Fanatics Fest 2025 is officially underway. The pre-show content is already rolling in—booth setups, massive hits, influencer/celebrity selfies, showroom teasers, giveaways, crowd shots. And this is just the beginning. Over the next few days, our feeds will be flooded with highlights, hype, and high-dollar moments—each one louder than the last. And I’ll be honest: it’s hard to watch from the outside. I went last year. It was the inaugural show, and it felt like being at the center of something big. I connected with people I’d only known online. I felt plugged into the hobby in a way that reminded me why I ever loved it in the first place. And this year? It’s right here once again—in my backyard, in Manhattan—and I’m sitting it out. There’s a very specific kind of pain that comes with being close to something you once loved, but knowing you can’t fully step back into it—not yet, not like before. That ache of missing out? That’s real. And if you’re feeling it too this week, you’re not alone. Social media will make it feel like everyone else is having the time of their life. Like you’re the only one missing out. But what you don’t see on the feed are the people in the hotel rooms afterward—checking their bank apps, numbing out from the overwhelm, or wondering why that “huge pull” didn’t actually fill the void they thought it would. That’s not to say people can’t enjoy these events. Many will. But if you’re in recovery—if you’re working on boundaries, on debt, on healing your relationship with this space—stepping away might be the biggest win of all. You’re not avoiding the hobby. You’re choosing your peace. And that’s not weak. That’s growth. It’s okay to feel sad. It’s okay to feel jealous. And it’s okay to log off if the noise gets too loud. You don’t have to prove anything by staying connected. Your worth as a collector, and as a person, isn’t defined by whether or not you show up at a convention. Sometimes, the strongest move isn’t flying to an event. It’s staying grounded. #CollectorsMD —
Missing out doesn’t mean falling behind. Sometimes, it’s how we move forward.
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