THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN, SERIOUSLY! I thought it would focus on computer repair. However, it focused on life itself. This was excellent! Being 50, I totally understand the legacy systems, but then Carey started talking about his life. I was blown away, this was truly a success story!
Wow, What a great story. This story should be told in every elementary school in our country and told monthly. Bullying must be stopped. Thank you Carey for such an articulate sharing.
Carey, ...I am a Veteran and one thing we learned as Soldiers was to defend those in need and to "Lead the way". In the simplest of terms with the easiest of definitions, ..you are truly leading the way, Carey. This video is wonderful. Thank you. -Subscribed. = ) Brandyn (Fairfield, CA)
Thank you so much for telling this story. I am so glad you managed to find what you needed to find in yourself to get you to where you are today. In many ways, my childhood was like yours. I was the outcast in school, and moving around a lot didn't help. When you mentioned moving to cali and how things got worse, I knew why immediately, new kid factor. If you don't walk in the door on day one looking like the cool kids, you're doomed to never fit. My dad was a cab driver, we were never close to what one would call well off. Atari was the only console I had, and we didn't upgrade until Nintendo came out. I had the one with the robot, lol. I was never tech savvy but I did have other things that I enjoyed, mostly drawing and writing. Even to this day, if I am surrounded by people I don't know, I try to shrink myself so as not to draw attention. Once I get comfortable with people, it's a different story, my confidence, as weak as it still is, grows with familiarity, for a lack of a better way to phrase it. I still, at age 44, have my insecurities, especially around people I don't know. I'm still comparing myself, she's prettier/skinnier/healthier/whatever than I am. I'm getting better at squashing that, usually by telling myself that she can't write/draw/game like I can, lol. the key is knowing your strengths and wearing them like armor, against them and against your own self doubts. Just wanted to let you know that I related very well to your story, and to thank you for sharing it. Oh, and one more thing... Worm!!!
Damn bud, I've known this about you for the better part of 30 yrs now and it still brought a tear to my eye. Those few years working at RS when you hung out there are some of my fondest memories. I'm very proud to have you as a friend.
I don't know if you'll even see this comment Carey but this is the greatest story ever told... I mean it carries over to every area of life and how to live it right and to not let your circumstances affect your final outcome... Thank you for sharing not only this story with us but for the insight into why you do these videos... which by the way I've watched a great number of them... You are incredibly thorough and conscientious and I personally get a great deal from them.. You mentioned in this video that you weren't sure that if someone hadn't lived through these things that they may not be able to relate to your experience ... well my upbringing was what my fiance' calls a "Leave it to Beaver" family... I was very blessed to be raised in the home that Dad and Mom provided for our family, but I can totally relate to every bit of your story and I feel for everyone and anyone whose folks made their children feel anything less than precious and special... You my friend are living proof that even though behavior is a learned trait.. it doesn't have to define who you are and what you make of yourself... I'm so glad that I walked down memory lane with you on the beginning part of this video.. I'm 60 years old and all of the consoles/hardware/software were old friends of mine as well.... but the treasure in this video comes in knowing you better and the inspiring road that you've traveled ... thank you for sharing your "purpose/gift" with so many.... gratefully yours.....
I connected to this story personally. I had no friends growing up. I'd come home mess around with the computer. I stumbled upon your channel when I was 6 or 7. I'd go to school and come home and watch your videos because it was something I liked and connected to. I eventually got into middle school and high school and was bullied. Before you did your live streams, I still felt like we were friends, despite not talking or having any real personal interaction. I happen to stumble upon this video when I am now 19. I wish I would have saw this sooner. Me having the same experiences as someone I connect to so well here on TH-cam makes me know everything was/will be alright. Thank you for sharing your life story. I really appreciate this.
You are such a gentle, caring person, Carey. Thank you so much for all of your videos, but this one in particular is probably the most important one I've watched so far. As with a lot of others who commented, my life was a little similar. Im still fighting depression and anxiety now at 30 and its probably a fight I will have to fight until the day I die, but every day I find new reasons to fight and hold on for. I wish I could have seen this video when I was younger, but it's certainly not bad to be reminded of all this, especially with a mental illness telling you day after day that you are worth nothing.at all. Thank you
Carey, you have been my person to turn to have fun. I'm in almost the same shoes you were in high school but instead middle school. People like you are my inspiration and have helped me found my passion. I have barely had any friends and I mostly am alone. I am very thankful you have helped me find my passion. :D
Your childhood growing up was similar to mine..I have social anxiety and your words really just motivated me and made me see something that i was missing. It's ironic how a video about computers and video games really can be more than that lol.. great video
I've been going through a very similar experience and you were the first person I've ever heard say something other than "stop being sad" or "change your outlook on life" like they're things you can change at will. Thank you.
came here for some computer history, left with new info on that plus way more. Very interesting stories and life lessons, Carey. You seem like a very genuine and honest person. Thank you for that, more people should be like you.
I just ought to say this video made me look at things in a different way, i have watched for a while now and i am very interested in your work and you have inspired me to work with computers and learn the ways in which they work. Knowing all of this and knowing you have some similar problems to what i have have given me motivation to accept myself for who i am, and i would like to thank you for that :)
The funny thing is I think your the coolest tech pro on any media platform. You speak your mind and your not afraid to give someone a piece of your mind. Love all your content.
Having watched your videos now for several months, I just wanted to comment a thank you for your personal sharing of growing up, and it is funny how many kids during those years of life go through similar feelings and circumstances and your video helps display that they and we are not alone, and how those circumstances and how you deal with them can shape your life in a good way! Again thank you for the insightful video along with all your other PC build videos as well!
Great video Carey. You've described perfectly my years as a socially awkward teenager in the 1980's who spent many hours with the Atari 2600 before getting a Commodore 64. There were so many of us seen as oddities, though I loved sharing my learning about computers with my closest friends. I feel like the old man in his chair talking history when I tell my kids about the old equipment we used to use.
This whole video is you talking. But I sat hear and watched the whole 45 minutes because I was so entertained about your life-story so far and I recently built my 1st own PC for Christmas and this video just inspires me so much because I am in 10th grade and I too have no friends and it's just so amazing how you were able to become successful and do something you love for a living. I too hope I can become someone who works with Computer hardware because honestly, IT WAS SO FUN TO WORK WITH the computer hardware when building my PC. Thank you so much man, you are so awesome, and your videos are amazing and you deserve so many more subs then 100k. :)
Listening to your podcast and watching your videos I will never thought you went through that kind of childhood. The way you speak I would thought you were popular in highschool. Glad you share your story. A great inspiration to a lot of people.
That was a great story. I went through a lot of those things; but unfortunately I never learned to overcome it. I am surviving, but not thriving in this world. It seems that in order to have friends, you have to let people walk all over you. If I stand up for myself, then I have no one. So needless to say, I am standing up for myself; but I am alone. I don't have even one person in my life.
I've seen most of your videos and I have to say this is the most inspirational video I've seen on TH-cam. Period. I feel this because it's coming from an atmosphere of genuineness. You don't make a big overproduction out of it. It's like we're sitting one afternoon just shooting the breeze. Thank you sir.
Carey this has to be the best TH-cam video I have ever seen, and I have so much to be thankful for your life story.If only your parents could see you now and how proud they would be.I loved the way you explained your personal experience through your teenage years and the way some of us think and it's up to us to change that way for f thinking.Also I was one of them kids who would not fight back.
Just watched this one today and I have to tell you how impressed I am with your honesty and demeanor. It took a lot of courage to relate. I am sure it has helped numerous people who have watched this video. Thanks Carey !!
I don't usually comment on videos, but this one is very inspirational and I can relate in many ways. In my teenage years I immersed myself into the internet world, not really due to lack of friends but what I could do and learn online held my interest. I learned early on how to code basic websites, but had no one to share this passion with as being a female most of my friends found it strange I had an interest in this. I still enjoy web design and have improved my skills greatly. Great video!
Thank you for your moving and inspiring video Carey. My childhood was very similar to yours in regards to the bullying, so I know where you're coming from. Lovely to see where you are now. I'm also in a really good place too now. I loved seeing the old stuff too, I was a vic 20, commodore 64 girl and then a bbcb I remembering learning basic and copying the magazine programming. Great memories. I really enjoyed this video, thank you. x
I just started watching your videos due to an interest to build my own PC. Each and every video is done very well and I feel very confident my new PC will be great; however, this video is my favorite. I'm glad your are who you are and how much personal success you've made for yourself! Keep up the great work and thank you for your dedication!!
Excellent, really excellent motivational speech. Thank you so much for sharing for the 1000s of those who face these issues everyday. I said it once before and I'll say it again. Carey you have a gift for motivational instruction. You belong in a classroom or as a military instructor where motivation is key. Your insights imparted here are very much appreciated.
I have to comment even though I know it's an old video. I just discovered your channel looking for some computer help yesterday, and have been watching your videos. I really appreciate what I've learned so far, and I love the way you explain things. This video really resonated with me, and I was not expecting that when I clicked on it. I'm 39 years old and it took me right back to high school, where I had many of the same feelings and experiences that you did. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time and tell my troubled self (just like that PSA) "It gets better!" In high school I could hardly focus on what life would be like later; I felt I would never fit in. I know that some of the younger viewers of your channel are going through the same stuff (even though times are different) and that this video will reach some folks out there who are going through similar tough times and really need someone to reach out to them. Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt message. I'm just blown away. :) OK, now back to figuring out how to solve my computer problem...
Carey,Best video.... Hands Down! I didn't know what to expect but as you progressed it just drew me in more. Outstanding in all respects!If you could only can the idea and give it to everyone in need you would help and possibly save so many young people.Thank you for putting this up. I just don't know how I missed it.WM
Carey you single handedly taught me how to build my first computer (only a few weeks ago) and you're situation as a teenager was very similar to mine. I'm glad we both came so far since then :)
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I had the same thing happening to me. I pushed myself like you once with the knife and my parents found out and tried to help me. I think you can uplift many people with this video.
Wow. thank you very much for sharing, Carey. I stumbled across your videos just a few days ago, trying to fix my laptop. And that led me to this video. Thank you for sharing, like so many have said, I want to say we had lived similar lives in some ways. But it's about discovering who you are and who you want to be. I also like fixing things, and you break down fixing a computer in easy steps, now I am not so afraid to chase after a couple of computers that I have, that don't work. Looks like I'm going to be spending quality time on your you tube channel. Thank you for making them. I'm going to tell people you are the Mark Crilley of computer repair on you tube.
I see a lot of my past mirrored in your in yours, the low self esteem, getting picked on and of course, the love of taking things apart, (usually my toys) and not being able to figure out how to put them back together. I dabbled in various electronics, but really didn't get fully into computers until the mid 90's when I was given a broken Tandy 1000 TX 286 which one of my friends found a replacement 3.5" drive for and got it back up and running. Later, using a special XT card I was able to trick it into running an after market IDE hard drive And started teaching myself DOS. I eventually watched the same guy who got my old Tandy up and running build a 386 from the ground up and was amazed at how easy it was. I have since then built almost every computer I have ever used on the internet with the exception of an old IBM Laptop I was given to use after one of my Pentium 4 builds went up in smoke due to a short in the front panel USB ports, and even that IBM saw a hard drive replacement and memory upgrade while I had it. The computer I watched this video on is a build I made using almost all spare parts I had kicking around from either systems I never got around to building or parts gutted from old builds or existing computers. The hard drive came from a Gateway Laptop, (you'd cringe if you knew how I "mounted" it), the video card came, I think, from the same system that got the power supply upgrade when I upgraded its video card, the board, chip and memory were purchased about 3 years ago but just sat since I bought a "better" board, (which is now on my coffee table being diagnosed), the case used to house a complete Pentium 2 running Windows 98 and finally the power supply was spare I had kicking around after I upgraded what used to be my main computer to a 900 watt Antec unit.
Awesome video! I'm sure many of us watching your videos can relate to your life experiences. The whole thing about coming of age, working out and taking on bullies really hit the mark. So many memories came rushing back. Great videos! We appreciate your hard work making them.
Thank you for sharing your story it is very close to how I felt as a teen,although I am not a boy and i am a grown woman I still went through bully's and fighting too. This is a great video and it inspired me so much to know that someone I watch on you tube and have learned so much from has had similar experiences as I did and had the courage to tell us the truth I really look up to you thank you :)
Thank you very much for sharing your story! I've been through that stuff before and I started to believe in myself and now I am confident and I don't get bullied. Probably because the bullies see that their crap no longer affects me. Thanks for the touching video Carey!
Carey, I can't believe how much our lives are similar and different. Thank you for everything you do and continue to do. I grew up in a very small town in Michigan. My first computer was an Atari 800xl. I joined a User Group. Got a modem and did the BBS thing. I use to research and compile a list of local BBS numbers... I eventually killed off my computer trying to do a memory upgrade, and sold off all of my original computer stuff. I got a got after my first year in college as a computer software artist. Eventually learned so much more about hardware and software and eventually the web. I had a lot of the same bullying issues that you experienced too. As you said in the video, "we are not alone". Keep doing what you're doing you are changing the world and leaving a better place than you found. Bless you.
Thank you Carey for all this story of where you came from! I am glad that at the end everything turn out fine. Like you said, now you have so many people following you and believing in you that I can say you make a difference in a lot of people life.
Hey Carey you set me back to my teen age with everything you showed then you told your life story and I started to cry because I been through the same with bullies and being a loner I also started with computers as you did in the 80's same ones as you did.. I did go to a school that I felt like I was a outsider I never felt I fit in till I found the Computer. Now that I am much older I would says ty for showing a part of your life because it was my life too..your friend Ron Connors
I've seen most of your videos, don't know how I missed this one. Definitely your best in my opinion. So many of us "geek" types had similar childhoods to yours. It was very moving hearing your story and how it shaped who you are today. I have mad respect for you, not that I didn't before but this puts things in a new perspective. Thank you for sharing Carey
I recently got back into building Desktop Pcs after being out of the game since around 1998-9, so I've been watching /binging on your videos to catch up. My story is alot like yours except I was a little older. I hung out at the local Radio Shops if I wasn't working as a security protection tech. My first "computer" was a TRS-80 Color Computer, (CoCo) with a (cassette) tape, which I loved. I too bought the magazines and Tandy Books that listed all the programs written in TRSDOS. You would spend hours typing in lines of code to make a clock that kinda kept time. You would have to spend even more time to tweek the program to run better. That too is how i learned to program. We had all kinds of BBS's in South Florida and I hung out on alot of them. I think my first Tandy modem was 300 baud. Once I became a contractor and was making disposable income, I bought a IBM "clone". That is when I started to learn how to work on my own computers. My first upgrade was a 20 (25?) Meg hard drive that cost 250 bucks. I thought my 1200 baud modem was the fastest thing I had ever seen. To me that was like living in the future. As tech changed I followed it. 56K modem, removable hard drives in big bulky trays, early cd rom drives, if iot was cool I would upgrade or build another new machine. Then I had kids and a horrible (ex) wife and that was the end of my computer hobby. Now as a way of making additional income I've been fixing friends computers. So I figured to just get back into the game and see how things go.
Carey, I was really touched by your openness and honesty. I had some of these issues growing up, I found my way through and I'm glad you did too. I can relate to your rage and loneliness. I'm now a husband and father and I see some of these issues happening for my daughter in high school. So I still feel what's going on is real and still happening. Hopefully she will have a better mechanism to get through this. Her mother and I just try to keep listening and telling she is not alone, but I know its hard for her and that she will need to find her way through too. It's videos like this that let us all know we are better together than apart, that hope beats fear. So thank you very much and know that you are loved in this world.
The story behind the 'legend' thanks for sharing Carey. My first and favorite games were the Level 9 adventure games, no graphics just words. This was a Sinclair Spectrum game, loading from a cassette player. Ah the memories. Thanks
OK that's a hard history Carey Holzman, I'm glad you are now doing well. Since 1983 I've worked over 23 years repairing PC's, scanners, electronics Cash Registers,smart cash drawers , BNC cash drawers, 40 & 80 col. D.O.T. Matrix printers, barcode printers ,Windows Servers, Laptops, etc. . My life was not as hard as yours but I had the same thought about ending it when I was young, my reason for living was to find out how I will pass on so my curiosity saved me also. Thanks Again! for your story. I'm now into building my VR computer and I bought the Enthoo Pro , the Gigabyte Z370 HD3P , 16GB Corsair Vengance , now to buy the i7 8700 chip, and air cooling heatsink, then the 250GB NVMe M.2 chip, 500 SSD & GPU 1080ti ,then a 850PSU then Oculus Rift.
well this video went off in a direction i wasn't expecting lol, very inspirational story Carey, i hope some teenager with no self esteem is out there watching this video and feeling a little bit better about themselves
Wow, your childhood sounds really similar to mine. I love the videos you make, your honesty, and now your story. Out of all the channels on TH-cam, I appreciate yours the most! I hope you never stop making them! I'd love to start building/repairing computers!
The title of the vid intrigued me because I always did wonder how you started out, but this was something I didn't expect to hear. What an absolutely amazing story. You are an inspiration to us all and shows us that anything is possible to overcome. Thank you for everything you do on your channel, I have learned so much over the past few years.
I had the same upbringing and now I love building pc's from old ones. It's really a great feeling when it boots up and it's something you've built from scrap pc's. Had bullying when I was at school, I never fought back. I would now though. Love watching your videos Carey, waiting for your next ones.
That was an extremely well told story Carey; you have a gift for communication. I related to your story a lot.. except I was a C64 guy who liked the sprites. :-) Similar experience in high school also.. didn't know who I was and didn't fit in anywhere. It looks like we were both able to turn it around. Hopefully, your story will connect with others and let them know that if you work on yourself.. things get better.
I actually started crying I here so many similarities and the only reason I've stopped myself before is because I don't like pain and I would say this might hurt. I turned 17 this year and I'm almost done with high school. Thank you for this video so much Carey.
A very inspiring video, Carey! I'm really enjoying your work. Seeing the Atari 2600 brought back good memories of endlessly playing Super Breakout and Missile Command in the eighties.
my home life was a bit worse, but my school life was the same, you just gave me a pleasant stroll down memory lane tho, the trs-80 and the other systems in front of you, i remember going to a few peoples houses who had these and shared them, i taught myself building, and i used to do a bit of basic programming, but when i tried to go to school for it..(the school system at the time was a ibm system 34) well, the computer director and i didnt see eye to eye, and when operations came up, the class was a 2 hr with 4hrs worth of info, and i couldnt afford a tape recorder, so it wasnt long before i was thru, that and life drama i wont go into, i gave up the idea of programming, but i still to this day love building pc's and i help friends upgrade, or fix the pc, or just tweak it, i learned networking as well. but the main reason i replied is i feel ya man, i been in the same boat, and you got the facts straight brother, never let anyone tell you different.....just do your thing ....your just fine the way ya are.. keep doin yer thing man...btw, if i remember correctly that 2nd slot on the atari was for copying or making a ram type drive....our game on it was sundog, we'd start on a fri evening and not quit till work on monday, thx agn, be seeing ya
Thank you for this video. I related to this video so much as I too always felt like "the outcast" or the Black sheep and then later on in life I realized that "It's cool to be different". Kudos, Honor and much more respect to you Carey for your craft, and as a man. You're a real stand up guy. Thanks again
Hello Carey, I very appreciate that you are so open about your past and my past was almost similar to your's with the exception that I have 2 handicaps. The luck I had was that I had and still have both of my parents and they never devorced. Especially my father did see my problems and always took care of me, so I did get all I want to have. So as you know or not now were computers also my thing and it did good to hear you tell about those good old times. BBS's and all those things and type all that programms in basic and than shit, one little type mismatch haha. But my change was especially when my father died at the age of 56 on old years eve in 1987 when I was just 20. After that time I did have to take care for my mother and suddenly I grown up in a very short time. It changed me totally maybe because of that life can be so short and end so suddenly. I did hold my father in my hands when he died at an heart attack here in the kitchen where I live. Anyway, many thanks for this honest video and very appreceated ! Greetings from Roel !
Wow Carey. I am so glad I stumbled upon this Video. We had a very similar childhood. Atari experience with all the Computers you have in the Video. Such a small world and loved the 80's. One of the Best times of My Life
I went to school in the 70's and at 5'4", I was an easy target for bullies but I decided if I was going to get beat up they would take some licks. An open hand slap is a devastating thing and takes the fight out of a lot of bullies. A kick between the legs puts them on the ground followed by what they now call ground and pound That is what I did to the next bully. I ran into that guy years later and he said he was sorry, but he also said. I though you were going to kill me. But he also said I may have saved his life because up until me, everyone else backed down from him and sooner or later after he got out of school someone would have pulled a gun and shot him down. I am with Carey on one thing. You need zero tolerance for bullies . I know with the way schools have gone crazy with the rules, that today I would have been suspended and maybe arrested but you have got to find a way shut a bully down fast
Amazingly inspiring story. Great lessons. I appreciate that you shared this about your life. It's amazing how self-aware you have become and actually were to begin with even at a young age. Keep up the great work. Greetings from Albania by a guy who grew up loving electronics as a kid.
Carey, I've never told you how much I appreciate your videos (especially the tutorials) , and i appreciate all the time you put in your videos, keep up the good work :D
i love this video. not only has it taught me a little more about computers back then and programming (which im going to college for hopefully) but also about your past. i come from the same background and yeah, it sucks feeling alone and not fitting in. throughout my high school years i felt that way and i would get so scared going to certain classes i would get sick. usually the people with that kind of past have a more successful life and achieve more.
I Applaud You for putting yourself out there on how you grew up! Many of us felt that way and you do everyone a favor by being brave/self confident enough to tell us your story! Thanks A LOT!!!
Except for my being about 10 years before you and on the east coast we had a similar life. My first computer was an Altair 8800 that I built in the mid 70s . oldcomputers(dot)net/altair Building a computer then involved populating the PC board and soldering the parts in place. I became a technician, a LASER technologist, a systems engineer, teacher, and am now a network admin, doing a lot of desktop repair and support at a school for at risk children.
Thanks for making this video. Was a very interesting watch. I honestly never had any trouble with bullies in high school, though I was a complete outcast. I was more friendly with the teachers than I was with my fellow classmates, maybe that was why the bullies left me alone. This video I think will help a lot of people who are in a similar situation that you were as a teen.
I was in the same boat as you were. Awesome vid. I hope some kid being bullied or going through some personal issues, watching this, gets inspiration to lift his head up and keep going.
@ 60 I remember all this "stuff" well, being bigger, I was the loner that would beat anybody up that messed with me. Took years to get over that stuff and become a caring/helping person, somewhat like Carey. I live to help now. Thx for sharing....
Carey, at first when I was watching your video I was literally falling asleep until you made it personal! I think everyone has their calling one way or another and you have made an impact on thousands of lives who come to your TH-cam page or website. I too was an outcast in High School and had my own difficulties with my parents. I too turned to self help resources and found to my surprise that I wasn't alone. We aren't alone, and it really starts from within. Carey, awesome video!!!
Thanks for sharing, My brother from another mother... Our lives sounded identical, I believe we are about the same age but I couldn't afford the Atari so I ended up with a TI 99/4a for $50.00 when TI left the personal computer business... Had a pretty good run as a IT Technician/Admin for 30 years... I always enjoy your videos, this one touched my heart...
I had a similar childhood/adolescence. I'm a little older than you so I didn't have computers to fall back on and fell into drug and alcohol. I finally got a handle on things and life got better when I developed self-confidence as well but it took a couple failed careers a failed marriage to get me there. I've watched a lot of your videos but now have a new respect for you. Helping other people is big part of the healing. Keep the faith sir.
I also struggled with depression (and still do) during middle and high school. I was a socially awkward person who just couldn't fit into any one particular clique or subculture no matter how many I went through. It turns out that a lot of my problems with social interaction is a result of having Asperger Syndrome. Unfortunately, I didn't find out until 2011 when I nearly 21 years old and I often wonder if my school days would have been a little easier if I known sooner. I discovered my affinity for computers in 2009 and built my first desktop in 2011 during Christmas that had a Core i5 750, 4GB of 1333 MHz DDR3, PNY GTS 250, Crucial 64 GB SSD (boot drive) and 320 GB WD Caviar Blue enclosed in an Antec 900 gaming case.
I grew up about the same way. you brought back alot of good memorizes with the old computers and such. I remember standing in the supermarkets waiting to play pong. Thinking it was the greatest thing since ice cream. anyhow I grew up in Wisconsin after moving from Ill. always an outsider and such. anyways I ran away from home at 14 and 1/2 with the carnival. I surfaced later when i was 16 in Vegas where my father lived. anyways Great story. really touched my heart. God Bless and Keep up the great work my friend.
This story moved me in ways I cant describe. I am currently going through many stages to get through my depression. I am 17 years old and it started at the beginning of february 2014. I was suicidal and depressed but then i got a lot of help. Now almost 2 months later i have come a long way. I am not saying that my childhood is the same as yours but i am trying to say that i can relate. I am much better now and i am working on a getting a job to be able to afford building a pc better than the hand me down one i have now. I found your channel because i wanted to learn how to build a pc and thanks to you, i now know how to build a pc and i know how much of a difference one person can make. Thank you so much because i thought that i was the only one.
I didn't expect that. You're a true inspiration to anyone who's been (or is being) bullied. So many you things you have said rang chords with me too - been there, got the T-shirt, etc. I hope others can take comfort from your story. Bless you, my friend.
Most repair type people love the satisfaction of fixing things or improving/hacking stuff. It can be quite a rush sometimes. The best part is when you get paid to do something you truly enjoy. Great video Carey!
You you taught me how to assemble a pc. I like your computer builds. But this is by far your best video, a life building video. Thank you so much Carey.
Amazing video. I'm very inspired by your story. I was born in 1990 and remember being in elementary school in the late 1990s using those thin floppy disk. Technology has come along way and I look forward to advance my career in IT. Your videos are very helpful :D
Very nice video. In my first day of my senior year in high school - during the time inbatween class'es i taught my self how to wire computers for network access. During the opening of the computer class i proved our teacher wrong and from that day on i have been into computers and helping others with them. Like you i started with the atari 2600 and moved on to later atari computers , the atari 65 xe , the 130 xe and then the Atari XEGS ( Game System ). Was an XE computer sold as a Game Console with the pastel colored key's. I always wanted a Atari 520 st but never got one. I bought Antic and other Atari magazines. Then i was introduced to the Commodore Amiga's. Learned on and used IBM computers in school. My very first self built computer was an AMD based system. That was in about 92/93. My personal computers are still AMD based systems. Started with 32-bit cpu's and been upgrading to the new models since.
Funny coincidence. My first computer repair was back in '96 when I got my first PC, a 486, and the modem didn't work. I must have investigated everything, software-wise (Win95) for weeks, and finally opened it up and switched the jumper to IRQ2 on my US Robotics 14,400 modem and presto. Thx for the video. A beautiful story.
Just saw this video 7 years after you made it & You have helped people that you'll never know about. So true about growing up. "If you think you'll (fail or succeed), you'll be right". I say, "Strive for Perfection, Settle for Excellence because Perfection is just an Illusion".
Mine too. I should have clarified that i had no friends in high school, but I did at Radio Shack. I don't you had a choice. Every employee at that Radio Shack became my friend. I showed up every day like an employee and you couldn't get rid of me. Still, you're the only one I still talk to today, while I have fond memories of the others.
What a great story of success and adapt and overcome! I didnt realize at 1st that this video was from years ago, but what a great video it is on so many levels! Thanks for showing others how life is done! What a trip down memory lane! I was into the Commodore Amiga, the Amiga 500 was my 1st computer. Before that I had an Intellivision game, I still have the games to it around somewhere. But the Amiga 500 came with 1 mega of ram that could be updated to 10 mega via a card. My 1st add on hard drive was a 40 megapixel hard drive that cost $700!!! I'd play combat flightsim games with a friend hooked up computer to computer via the old 300, then 1300 baud modems, I remember when they came out with the 9600 baud modem, man my friend and I went on and on about how now we are flying in REAL TIME baby! Of course then the 19200 (?) Baud modem came out. BBS were it when I was in my 20's so I'm a little older than you but that became a huge dating platform, the 80s were good! Really enjoyed your video and thanks for bringing up some great memories Carey! Growing up is tough, kids are brutal, cruel, my dad was a career Army, drill instructor, and every new post we got was a new gauntlet of bullies to deal with. Our instructions were if you get your ass whipped at school dont come crying to me or you'll get it again. I learned to fight, had to, but dad was a great instructor, and even if I lost, I learned that if I stood up to bullies and fought, win or loose they didnt want someone that would hurt them. But I hated going through it, I didnt like hurting people but some theres just no other way of making them realize that messing with you is more trouble than worth. Too many young male kids have been put through hell, no one intervenes on their behalf and look at what has happened, kid shows up in school with a gun, then the stupid parents that do nothing to help these kids blame it on the gun. I'm glad to see you survived all that BS Carey! It scks when even your own parents are against you!
Very inspirational video, my first electronic repair was when I was 6 years old when I actually disassembled a Sesame Street Computer toy (it wasn't an actual computer of course). And I told my mom about this broken wire and she soldered it back in place and the toy worked again. My first computer repair was replacing the cpu fan on my computer because it started to buzz and after replacing the stock cpu fan 3 times which was free under warranty, I was like that's it! And bought my own cpu fan for about $20 and it's been running for over a year without fail. Now I know this is the kind of career I need to be in but I don't know if I can afford to go back to school so I'm trying to figure out what my cheap options are going to be.
I've listened to your story now and the similar thing happened to me in 4-6th grade. I also wanted to tell you that my first repair i did on my computer was fixing a usb port. The usb port didnt work and the first thing i did was looking inside the case, there i saw a cable hanging. And i saw other cables coming from other usb ports and they were plugged in to the motherboard. The hanging cable was already plugged in to the motherboard so i looked at where the other cables were and plugged it in
I've been watching your videos for quite some time now. I just discovered this one. Thank you for sharing your story. My own is very similar. Unlike you, I did get into actual fights. To the tune of 4 and 5 EVERY DAY. Though, mine involved knives and other various violent events. As you found, I found once I stopped being a victim, I started having a better life. It didn't happen as it did for you, nor did it happen overnight. I still had problems all through high school. But, I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful for having the privilege of seeing your videos. Thank you for sharing your story.
THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN, SERIOUSLY! I thought it would focus on computer repair. However, it focused on life itself. This was excellent! Being 50, I totally understand the legacy systems, but then Carey started talking about his life. I was blown away, this was truly a success story!
Truly!...Cool_cool_guy
Soul bearing and helping others,that's the way it should be!
Wow,
What a great story. This story should be told in every elementary school in our country and told monthly. Bullying must be stopped. Thank you Carey for such an articulate sharing.
It takes a strong person to admit all these things and talk about them. Now I respect you even more :)
Carey, ...I am a Veteran and one thing we learned as Soldiers was to defend those in need and to "Lead the way". In the simplest of terms with the easiest of definitions, ..you are truly leading the way, Carey. This video is wonderful. Thank you.
-Subscribed. = )
Brandyn
(Fairfield, CA)
Thank you so much for telling this story. I am so glad you managed to find what you needed to find in yourself to get you to where you are today. In many ways, my childhood was like yours. I was the outcast in school, and moving around a lot didn't help. When you mentioned moving to cali and how things got worse, I knew why immediately, new kid factor. If you don't walk in the door on day one looking like the cool kids, you're doomed to never fit. My dad was a cab driver, we were never close to what one would call well off. Atari was the only console I had, and we didn't upgrade until Nintendo came out. I had the one with the robot, lol. I was never tech savvy but I did have other things that I enjoyed, mostly drawing and writing. Even to this day, if I am surrounded by people I don't know, I try to shrink myself so as not to draw attention. Once I get comfortable with people, it's a different story, my confidence, as weak as it still is, grows with familiarity, for a lack of a better way to phrase it. I still, at age 44, have my insecurities, especially around people I don't know. I'm still comparing myself, she's prettier/skinnier/healthier/whatever than I am. I'm getting better at squashing that, usually by telling myself that she can't write/draw/game like I can, lol. the key is knowing your strengths and wearing them like armor, against them and against your own self doubts. Just wanted to let you know that I related very well to your story, and to thank you for sharing it.
Oh, and one more thing...
Worm!!!
Damn bud, I've known this about you for the better part of 30 yrs now and it still brought a tear to my eye. Those few years working at RS when you hung out there are some of my fondest memories. I'm very proud to have you as a friend.
I don't know if you'll even see this comment Carey but this is the greatest story ever told... I mean it carries over to every area of life and how to live it right and to not let your circumstances affect your final outcome... Thank you for sharing not only this story with us but for the insight into why you do these videos... which by the way I've watched a great number of them... You are incredibly thorough and conscientious and I personally get a great deal from them.. You mentioned in this video that you weren't sure that if someone hadn't lived through these things that they may not be able to relate to your experience ... well my upbringing was what my fiance' calls a "Leave it to Beaver" family... I was very blessed to be raised in the home that Dad and Mom provided for our family, but I can totally relate to every bit of your story and I feel for everyone and anyone whose folks made their children feel anything less than precious and special... You my friend are living proof that even though behavior is a learned trait.. it doesn't have to define who you are and what you make of yourself... I'm so glad that I walked down memory lane with you on the beginning part of this video.. I'm 60 years old and all of the consoles/hardware/software were old friends of mine as well.... but the treasure in this video comes in knowing you better and the inspiring road that you've traveled ... thank you for sharing your "purpose/gift" with so many.... gratefully yours.....
I connected to this story personally. I had no friends growing up. I'd come home mess around with the computer. I stumbled upon your channel when I was 6 or 7. I'd go to school and come home and watch your videos because it was something I liked and connected to. I eventually got into middle school and high school and was bullied. Before you did your live streams, I still felt like we were friends, despite not talking or having any real personal interaction. I happen to stumble upon this video when I am now 19. I wish I would have saw this sooner. Me having the same experiences as someone I connect to so well here on TH-cam makes me know everything was/will be alright. Thank you for sharing your life story. I really appreciate this.
You are such a gentle, caring person, Carey. Thank you so much for all of your videos, but this one in particular is probably the most important one I've watched so far. As with a lot of others who commented, my life was a little similar. Im still fighting depression and anxiety now at 30 and its probably a fight I will have to fight until the day I die, but every day I find new reasons to fight and hold on for. I wish I could have seen this video when I was younger, but it's certainly not bad to be reminded of all this, especially with a mental illness telling you day after day that you are worth nothing.at all.
Thank you
I think the most important thing we should all know, especially when we are silently suffering, is that we are not alone.
Carey, knowing is half the battle!
steve
Carey, you have been my person to turn to have fun. I'm in almost the same shoes you were in high school but instead middle school. People like you are my inspiration and have helped me found my passion. I have barely had any friends and I mostly am alone. I am very thankful you have helped me find my passion. :D
Your childhood growing up was similar to mine..I have social anxiety and your words really just motivated me and made me see something that i was missing. It's ironic how a video about computers and video games really can be more than that lol.. great video
I've been going through a very similar experience and you were the first person I've ever heard say something other than "stop being sad" or "change your outlook on life" like they're things you can change at will. Thank you.
came here for some computer history, left with new info on that plus way more. Very interesting stories and life lessons, Carey. You seem like a very genuine and honest person. Thank you for that, more people should be like you.
I just ought to say this video made me look at things in a different way, i have watched for a while now and i am very interested in your work and you have inspired me to work with computers and learn the ways in which they work. Knowing all of this and knowing you have some similar problems to what i have have given me motivation to accept myself for who i am, and i would like to thank you for that :)
The funny thing is I think your the coolest tech pro on any media platform. You speak your mind and your not afraid to give someone a piece of your mind. Love all your content.
Having watched your videos now for several months, I just wanted to comment a thank you for your personal sharing of growing up, and it is funny how many kids during those years of life go through similar feelings and circumstances and your video helps display that they and we are not alone, and how those circumstances and how you deal with them can shape your life in a good way! Again thank you for the insightful video along with all your other PC build videos as well!
Great video Carey. You've described perfectly my years as a socially awkward teenager in the 1980's who spent many hours with the Atari 2600 before getting a Commodore 64. There were so many of us seen as oddities, though I loved sharing my learning about computers with my closest friends. I feel like the old man in his chair talking history when I tell my kids about the old equipment we used to use.
This whole video is you talking. But I sat hear and watched the whole 45 minutes because I was so entertained about your life-story so far and I recently built my 1st own PC for Christmas and this video just inspires me so much because I am in 10th grade and I too have no friends and it's just so amazing how you were able to become successful and do something you love for a living. I too hope I can become someone who works with Computer hardware because honestly, IT WAS SO FUN TO WORK WITH the computer hardware when building my PC.
Thank you so much man, you are so awesome, and your videos are amazing and you deserve so many more subs then 100k. :)
Listening to your podcast and watching your videos I will never thought you went through that kind of childhood. The way you speak I would thought you were popular in highschool. Glad you share your story. A great inspiration to a lot of people.
That was a great story. I went through a lot of those things; but unfortunately I never learned to overcome it. I am surviving, but not thriving in this world. It seems that in order to have friends, you have to let people walk all over you. If I stand up for myself, then I have no one. So needless to say, I am standing up for myself; but I am alone. I don't have even one person in my life.
I've seen most of your videos and I have to say this is the most inspirational video I've seen on TH-cam. Period. I feel this because it's coming from an atmosphere of genuineness. You don't make a big overproduction out of it. It's like we're sitting one afternoon just shooting the breeze. Thank you sir.
Carey this has to be the best TH-cam video I have ever seen, and I have so much to be thankful for your life story.If only your parents could see you now and how proud they would be.I loved the way you explained your personal experience through your teenage years and the way some of us think and it's up to us to change that way for f thinking.Also I was one of them kids who would not fight back.
Just watched this one today and I have to tell you how impressed I am with your honesty and demeanor. It took a lot of courage to relate. I am sure it has helped numerous people who have watched this video. Thanks Carey !!
I don't usually comment on videos, but this one is very inspirational and I can relate in many ways. In my teenage years I immersed myself into the internet world, not really due to lack of friends but what I could do and learn online held my interest. I learned early on how to code basic websites, but had no one to share this passion with as being a female most of my friends found it strange I had an interest in this. I still enjoy web design and have improved my skills greatly.
Great video!
Thank you for your moving and inspiring video Carey. My childhood was very similar to yours in regards to the bullying, so I know where you're coming from. Lovely to see where you are now. I'm also in a really good place too now.
I loved seeing the old stuff too, I was a vic 20, commodore 64 girl and then a bbcb I remembering learning basic and copying the magazine programming. Great memories.
I really enjoyed this video, thank you. x
I just started watching your videos due to an interest to build my own PC. Each and every video is done very well and I feel very confident my new PC will be great; however, this video is my favorite. I'm glad your are who you are and how much personal success you've made for yourself! Keep up the great work and thank you for your dedication!!
Excellent, really excellent motivational speech. Thank you so much for sharing for the 1000s of those who face these issues everyday. I said it once before and I'll say it again. Carey you have a gift for motivational instruction. You belong in a classroom or as a military instructor where motivation is key. Your insights imparted here are very much appreciated.
I have to comment even though I know it's an old video. I just discovered your channel looking for some computer help yesterday, and have been watching your videos. I really appreciate what I've learned so far, and I love the way you explain things.
This video really resonated with me, and I was not expecting that when I clicked on it. I'm 39 years old and it took me right back to high school, where I had many of the same feelings and experiences that you did. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time and tell my troubled self (just like that PSA) "It gets better!" In high school I could hardly focus on what life would be like later; I felt I would never fit in. I know that some of the younger viewers of your channel are going through the same stuff (even though times are different) and that this video will reach some folks out there who are going through similar tough times and really need someone to reach out to them.
Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt message. I'm just blown away. :) OK, now back to figuring out how to solve my computer problem...
Carey,Best video.... Hands Down! I didn't know what to expect but as you progressed it just drew me in more. Outstanding in all respects!If you could only can the idea and give it to everyone in need you would help and possibly save so many young people.Thank you for putting this up. I just don't know how I missed it.WM
Carey you single handedly taught me how to build my first computer (only a few weeks ago) and you're situation as a teenager was very similar to mine.
I'm glad we both came so far since then :)
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I had the same thing happening to me. I pushed myself like you once with the knife and my parents found out and tried to help me. I think you can uplift many people with this video.
Wow... I wasn't expecting this to turn into an "it gets better" video. Glad you managed to get through those hard times. Thanks for the videos.
Wow. thank you very much for sharing, Carey. I stumbled across your videos just a few days ago, trying to fix my laptop. And that led me to this video. Thank you for sharing, like so many have said, I want to say we had lived similar lives in some ways. But it's about discovering who you are and who you want to be. I also like fixing things, and you break down fixing a computer in easy steps, now I am not so afraid to chase after a couple of computers that I have, that don't work. Looks like I'm going to be spending quality time on your you tube channel. Thank you for making them. I'm going to tell people you are the Mark Crilley of computer repair on you tube.
I see a lot of my past mirrored in your in yours, the low self esteem, getting picked on and of course, the love of taking things apart, (usually my toys) and not being able to figure out how to put them back together. I dabbled in various electronics, but really didn't get fully into computers until the mid 90's when I was given a broken Tandy 1000 TX 286 which one of my friends found a replacement 3.5" drive for and got it back up and running. Later, using a special XT card I was able to trick it into running an after market IDE hard drive And started teaching myself DOS. I eventually watched the same guy who got my old Tandy up and running build a 386 from the ground up and was amazed at how easy it was. I have since then built almost every computer I have ever used on the internet with the exception of an old IBM Laptop I was given to use after one of my Pentium 4 builds went up in smoke due to a short in the front panel USB ports, and even that IBM saw a hard drive replacement and memory upgrade while I had it. The computer I watched this video on is a build I made using almost all spare parts I had kicking around from either systems I never got around to building or parts gutted from old builds or existing computers. The hard drive came from a Gateway Laptop, (you'd cringe if you knew how I "mounted" it), the video card came, I think, from the same system that got the power supply upgrade when I upgraded its video card, the board, chip and memory were purchased about 3 years ago but just sat since I bought a "better" board, (which is now on my coffee table being diagnosed), the case used to house a complete Pentium 2 running Windows 98 and finally the power supply was spare I had kicking around after I upgraded what used to be my main computer to a 900 watt Antec unit.
Awesome video! I'm sure many of us watching your videos can relate to your life experiences. The whole thing about coming of age, working out and taking on bullies really hit the mark. So many memories came rushing back. Great videos! We appreciate your hard work making them.
Thank you for sharing your story it is very close to how I felt as a teen,although I am not a boy and i am a grown woman I still went through bully's and fighting too. This is a great video and it inspired me so much to know that someone I watch on you tube and have learned so much from has had similar experiences as I did and had the courage to tell us the truth I really look up to you thank you :)
Thank you very much for sharing your story! I've been through that stuff before and I started to believe in myself and now I am confident and I don't get bullied. Probably because the bullies see that their crap no longer affects me. Thanks for the touching video Carey!
Carey, I can't believe how much our lives are similar and different. Thank you for everything you do and continue to do. I grew up in a very small town in Michigan. My first computer was an Atari 800xl. I joined a User Group. Got a modem and did the BBS thing. I use to research and compile a list of local BBS numbers... I eventually killed off my computer trying to do a memory upgrade, and sold off all of my original computer stuff.
I got a got after my first year in college as a computer software artist. Eventually learned so much more about hardware and software and eventually the web. I had a lot of the same bullying issues that you experienced too. As you said in the video, "we are not alone". Keep doing what you're doing you are changing the world and leaving a better place than you found. Bless you.
Carey, this is the most meaningful and touching video I've ever viewed. Thank you for sharing your life history with us.
Thank you Carey for all this story of where you came from! I am glad that at the end everything turn out fine. Like you said, now you have so many people following you and believing in you that I can say you make a difference in a lot of people life.
Here is another must see video from Carey. I think that every child who is being bullied, should watch it. This is truly inspirational.
Carey is a man with a lot of courage and valor! I appreciate your story, thanks!
Hey Carey you set me back to my teen age with everything you showed then you told your life story and I started to cry because I been through the same with bullies and being a loner I also started with computers as you did in the 80's same ones as you did.. I did go to a school that I felt like I was a outsider I never felt I fit in till I found the Computer. Now that I am much older I would says ty for showing a part of your life because it was my life too..your friend Ron Connors
I've seen most of your videos, don't know how I missed this one. Definitely your best in my opinion. So many of us "geek" types had similar childhoods to yours. It was very moving hearing your story and how it shaped who you are today. I have mad respect for you, not that I didn't before but this puts things in a new perspective. Thank you for sharing Carey
I recently got back into building Desktop Pcs after being out of the game since around 1998-9, so I've been watching /binging on your videos to catch up. My story is alot like yours except I was a little older. I hung out at the local Radio Shops if I wasn't working as a security protection tech. My first "computer" was a TRS-80 Color Computer, (CoCo) with a (cassette) tape, which I loved. I too bought the magazines and Tandy Books that listed all the programs written in TRSDOS. You would spend hours typing in lines of code to make a clock that kinda kept time. You would have to spend even more time to tweek the program to run better. That too is how i learned to program. We had all kinds of BBS's in South Florida and I hung out on alot of them. I think my first Tandy modem was 300 baud. Once I became a contractor and was making disposable income, I bought a IBM "clone". That is when I started to learn how to work on my own computers. My first upgrade was a 20 (25?) Meg hard drive that cost 250 bucks. I thought my 1200 baud modem was the fastest thing I had ever seen. To me that was like living in the future. As tech changed I followed it. 56K modem, removable hard drives in big bulky trays, early cd rom drives, if iot was cool I would upgrade or build another new machine. Then I had kids and a horrible (ex) wife and that was the end of my computer hobby. Now as a way of making additional income I've been fixing friends computers. So I figured to just get back into the game and see how things go.
Carey, I was really touched by your openness and honesty. I had some of these issues growing up, I found my way through and I'm glad you did too. I can relate to your rage and loneliness. I'm now a husband and father and I see some of these issues happening for my daughter in high school. So I still feel what's going on is real and still happening. Hopefully she will have a better mechanism to get through this. Her mother and I just try to keep listening and telling she is not alone, but I know its hard for her and that she will need to find her way through too. It's videos like this that let us all know we are better together than apart, that hope beats fear. So thank you very much and know that you are loved in this world.
The story behind the 'legend' thanks for sharing Carey. My first and favorite games were the Level 9 adventure games, no graphics just words. This was a Sinclair Spectrum game, loading from a cassette player. Ah the memories. Thanks
OK that's a hard history Carey Holzman, I'm glad you are now doing well. Since 1983 I've worked over 23 years repairing PC's, scanners, electronics Cash Registers,smart cash drawers , BNC cash drawers, 40 & 80 col. D.O.T. Matrix printers, barcode printers ,Windows Servers, Laptops, etc. . My life was not as hard as yours but I had the same thought about ending it when I was young, my reason for living was to find out how I will pass on so my curiosity saved me also. Thanks Again! for your story.
I'm now into building my VR computer and I bought the Enthoo Pro , the Gigabyte Z370 HD3P , 16GB Corsair Vengance , now to buy the i7 8700 chip, and air cooling heatsink, then the 250GB NVMe M.2 chip, 500 SSD & GPU 1080ti ,then a 850PSU then Oculus Rift.
well this video went off in a direction i wasn't expecting lol, very inspirational story Carey, i hope some teenager with no self esteem is out there watching this video and feeling a little bit better about themselves
Wow, your childhood sounds really similar to mine. I love the videos you make, your honesty, and now your story. Out of all the channels on TH-cam, I appreciate yours the most! I hope you never stop making them! I'd love to start building/repairing computers!
The title of the vid intrigued me because I always did wonder how you started out, but this was something I didn't expect to hear. What an absolutely amazing story. You are an inspiration to us all and shows us that anything is possible to overcome. Thank you for everything you do on your channel, I have learned so much over the past few years.
I had the same upbringing and now I love building pc's from old ones. It's really a great feeling when it boots up and it's something you've built from scrap pc's. Had bullying when I was at school, I never fought back. I would now though. Love watching your videos Carey, waiting for your next ones.
That was an extremely well told story Carey; you have a gift for communication. I related to your story a lot.. except I was a C64 guy who liked the sprites. :-) Similar experience in high school also.. didn't know who I was and didn't fit in anywhere. It looks like we were both able to turn it around. Hopefully, your story will connect with others and let them know that if you work on yourself.. things get better.
I actually started crying I here so many similarities and the only reason I've stopped myself before is because I don't like pain and I would say this might hurt. I turned 17 this year and I'm almost done with high school. Thank you for this video so much Carey.
Hear*
Once again, you never know what you'll stumble upon when listening to your videos...what a powerful and honest testimony. God bless you, Carey!
A very inspiring video, Carey! I'm really enjoying your work. Seeing the Atari 2600 brought back good memories of endlessly playing Super Breakout and Missile Command in the eighties.
my home life was a bit worse, but my school life was the same, you just gave me a pleasant stroll down memory lane tho, the trs-80 and the other systems in front of you, i remember going to a few peoples houses who had these and shared them, i taught myself building, and i used to do a bit of basic programming, but when i tried to go to school for it..(the school system at the time was a ibm system 34) well, the computer director and i didnt see eye to eye, and when operations came up, the class was a 2 hr with 4hrs worth of info, and i couldnt afford a tape recorder, so it wasnt long before i was thru, that and life drama i wont go into, i gave up the idea of programming, but i still to this day love building pc's and i help friends upgrade, or fix the pc, or just tweak it, i learned networking as well. but the main reason i replied is i feel ya man, i been in the same boat, and you got the facts straight brother, never let anyone tell you different.....just do your thing ....your just fine the way ya are.. keep doin yer thing man...btw, if i remember correctly that 2nd slot on the atari was for copying or making a ram type drive....our game on it was sundog, we'd start on a fri evening and not quit till work on monday, thx agn, be seeing ya
Wow! You sound like you could be my clone. Same childhood/life as mine. Love your channel and watch it regularly.
This has been some of the best time I have spent on TH-cam. Thank you Carey, for sharing your experiences and wisdom with us.
Thank you for this video. I related to this video so much as I too always felt like "the outcast" or the Black sheep and then later on in life I realized that "It's cool to be different". Kudos, Honor and much more respect to you Carey for your craft, and as a man. You're a real stand up guy. Thanks again
Hello Carey,
I very appreciate that you are so open about your past and my past was almost similar to your's with the exception that I have 2 handicaps. The luck I had was that I had and still have both of my parents and they never devorced. Especially my father did see my problems and always took care of me, so I did get all I want to have.
So as you know or not now were computers also my thing and it did good to hear you tell about those good old times. BBS's and all those things and type all that programms in basic and than shit, one little type mismatch haha.
But my change was especially when my father died at the age of 56 on old years eve in 1987 when I was just 20. After that time I did have to take care for my mother and suddenly I grown up in a very short time. It changed me totally maybe because of that life can be so short and end so suddenly. I did hold my father in my hands when he died at an heart attack here in the kitchen where I live.
Anyway, many thanks for this honest video and very appreceated !
Greetings from Roel !
Wow Carey. I am so glad I stumbled upon this Video. We had a very similar childhood. Atari experience with all the Computers you have in the Video. Such a small world and loved the 80's. One of the Best times of My Life
I went to school in the 70's and at 5'4", I was an easy target for bullies but I decided if I was going to get beat up they would take some licks. An open hand slap is a devastating thing and takes the fight out of a lot of bullies. A kick between the legs puts them on the ground followed by what they now call ground and pound That is what I did to the next bully. I ran into that guy years later and he said he was sorry, but he also said. I though you were going to kill me. But he also said I may have saved his life because up until me, everyone else backed down from him and sooner or later after he got out of school someone would have pulled a gun and shot him down. I am with Carey on one thing. You need zero tolerance for bullies . I know with the way schools have gone crazy with the rules, that today I would have been suspended and maybe arrested but you have got to find a way shut a bully down fast
Total respect for you Carey a thousand times over!
Amazingly inspiring story. Great lessons. I appreciate that you shared this about your life. It's amazing how self-aware you have become and actually were to begin with even at a young age. Keep up the great work. Greetings from Albania by a guy who grew up loving electronics as a kid.
Carey, I've never told you how much I appreciate your videos (especially the tutorials) , and i appreciate all the time you put in your videos, keep up the good work :D
i love this video. not only has it taught me a little more about computers back then and programming (which im going to college for hopefully) but also about your past. i come from the same background and yeah, it sucks feeling alone and not fitting in. throughout my high school years i felt that way and i would get so scared going to certain classes i would get sick. usually the people with that kind of past have a more successful life and achieve more.
Came here looking how to build a computer. Left in tears. Thx a ton Carey
I Applaud You for putting yourself out there on how you grew up!
Many of us felt that way and you do everyone a favor by being brave/self confident enough to tell us your story!
Thanks A LOT!!!
Except for my being about 10 years before you and on the east coast we had a similar life. My first computer was an Altair 8800 that I built in the mid 70s . oldcomputers(dot)net/altair Building a computer then involved populating the PC board and soldering the parts in place. I became a technician, a LASER technologist, a systems engineer, teacher, and am now a network admin, doing a lot of desktop repair and support at a school for at risk children.
My heart goes out to you Carey, I had a similar experience in high school in the late 80s and early 90s.
Thanks for making this video. Was a very interesting watch. I honestly never had any trouble with bullies in high school, though I was a complete outcast. I was more friendly with the teachers than I was with my fellow classmates, maybe that was why the bullies left me alone. This video I think will help a lot of people who are in a similar situation that you were as a teen.
I was in the same boat as you were. Awesome vid. I hope some kid being bullied or going through some personal issues, watching this, gets inspiration to lift his head up and keep going.
@ 60 I remember all this "stuff" well, being bigger, I was the loner that would beat anybody up that messed with me. Took years to get over that stuff and become a caring/helping person, somewhat like Carey. I live to help now. Thx for sharing....
Carey, at first when I was watching your video I was literally falling asleep until you made it personal! I think everyone has their calling one way or another and you have made an impact on thousands of lives who come to your TH-cam page or website. I too was an outcast in High School and had my own difficulties with my parents. I too turned to self help resources and found to my surprise that I wasn't alone. We aren't alone, and it really starts from within. Carey, awesome video!!!
PC advice and counselling all in one. Cool. You're my kind of renaissance man.
Thanks for sharing, My brother from another mother... Our lives sounded identical, I believe we are about the same age but I couldn't afford the Atari so I ended up with a TI 99/4a for $50.00 when TI left the personal computer business... Had a pretty good run as a IT Technician/Admin for 30 years... I always enjoy your videos, this one touched my heart...
That's very kind of you to say. Thank you.
I had a similar childhood/adolescence. I'm a little older than you so I didn't have computers to fall back on and fell into drug and alcohol. I finally got a handle on things and life got better when I developed self-confidence as well but it took a couple failed careers a failed marriage to get me there. I've watched a lot of your videos but now have a new respect for you. Helping other people is big part of the healing. Keep the faith sir.
I also struggled with depression (and still do) during middle and high school. I was a socially awkward person who just couldn't fit into any one particular clique or subculture no matter how many I went through. It turns out that a lot of my problems with social interaction is a result of having Asperger Syndrome. Unfortunately, I didn't find out until 2011 when I nearly 21 years old and I often wonder if my school days would have been a little easier if I known sooner. I discovered my affinity for computers in 2009 and built my first desktop in 2011 during Christmas that had a Core i5 750, 4GB of 1333 MHz DDR3, PNY GTS 250, Crucial 64 GB SSD (boot drive) and 320 GB WD Caviar Blue enclosed in an Antec 900 gaming case.
You have my respect Carey. I'm 12 and I love tech. Carey you have inspired my to do what I love and never be afraid.
This was not the video I normally expect from you but it touched me thanks for sharing your story carey have peace in you life my friend
This is one of the best CareyHolzman's videos!
I grew up about the same way. you brought back alot of good memorizes with the old computers and such. I remember standing in the supermarkets waiting to play pong. Thinking it was the greatest thing since ice cream. anyhow I grew up in Wisconsin after moving from Ill. always an outsider and such. anyways I ran away from home at 14 and 1/2 with the carnival. I surfaced later when i was 16 in Vegas where my father lived. anyways Great story. really touched my heart. God Bless and Keep up the great work my friend.
This story moved me in ways I cant describe. I am currently going through many stages to get through my depression. I am 17 years old and it started at the beginning of february 2014. I was suicidal and depressed but then i got a lot of help. Now almost 2 months later i have come a long way.
I am not saying that my childhood is the same as yours but i am trying to say that i can relate. I am much better now and i am working on a getting a job to be able to afford building a pc better than the hand me down one i have now. I found your channel because i wanted to learn how to build a pc and thanks to you, i now know how to build a pc and i know how much of a difference one person can make.
Thank you so much because i thought that i was the only one.
I didn't expect that. You're a true inspiration to anyone who's been (or is being) bullied. So many you things you have said rang chords with me too - been there, got the T-shirt, etc. I hope others can take comfort from your story. Bless you, my friend.
Thanks for sharing your story and thanks for being you!
Most repair type people love the satisfaction of fixing things or improving/hacking stuff. It can be quite a rush sometimes. The best part is when you get paid to do something you truly enjoy. Great video Carey!
You you taught me how to assemble a pc. I like your computer builds. But this is by far your best video, a life building video. Thank you so much Carey.
Thanks for helping me see the liter side. I live in the UK and i'm going thought something like this
Amazing video. I'm very inspired by your story. I was born in 1990 and remember being in elementary school in the late 1990s using those thin floppy disk. Technology has come along way and I look forward to advance my career in IT. Your videos are very helpful :D
Very nice video. In my first day of my senior year in high school - during the time inbatween class'es i taught my self how to wire computers for network access.
During the opening of the computer class i proved our teacher wrong and from that day on i have been into computers and helping others with them. Like you i
started with the atari 2600 and moved on to later atari computers , the atari 65 xe , the 130 xe and then the Atari XEGS ( Game System ). Was an XE computer
sold as a Game Console with the pastel colored key's. I always wanted a Atari 520 st but never got one. I bought Antic and other Atari magazines. Then i was
introduced to the Commodore Amiga's. Learned on and used IBM computers in school. My very first self built computer was an AMD based system. That was in
about 92/93. My personal computers are still AMD based systems. Started with 32-bit cpu's and been upgrading to the new models since.
Funny coincidence. My first computer repair was back in '96 when I got my first PC, a 486, and the modem didn't work. I must have investigated everything, software-wise (Win95) for weeks, and finally opened it up and switched the jumper to IRQ2 on my US Robotics 14,400 modem and presto. Thx for the video. A beautiful story.
Just saw this video 7 years after you made it & You have helped people that you'll never know about. So true about growing up. "If you think you'll (fail or succeed), you'll be right". I say, "Strive for Perfection, Settle for Excellence because Perfection is just an Illusion".
Mine too. I should have clarified that i had no friends in high school, but I did at Radio Shack. I don't you had a choice. Every employee at that Radio Shack became my friend. I showed up every day like an employee and you couldn't get rid of me. Still, you're the only one I still talk to today, while I have fond memories of the others.
What a great story of success and adapt and overcome! I didnt realize at 1st that this video was from years ago, but what a great video it is on so many levels! Thanks for showing others how life is done!
What a trip down memory lane! I was into the Commodore Amiga, the Amiga 500 was my 1st computer. Before that I had an Intellivision game, I still have the games to it around somewhere. But the Amiga 500 came with 1 mega of ram that could be updated to 10 mega via a card. My 1st add on hard drive was a 40 megapixel hard drive that cost $700!!!
I'd play combat flightsim games with a friend hooked up computer to computer via the old 300, then 1300 baud modems, I remember when they came out with the 9600 baud modem, man my friend and I went on and on about how now we are flying in REAL TIME baby! Of course then the 19200 (?) Baud modem came out. BBS were it when I was in my 20's so I'm a little older than you but that became a huge dating platform, the 80s were good! Really enjoyed your video and thanks for bringing up some great memories Carey!
Growing up is tough, kids are brutal, cruel, my dad was a career Army, drill instructor, and every new post we got was a new gauntlet of bullies to deal with. Our instructions were if you get your ass whipped at school dont come crying to me or you'll get it again. I learned to fight, had to, but dad was a great instructor, and even if I lost, I learned that if I stood up to bullies and fought, win or loose they didnt want someone that would hurt them. But I hated going through it, I didnt like hurting people but some theres just no other way of making them realize that messing with you is more trouble than worth.
Too many young male kids have been put through hell, no one intervenes on their behalf and look at what has happened, kid shows up in school with a gun, then the stupid parents that do nothing to help these kids blame it on the gun.
I'm glad to see you survived all that BS Carey! It scks when even your own parents are against you!
Very inspirational video, my first electronic repair was when I was 6 years old when I actually disassembled a Sesame Street Computer toy (it wasn't an actual computer of course). And I told my mom about this broken wire and she soldered it back in place and the toy worked again. My first computer repair was replacing the cpu fan on my computer because it started to buzz and after replacing the stock cpu fan 3 times which was free under warranty, I was like that's it! And bought my own cpu fan for about $20 and it's been running for over a year without fail.
Now I know this is the kind of career I need to be in but I don't know if I can afford to go back to school so I'm trying to figure out what my cheap options are going to be.
I've listened to your story now and the similar thing happened to me in 4-6th grade. I also wanted to tell you that my first repair i did on my computer was fixing a usb port. The usb port didnt work and the first thing i did was looking inside the case, there i saw a cable hanging. And i saw other cables coming from other usb ports and they were plugged in to the motherboard. The hanging cable was already plugged in to the motherboard so i looked at where the other cables were and plugged it in
I've been watching your videos for quite some time now. I just discovered this one. Thank you for sharing your story. My own is very similar. Unlike you, I did get into actual fights. To the tune of 4 and 5 EVERY DAY. Though, mine involved knives and other various violent events. As you found, I found once I stopped being a victim, I started having a better life. It didn't happen as it did for you, nor did it happen overnight. I still had problems all through high school. But, I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful for having the privilege of seeing your videos. Thank you for sharing your story.
I was thinking you'll just be talking about how you got into computers but you went more in depth than I expected. I'm proud of you man.