It’s June 6 and I’ve kept my promise. Now, let’s never leave each other for that long ever again!

Welcome to the new Otaku Journalist. Same as the old Otaku Journalist, I’m happy to say, but with a few upgrades for the better. For one, we’re now running on a completely custom WordPress theme that I have creatively named, “Otaku Journalist.”

Otaku Journalist’s theme is based on Sandbox, a great skeleton theme for anyone who is learning how to build their own WordPress theme. I spent nearly two weeks hunkered down on my localhost with Sandbox, MAMP, and my handy list of WordPress tutorial links… but eventually I realized I needed some help. Luckily, Mara K. came to the rescue! As you can tell by her fully custom blog theme, this lady knows what she’s doing. Thanks again, Mara, for helping me make this happen on such short notice.

The origin of the design is a hand drawn wireframe in my Moleskine. It went through a few iterations on paper before I got brave enough to test it out on the computer. (This is one of the later versions.)

Next, I built up a design concept using Adobe Illustrator. I knew I wanted to keep the blog’s signature bright blue, but I wanted to make everything bolder. I used 960.gs to design it so I wouldn’t have to worry about it looking good on a variety of screens and browser windows.

Then, I spent some time ruining CSS divs. They can be pretty tricky, and I’m totally self taught in all things computer. While I learned a little more every day I worked on the site, I knew there was no way I was going to meet my June deadline going at it alone.

Here’s the site starting to take shape under Mara’s skillful hand. Starting to look familiar!

Finally, here’s a screenshot of how the website is intended to look, give or take — we’re still fixing a few last minute snafus. (If it doesn’t look this way to you, send me an email ASAP and I’ll do my best to troubleshoot!)

Now, let’s go over some of the new features:

• Big ol’ content space, perfect for more in-depth articles and bigger, sharper pictures.
• A welcome page that lets you know just what this site is about.
• A projects page. If you’ve ever been interested on working on a collaborative fandom-driven project with me, check here.
• New copy on all my existing pages, too! Check out my bio* and archives.

*I’ll update this post when the bio is up.

Let me tell you what else this means: regular updates three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! I’ve had over a month to write up sparkling new content so I won’t be falling behind anytime soon, even if I do sprain my ankle again! It feels so good to be back on track.

What do you think of the new Otaku Journalist? Let me know in an email or the comments.

This weekend, I had a small party with a few of my friends to celebrate my (and Kailer‘s and John’s) 24th birthday. In case you can’t tell, I didn’t get a single decent photo of the event. However, I did have a great time.

I had an amazing year being 23. I went from being a graduate student to being a member of the workforce, and there was nothing quick or easy about that transition! I also:

• vacationed in the Virgin Islands,
• worked as a maid at Katsucon,
• started up my Geek Event Guide,
• started volunteering at Anime USA,
• attended the Magic: The Gathering Grand Prix in Dulles,
• dressed in Lolita,
• was interviewed for a documentary,
• learned how to succeed in anime journalism,
• went to the Renaissance Faire,
• attended the Online News Association conference,
• held a minimum wage job at a gym, and as a result I drastically improved my health and fitness,
• went to 6 conventions (Katsucon, Anime Boston, T-MODE, Otakon, SPX, AUSA),
• watched lots of new anime and read 17 books (yes, I counted.)

I took a look at the blog post I wrote last year on my birthday. I set four goals for myself as things I wanted to do before I turned 24. I’ve mostly accomplished them — I’ve gotten published a lot this year in places like the Newseum blog, Kotaku, Japanator, the American Observer and now Stateline for Pew, and in a variety of mediums. Though I’ve done everything from written reporting to video, my work now usually takes the form of interactive visuals, and I am just fine with that. I’ve more or less kept with my Monday/Wednesday/Friday updating schedule — usually posting even more often! And somehow, through sheer luck and determination, I have managed to find a job right before my self-imposed deadline.

My goals for next year are to keep it up, continue blogging and, especially, to take better pictures. So I don’t end up with things like the one on top of this post!

Click to visit my Amazon store.

I love making lists so when I found out about Amazon’s store affiliate program, I just did what came naturally. Whether you need ideas about things to ask for for the holidays or things to give to other people, you can check out the Otaku Journalist store for ideas. I’ve divided it into categories called Fandom Studies, Otaku Objects of Desire, Journalism Nerdism, Geeky Gadgets and All About Blogging since I think these groups best represent my site content. I hope you enjoy what I’ve found. If you buy things from my store, I make a little money, but don’t let that stop you from shopping around for better deals.

I’ve also made my J-List wishlist public so you can look for shopping ideas there, too. Keep in mind that most of the stuff I picked is on the girly side, but maybe that will help you to shop for the lady otaku on your list. And no, I don’t mean me (unless you really want)! If you buy from J-List, make sure to order soon if you want to even hope it’ll get here by the holidays.

I have a lot of shopping to do this year. My mom and my boyfriend both have birthdays the week of Christmas (as do I!) so there’s going to be a lot of double gift shopping. I always say I’ll do it all online but never get to it. How do you do your holiday shopping?

I’ve been so busy with Anime USA preparations that I almost forgot! Otaku Journalist’s one-year anniversary is coming up this week. On November 14, 2009, I wrote my first blog entry on the blog that would later be called Otaku Journalist. At first, I called it Lauren Rae Orsini because that’s my full name and I had no idea which direction I was headed in.

I started out blogging about being a graduate school student, journalistic things, internships and some very watered-down forays into talking about what I really wanted to talk about — fandom. I was afraid to go down that route because I started my blog as something to show to potential employers. I thought it would get me hired.

I’m glad I instead changed the name to Otaku Journalist and wholeheartedly began writing about my hobbies. I think it shows that I care deeply about this content. I may still be looking for work, but I feel happy and fulfilled every day that I write here.

So for Otaku Journalist’s birthday, I want you to be happy too! That’s why I’m giving away my review copy of Eden of the East for DVD. How do you enter to win? Well, last time a lot of you let me know that you don’t use Facebook, so this time, all that is required is to leave a comment on this post about 1) your favorite Otaku Journalist post or 2) a topic you’d like to see me cover on Otaku Journalist in its second year. Why yes, I am shamelessly hounding you for ideas.

The winner will be randomly picked and announced next week. Good luck!

On days like today when I come down with the blogging blues, I start to wish I had an editor. “Wouldn’t it be great,” I think, “if somebody would tell me what to blog about today?”

And that’s when I remembered my Google Analytics account. It’s saved up a year’s worth of people’s Google queries that led them to my site. I gathered up a few (and corrected their grammar) to answer today:

In Heavy Rain the guy who has a fight with Lauren Winter’s boyfriend what is his name?

You’re thinking of Scott Shelby, the detective.

Am I considered a geek if I play Magic: The Gathering?

Hate to break it to you, but it’s very likely. If you ran into a fellow M:TG fan like me, I’d recognize you as one of the tribe.

Help, my boyfriend plays Magic: The Gathering! Is there a support group?

Not that I know of. My boyfriend plays M:TG too, so maybe we could start one? Preferably one where we play Magic?

Can a microphone be connected to a Flipcam?

Not a name-brand Flipcam, at least not yet. I suggest a Kodak zi8 like mine, which comes with a mic input.

Does real videogame journalism exist?

I guess it depends on what your definition of real is. If you mean published articles about video games in leading newspapers and blogs, you’ve got a lot to choose from!

What games journalism do you trust?

I like Kotaku and Gamasutra, myself. If this is more of a sarcastic question implying that you don’t think much of videogame journalism, I suggest checking out this Tumblr.

How do I get a job at Kotaku?

Love games, have a journalism degree, live in San Fransisco (last I heard they were still looking for an editor based there), and be willing to be glued to your computer all day.

How much money do you earn as an anime journalist?

Approximately zero dollars. I occasionally get review copies of anime from Japanator, so it sometimes saves me money I would have spent anyway.

How do you piss off 4chan?

You talk about 4chan.

Is the Newseum good?

As a former intern there, I don’t see how I can say it isn’t!

Is T-MODE a big convention?

It depends on whether you consider 100 people to be a lot for a con.

Was Otakon closed due to AIDS?

Yes.

Want to help me out and give me real questions to address? Then please visit my formspring!

It’s been a week of exponential growth at Otaku Journalist. I’m happy to (figuratively) see all the new faces, and I want to get you more acquainted with my site. I’ll have been posting here for a year in November, so there’s a lot you may have missed. Did you know that there are more than 130 posts in the archives? Here’s a list of my top ten favorite, either by subject or hits, from the earlier days. And if you’ve been reading since the beginning, thanks and just consider this a review of some of Otaku J’s greatest hits:

10. Geek Origin Stories: Anime and Magic – How I became the nerdy way I am today. I was really hoping for this one to become a blog meme, and thanks to The Ginachu for helping! I’d still love for everyone to post their geek origins.

9. Katawa Shoujo: Empathy or Exploitation? – Inspired by Leigh Alexander, I played 1/2 of a fan made dating sim about romancing disabled women. I still think this is my most unusual post.

8. Katsucon Maid Cafe videos are up – My profiles of three Katsucon maids, which doubled as a grad school project. It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted anything I’ve filmed… or filmed anything! Luckily, I get to use a fancy video camera at Anime USA, so this will change.

7. Fellow fans, I need your help! – this poorly titled post is an extensive list of every fandom documentary released in English. A good resource if, like me, you like to have fandom documentary movie nights.

6. Is recording fandom worth it? – This post makes me happy since I included part of a conversation I had with awesome Washington Post reporter Dan Zak. I was so honored that he responded to a blog post in which I disagreed with him. The blogosphere truly is a great place for discussion.

5. Why it’s important to follow fandom – The other side of the coin. Instead of being an extended justification of my fandom coverage, I discuss how companies can benefit from fan activity, and link helpful articles.

4. The day I pissed off 4-chan – This is another of my most highly viewed articles. I think people love this one because they like to watch train wrecks. It describes a mistake I made as a Kotaku intern and what I learned. Part of this was featured on Game Journos are Incompetant F*ckwits… should I even be proud of that?

3. How serious is anime journalism? – This is the post that got me noticed by Japanator! Now I work (for free) for them and love it.

2. In video games, non-linear does not equal interactive – This was obviously before I started saying “videogames” instead. (Thanks for the idea, Kirk!) My post about Alan Wake, the last game I’ve played that wasn’t Puzzlequest. It also got reposted on Critical Distance!

1. Why don’t more women play Magic? – this is my top viewed article of all time! I didn’t expect this since I’m a “kitchen table” Magic player, but it generated a lot of discussion: almost 50 comments! I definitely need to write about Magic more often.

P.S. Tomorrow is the last day to like Otaku Journalist on Facebook and win something. Do it!

I just saw The Social Network this weekend. I was sold on seeing it not after reading Wired‘s excellent article about it, but from discovering the existence of a Facebook page about the Wired article about the Facebook movie. Despite the movie taking a documentary topic and distorting it for entertainment purposes (he invented Facebook to impress a girl? I mean, really?), I immensely enjoyed it. It also made me think about how I barely use Facebook and I don’t even know many of my 482 friends in person.

And so, after the movie, while waiting for the cryptic and late metro (true Washingtonians won’t even question that the above photo is not Photoshopped), it dawned on me to create a Facebook page for Otaku Journalist. That way I can keep people I know in person on my personal Facebook page and blog readers (and hopefully, also people I know in person) on the site page. Plus, I can stop spamming my friends whenever I update Otaku Journalist.

I’m sure you’ve already “liked” the Otaku Journalist page, since you’re glued to Facebook and/or a loyal supporter of this site.

But… just in case you aren’t, I’m not taking any chances. Remember when I reviewed Black Blood Brothers on Blu-Ray for Japanator? Getting free anime in the mail was one of the best feelings ever, so I’d like to pass that along to you. Everyone who “likes” my page by next Wednesday, October 13 will be entered to win my copy of Black Blood Brothers. Thank you and good luck!

Come here every day? Same here, at least as of two weeks ago. On September 13, I began blogging every weekday and didn’t stop until this past Friday, September 24. I wanted to see if it’d bring up my hits, promote more blog discussion, or raise my ad revenue. I also wanted to see if I could keep generating new ideas for daily content.

Since I think blog transparency is sexy, let’s take a look together at the results of my experiment:

This one is my Google Analytics page. I set it up to measure the past two weeks. Almost a thousand page views is pretty good, considering that I’ve gotten just 3,000 since I moved from laurenraeorsini.com to otakujournalist.com. Looks like most people view just one page, which makes sense because I don’t have click-through posts anymore.

These are my Project Wonderful traffic charts. About halfway through is when I started daily blogging. There’s not much of a difference, is there. (Ignore the spike — that came from a Japanator article I wrote and linked here.) What’s interesting is the bottom chart, which shows my ad revenue bids, has gone up considerably since the 13th…. and then inexplicably way down again. I can’t make sense of Project Wonderful ad bids yet.

And here’s my dashboard on Project Wonderful. That’s right: thanks to your clicks, I’ve made a dollar! Who said blogging doesn’t pay?

Based on the visuals, things are looking pretty mediocre. However, just speaking mentally, I’ve really enjoyed this experiment. It’s encouraged me to blog about more things in a less formal style. When I put up three posts a week, there was a lot of pressure to make sure they were perfect. Now, if two out of five don’t work out, I don’t mind. I think I’m cultivating a more relaxed, honest blogging voice.

I’ll continue this for a while longer. Now that I have Japanator as an outlet for more serious features, I can use this blog to continue writing more casual posts. Expect Otaku Journalist to also become more local: I’m working with TBD to become part of their blogging community, and I hope to bring this blog closer to home — both to my city and my own life.

If you followed me over from my blog at LaurenRaeOrsini.com, you know that I just split up my online persona this week. As an unemployed journalist looking for work, I thought it was important to separate my portfolio from my hobbies. After all, many of the jobs I am considering don’t involve fandom at all.

For the new LaurenRaeOrsini.com, I endeavored to find the most minimalistic possible WordPress theme out there, and I found that, fittingly, in a theme called Minimalist. From there, I cut even more features and content from the code to snip it down to almost an empty page. The point? I want the web design to almost disappear, and serve as a blank canvas for my portfolio pieces. (Of course, I still retained my signature color palette.)

I never liked how, on my previous site, you would have to scroll through each section of my portfolio in order to see my complete range of skills. On my new portfolio, each skill set has its own subpage.

I think the split is ushering in a new era for both my identity as a professional and as a fandom journalist. Rather than feeling divisive, I think it strengthens my internet persona in both areas. I feel it was the right decision.

Also known as my half birthday. At 23, I’m a little old to still celebrate half birthdays, but when your birthday is the shortest day of the year, you can always use a little more celebrating.

I did want to put up a real post today regardless, but I am absolutely useless. Without school, an internship, or even part time employment, my life is unstructured. I am working on fixing that and getting into a routine, but it’s difficult. I’ve done little else but apply for as many jobs as possible. If you know anyone hiring in the D.C. area, please let me know.

I am also having a bit of a crisis with what this blog is about. Purely work? More critical analyses of fandom? Should I take a local angle? Are personal posts (like this one) too boring? Stuff like that. I’d appreciate any feedback you may have.

In the meantime, check out my Tumblr. I needed a place to stick all the images in my head while I sort things out. See you Wednesday!