.

Being well known for what you do, by people who share your interests and goals, can be satisfying. Being well known for the sake of it becomes tedious, and impacts on your privacy. I have spent 10 years becoming less conspicuous, I no longer have a web presence. These days, I am just a cat (as you can see), it works out much better. 🙂

I'm 60 but you made me think of one time when I was 24, I hade big box of tools as wide as i could spread my arms and the box was so heavy I looked at it many time that day as crossed my yard knowing the box had go into the back of my truck and i dreaded having to lift it so as hoped someone would happen by and help me i suddenly said to myself I have lifted heavy things before so why don't I just do it myself so i went ahead and did it and it was difficult but I remember thinking I should have just done it rather than think about it all day. Because all that think was worse than just doing it.

Twice, now, someone has approached me and asked, "You're not the youtuber Tentoes, are you?" I'll try to think of something clever to say in case I am ever in Philly and see you. 😊

i find this so relatable, and if i may share something i’ve learned through experience: even taking a compliment and enjoying being recognized in public spaces may be hard for you, but this is another thing where practice makes perfect! omg i have the stacks of to do lists and feeling behind as well. try to look at the completed tasks and keep cracking Fran and everybody who’s feeling like they are in this boat too my partner and i really do love your channel and you provide some unique electronics and life inspiration to us both. thanks for being you!

4:50: "... I really have no idea why so many people support what I do..." Fran, I challenge you to respond to this comment with a list of three reasons why so many people support what you do.

I saw Adam Savage shopping in a store by himself down in in Soho NYC a few years back. He was perusing the shelves right next to me, and right then and there I knew who he was but I did not bother him. I think celebs deserve to be treated like normal every day people, and gawping at them just seems to be kind of dehumanizing.

You are not the only one that feels that way. I have that exact same plant pot above your left shoulder in the video....

Fran, do you give praise, appreciation and the like to others? Like Adam Savage? Curious if you "feel" anything giving, but don't feel the receive. Keep up the good work.

i've learned to humbly accept complements, and then carry on as usual. i like your channel Fran. deal wih it.

For me success is getting through the day, harmoniously... enjoying the little things. My measure of success is in my mini wins and small accomplishments, leading to a greater goal of a life fulfilled. Success is lack of toxicity, a curious mind... inspirational creativity drawn from many genres in our existence.

love ya Fran

You also being a musician might really get this. Once heard Sting from "The Police" say in an IV, that when he heard a bloke on a building site whistling Roxanne to himself was his proudest moment and he had made it.... Kris

Success is wasted on the successful. But not on the deserving and diligent.❤❤

We have the same definitions of success, thanks for speaking so articulately about it! I always say success is Art-Money-Time and all 3 perpetuate each other. Congrats on living the dream

"Receiving compliments is like trying to grasp water in the stream, that insubstantial" - William Blake (I think, could be Rilke)

I understood when I was 23, that success could be as simple as when my mom was able to go to the restroom by herself as she was dying of Cancer. The rest is noise. - Now, the praise from others are an important marker that shows that you are contributing to this earth, making a difference and passing on the knowledge and wisdom. While having no ego fed from those compliments, I think there is room to acknowledge and celebrate your life achievements and contributions :)

Thanks, Frank for inspiring us!

I was working 7 days a week at home on my projects until I was 54 when I got knocked down by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I used to work so hard that when I went to bed I was so spent I felt a warm glow of satisfaction. The past years I've been able to work in fits and spurts at a glacial speed, but I still see progress. When I was younger I too owned my own manufacturing business, but I got sick of it all in my mid 30s and had made enough money to sell the business and retire, and I would often say I was making hay while the sun shined during that period. Ever since I have been 'working for myself' and expanding my hobbies. These days, being mostly laid up in bed for over 4 years has been an 'experience' but at least I get to enjoy watching other people work, like yourself, which fills the days. I must say your channel is like no other I have seen. If I saw you in the street, I'd thank you for all the interesting content, and broadening my horizon on a regular basis.

I can relate. I am 57 as well, and although my brain still functions just fine, I notice the body doesn't have that get up and go like it use to. It takes a jump start to get going, especially when it's cold!

I totally feel you on the energy thing. I am a 55 year old woman, and have lots of ideas and time but zero energy. I have been working on it...but it is frustrating! My piles of lists is huge too. Ugh! Stupid linear aging! ;) Thanks Fran ❤

I was at a dog park and a well dressed couple came in with a dog they were out walking. The dog wasn’t theirs, the actor wasn’t a dog person but rather a cat person. The actor is a character actor so I think he wanted to experience being a dog person (He later was in a dog focused movie). He has a career that includes film, television. theatre, video games, music videos, and read on a CD. Been nominated for two Emmy and a Tony as well as numerous guild awards. TV included guesting SNL more than once. He asked about a victorian house in the process or renovation saying he was a businessman from Canada looking around at property, not where we were but in an ocean resort city nearby. I was sure he was who I was thinking but in retrospect, he was performing in character and I was a one man audience for the dog park “scene”. His suit was tailor to his body with exquisite fabric. We talked for about 30 minutes while the dogs played. He sold me on being a businessman and the encounter was like many when first meeting new people with a dog. All the usual talk about breeds, their traits, etc.. Right after the couple left they continued their walk and I got in my car, drove right home and searched the Internet. I found a picture with both him and his wife and a cow bell instantly went off in my head. Real life and screen appearances are different. Just like any other couple out for a walk down the beach enjoying each other’s company and married 50+ years.

When you have to edit comments all weekend, you are successful.

One of the puzzles that arises when you can do anything you want is that you could have done anything else instead, and thus how do you chose which thing to do. DeVo has a song about freedom of choice, and I think we all remember their lyrics. You have chosen wisely Fran!

I know how it goes... I had a TV show back in the 80's, but didn't get stopped for kudos and questions, until season 2. I guess the point that it starts at, is a bit of a c**pshoot of a random number. All that you do, is greatly appreciated. Enjoy your fame while you have it.😎👍

You interpret success differently than most, and that's okay. Work with the definition of success that works for you and don't worry about the rest. The important thing is to keep moving forward. Pursue your vision, your desires, your goals, and your dreams with all speed.

Fran, you're more successful than you think. You put out great stuff on every video. You've accomplished more than you realize. Best wishes for a great year ahead.

Without intention of undue acclamatory comment, I shall encourage the continued pursuit of all your projects totally motivated by selfish interests, especially if it has to do with the old Apollo DSKY project.

You're 'mainstream' for this niech. And we appreciate the efforts you put into your works creating this content for us to be entertained by and experience technology we may not ever had known about otherwise, much less get a chance to get a look under the hood. For those of us that like hearing from experienced people knowledge dump and share their opinions and insights you are solidly in the pantheon of the greats. Suffice it to say the algorithm doesnt know shit, it just wants to make viral content to maximize ad profits. Workshop over the shoulder videos, while absolute gold to types like us, dont usually check the virility checkboxes. But, if we seek it, we have gems like your channel to find, offering all the nerdity we can imbibe. Keep on keeping on, Fran. We will be here to enjoy your journey and musing with you! [internet stranger virtual hugs and good vibes] 😎👍

I'm a sucker for neat old display tech. As obtuse of a subject as that is, you fit that niche perfectly. It's not my only interest in life but it's awesome to find out I'm not the only one who finds this stuff interesting.

Success doiing the things in life that give you pleasure is all anyone can ask for. Fame is different,some people enjoy it, others just want to be left alone. Do all you can when you feel like it Fran, very few of us are able to accomplish all the goals we set ouselves. 284K subscribers and all your patreons show how well liked you are.

I can relate to the indifference to praise. The experience of working on a project, or the satisfaction of completing something are the drive to continue creating and growing. I’ll always have that inner voice reminding me that I could have done better if I don’t live up to my own standards, no matter how much approval I may garner from others. I like to think that those that are immune to praise are equally immune to external discouragement.

When we're young we had the energy but not the experience. When we're older we have the experience but not the energy. I feel exactly like that! But here's the thing - when we're old we can accomplish more with less energy because we have the experience. For example, I recently learned Ada (don't ask), and it only took a couple of days to get up to speed. But in my 20s I would spin for weeks getting up to speed on a new programing language. It's not a big deal now because I have the experience of learning and programming 7 or 8 languages, adding one more is much more trivial now.

I"m 63.... Going on 15....I have not Grown-up,yet.... My kids tell me to slow down... People "see" my successes from my Radar Engineering days--- My REAL success is being able to look in the mirror and not feel ashamed

Thank you for your wisdom, Fran.

You are a maker with a wide range of projects and old items like displays which brings nostalgia , but every thing you do provides some education and maybe ideas for those looking for a project or a new thought on something they are working on.

Thank You for your inspiration. I am an abuse survivor and never feel My success. I over achieve in audio engineering, but can not find the proper people to work with. I spend too much time depressed and find it hard to locate the light at the end of the tunnel. Your videos are honest and true look at some of the struggles of life. I don't promote my channel, but I would like your comment on the sound quality I produce. To me soul in music is a life saver. The sound quality has to me that standard to touch your soul. Thank you again for your great inspiration. ..

Love the openness and humility.

After 21 years hosting and producing a Public Radio program, never did anyone recognize me on the street. My voice was recognized less than 5 times as I recall. It was such a freeing experience to do what I did and yet not have the baggage associated with fame or success. Life is too short to have to worry about success; it happens maybe, and then it is gone.

I have trouble taking compliments or praise. It makes me uncomfortable. It took a lot of therapy for me to figure out why. But I'm happy if I simply have the respect of my peers. If I don't, it's a bummer, but it doesn't slow me down.

58 and I know what you mean. The mind is willing but the body can't do the full burn any more.

Hmmm...!

I think being anchored in principle dampens the response to flattery. If anybody compliments me I immediately want to know "why?" If it aligns then that's great because they're probably like minded in that area. What's more exciting is when somebody is courageous enough to criticize. We learn to take that as a challenge to combat, but I don't believe that's correct. I seek new perspectives to consider. That's true value only other people can provide.

The Eagles summoned up the story of my life with just two sentences; you can spend all your time making money or spend all your money buying time.

The hard way is skip coffee in the morning and do calistetics. Easy? Ride your bike to Starbuck's every morning. It's chemistry, not age. Two days and you're back to 30.

You obviously have faith in what you do. When we take a leap of faith, the safety net will appear to support us. Whether you know it or not, with me speaking as a man, you have a definite charm that I find very attractive. I'm sure other men know what I'm talking about. Beauty takes on many forms, and you are beautiful.

Crazy how we do life. I must have a reduction gear somewhere

Something tells me Adam Savage’s life isn’t full of Lamborghini’s and pole dancers either. LOL!!!

Most people are not fine, contempt wirh themselves, they need to define themselves with "the outside", in addition they need to feel moraly supirior on others. ...

Yes, a life that only consists of finding your next meal or keeping the lights on is subsistence. Being free to indulge in your passions is a privilege. Being able to take some of those passions and make a living out of them is success. Fame isn't really a desirable thing unless you're a narcissist but sometimes it happens anyway, especially when your passion is related to or is expressed as something in public media. I'm kind of in the privileged in between stage, still working on the successful bit. I'm 59. It's also true that you have boundless energy when you are younger, but don't understand anything. It makes me think that maybe education is all back asswards. Intelligence, wisdom, education and fame are three different things, but they are so often confused with each other. I don't have any solutions for the education bit, even though it's obvious that the "one size fits all" approach is incorrect.

Hey Fran, you’re in the 0.1% of people how are creators…doers…makers…the people who drive humanity forward, take the steps to progress. Got to be worth a few clicks and Patreon dollars!

your my boy BLUE!

Hi Fran. That was so sweet what you said. Iooking fantastic too. Love from the uk 🇬🇧 ❤️

I know what you mean about energy, being basically the same age as you. Wish I'd done more when I had that energy, but I don't regret a second of what I did do, up to and including just arsing about. People who support you will include in their number folk who simply think, well, she's doing something I no longer have the energy for, and who get vicarious pleasure watching that, and have spare cash., so yeah, go for it. RU-vid is a fantastic thing, or it was, anyway. It's a real shame that their greed and disrespect is stuffing it all up, but I guess that's "progress" in a profit-driven paradigm - killing the goose that lays the golden eggs is pretty much axiomatic. Sooner or later, advertisers will realise that their adverts are being used just to punish those who don't want to give RU-vid large amounts of money monthly, and realise that this is harming their brands, and that they are being taken for mugs. I for one am really pleased to hear your support here and on Patreon now means you can do your music and other stuff that is good for your soul. Music is kind of second only to food, as far as I'm concerned. I've watched your videos that deal with struggling, over money, premises, youtube's chicanery, and so on, and I'm really happy that things are going your way right now, and I really appreciate the candidness and awareness that is rolled up in pointing out that this is likely temporary. I just hope it's temporary in that it gets better, not worse, but life is what it is. Should I ever happen to meet you in the street (extremely unlikely), I'll try to remember not to gush with praise and compliments, and instead enthuse about some or other recondite display technology :-) (Actually, being British, obviously I would be genetically compelled to begin by apologising, then I would probably apologise for apologising, and _then_ start blathering about whatever technical new-to-me obsession I was in the grip of...) All the best!

I watch you because you are Authentic. You are yourself. I wish I could be strong enough to be myself!

any suggestions on how to use the brain machine interface for speed up learning?

Your successful 😊😊

I dunno how anyone could function on that little amount of sleep. I’d be good for nothing

This lady rocks...

Hope you are well. I just want to let you know that your videos used to show up in my feed every day. I have not seen your videos for months. I had to manually search your channel and found you were still posting. Even though I'm a subscriber.

❤

I love your videos but wouldn't say hello if I saw you. Bit shy around people I know off the tv or youtube. But yes, love your content.

Blimey, younger than me! Always find your videos interesting.

Just do it......

Ditto

You are very successfull and you should be happy about it. (I would definitely ask for your autograph or a photo if I met you and it would make my day if possible.)

Fran is an INTJ personality type according to Myers Briggs. Very attractive 😍. Introverted (Self aware), Intuitive (Mind lives in the future) Thinking ( Analytical, make decisions based on logic not emotions. Which ultimately means she knows how to set aside her own beliefs and opinions and make a non bias decision) and Judging (loves planning, Structure ect. INTJs are Amazing problem solvers. Just beautiful 😍

Lamborghinis and pole dancers are overrated. Actually, pole dancers can be fun if you've primed the pole with silicone spray.

Go Fran!

Hey Fran, can i commission an art piece from you? Just looking for something to bring some positive energy into my house. All the best!

Your lists may be completed when they close the lid - - - hopefully. If you complete all of them you would be bored.....

Your a mutant :) Followed by 284,000 other mutants. I see you as an entrepreneur, a good host, and I like your hobbies :)

why not show your art? since you're getting seen by some billions of people

lol…… you are not really famous so don’t let it bother you