Thanks! I had stopped gaming around 2007. TV play stopped being feasible and I had a laptop priced for word processing/internet browsing. I think I got a smart phone around 2009 or 2010 and started playing games on it. I liked it well enough, but I hated both tying up my phone and interrupting my games.
I was going on a long road trip two years ago and found the Retronauts podcast. That reminded me of how much I liked gaming when I was younger, and I started craving a more substantial experience. I tried downloading higher quality games on mobile, but I hated the controls. I was going on a different vacation the following summer, and decided to grab a handheld for the flight. I had a vague sense that the vita had a bad reputation, so I went with the 3DS.
I'm glad I did and I'm also really happy I found RFN soon after. Listening to it has increased my enjoyment of Nintendo, and the more I play Nintendo, the more I enjoy the podcast and the rest of NWR.