2025 Foresight

Alright, with 2024 in the rear view, it’s time to start fresh and new — Happy New Year 2025! There are a few things I’m looking forward to. Some involve gaming and tech. There’s also a huge DIY project I’m eager to complete. Most upcoming changes, especially one for my health, should be pretty good.

New Computing

Yes new tech. Of course. I’m looking forward to my next computer. My current one, bought in early January 2022, is a refurbished 2020 M1 MacBook Air. I’ve used it for three years, which was my minimum goal.

So the time has come. I’m switching from Mac back to Windows. The two drivers of this change are PC gaming and value. Like an Android phone versus an iPhone, you can typically get more computer for less money. And it’s good enough. (Until you get bored with it, if you’re a geek like me).

A few days ago, I found a too-good-to-pass-up deal on Best Buy and ordered a budget gaming laptop. It arrives in a week. Besides using it as my main computer over the next few years for, uh, computing, I plan to finally play some Steam games I’ve wanted to try for a long time.

New Gaming

One of the biggest new things in gaming for 2025 that many are looking forward to is the successor to the Switch. Nintendo will likely announce more on that soon.

A new gaming console, of course, means new games and launch titles. I can only guess at what’s upcoming. But I plan to hold off from buying a Switch 2 for a while. Instead, I’m greatly anticipating Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE for the current Switch. I can resume it right now on my Wii U, but I want to wait for the definitive edition, starting it over.

Besides that, I have some great games on my Switch backlog that I’m looking forward to playing this year, like Octopath Traveler II, yet there’s still more. On the PC, I’m also itching to enjoy:

• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Tales of Arise
• Final Fantasy VII Remake
• No Man’s Sky
• Harvestella
• Forza Horizon 5
• Microsoft Flight Simulator

As if all that wasn’t enough, there are even more games that I’d like to play. But I don’t think I have enough time to play the ones above. Much of my time in the past few months and in the coming months relates to a physical outdoor task.

New Building

I’ve been working on a big DIY project for my house: adding on a new master bedroom.

Besides having a better sleeping area for my wife and I, the whole family will benefit from the addition. Our current bedroom will become the dining room, and the current dining area will be removed from the living room. The whole house will feel bigger with more space for the main family areas.

I started construction in October and hope to finish in late March or April. It’s one of the biggest good changes I’m pushing toward this year. Another change may have me pushing in a different way.

New Exercising

You know, holiday pounds are real; thanks, eggnog… I foresee good exercise starting in my life soon. In the past few years, I’ve relied on running for fitness. With that and strict calorie counting, I’ve lost much weight.

But this year, I plan to buy a new bike. So I hope that cycling will work for me instead of running. I might mix the two — cross-train. It will be nice to get back into biking. Besides health reasons, I’m interested in biking because my wife and I bought new bikes for some of the kids for Christmas and they want to ride with me.

Renewal

A nice thing about the New Year is feeling like you can make a fresh start. It’s a time of renewal. Change is hard, and not all change is good. But there are good changes to look forward to in 2025, some better than others.

If there’s opportunity, I hope you, dear reader, can focus this year on the positive changes that may come your way. Embrace them, be thankful for them, and have a Happy New Year.