It’s almost 2025 my friends! I hope your 2024 was a good year and I wish you all the luck in the world in the upcoming years.
This is the time of year when people evaluate their lives and make their New Year’s Resolutions - those decisions designed to help ourselves become the people we want to be. The time of year where gym owners seem happier and the streets are clogged with ‘joggers’ in brand new top of the line running shoes.
I have never been good with keeping up with my New Year’s Resolutions, but I feel like this year is my year for real change. I have 3 Resolutions I want to make:
- Spend More Time in Nature
I am a city boy through and through. I need an air conditioner to sleep at night and a television to watch during the day. That being said, I love nature. I love animals, I love the forest, I love the river. My first resolution is to spend more time outdoors. Once a month, I’m going to take a hike at a local nature trail and take in the natural wonders of this world. I want to take a few camping trips as well - find a spot in the middle of nowhere, far from the lights of the city and observe the majesty of the night sky. Ultimately, I would love to visit Alaska and see the Aurora Borealis, the “Northern Lights”.
- Read One New Book and Listen to One New Album a Month
For the purposes of this resolution, new is defined as “new to me”. There are so many wonderful books out there by so many wonderful authors and I want to explore all of the worlds that they have created. I am currently reading Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series, a series written in the 1950s which has been the inspiration of several science fiction works, including Star Wars. I plan to read “The Three Body Problem” by Cixin Liu afterwards. Reading is a wonderful way to escape the mundanity of the real world and I want to be intentional about making time to open a book.
In the same vein, there are so many wonderful musical acts and artists out there, from indie punk to pop rock, all with insane amounts of talent. I think that I, like a lot of people, get caught up in the comfort of the bands I know intimately - put on the Beatles or Pink Floyd and I will be in heaven - but there are so many albums, new and old, that I need to explore. So I will make time to, at the very least once a month, listen to an album I have never listened to before, all the way through.
- More Time for Creativity
I know what you’re thinking, dear reader. “More time for creativity? But he already gives us the Wrant, what more can he ask of himself?” Thank you, it really means a lot that you would think that. It’s true, I started writing this blog as a means to get that creative itch scratched. I love sports and I love writing. I also love responsible officiating, so when I got an offer to write for Officials Depot, I jumped at the chance.
My resolution is to dedicate an hour a day to creative pursuits. Learning a new bass line or drum fill, writing a short story, adding a chapter to a book - an hour a day to let my right brain go crazy after a day of left brain heavy work. My ultimate creative goal is to have a book published by the time I’m 40 years old, and I hope you’re there to read it, my friends.
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I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful New Year’s Eve and Day. I hope you’re able to stick to your resolutions and become the person you want to be. If you have any suggestions on books or music for me to check out, I would love to hear from you.
My last resolution would be to get better at my (Probably Wrong) Predictions.
(Probably Wrong) Predictions Update:
Christmas was a good one this year. Good food, some great presents, and I went 3-2 on my (Probably Wrong) Predictions! That’s the real meaning of Christmas, if you ask me. Let’s recap where I went right! (and wrong)
My (Probably Wrong) Prediction - New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs
Result - CORRECT!
I woke up on Christmas morning, optimistic that Santa had left me some correct predictions under the tree. The first present I got was a good one indeed. A boisterous Madison Square Garden was the perfect opening venue for a day of fantastic basketball. Even though the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama had a monster game with 42 points, 18 rebounds and his customary 4 blocks, it wasn’t enough to make my prediction wrong! The Knicks were able to start off my day right, as Mikal Bridges scored 41 points and ignited the New York City crowd. Jalen Bruson and Karl-Anthony Towns added 20 and 21 points respectively as the Knicks overcame Wemby’s Christmas onslaught and helped give me a CORRECT! Prediction.
My (Probably Wrong) Prediction - Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves
Result - WRONG
I always feel dirty when I choose the Dallas Mavericks to win a game, so being wrong when they lose always feels bittersweet. This prediction was wrong, but Luka Dončić leaving the game early seriously shifted the tone of this game. Kyrie Irving tried to make up for Luka’s absence, scoring 39 points but Klay Thompson added only 12 points and no other Maverick would score over 10. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards scored 26 while Julius Randle added 23 points and 8 assists. Rudy Gobert had two blocks and 14 points and the Timberwolves would beat the Mavericks, giving me a WRONG Prediction and strengthening my hatred for Dallas sports.
My (Probably Wrong) Prediction - Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers
Result - (COMPLETELY) WRONG
This WRONG Prediction gets a special designation. I was convinced that this game would be a snoozefest, I thought that Boston would blow out Philadelphia. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Tyrese Maxey. I completely underestimated his ability to step up and lead the Sixers, but his 33 points and 12 assists shows his potential to lead this team to the play-ins, if not the playoffs, in the East. Joel Embiid had a great game as well, with 28 points and Caleb Martin added 23 as the 76ers won a close matchup with the defending champion Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brown, and Derrick White combined to score 76 points for the Celtics, but Boston could not overcome the first half injury to Kristaps Porziņģis and the Sixers ruined my Christmas Day afternoon by giving me my second WRONG Prediction of the day.
My (Probably Wrong) Prediction - Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors
Result - CORRECT!
While the Sixers and Mavs ruined my Christmas afternoon, Christmas night was great to me, starting with this California showdown. Los Angeles’ Anthony Davis went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter, causing me to worry that this would be yet another WRONG Prediction. Steph Curry had 38 points for Golden State and Andrew Wiggins had 21 points, but no other player on the Warriors scored more than 14. LeBron James scored 31 points for the Lakers and Austin Reaves had a triple double, with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. With the game tied at 113-113 with 6 seconds left, Austin Reaves received the inbounds pass, drove past Andrew Wiggins and scored the layup with one second on the clock, securing a 115-113 Lakers win and a CORRECT! Prediction for me.
My (Probably Wrong) Prediction - Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets
Result - CORRECT!
This game was a bow on top of a lovely Christmas Day full of amazing basketball. Kevin Durant scored 27 points for the Suns while the Nugget’s Nikola Jokić put in 25 points as these two Western Conference teams duked it out in the desert. Michael Porter Jr. put in 22 points for Denver, and Russel Westbrook added 17, however Aaron Gordon left the game early with a calf strain. Phoenix’s Bradely Beal matched Durant’s game high in points with 27 and the Suns overcame the absence of Devin Booker to put the Nuggets away on Christmas Day night and give me one last CORRECT! Prediction.
OVERALL (PROBABLY WRONG) PREDICTION COUNT - 4 CORRECT! - 5 WRONG
Walker’s Weekly Wrecommendations
Each week I’m gonna review and recommend random things - TV shows, music, or a restaurant. IDK. Whatever I feel like. This is my blog.
This week's Triple W is Netflix’s newest comedy special: Nate Bargatze’s “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze”. This stand up comedy special feature’s Bargatze’s signature deadpan delivery as he tackles terrorism, education, and his wife’s endless patience. This special is appropriate for all ages, perfect for a laugh filled hour of family time.
NEXT WEEK: Walker’s Wranting’s presents “And Now For Something Completely Different”