If there was any indication that 2024 is going to be a great year, both the big and small wins in the first two weeks of January alone would be it.
First off — what a great time it is to be a Michigan sports fan, whether you know all the rules and plays of the games or not. In just the last few weeks, I’ve watched more football games on TV with my family than I ever thought I would, and each one has been surprisingly more entertaining than the next. Watching the Wolverines win the national championship against Washington on a Monday was pretty amazing and a great kickoff to the new year — My late uncle Chicky, a University of Michigan alumnus and die-hard Michigan football fan, would have been so happy to see his team win. I remember every time he sent a care package to my family on the Big Island, he’d usually get me and my siblings a U-M shirt (yes, I had a lot of shirts) to rep the maize and blue, even though I was thousands of miles away from the state. And I proudly wore those U-M shirts around the island, too, because his admiration for the university and sport was infectious, so I knew it had to be good.
Following the Wolverines perfect winning streak, the Detroit Lions shocking win against the Los Angeles Rams was equally, if not more amazing. It was the first time in 32 years that the team won a NFL playoff game (by one point!) and they finally made it happen on their home turf. My mom and I watched the game together after I shoveled snow at our house for three hours straight. Here’s to hoping the Lions can manage to bring home another big win at the next game on Sunday.
Speaking of all that snow out there, that’s another huge win for the state. Following one of the warmest Decembers on record due to an El Nino in place, Michiganders were taken by surprise when a high impact winter storm made its way through the region last weekend. Not only did some parts of Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties see a foot of snow, but the frigid air also returned, bringing consistent snowfall to the area. I’ve written a weather story for three weeks in a row now, and it’s safe to say that local outdoor recreational centers are thriving and relieved that winter is living up to its name. While I love and appreciate the beauty that is snow, especially coming from an island where you could only see it at certain times of the year by driving to the top of a dormant volcano (Mauna Kea), I can’t say I enjoy shoveling the white stuff hour after hour. My back and body hurts, but I shoveled two trails from my house to all around my car by myself — these snow drifts are something else.
And a small win two weeks into January: I’m getting back into reading books again! It really is more exciting than it sounds. I may write and read articles every day for my job, but I love the habit of sitting in a cozy area and being engrossed in a story while holding an actual hardcover book.
Of course, we’re only a little over two weeks into the first month of January, but I have high hopes for the rest of the year and the potential to embrace more big and small wins.
