Happy New Year everyone!

I must admit that I was happy to see the end of 2025, which surely will go down in my personal history books as one of the low points of my existence. Well, at least financially speaking!

I spent much of yesterday and today mired down in the somewhat tedious business of taking snapshots and doing summary calculations of the outcome of 2025 and setting up new files to record whatever happens in 2026.

Aside from being necessary for bookkeeping purposes, doing the New Year's rounds also serves as a way to keep myself updated on what's happening with the various projects, initiatives and communities I've been interested in.

A very sad picture, indeed!

Mostly what I encountered was a long string of projects — little and large — that seemed to have gone from being filled with enthusiasm, promise and energy 12 months ago to now basically being ghost towns with forgotten tokens.

I know from experience that the success rate of small business is extremely low with only something like 20% of businesses making it beyond their fifth year.

When I look at the Cryptosphere, it seems more like only 1% of ventures make it beyond two years. Yes, I know, in the world of decentralization and blockchain there is no "failure" as such because the blockchain just keeps on plugging. So let's instead say that 99% go from doing something and having a dollar token to doing nothing and having a token that is worth one one-millionth of a cent.

Perhaps there are some who will read these words and claim that I "just don't understand how difficult it is." My counter to that is that perhaps you didn't understand how difficult it is to get traction when you get involved with these things.

This is not an "easy money for nothing" game!

Any project — be it conventional finance, business or cryptocurrency — typically takes out to take five times the time and effort you thought, while returning one-fifth the income you thought it would.

Do I sound overly pessimistic? I don't think so... just have a look at the wreckage that is everywhere!

I don't really want to harp on about this at length because it's a New Year and I'd rather start with some kind of positive note but this was what I found when I did my end of year summarizing.

Let's hope that 2026 brings us all a better result!

For now, I'm going to limp away and set some personal goals for the New Year. Or at least express some hopes!

Thanks for coming to visit, and do leave a comment if you feel so inclined! Engagement matters!

=^..^=