Back from Japan, 2023 Plans, and Letting Go, oh my!

By Skywing Knights // January 31, 2023

Well the new year just came on over and waltzed right in now, didn’t it?

Happy (belated) New Year all! Can you believe it? Feels like it was Halloween just yesterday! I frankly can’t believe how much has happened over the last few months. So here’s a quick catch up along with some news relating to what my 2023 plans will be!

As you might recall from my post on awesome side trips from Tokyo, the amazing country of Japan has opened up once again! (Thank heaven too – my brain was seriously starting to panic that this might last another 250 years!) And so of course, as soon as I got the chance, I ran over to the beautiful, beautiful Nihon.

Beginning Day 2 of my adventure in Tokyo! Btw, who else still has their Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards? 😀

It was for less than a week and I stayed primarily in the Kanto region. Mostly I ran errands, took photos, videos, etc. I slept for maybe 5 hours a night and frankly forgot to eat at times (not that I cared… but maybe I should have ^^; ). But it was worth it to finally be back, no matter how incredibly surreal it felt. I remember the first day thinking ‘Oh… is that the ground moving or am I really that exhausted?’ because it was still not quite clicking in my brain that I was truly there.

I ended up coming home literally at midnight on Christmas Eve to the delight of my pup and promptly collapsed, after which I… really didn’t remember what happened during the Christmas holidays. ^^; I was so jet lagged and sleep deprived! But it was an incredibly successful endeavor. In addition to buying some fun treats for myself including wigs, fabric, and SO many colored contacts, I also experienced first hand some of the latest and greatest from Japan!

All that to say though that I have loads of new photos and articles that will be coming your way, along with a few special surprises too. So, let’s talk about the beginning of my 2023 plans!

Katsucon 2023 Panels

Right before I left for Japan, I got a wonderful email from the event Katsucon stating that they had me down for three panels. Talk about being hit like a bus with surprise! But I was also so super excited! And so the beginning of my 2023 plans will include 3 panels at Katsucon! This time I will be returning to Katsucon with one panel that I did last year and I will be bringing two other panels to this fantastic event right in the heart of National Harbor Maryland:

RETURNING:

Travel To Japan On YOUR Budget

Facebook Event Info Here: Travel To Japan On YOUR Budget

Overview: Ever wanted to go to Japan, but weren’t sure where to start or if it was even within your budget? Hotels too confusing? Worried about the language barrier? Or maybe that darn plane ticket just seemed a little too far out of reach? Believe it or not, Japan can be affordable, understandable, and the dream trip of a lifetime! Learn how to travel to and around Japan from former Japan Resident, Japan Travel Expert, and Cosplayer SkywingKnights and begin plotting out your adventures today!

NEW TO KATSUCON:

Tokyo for the Anime Fan

Facebook Event Info Here: Tokyo for the Anime Fan

Overview: How will you MAX out your dream anime vacation to Tokyo? There’s… Akihabara right? What’s an Akihabara? What else is in Tokyo for the anime fan? Dive into the brain of cosplayer and former Japan resident Skywing Knights who will share all of the BEST anime-indulgent spots in the heart of Japan.

The Ultimate Japan Bucket List

Facebook Event Info Here: The Ultimate Japan Bucket List

Overview: Ready to explore the country of Japan, but not sure where to begin? Navigate all of the best that Japan has to offer with Japan travel expert, former Japan resident, and cosplayer Skywing Knights and discover all of the places that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into your own anime.

***The exact Katsucon schedule is not out yet, so keep your eyes pealed for the Guidebook and announcements regarding the exact time and location.***

All of these will be updated with the latest information I’ve gleaned from my most recent trip to Japan. So even if you’ve attended any in the past, it can’t hurt to come again for a refresher! And speaking of that trip, I also have something special that I’ll be doing for Katsucon 2023, so keep an eye out for that blog post coming soon!

In short: IT’S ALL GONNA BE EXCITING!! 😀 😀 😀

New Years Thoughts

During my trip back to Japan, I ended up doing something I hate. I paid for an overweight bag. And so, $200 USD later it was on the flight and I started doing the irrational thing I always do. I was thinking about how much that added realistically to all of my purchases and if shipping it would have been the cheaper option.

I got home and later on my roommate returned too and we both had to unpack our things and find new homes for Christmas gifts we had received. We started thinking about the holidays next year and discussed if we wanted to buy new decor for the outside (since our outdoor decor is sparse). But we came to the question of ‘uh… where would we put it all?’ We looked to a corner where we stored all of our old moving boxes and suddenly my roommate said ‘Well, let’s get rid of ‘em!’

This is basically what my roommate’s words seemed like to me. XD

I looked at her surprised since the boxes were really meant for her. Her ability to just ‘let things go’ was just so astonishing to me. And it kind of got me thinking. To play off words, I’m more of an Anna, than an Elsa (shocker). I don’t let things go easily. I obsess and think over and over again about if I did the right thing, how I could do better, if I should go back and fix something etc. And I carry so much emotional ‘baggage’ inside my heart – so much so you could call it ‘overweight baggage’.

So with the beginning of the new year as I plotted out 2023 plans I thought, maybe it was time to let that ‘overweight baggage’ go, even if it’s hard. I have the hardest time accepting my shortcomings because I feel that I should always be better. It’s true that always striving to be better is admirable and how we become more fully developed people. But it stops being admirable when you’re never happy with what you have already accomplished and with where you are in the here and now.

To make a long story short, this year, I hope I can be kinder to myself. And perhaps also to let some of my negative thoughts on my shortcomings go. I hope I can accept where I am right now and be happy with who I am now. And I hope I can be safe in the knowledge that I’ll get to where I want to be one day if I continue to work hard and have faith.

And I hope if you’re struggling with similar issues, that you may also have success in similar endeavors too. 🙂

So let’s make 2023 our year. Again, I can’t wait to see everyone over the coming year and I hope to see you at Katsucon 2023! (Again, stay tuned!)