BuddytheReow
Moderator
As 2025 comes to a close I wanted to reach out to all of you with some thoughts I've had over the past few weeks.
2025 has been a tough year for a lot of us. New regime change, tariffs, inflation, job losses, restructuring, family health concerns, global warming. You name it. Big changes have happened to all of us, regardless of your political, social, economic, or religious views.
Holiday season is here. For some, it's a great time to catch up with family, friends, and loved ones. Gift giving. Holiday parties. Christmas bonuses. Great food that you don't normally eat everyday. Baking cookies. Some take off of work between Christmas and New Year's to recharge your batteries.
For others, the holiday season can be immensely stressful: job quotas, that deadbeat family member you see once a year and don't want to sit at the dinner table with, weight gain, binge drinking, trying to make ends meet just so you can keep the lights on and put food on the table, balking at the price of coffee or eggs, not being able to afford that brand new toy your kid has been begging for, shopping for EVERYONE on your list, holiday work parties where you have to smile at your jerk of a boss who took all the credit for the work you've done. The list goes on.
Tariffs have hit all of us both within this hobby and outside it. That coupled with inflation has made life more difficult for us. It's eye opening to see a bag of coffee at the grocery store go from $12 in the beginning of this year up to $20. This is one of the reasons why my soldering projects have slowed to a crawl. My electric bill has gone up $50+ each month even though I haven't changed a darned thing with my usage. I've heard on one side of my family that they won't be able to afford Christmas gifts for their kids. It can get depressing real quick if you let it.
Regardless of how you feel about this time of year or how you and your family wish to spend your time it's important to take care of yourself. If you're stressed or got the Holiday Blues this time of year, talk to someone. Anyone. Whether it's your spouse, friend, coworker, therapist, or psychiatrist. Hell, if you'd like to talk to someone here this thread is open to all those who just need to vent or DM me. No judgements on my part and from the vibe of this forum others feel the same. You'll be pleasantly surprised that there are others out there that feel just like you do and are willing to help even if it's just listen. You're not alone even if you feel alone. We've all got problems.
If talking isn't your specialty or not comfortable with who you're talking to, it's still important to take care of yourself. Budget your money and stick to it. Go for a walk with just your thoughts. Cut down on your screen time. Eat a salad with grilled chicken instead of a burger once in a while. Try one day without any social media in your face. Set time aside to just enjoy some soldering. Hell, turn on your amp and just go play for an hour even though you think you suck at guitar. Have 2 drinks at a party instead of 10. Go to bed on purpose. There are tons of small things you can do just to keep your head on straight. Small things can lead to big change. You've just got to be patient. You're important in someone else's life regardless of your situation and they just want to know you're OK.
On a lighter note, I hope everyone here has a great holiday season. May your soldering irons burn bright. Don't forget to turn your exhaust fan on while you do so.
-BuddytheReow
2025 has been a tough year for a lot of us. New regime change, tariffs, inflation, job losses, restructuring, family health concerns, global warming. You name it. Big changes have happened to all of us, regardless of your political, social, economic, or religious views.
Holiday season is here. For some, it's a great time to catch up with family, friends, and loved ones. Gift giving. Holiday parties. Christmas bonuses. Great food that you don't normally eat everyday. Baking cookies. Some take off of work between Christmas and New Year's to recharge your batteries.
For others, the holiday season can be immensely stressful: job quotas, that deadbeat family member you see once a year and don't want to sit at the dinner table with, weight gain, binge drinking, trying to make ends meet just so you can keep the lights on and put food on the table, balking at the price of coffee or eggs, not being able to afford that brand new toy your kid has been begging for, shopping for EVERYONE on your list, holiday work parties where you have to smile at your jerk of a boss who took all the credit for the work you've done. The list goes on.
Tariffs have hit all of us both within this hobby and outside it. That coupled with inflation has made life more difficult for us. It's eye opening to see a bag of coffee at the grocery store go from $12 in the beginning of this year up to $20. This is one of the reasons why my soldering projects have slowed to a crawl. My electric bill has gone up $50+ each month even though I haven't changed a darned thing with my usage. I've heard on one side of my family that they won't be able to afford Christmas gifts for their kids. It can get depressing real quick if you let it.
Regardless of how you feel about this time of year or how you and your family wish to spend your time it's important to take care of yourself. If you're stressed or got the Holiday Blues this time of year, talk to someone. Anyone. Whether it's your spouse, friend, coworker, therapist, or psychiatrist. Hell, if you'd like to talk to someone here this thread is open to all those who just need to vent or DM me. No judgements on my part and from the vibe of this forum others feel the same. You'll be pleasantly surprised that there are others out there that feel just like you do and are willing to help even if it's just listen. You're not alone even if you feel alone. We've all got problems.
If talking isn't your specialty or not comfortable with who you're talking to, it's still important to take care of yourself. Budget your money and stick to it. Go for a walk with just your thoughts. Cut down on your screen time. Eat a salad with grilled chicken instead of a burger once in a while. Try one day without any social media in your face. Set time aside to just enjoy some soldering. Hell, turn on your amp and just go play for an hour even though you think you suck at guitar. Have 2 drinks at a party instead of 10. Go to bed on purpose. There are tons of small things you can do just to keep your head on straight. Small things can lead to big change. You've just got to be patient. You're important in someone else's life regardless of your situation and they just want to know you're OK.
On a lighter note, I hope everyone here has a great holiday season. May your soldering irons burn bright. Don't forget to turn your exhaust fan on while you do so.
-BuddytheReow
