Life without a Plan

The title really sums up my life, except in reverse. I always have too many plans, and that is a huge problem when trying to focus on something. This post is an attempt to start rectifying the issue, and get started down a path I've only dreamed of.

My stay here in Sapporo, Japan is nearing an end. It will be almost 11 months once I depart back to Fairbanks, Alaska around August 15th, and I will dearly miss this country. The people are so polite, they count your bills (twice) when handing it back to you at a store, and there's endless supplies of unsweetened tea. I'm not done with this country yet, but it will have to wait for a bit.

On top of that I have been in an 8 month relationship with a sweetheart of a girl from Korea. We will both be graduating after our final semester of school when we go to our respective homes this Fall, and clearly intend to carry on a grueling long distance relationship.

The point, however, is the fact that I've read yet another inspiring blog post by Jeff Tunnel at his Make It Big In Games site, right at the perfect time of another week long "what the hell am I doing with my life?!" phase. I'm going home from this dreamland way too soon, I'm going to graduate this Fall, and then what?

I have plans to finish up some business management software this year, and myself and the business who paid me to write it have plans to market it once we work the bugs out. I can't bank for income though, it's still an uncompleted dream. I might be able to keep working for the company I have been in Fairbanks on a full time basis, but the fact of the matter is I am tired of the long and cold Alaska winters.

One plan is to move to Portland, Oregon. I have a couple contacts there, it's a lovely community (I lived up in Washington for 13 years, so am familiar with the area), and there seems to be a nice tech industry there. Another plan is to look at the large number of tech companies in Japan hiring foreigners, and while I would love to continue to experience this country I am not sure I would want to do engage in their current management system.

No matter what I do though, I've decided that I need to buckle down and stop chasing this dream that I have been waving in front of myself for so many years. We all know that making a game isn't easy, but I feel like getting started with a high level of seriousness isn't easy either. In order to change my attitude, and try to buckle myself down to a path I really want to focus, I tore apart my personal blog, updated my profile here at Garage Games, and made this blog post.

Only time will tell if I'm serious, or just content with chasing dreams.