A more extensive profile can be read here (English) or here (Japanese)

My real name is Sydney B. (シドニー・ボデム)

I do not remember when I exactly discovered Wikipedia, perhaps I should have registered then.

I was born on December 8th, 1985, grew up and currently reside in Indianapolis, Indiana. I was born with a mild case of Cerebral palsy and was recently diagnosed with cancer (glioblastoma).

I have been in the Lawrence Central marching band in which the band won the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championships in 2001.

In 2005, I used hikikomori in a speech before, both English and Japanese versions.

Also in 2005, I sang in a green dress at Gen Con Indy 2005, singing a song by I've Sound's Lia, (恋心) "koigokoro" (A Loving Heart), but lost. (Picture)

In 2006, I ran for Japanese club president at IUPUI, but lost 5-7.

I am usually at the Ash_Comic_Convention.

I have also skipped a year, in high school, as well as two, at the collegiate level, of Japanese. To me, Japan is not all about J-pop, anime (which I usually refer to as "Japanese animation"), manga, but a language deals with culture and history. I do not want to become a Japanese national though, because I cannot renounce my country.

I am currently a student at IUPUI majoring in Japanese and minoring in Linguistics and Creative Writing.

My interests are listed on my "interests page."

I have been told that I am very aggressive, but that "once you get to know me, I am not aggressive."

I have been told by my classmates, some "Japanese majors" themselves, though I dispute this highly, that I am not a friend of theirs because I "do not like the same Japanese animation they do", "say mitai na a bit much (in reality, if I do, it is because I cannot remember how to use you ni and you na correctly), and that I "am not a fangirl."

I have been criticized by a Livejournal group called anti-otaku for being too hard on someone after I asked them if they knew what the Japanese words they provided meant. They "wished" that they knew Japanese. I believe that there is a difference between wishing and doing something about that wish.

I created the following pages:

• I've Sound
• STEPHANIE Yanez (Japanese)
• Ash_Comic_Convention

I like the following pages:

• Japanese Wikipedia

(I am only trying to learn Aynu itak,
for I do not speak it fluently...)