Focus on restoration.
Each machine provides a new set of trials and (possibly? 
) tribulations.
The challenge is always there to build on and improve from your last machine resto.
EDIT: I can empathise with you though, the entire hobby is stagnating since the main market focus is so narrow in its target demographic.
Absolutely. Just bury yourself in a restoration and picture the finished product. Nothing better.
The machines themselves are fine, just some people & politics in the hobby which tend to leave a bad taste.
Politics, factions or whatever you want to call it is very disheartening. Just seems as though the hobby can't ever get past it.
There's a thin line between the Hobby and the Industry.
The Industry - Is a LOT better than it was in the glory days of operators and sited machines. There was criminal activity and all sorts of skullduggery. But when times were good, it was excellent. Nowadays the industry is all about the importers and dealers. There might still be an element of dishonesty and deception (especially towards newbies). The industry used to serve the operators, it now serves hobbyists. Huge difference.
The Hobby - Often ruined by industry types. I've seldom heard of one hobbyist causing another hobbyist to leave the hobby. I've seen countless newbies get ripped off by industry types, but they live and learn and usually stay within the hobby - but they learn the "lesson" the hard way. Hobbyists also can do VERY WELL with bargains and rare titles once ever so often. That's what makes the hobby great. Once a good dealer or importer is sourced, the experience for the hobbyist is what keeps them interested. The "hunt" is what it is all about.
The politics - usually only affects hobbyists. Personally, I think hobbyists get too immersed in the politics and take this aspect of the hobby and industry too seriously. It used to be a problem for me, but now I laugh at it.
I'm "too far gone" to ever remove myself from the hobby, industry or the politics. Pinball is like any other hobby - it has personalities across a wide range. You have to find the "happy place" where you can ENJOY yourself. A hobby is something you turn to in your spare time. It should not dominate your life. I know plenty of personalities that have allowed the politics form an agenda, and that has made them toxic to be around. Just shrug the shoulders and move on.
My father once described the Industry as follows (when I was in my early teens) ;
"The amusement industry has the worst people in it you could ever meet"
"The amusement industry has the best people in it you would ever meet"
Nothing much has changed when you substitute "The amusement industry" with "The Hobby"..
I've met some of the NICEST people in the past 10 years. I've seen people turn into self obsessed monsters. But you will find this in any other hobby.
There's no way I'll ever leave the industry (as I'm now part of it), or the hobby. There's nothing else I can think of that gives me this much satisfaction (Pinball Restoration). Literally in my blood, and I can't "function" without it !
