Preemptively Answered Questions
Who Am I?
Things I Find Interesting: A Non-Exhaustive List
- Japanese language, literature, and history
- Sewing, knitting, dyeing, and spinning
- Live-action role-playing, especially Nordic style
- DIY web design
- Science fiction
- International travel of both myself and of cargo (that's logistics)
- Cooking with unusual ingredients
- Aggressively organizing things to within an inch of their life (such as project managing Christmas cookies)
- Dramatic dancing to goth music...and maybe now Argentinian tango?
Years and years ago I fell in love with Japanese. Got a degree in it, passed JLPT N2 (still proud of that!), read a Japanese mystery novel. Also moved all around the United States and picked up a masters in logistics and an expertise in programming and databases. Now, somehow, I find myself at a Very Fancy University where I'm learning about Japanese history as a graduate student. What is even happening?
A few years ago I started a cooking blog that became an excuse to take beautiful photos of food. I am unsure if I plan to keep it online, but it is for now.
I'm scared about climate change all the time, but I think the bravest thing we can do is have hope, make noise, and work for change.
Current Reading List
I love to read, but I don't do it for fun as much as I should (or would like). However, if interested, feel free to take a look at my current to read list. I have recorded every book I've read since 2003 unless it was embarrassing (to be honest).
Or, a rather outdated list of books I love.
The Picture
The picture on this site is Spring Evening, Toshogu, Ueno, 1948 by the brilliant 20th century woodblock print artist Kawase Hasui. I never thought I liked woodblock prints, having mostly seen work by Hokusai, but then I discovered Hiroshige and Kawase Hasui. Kawase's prints are so evocative, with a unique atmosphere captured in each print. He also did work up through the 1950s so his later prints are of a more modern world which I find very interesting.
The image on this site has had parts of it blurred a little because I thought it looked cool when I was 18. I would rather use the print as-is, but I've just never gotten around to scanning it again.
Computer Stuff
The current incarnation of this webpage was created in Windows98 but is currently maintained in OS X 10.11 on a Macintosh. Things used: the GIMP, a basic text editor, and the fantastic fish book of CSS.
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