Getting your dreams is strange, but it seems a little… well, complicated.

Since 2023, I have been working toward the possibility of moving to Japan. I’ve traveled there three times in the past two years, and each time I’ve fallen more and more in love with the people, culture, and history the country has to offer — as well as the sense of safety I feel walking through the city alone, which I don’t feel in Los Angeles, especially after dark.

But it’s a complicated process. I traveled many roads, but the further I got, the more I realized I was headed toward a dead end. As I normally do, I pivoted and kept walking. After all, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given was, “You’re never going to get anywhere standing still.”

On this last trip, a path opened up to me, and after a few short steps, an offer was made to live and work in Tokyo. The visa would be granted for at least a year, but if I like it, I’ll have the option to extend, and extend again and again.

Which I intend to do.

The strange part — the part I wasn’t anticipating — is how fast it all seems. Even though I’ve been actively working toward this, it’s still hard to believe it’s here. Now I have to sort through an entire life to decide what is important enough to come with me and what I can do without. That’s difficult. Freeing, but difficult, because at some point or another every film, album, book, and knickknack meant something to me. Something important. Everything is tied to a memory, and it’s hard to let go.

Also, I refuse to pay for a storage unit.

So, while I’ll donate, sell, and give away what I can, I know a lot of what I have is going to end up in the trash, which is difficult to process. At the same time, as I mentioned, it’s very freeing. While I do have friends in Tokyo, it’s going to be a chance at a fresh start — a whole new chapter waiting to be written. I’m getting that rare opportunity to reinvent myself almost completely, and that’s exciting.

So what does that mean for the projects I have going on?

I’ve spoken to my publisher, and while there will be a one-month shift in the release timeline for the remaining volumes of My Super Fiancé, everything is moving full steam ahead. New episodes will start releasing in March.

Musically, I will also be releasing a new song tied to the original soundtrack, and promotions are about to pick up for The Power of Love as a new convention season begins.

As far as Life in Cartoon Motion is concerned, being in Japan will afford me more opportunities to attend STARTO-based concerts, as well as other groups, so there will be more live-show reviews. I’ll also get to experience more Japanese cinema and stage plays. In addition, I’ll be posting more as a traveler and foreigner living in Japan, with a weekly “My Diary”–style post about what I’ve experienced and learned while living there.

I also have an old friend from Hollywood who is moving to Osaka for a job, so hopefully we’ll get to have some adventures too.

The hard part is going to be saying goodbye. I’ve already had to do it with a few people, including one of the best primary care physicians I’ve ever had. Saying goodbye to my loved ones is going to be even more difficult.

But change is the only constant we can count on in this life. This is a fantastic opportunity, and I am more than ready to embark on this brand-new adventure.

Who knows what will happen… but here’s to new adventures! So…

Stay Tuned!