What it felt like to cosplay again after ten years
The best compliment I got on my cosplay came the following day. I returned to MAGfest in normal(ish) clothes and ran into somebody I’d met in cosplay the previous day.…
2018 in Review: 9 questions to help you process and reflect
Welcome to the last Otaku Journalist post of 2018. Usually, I mark the end of the year with a holiday shopping guide for anime fans, or some remarks on Otaku…
What really matters.
While washing dishes last weekend, I dropped a plate. Like a crab claw, my thumb and finger automatically snapped apart. I remember this from last year: the beginnings of carpal…
How to get feedback and stay motivated during long writing projects
Recently, a friend asked me how I managed to stay motivated while writing my two self-published books. She wanted to know how I managed to keep going when I wasn’t…
Write from the baseline
I won’t bore you with the details of how I ended up locking myself out of my house last Thursday morning. Just know that no matter how I try to…
In praise of being a fan in private
Most of the time, I love my career. I get to review anime, report on fandom, and write about all kinds of interesting topics for a living. But it’s only…
Five Years of Weekly Anime Streaming Reviews
In the summer of 2014, I became an Anime News Network weekly streaming reviewer. I just finished up my reviews for summer 2018 and realized it’s been five years. Interestingly,…
How cosplay helped me find my confidence again
Styling a wig in my kitchen. This thing is 50% hairspray. 2018 is the year my body betrayed me. I’ve had some health problems, lost hair, lost weight. After a…
Burnout, grief, and the way forward
This summer has been difficult. I’ve been grappling with grief one year after a loss, and the meta-guilt of still being so sad after this much time. I think about…
My Otakon 2018 Panel Line-Up
When my to-do list is packed, updating this blog is the first thing to go. Over the last few weeks, John and I bought a condo and moved in—a life-changing…