..::[ about me]::..

About Me:

My name is Stacey and I am a geek.

I'm originally from Chicago, IL, but I'm currently living in central Indiana where I am in the process of obtaining my Master's Degree in Library Science at Indiana University. I also have a Bachelor's Degree from Illinois State in Graphic Design. In between, I worked for Borders Books as the Music Department Supervisor, which included working many a Harry Potter book release.

I've always been into costuming and dress-up. I was never the type to want a store-bought costume if I could help it. My mother loved to sew, so as a child I was lucky enough to get many homemade clothes and costumes. Of course, she never used interfacing and I came to realize why my costumes never lasted more than a few wearings ;) Having also been in theatre, I have always been fascinated by great costumes and design.

I started watching anime when I was 13, when the only way you could get it was by trading tapes (tapes you say? what are those?!) or staying up until 3 a.m. to watch "Japanimation" on the local cable channel. The first anime I ever saw was Vampire Hunter D and Wicked City and the Dirty Pair. And then a little show called Sailor Moon. I was hooked. My love of cartoons blossomed to include these funny, big eyed magical girls.

I started officially cosplaying in 2004 when I went to my first real anime convention. I'd been to comic conventions, but never had the courage to dress up. But for some reason, anime fans made me feel welcome and a cosplayer was born.

I'm really into trying to make the costume as accurate as I possibly can. I will spend far too much time searching for that perfect fabric, or pattern or the perfect trim. Because of that, I am notorious for not finishing a costume on time as planned, but life goes on.

Besides cosplay, I obviously love to read. I have an unhealthy obsession with reality TV (especially Project Runway). I am also into Renissance faires, acting, typography, my Sidekick II, comics and musical theatre. If you see me at a Con, please come up and say hi! I'm far too socially akward at times to make many friends within the cosplay world or to approach people at conventions, so don't be afraid to say hi to me. I'm not stuck up, just a shy bookworm ;)

Some of my favorite animes are Spiral, Trinity Blood, Negima!, Inuyasha, Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket, Vampire Hunter D, Tsubasa, Chobits, Angelic Layer and probably everything that Greg Ayres or Monica Rial have ever dubbed. I love them. I am also a huge Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fan, but I'm sure you figured that out by now.

As I've gotten older, it's been hard to explain cosplaying to my peers. Yes, I like to dress up... like a Trekkie. Deal with it. It's alot of fun and there's no deep psychological meaning behind it. It's just an excuse for a halloween costume that I can wear more than once a year... even if I usually end up only wearing it twice a year ;)