Reflections on the Year 2025

Now that 2025 is almost done, I just have one word: HALLELUJAH!!! This has been one of the most stressful years of my life, but I guess it was necessary because I’ve learned a lot about myself and the person I was always meant to be. I won’t get into any of the personal crap I went through, but going forward, I have to make smarter decisions about what I want to do for the rest of my life. Another downside of 2025 was the music scene, for me, was kind of mellow. Def Leppard still didn’t release a new studio album; all we got was a live album, Diamond Star Heroes: Live from Sheffield (2025), with mostly the same freaking songs they’ve been playing for the past 30 years. The Black Crowes released their 30th Anniversary Amorica box set and while the music is fantastic, it was not worth the price I paid for. $100 for three CDs, come on!

The non-music related thing that pissed me off the most in 2025, however, was 9-1-1 killing off Bobby Nash because he was the most beloved character on the show, next to Athena Grant. I’ll still support 9-1-1, for now, because I love what they’re doing with Evan “Buck” Buckley’s character growth, but it’s hard to ignore the lingering shadow Nash left behind.

The Walt Disney animatronic is rough, but “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” is a remarkable presentation of Walt’s life and everything he stood for. I should’ve saw the show twice when I had the chance, dang it!

Of course, 2025 wasn’t all terrible. In September, I checked out Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration and saw Tom Keifer live in Las Vegas! At the time, Disneyland had their Halloween decorations up, so I got to witness the giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin in all its glory, checking that off my Disney bucket list. Besides Keifer, another artist on my concert bucket list was Kelly Clarkson, who my mom and I saw live in November. The tickets were expensive, but the experience was worth it because she gave us a talk show and a concert combined into one! Then, in a surprising twist, my mom and I saw New Kids on the Block live on their Las Vegas Residency in November, as well. Some of the concert attendees were annoying, but New Kids on the Block put on a great show with catchy tunes and “the right stuff,” get it?

Instead of new releases, my money went towards old releases and albums I’ve been on the fence about for a while, but decided to take a chance on finally. In February/March, I purchased all of the studio albums from Swedish female rock ‘n’ roll band Thundermother, including their latest release, Dirty & Divine (2025). In March/April, I bought nine of the ten studio albums from Canadian rock trio Triumph. In April/May, I bought all four studio albums from American female rock ‘n’ roll band The Runaways because of Lita Ford’s book, Living Like a Runaway: A Memoir (2014). In August, I bought four studio albums from JoJo because of her amazing book, Over the Influence: A Memoir (2024). In October, I purchased a Lynyrd Skynyrd studio album I’ve wanted for my collection since getting into the band, Edge of Forever (1999). Finally, in December, I bought four of the five studio albums from Australian rock ‘n’ roll band Airbourne because I needed more AC/DC-like music in my life. 

As mentioned earlier, 2025 was all about discovering myself and becoming the person I was always meant to be. While I’ve always loved music, something special happened while listening to Triumph one day, something that I’ve never felt before. With guitarist Rik Emmett getting older, he cannot hit the high notes like he used to on classics like, “Fight the Good Fight” and “Never Surrender.” However, while listening to a Triumph album on my CD player, I think it was The Sport of Kings (1986), I looked at my CD player, heard Emmett’s beautiful falsetto on “Take a Stand,” and that’s when it all clicked! Contained on that CD is a piece of music history, a certain musical era for Triumph. It’s like Emmett was singing right in front of me at a gig in 1986.

A similar example is watching Die Hard (1988). Captured on film is a young Bruce Willis, at his best, killing bad guys. We have that movie as well as other great films of his to remember the stellar career he’s had in the entertainment industry. Even better is that I have physical copies of these special moments in history like all five Die Hard movies and the first nine Triumph studio albums; I know never to take these things for granted ever again. Whether it’s a movie or a song, captured is a specific moment in an artist’s career, what they looked like and what they sounded like. Because of that, I have a new love and appreciation for physical media and the entertainment industry, specifically the musicians and actors who have dedicated their lives to entertaining people all over the world. 

One major accomplishment for my personal growth is that I’ve finally embraced my weirdness! As much as I would love to be cool and sophisticated like Athena Grant from 9-1-1, that’s not me. In fact, I’m the complete opposite of sophisticated. I have a habit of calling people “dude,” I can randomly burst into a song at any given moment, and I have the strangest laugh ever. Also, did I mention guitarist Rich Robinson looked at me annoyingly when I took pictures of him at a Black Crowes show in December 2024? Why I like to keep telling people that, I have no idea because it’s not my proudest moment in life. But, if Rich Robinson thinks I’m nuts, that pretty much says it all.

But you know what, I’m fine with that and I’ve accepted I’m a bit crazy. I’d rather be a little crazy than totally boring. Before Ozzy Osbourne died this past July, I grew to adore Ozzy’s irreplicable personality, perfectly shown on Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour. He was a lovable character who did and said whatever he wanted. Even when he swore, it wasn’t in a mean way; that’s just who he was. Ozzy reminded me that it’s ok to be weird and different from the normal crowd because everyone has their unique quirks and features that make them special in their own way. We miss you everyday, Ozzy!

I’ll go into 2026 with an open mind and no expectations; I’m going to go with the flow. There’s a possibility of Airbourne, Def Leppard, Overkill, and The Black Crowes each releasing a new studio album in 2026 because of rumors going around. However, I won’t believe anything until I see an announcement from either band with my own eyes. As a simple goal for myself, I hope to develop a better relationship with food. It’s something I’ve struggled with for years, but I know it’s never too late to try again. When I say a “better relationship,” I want to treat food like it’s fuel for my body, rather than the enemy. Thank you 2025 for everything you’ve taught me, but sayonara, because 2026 is ready to kick some a**!

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Take care and see ya real soon!

Lana