2025: The Unknown Year Ahead

2025 has arrived, and the significance of the days ahead weighs heavily on me (and probably many of you).

Looking back, this was another interesting year on earth for me. When you stop and think about it, aren’t they all?

The first half had me focused on finishing graduate school at ASU. It was the final semester of two of the most challenging years of my adult life, trying to juggle all the chainsaws that come with trying to do this as an adult. I will never forget the deep breath of the desert air and the smile as my name was read while I walked across the stage.

The year's second half was the busiest semester I’ve ever experienced in higher education. Taking on the responsibility of mentoring our newest group of Posse Scholars would have made it heavy enough. However, three days before the start of the semester, I was asked to serve as the interim chair of our business department.

The number of meetings and responsibilities of being a department chair was more than I expected. There was one day that I wasn’t on campus all semester, which was quite different from my typical semester. I’m glad I had the experience that came with this. I quickly realized that being a Chair is far from being a manager in any other team I’ve ever worked on. Thankfully, my department is full of faculty who always put the team first, and they made it a pleasure to take on this responsibility.

I’m most proud of my ten Posse Scholars and how well they did in their first semester of college. Being an advocate and mentor for all of them fills me with pride. Sure, I wasn’t ready to advise on some of the things they asked about, but being able to cheer them on as they succeeded and grew makes me smile to type about. Ten young men and women who had already been bonded together let me in, and now I’d like to believe we’d do anything for each other.

This is where I’m supposed to talk about resolutions, three words, or other typical New Year stuff. But, I’m in a more survive than thrive mentality now. I hope the year is full of more smiles than struggles for everyone. I plan to tighten my worry circle to focus on the things I can make positive changes on and help anyone I care about. That circle is a big one, but I know I can’t change everything, so the only way to stay sane over the next few years is to put as much good in the world and fight the good fights as I can to help change the outcome.

Too many people I love and care about will find themselves in a more perilous world in a few weeks. Please know that I'm here for you if you nod reading that. That will never change. It is more important than ever to be an active ally.

I always think back to a conversation with Brad Montague and his simple advice: There are plenty of negative things in the world, so why not promote more positive things? That helped me the last time, and I will keep it close this time.

As usual, I want to escape the screens and get out more. It is far too easy to sink into the couch on a weekend and unwind from the work week. I want to do simple things this year, like checking out a new bookstore, grabbing a meal at a new restaurant, or going on a road trip just to see where it takes us.

I’ll continue to read, play, and consume when the time allows. I finished reading James this morning and have spent the last two days completely immersed in the world of Baldurs Gate 3. I have a never-ending list of new recipes I want to try and a stack of photos I hope to turn into another book of my photography. I’ve been eating healthier and moving more, but that is a lifelong battle I’ll always fight.

2024 ended with a delivery driver letting his van smack into our garage (he forgot to put it in park) and my first adult accident as a driver not paying attention rear-ending me on the Pike (I’m fine).

2025 started as the year that I truly cared about the outcome of a college football game (they lost), so who knows what other firsts it has in store for me, you, and everyone.

Make the year what you need it for you and those you love. I hope our paths cross soon.