I felt as though I blinked and 2022 was over. I stayed busy but didn't necessarily accomplish all that I hoped to when the year began.
For the past two years about this time, I have done a recap of the year in a post here. I won't do that this year, as I have documented most of the notable events here or on my Instagram.
I did attend the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium this past Wednesday. The game was between Duke and UCF (University of Central Florida), so I didn't have a horse in the race. However, the pageantry surrounding the game and the tributes to history and the Navy that is engrained in the stadium itself was awe inspiring. I plan to attend a Navy game there, when the weather is a bit warmer.
Looking ahead, I already have some great concerts on the schedule for 2023. Styx, Chicago, Lita Ford, ZZ Top, and Lynyrd Skynyrd are just of a few of the acts that I have tickets for.
The plan is to hike and kayak as much as possible again this year and I am already longing for warmer weather. Hoping to visit Natural Bridge in Virginia this summer.
I promise to release at least one full length book in 2023. Making that statement publicly makes me accountable and hopefully lights a fire under my ass.
What am I listening to?
I'm in an Anderson East mode lately. He is a country/R&B/soul artist with a very distinct sound. I've seen him in concert twice (hoping for 3rd in 2023). He has a lot of great tunes but "Devil in Me" is a great place to start if you aren't familiar with him.
What am I reading?
As I mentioned in a previous post, I am in writing mode, so I'm not actively reading anything. I have sat "The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly aside for the time being.
As odd as it sounds, I am re-reading "Dead Man's Breath" and "The Raven Conspiracy". Referencing may be a more accurate term. As I work on the 3rd Clay Sullivan book, I want to ensure I don't contradict anything from the previous books.
As always, if you want to see what I'm reading, you can follow me on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/tyler_cates
What am I watching?
In addition to Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vol basketball, I'm currently watching "1923", a prequel to the phenomenal "Yellowstone" series. "1923" stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren and is available on Paramount+. The scenes depicting the treatment of Native Americans are difficult to watch, but I trust in Taylor Sheridan's storytelling to make them pay off.
There are quite a few interesting TV shows and movies coming in the first few months of 2023. that I am looking forward to checking out.
"The Pale Blue Eye", starring Christian Bale, is a period mystery film on Netflix, premiering January 6. A young Edgar Allan Poe is a character in the film.
"Marlowe", starring Liam Neeson, will be in theatres in February. There have been several adaptations of Raymond Chandler's iconic detective Phillip Marlowe over the years, some great, some not-so-great. Fingers crossed for this one to the character justice.
A second season of "The Mayor of Kingtown", another Taylor Sheridan show on Paramount+, premiers January 15. The first season, starring Jeremy Renner, was fantastic.
Very disappointed to hear that ABC cancelled "Avalon", based on the Michael Connelly story, before it even aired. Hoping another platform picks it up.
That's about all for now. I look forward to seeing what adventures 2023 holds.
Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you soon.