Readers shared what they’re most looking forward to in 2023 with columnist David Allen, including vacation plans, children’s milestones and In-N-Out’s 75th anniversary.
Since today is Jan. 1, both your wishes are granted. Newspaper columns are magic! I phrased my query like this: Name one thing in 2023 — mundane, serious or silly, your choice — that you are looking forward to with pleasure.
Response was high, and from a gratifyingly broad swath of geography. Your comments were a welcome burst of good cheer about the little things in life. Shan Sweda, Rancho Cucamonga: “Graduating with my master’s in child and adolescent development! Two classes left.”Kathryn Seeger Myers: “Traveling in our fifth wheel from Liberty Hill, Texas to Rancho Cucamonga to meet our new grandson in May.” Carole Manly Bridges, Riverside: “Taking our son and granddaughter to Hawaii to celebrate granddaughter’s high school graduation and entrance into college. We are all so proud of her.” Tyra Weis, Chino: “A trip to Paris to celebrate my retirement, and happiness and health for my family and friends.”, La Verne: “A safe ride home on New Year’s Day from Sacramento and hopefully less traffic due to hangovers.”Gina Solorzano Rodriguez, Montclair: “Visiting family in Idaho and fishing in the High Sierra.” Christian Kueng, Ontario: “Looking forward to the launch of my new picture book ‘Digger the Colony Worker Ant.’”Judy Gibson, Rancho Cucamonga: “Planting veggies and doing home maintenance.” John Evans, high desert: “More EV charging stations, something we can all hope will improve in 2023. ‘If you build them, they will come.’” Charles Bentley, formerly of Ontario: “A wetter year for the West. Snowpack is good, rain totals up, reservoirs and lakes filling. Hoping 2023 brings more of it and a greener hue.”of the Montclair City Council: “More civility, heavy on humankindness. Less of the hostility in public discourse. An elected official can hope, right?”: “I am looking forward to having a lot less drama in my life. I am looking forward to many days next year with nothing on my calendar.”Chuck Olynyk, Pomona: “Ukraine’s victory and continued democracy.”That may be more along the lines of wishful thinking for 2023, but I’ll allow it.Christy Gonzalez, Pomona: “Off to merry olde England to explore the castles and stand in rooms where history happened.” Dot Cosentino-Phillips, Upland: “Taking our granddaughter to England in March to check out colleges!”Ronald Scott, Claremont: “My wife and I are going to New York in the fall. We are going to start in New York City and then end up at Niagara Falls!” Candice Alvarez, Lake Elsinore: “I’m looking forward to traveling again: road trips, camping and international. We’re taking our daughter out of the country for her first time for her 21st birthday.”. I’ll be driving to Pomona all the way from Rancho Cucamonga.”Alicia Edquist, Downey: “Seeing my daughter finish eighth grade in person after starting middle school via Zoom in 2020.” Susan G. Brunasso, Claremont: “I am looking forward to my husband working fewer hours next year! Mike has worked a 10-hour day for over 30 years and he is slowly cutting back on his very long day. So I’m looking forward to spending a bit more time with him!”Matthew Keating: “I am seriously looking forward to reading your columns, posts, and blogs, with pleasure, in Claremont.”You three are setting the bar low for 2023. But thank you. Elizabeth Adame, Riverside: “The most exciting thing I am looking forward to in 2023 is the birth of my first grandchild. My soon-to-be-born granddaughter, Amelia, is due at the beginning of March!”one year ago. Besides embracing positivity and generosity, she also wanted “to learn how to mix the perfect Mai Tai” in 2022.Her recipe: 1 ounce dark rum, 1 ounce banana rum, 1/2 ounce triple sec, juice of one lime, drizzle of grenadine, shaken over ice in cocktail shaker.