Not sure if I commented on your stuff in December, but I made a video about this back then at the least. (Wanted to finish the video, but it keeps freezing at 2:37).
Anyway, from the comments, I see that there was some question as to whether you should have invested in the equipment, and to that I say it was the best thing you could have done. Invest in your craft, invest in yourself, not any one platform.
As for the upvotes, DTube, DLive, Steemit, it's all a Skinner Box. I don't think it's intentional, but currently the whole system is an oligarchy. One of my earliest videos is about how these accounts having massive SP is a problem. You shouldn't rely on a few people to provide your income. Scale is the best way to secure long-term success as a creator. And DTube doesn't have that yet. The distribution of SP isn't there yet, and likely never will be.
But you've got a lot of talent, passion, and the willingness to put in the work. Diversify your portfolio of income sources, and keep making good work. Maybe that's the conclusion you came to in the video, lol. But those IPFS nodes are keeping me from watching it all the way.
Anyway, maybe we'll cross paths in NYC. hmu if you want to hang with a fellow creator/steemian (I'm in the DLive Discord, responded to one of your questions the other day, same handle.)
@gyrosean! Thanks so much for the detailed comment. I definitely agree that we need more steemians with more steem power. It was designed so that we would earn as we create but unfortunately it just doesn't seem to be working. And thank you for backing up my decision to invest in myself. I do still believe it was the best move.
We should definitely get up in NY! I'll reach out to ya on Discord soon!