Miscellaneous

MissSimplice here, and as of this season, I’ll be joining the team of writers at RandomC. In fact, I was just telling the other writers how I have to pinch myself once in a while to remind myself that yes, this is reality. I’m going to go ahead and be cliché: words cannot describe how happy this makes me. But as the proper millennial I am, here’s a gif describing how I’ve felt since the day Stilts asked me to join the roster.

I’ve watched a horrendous amount of anime and to this day, I haven’t been able to keep track. My first memory is of sitting in my aunt’s 80’s-looking basement with my older cousins watching Sailor Moon’s colours pop and flash across the screen, which then evolved to late night Inuyasha and Dragon Ball episodes. I never knew what was going on but I loved it all the same. I specifically remember a moment when I blinked and my eyes teared bloody murder because I hadn’t blinked for some time. Keep in mind I was like…four or five.

Fast forward a few years and I’m introduced to spoiled Chihiro and soft-hearted Haku of Spirited Away. I can vividly smell and taste the food Chihiro’s parents wolf down and I can feel the steam from the bathhouse enter my nostrils, warming me from the inside out. I’m immediately hooked. I’m part of that world, and forever that world is a part of me. From then on, I yearned for such unimaginable worlds in the books that I read, the movies that I watched, as well as in my dreams.

That led me to complete a BA in Communications with a specialization in 16mm film. Other people’s worlds and stories were compelling, but I developed a love for creating my own. I credit anime for this. The sheer amount of creativity that goes into works like Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Howl’s Moving Castle and so many others is what inspired me to bring life to the worlds I created in my mind, whether in film or on paper. I’m more of a scriptwriter than a producer. I prefer directing the story than editing and I guess, that’s what inspired me to write as well.

I’m making myself nauseous with all this romantic talk about my relationship with anime. Nonetheless, it’s evolved into something greater: an obsession with a language, a love for researching Japan’s history and culture, and a passion for the country. As a teenager, aside from watching anime and reading manga, I spent hours at the local library pulling out any book I found about Japan. What was to be a simple hobby became what I now recognize as an obsession. My keyboard included hiragana and katakana, many of my university dissertations covered Japanese topics, and I spent evenings outside regular classes learning Japanese.

What finally quenched my thirst was probably the day I set foot in Tokyo. Usually, when I arrive in a city I’m unaccustomed to things begin to feel a tad overwhelming. It was the complete opposite this time. I was overcome with confidence. Every step I took meant I was fulfilling a lifelong dream. I scoured the streets for Hachi, I discovered new flavours in Ueno, and I watched the sunrise over Mount Fuji.

Other than that, I’m pretty much just your average person. I have a dog, two cats, and a partner, all of whom I adore and feel grateful for every single day. I’m a teacher of sorts, I travel a lot and I like to express myself creatively. When I’m not at home crying over Violet Evergarden’s heart-wrenching stories or rewatching all-time favourite Nana, you’ll find me rock climbing, swimming, playing video games, and just enjoying this thing we call life.

And I guess from now on, when I’m not watching my favourite shows or movies, you’ll also find me writing to you!

Looking forward to this next chapter and I hope you are too.

36 Comments

  4. Other than that, I’m pretty much just your average person.

    …as if :)…
    Anime viewers are oxymorons, and you sound like you’ll do a great job on
    anything you write — you have that (unique) skill of timing in your writing
    and it kept me pleasantly reading.

    BTW, don’t think we readers here at RC didn’t notice you listed your dog first …:)

    I’m really looking forward to the depth you’ll bring to the table!!! Can’t wait!
    Welcome!

    mac65
    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for the kind words! Ha, glad you caught on about the dog. 10 year family-ship and counting. I guess you won’t be caught off guard by the first series I’ll be covering ^_^

      MissSimplice
      Reply

  10. I love your enthusiasm, I just hope that you could still manage your time effectively despite of those gargantuan hobbies. I’m looking forward for your next post!

    P.S: Will you cover an anime for this season?

    zeroyuki92
    Reply

  11. So when will we get a normie for the group i wonder…
    Using konata being her usual easy self eh? I approve 😛
    Lets hope you don’t ghost us like your previous fellow writer 😀

    Damrod
    Reply

    1. glad we have something in common! hehe

      This still feels like a dream to me. It would be a nightmare to lose out. I don’t like nightmares and I’m not so big on RL horror – just anime horror 😛

      MissSimplice
      Reply

    1. Oh this is going to be fun.

      After graduation, I worked as an online editor for various documentary films & series, one of which won at Sundance. Soon afterwards, I combined it with work within the social media realm (freelancing) and then got a full-time job working in the same field. I was then promoted to strategizing the whole web marketing department (GDN, FB ads, content creation, etc.) which then led me to quit OOPS – which turned out fine because the company closed down 30 days later… I now work as a freelance all-the-things-you-can-think-of. I’m currently a marketing consultant for 1 company, a product photographer for another, and a freelance social media strategist for a third.

      During the fours years described above, I’ve been teaching yoga in my city (6 class/week) + destination yoga retreats.

      ~takes a deep breath~ that’s it for now folks

      MissSimplice
      Reply

  17. Thanks for joining the team! I’m really looking forward to your posts. From one Millennial lady to another, it’s always exciting to hear more women’s voices in the room. Sometimes the anime community can seem a bit like a bro/dude/guy echo chamber, but I know that there are many of us out here, lurking!

    Marmot
    Reply

  19. Welcome, MissSimplice! Judging by your diverse hobbies and experiences, I’m sure you’ll bring some very interesting perspectives to RC. Definitely look forward to reading your posts!

    Zen
    Reply

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