Interests & Hobbies

I like to say that my hobbies are politics, Japan, and writing, and there's barely anything in between! That's mostly true, if we don't count video games. I call politics a hobby because I'm laser-focused on it - especially in my home country of America. I spend a lot of time absorbing the news and I know the names of waaaay too many congresspeople who aren't even representing my state. >_>

Japan has interested me since my childhood. I took two semesters of Japanese in college and, though I'm rusty at the moment, I'm on a 150+ day streak of studying every day! I watch anime and listen to Japanese music artists, and I follow Japanese and Asian news more closely than news in most other parts of the world (perhaps excluding Europe...and lately the Middle East...and - well, these are the times -_-).

Writing is the hobby I've had the longest! I used to keep silly journals when I was a kid, and at age 10 I wrote my first creative story, filling the pages of a standard lined notebook with a semi-autobiographical tale of a 10-year-old girl who is uprooted from one state to another, solving mysteries with all her new friends when she gets there (I'll let you guess which parts were autobiographical). I participated in NaNoWriMo almost every year from 2005-2023; in fact, I only stopped participating intentionally in 2024 because of their atrocious genAI policy (luckily, World Anvil was here with Novelember to save the day!). Back in the mid early 2000's, I was even a semi-prolific fanfiction writer in an online community! So, writing is a glorious constant in my life and a hobby I'm glad to have. ^_^

I also like hiking, though it's rare I get out to do it. That is because I lack a hiking buddy at present and that's probably the one activity I'd prefer not to do alone!

Favorite Movies

I used to be a huge movie buff back in the day, but it seems I don't have the time or attention span anymore.

Timeless Favs: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Princess Bride, Clue, most of Mel Brooks' catalogue, Studio Ghibli films | Childhood Favs: Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, Anastasia, Shrek | Zeitgeist Favs: The Mummy (1999), Tommy Boy, Dumb & Dumber, National Treasure, Shawshank Redemption, Terminator 2, When Harry Met Sally, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie | Favorite Mel Brooks: Spaceballs | Favorite Studio Ghibli: Princess Mononoke

Favorite TV Series

I watch TV more regularly than I do films, but then I can consume a TV show in bite-size, 20-30-minute chomps.

Timeless Favs: Attack on Titan, Family Guy, The Venture Bros, season 1 of Heroes | Childhood Favs: Sailor Moon, Totally Spies, Boy Meets World, Full House | Zeitgeist Favs: The Simpsons, She Ra, Squid Game, Wednesday, season 1 of Heroes

Favorite Books

Like movies, I used to enjoy books a lot more than I do these days, though I'll still find a new read and get hooked on it as I've always done.

Timeless Favs: The Hobbit, Anne of Green Gables, the Inkheart trilogy, Attack on Titan | Childhood Favs: Trixie Belden, American Girl stories, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, Ella Enchanted | Zeitgeist Favs: Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games

Reading List:

Favorite Writers

Timeless Favs: JRR Tolkien, Stephen King | Childhood Favs: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Glenn Leopold, Dr. Seuss | Fiction Favs: Isayama Segawa | Nonfiction Favs: I'm gonna give this more thought... | World Anvil Favs to come?

Favorite Games

I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I'm not soft either. I guess I fall somewhere in between.

Favorite Console(s): Nintendo, Playstation, & PC | Timeless Favs: Tomb Raider, The Sims, Animal Crossing, Parasite Eve, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario World | Childhood Favs: Tomb Raider (1996), Neopets, the Mario games

Play List: