2021 was a long, challenging year...full of great moments! I expect some of the same in 2022. Here's what I'm looking forward to in 2022.
1. After a year of big transitions, I look forward to a new job in the near future. It's time to move on from JMX Brands; now I'm excited to see what professional opportunities are ahead of me this year. I'm seeking a position that will allow me to grow my marketing and content creation skillset and make a real impact through the work of a company or organization.
Sure, I grew up near Goessel, KS. But after making a move from Sarasota, FL to Newton, KS in June, my wife Aimee and I have been learning what it's like to live here as adults. We look forward to seeing more of the state and the unique appeal of central Kansas.
We love the mountains. Now that we're less than a day's drive from the Rockies, we're ready to get out there. With friends in Sarasota, Tucson, Anchorage, and Quito, Ecuador, there's no shortage of destinations drawing our eye.
I'm fortunate to have a diverse skillset that's in-demand and regularly get requests for my help with projects. I hope to have opportunities to design and produce multimedia content for new organizations and companies. Who knows where that will take me?
1. I've already started playing pickup ball since getting back to this area. I hope that can become an even more consistent practice this year.
I love the measurable self-improvement that comes from practicing a sport like disc golf. I'm only about a year in to playing regularly, but it's been a joy (and, at times, a frustration) so far.
It looked awfully good in 2020 before the pandemic abruptly cancelled March Madness. And now, they each have the talent to make it happen again... (knock on wood)
In December, I started working my way through Google's User Experience Design course to add some new skills and develop existing interests. I hope to finish that up in the first quarter of the year.
UX design is an incredible intersection of design, human psychology, and attention to detail. I just love how they come together and look forward to developing some new projects to add to my portfolio.
These holidays gave me plenty of board games with family. It just inspires me to make board gaming and card games an even more regular part of my routine. Some of my favorites right now: Carcassone, Codenames,
Since getting the Oculus Quest 2 a year ago, I've been amazed by the technology. I'm not a big gamer and don't play it often, but I can't help but imagine what the future of the metaverse could be.
Along the same lines, will the metaverse become a common part of peoples' lives in 2022? Or are we still a few years away? Will any marketing opportunities arise in the Metaverse? These are questions I'll be asking and things I'll be looking for.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, and yet another Batman movie? Yes, please!
It feels like just yesterday that I discovered the website Brand New, but it's been over a year now that I've watched, critiqued, and analyzed all the major branding updates in the Western world with the help of the team at Brand New. I look forward to seeing what trends continue into the new year.
I finished 26 books in 2021. I hope to read even more than that this year. (My top 5 of 2021 were Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America by Lee Drutman, The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, and Anxious People by Fredrick Backman. And a close 6th: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.)
I had the opportunity to take some fun photos in lush, green Sarasota. But I look forward to taking my nature photography hobby into a new environment in the prairies of central Kansas.
I sure hope it returns because that man is a hoot!
After 5 years of running in hot Florida, I'm actually kind of excited to run in the cold again. It's kind of nice to warm yourself up with a run rather than overheating and sweating profusely.
I'd love to get to know some new people and hear some new career stories. Please reach out! I'd love to talk.
Sure, call me boring, but I enjoy my health. I hope to keep it through the year. After a year of loss for lots of people, I hope and pray that my family stays healthy this coming year.
My UX Design course recommended Webflow for portfolio websites and I'm thrilled they did! I used Weebly until now, but Webflow offers the perfect blend of visual-based WYSIWIG editing with Class- and Code-based logic. This website is designed in Webflow and I hope to work in it more in the future.
This website is just now launching with the bare essential information. More projects and more blogs are coming. Follow and see.
That's it for me. 22 things I'm looking forward to in 2022. What are you looking forward to this year?
