I love that we’ve reached 2013. As a kid, this was the age that I expected to have it all figured out. Turning 25 years old in the eyes of a 7 year old from Northwest Ohio included a wife, kid, safe job, and a developing 401k so I could retire happily and live in Florida during the winter months.

Now for reality:

None of these have come to be. I have minimal health insurance that would only save me if I was on-fire, but my teeth are fair game. My cloud of a bed sits frozen in storage next to boxes of trendy dishes and IKEA glasses. But with this comes thanks and gratitude, as some of these sacrificed “priorities” have allowed for opportunities I couldn’t have predicted even two years ago.

Now for the year:

I am going out on another tour with Campus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival. My team is exploring the East Coast and will stay as far away from snow as we can. Our time starts in Orlando and continues south to Tampa. After a month and a half, we will wrap up Florida in Jacksonville then head north to Boston, Mass for a series of schools in the New England area. Our expectations are extremely high, as we are coming off one of the most successful tours in company history. We hired a new fourth member of the team, Jaime, and are excited to develop and integrate her passion for people and learning into our tour experience. We’ve been working all month long on new ideas, strategies, and ways that we can expand our reach and develop the CMF Nation of filmmakers and enthusiastic creatives.

I’ve got a ton of work to do in regards to my 25 Before Turning 25. It was supposed to be an intentional year, but a lot of curveballs of opportunity came about. With less than a month and a half to go and 13 tasks left to be checked, I am eager to figure out how some of these challenges can come to life (publishing some of my work, finishing my children’s book).

Just like many others years, I will not be setting any resolutions for 2013. Instead, I will watch the hundreds of people who don’t follow through with their weight loss and workout routines and wait for my birthday to reevaluate my goals and challenges.

Happy 2013 to each of you. Know that you are loved, cared for, and appreciated. Let’s connect.