Reclaiming my fandom self, two kids later
This Lego set was my first time building a model since Bryan was born. I was catching up on Ya Boy Kongming! when the first contraction hit. It was May…
‘Frieren’ Brings Us Face To Face With Mortality
The first thing we learn about the titular character of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is that she isn’t human. Frieren is an elven mage with a greatly elongated lifespan; her…
Motherhood changed how I write about anime
This will be my third Mother’s Day as a mom. This time last year, I was still recovering in the hospital after giving birth. (It had been an easy birth,…
How I’ve been spending my 2023
This January I read the life-changing book Atomic Habits, which challenges you to improve your life by reminding you that your habits, the tasks and routines you repeat every day,…
What I’ll do instead of watching the fall anime season
Last week, in a burst of emotion, I wrote my first blog post in a year. In hindsight, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to boycott the fall season…
Why I canceled my Crunchyroll membership
I still remember the first time I heard about Crunchyroll. I was at Anime Boston 2010, and this up-and-coming anime streaming service was one of the con’s biggest sponsors. I…
Otaku Journalist is 12 years old!
Twelve years ago today, I began posting on this blog. One of my professors at American University’s School of Communication encouraged us each to secure our name as a dot…
Come to my Otakon panel! Or don’t. (Edited)
Edited 8/3/21: I have made the difficult decision not to attend Otakon 2021 or give my panel there. I apologize for breaking this commitment after being fortunate enough to have…
On logging onto TikTok and immediately crumbling into dust
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time on TikTok. I started using the app regularly while researching my Washington Post article since all of the cosplayers I spoke to said…
How I wrote my first article for the Washington Post
As my friend Samantha of Anime Herald said, “Strange times breed strange opportunities.” Anyway, today I’m sharing my first article in the Washington Post. All dressed up with nowhere to…