Yeah, soldering counts. Repair, opening things, etc too.
Soldering
Learning how to solder for the first time was how this led me to start modding consoles at the hardware level. After watching a YouTube tutorial from MrMario2011 (who gave me plenty of inspiration) on programming and soldering the chip, I decided to install a modchip into my PS1. At the same time, I was learning how to use soldering irons and construct a simple LED project in education. The reason is that, like many others, the goal of a modchip is to play pirated games. Being young, I had little to no experience with the ropes. I was also unfamiliar with the tools I had at the time, including a soldering gun that isn't the greatest for soldering to consumer electronics (apart from welding/soldering to metal pipes), plumbers flux, and lead-free solder.
Over the course of months of trial and error, I kept burning myself and did really terrible solder joints, which contributed mostly to the equipment. This led me to give up on doing soldering as a hobby and move on to something else in a fit of rage.
Moving onto 2022, after being stuck inside and as I grew older, I felt the need to resume soldering because I felt confident enough to give it another go. The reason is that I wanted to try something new that would allow me to improve my abilities beyond what I could do. In contrast to 2016, when using a soldering iron was a nightmare, I began researching soldering tutorials on YouTube. The first one, which I still suggest even to people who have never used one, is from the "EEVblog" channel as a series. It covers a variety of methods to getting it how you want it to be; this includes getting good joints, the dos and don'ts of using a soldering iron, the necessary tips, and the equipment to use with it. I looked on AliExpress and ordered a Quickoo T12 clone and began practicing on old circuit boards that don't work, and honestly, after many attempts, I finally got it perfectly to where I installed a PS1 modchip with no problems.
For the next few years & months, I installed an OpenXenium modchip into an original Xbox, a modchip for the Wii, and created my first PCB based on "cheapmod" Xbox modchips involving a 49LF020 LPC flash from learning KiCAD; I might talk about the latter at some point, but you get the idea.
Repairs
I can't exactly remember what my first repair/restoration project was. The closest would have to be, I should say, an Atari 2600 Jr. It was coated to the brim with blue paint; it did not come with a power supply, nor did the person selling it tell me that it works, so he offered me 5 quid for it, which I accepted. Took apart the system and spent the next 1.5 hours scrubbing the paint off the casing in the bathtub with soapy warm water. Next, I began scrubbing the cartridge slot and the motherboard with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol to clean leftover flux and/or dirt to ensure it's clean. Because it didn't come with a power supply, I ordered one at a bargain store with various plug types and an adjustable voltage dial; the 2600 Jr. needed a power connector, that is, a 3.5 mm jack, the same as consumer headphones, so I was lucky to find the perfect one that does include it.
After buying a Pac-Man cartridge to test it out, it was working perfectly. I'm not sure if I should say it's a good restoration because there's still a leftover stain from where it was painted, and also one of the screw posts had cracked due to age; originally, the case was black, now it looks more like a purple. But overall, I felt proud for myself at the time, this was maybe in mid 2021 before moving.
You're not alone, though. I also have a bunch of scattered interests that are hard to divide my attention between. Sometimes, not giving attention to any of them because I'm paralyzed by choice.
