All right, here we go, time for the annual Jeff Edelstein predictions for 2025. Jeffstradamus and stuff. And I gotta say: This is the toughest year yet. For real. I am flummoxed as to what the year will bring, so I say let’s go big or go home. Starting with … 1) Donald Trump will have an approval rating of over 50%. This will top his first season, er, first term high of 49% (this is the Gallup number). 2) In fact, I think it might even reach 55%. Yes. Sure. Let’s go for it. It will reach 55%. 3) As to the why? Exhaustion, mostly. We’re all exhausted on the non-Trump side. Honestly, he won the popular vote. It’s hard to argue with that. I suppose we’re all just hoping he’s chill and stuff. Hoping he’s just all big talk. Hoping business is good, you know? I feel like we all kind of have to be willing to give it the ol’ college try. So yes. Trump will have a honeymoon period. 4) Unless he does something stupid that hurts the economy. Then there’s gonna be trouble. This tariff idea … no. Bad idea. Let’s see if he backs off. He’ll back off. 5) Here’s another feather in Trump’s cap: He gets some kind of Middle East peace deal done. It might not be the best peace deal, but it’s a peace deal. 6) Ditto Russia and Ukraine. 7) Some people will be happy with both, happy with one, happy with neither, but at the end of the day, peace is peace, and man I’m really hoping for this one. 8) We dodge bird flu. At least for now. In fact, one step further: Another year without a global pandemic! 9) The Mets will disappoint. They always do. They didn’t last year, and I was glad to be wrong. I hope I’m wrong again this year. But … it’s the Mets. Sigh. 10) There will not be (another) major terrorist attack on U.S. soil. This one hurts, as it’s another staple of mine, but on January 1, that asshat killed 14 people in New Orleans. I wish he lived so he could’ve spent the rest of his life in solitary confinement in some basement jail cell. At any rate, I’m going to say one and done for the year. 11) Super Bowl prediction: Lions 35 Bills 31. 12) Hey, we’ve got a New Jersey governor’s race! Suprise surprise! For the Republicans, I predict your nominee will be … for the second consecutive time, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli! 13) And for the Democrats, I’m rolling with Congresswoman Mikie Sherril! 14) I don’t why I’m hollering, but that’s the matchup: Ciattarelli vs. Sherrill. 15) And the winner will be … Sherrill. 16) Locally, I expect … a whole lot of nothing to happen for about the 25th year in a row. Seriously. We’ve discovered that it doesn’t matter which Democrats are in charge, nothing changes. For about 70% of Mercer County, that’s wonderful. But if you live in Trenton … not so much. Attention Trenton: Get together and tell the Democrats you are not voting for them ever again. Then you’ll see some action. 17) Artificial intelligence is bound to take yet another leap. Not sure exactly what it is, but I predict that come this time next year, we’ll all be like, “holy crap, remember life before this AI thing?” 18) A new staple of mine, one which I don’t like, but it’s going to happen: A Superstorm Sandy event at the shore. Climate change is real, whether you think it’s man made or not, and the Atlantic shore is one of the frontlines. 19) I won’t get a third dog. This is just pure hope. And finally … 20) I still have Kim Kardashian as my celebrity crush. We’re on 12 years and counting.