There was an earlier time on the internet where it felt like there was a constant stream of little tchotchkes and gadgets to stumble upon and develop intense fixations over. I'm not sure what changed—learning firsthand how tight disposable income is probably had a part—but online trinkets don't hit like they used to.
"—and not just because I want to see what my cat looks like pixelated without firing up some filters in Photoshop. Sure, I like some quality pixel art as much as the next guy, but at a younger age I'd considered trying to go into professional art. Instead, I chose the boundless financial bounty of writing for digital media and left art as a hobby, in part because I barely understand how color works and it makes me feel inadequate.