Just what kind of a year was 2022? 
While you were out battling the world, just for kicks, we were even trying to keep track of it: 
Crypto imploded. 
A funny thing happened to Vladimir Putin on his way to quickly overwhelming a vastly smaller Ukraine. It didn’t happen.  
American democracy survived, as reports of its impending death were largely exaggerated.  
At the Oscars, Will Smith introduced the Fresh Punch of Bel-Air.   
Only three weeks shy of her 100th birthday, passing only hours before launch of 2022, Betty White left such a loving legacy, even being nearly 100 was just too young for her to pass.  
Brittney Griner learned what not to pack for her next trip out of the country.  
A cute little waif as a child from a north Normal neighborhood with an infectious glee and enthusiasm, and multiple interests (while growing up, she put dents in her dad’s backyard storage facility by shooting hockey pucks into it), Leah Marlene, now 21, also now fascinated an entire nation, as a big hit on TV’s “American Idol.” Her dad, Derry Grehan, of rock music’s “Honeymoon Suite,” also looked to be having the proud time of his already accomplished life.  
Among other passions that peaked even more in 2022, we played Pickleball, then went home to Wordle.  
Someone won a record $2.04 billion lottery jackpot. 
The “Top Gun” sequel was a Maverick at the box office, too.  
An odd “supply-chain shortage” developed, in peculiar areas, too. Things like no oyster crackers ... no cooking spices ... no baby formula ... no kidding.  
Taylor Swift got to be so popular, she brought down the Internet just by trying to sell tickets to her own concerts. 
Sadly, at a court hearing while in a legal battle with his ex-wife over the awful ravages of what can occur in a divorce, Johnny and his ex- sank to new Depps. 
In the nearly 250 years of U.S. Supreme Court justices invariably named John, William, James, Thomas or Thurgood, we got a Ketanji.   
In its 100th year, behemoth State Farm eased fears it might be pulling out of its Bloomington home by showing a commitment and building a behemoth, $22.8 million hangar/office building – already second in size to the CIRA terminal itself -- to house its four new Gulfstream jets, each valued at about $50 million.  
Forty-five-year-old QB Tom Brady saw the 7.95% inflation increase and $5-a-gallon gas and decided to un-retire his six-week retirement and go back to work. 
Elon Musk spent $44 billion for Twitter and spent most of the rest of the year making the rest of us wonder just why. 
Nancy Pelosi’s husband sadly discovered yet another side-effect of politics today.  
While on the stand at the Harvey Weinstein trial where the ex-Hollywood producer became a convicted sex offender, actress Jennifer Newsome, wife of California governor Gavin Newsome, was asked to fake a sexual act, as the world at so many points seemed to ebb ever weirder.  
Southwest Airlines sadly appeared to just be going south.  
Tennis super-star Novak Djokovic missed tournaments over his refusal to get a COVID vaccine. And yet, what do you expect from a guy whose first name is NoVac? 
Famed European candy maker, Ferrero, decided to drop a quarter-billion in construction projects to make Bloomington one of its American chocolate thresholds. 
80-to-1 Kentucky Derby shot, Rich Strike, stunned everyone, including even those who struck it rich. 
In the same month a hurricane hit America and we could do little about it, NASA shot down an asteroid that was 7 million miles away. 
Sadly, two of the Bloomington area’s most legendary restaurants saw an end – Green Gables, at Lake Bloomington, burned but began to rebuild. Ozark House, along McGregor Street, announced its closing but was hopeful of finding a new owner.  
After 70 years on the throne of England, Queen Elizabeth, at age 96, ascended to an even higher throne.  
Southern Cal and UCLA announced they were joining the Big Ten, as everyone in the Midwest wondered: do people from L.A. even know what mittens are and where Northwestern is? 
Kroger went into the checkout line for a $24 billion purchase: Albertson’s, the West Coast grocery giant. 
After all that COVID, now we got Monkey Pox. 
Rivian continued to build so much more factory on Normal’s west side and employ so many more thousands, the EV maker instantly also launched a home-selling spree across metro B-N. 
“Elvis” made a nice comeback ... as in a Tom Hanks movie.  
“Here comes the Judge” took on all-new meaning … as Yankees star Aaron Judge carved amazing baseball numbers.   
Almost 50 years to the day of the 1972 Watergate break-in in Washington, D.C., hearings on the January 6 Capitol uprising began on TV. 
And so it went. 
By year’s end, on an upbeat flourish, inflation began to ease, gas came back into the upper $2s, both the Cardinals and Cubs made big December buys, the Illini landed in a post-season bowl ... 
Cheers to you, and cheers to an even better 2023. 
As always, stay tuned. 
Bill Flick is at flick@a5.com.