More About Me
What's your real name? Alyssa
Why do you go by Syl? My family's nickname for me is Lys, and Syl is Lys backwards. I wanted an online nickname that fit me without being an immediately clear reference to my real name, so I chose Syl and it stuck!
What do you identify as? I'm a cisgender bisexual woman in a heterosexual marriage.
Where are you from? I was born in a mid-sized city in a valley of the Appalachians, in the United States. I've lived here practically all my life, with only a couple of short stints in nearby towns.
Do you have an accent? I have a slight Southern US accent that gets stronger when I'm around my family.
What languages do you speak? I'm fluent in English, and I can speak beginner French and Russian.
Why French and Russian? I took four years of French in high school, and I studied Russian language and history in college.
How old are you? 36
How tall are you? 5'9" or 175cm
You post about Danny a lot. Who is that? He's my husband and better half! We got married on March 22, 2024, after two years of dating. He proposed on September 17, 2023, at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle at nighttime.
What is your job? I work from home as an accountant for a large nonprofit organization in my area. I also do a little bit of freelance writing on the side, mostly about video games.
Do you like your job? I actually do. It's not the most exciting gig in the world, but I have a great team and supervisors, which makes a world of difference.
What's your dream job? I'd love to bake for a living.
What are your hobbies? My absolute favorite thing to do is write, both fiction and nonfiction, which extends to this blog. Besides that, I enjoy reading, playing video games, baking, and being outdoors, whether it's going for a walk or a swim or going on a hike. Danny and I also do a lot of traveling. It's one of our favorite things to do together.
What's your favorite thing to write? Definitely fanfiction. You can find my current fics here. I also have some orphaned fics floating out there in the ether.
When did you first start playing video games? When I was five years old. I started out by watching my brother play games on the Super Nintendo and then playing them by myself. My favorite games at the time were Yoshi's Island, Donkey Kong Country 2, and Final Fantasy VI. I also played adventure games on the PC that my dad built for us. Eventually, I got my own PlayStation and fell in love with games like Final Fantasy VII, The Legend of Dragoon, Threads of Fate, and Brave Fencer Musashi.
What's your favorite pokemon? Vileplume and gyarados. Don't make me choose between them!
What kind of music do you listen to? My favorite genre is metal, especially symphonic metal. But I listen to a little bit of everything. Aside from metal, I'm a big fan of pop, trip-hop, and instrumental music.
What kind of movies do you like to watch? My favorite genre is horror, but I'll watch anything. I'm a big fan of Korean films, '70s films, animation, and action flicks. You can follow along with what I watch at my Letterboxd.
What's your favorite food? Japanese curry and spaghetti
Favorite drink? Lemonade and cider
Favorite pizza topping? Pineapple -- yes, I'm a proponent of pineapple on pizza!
Favorite ice cream flavor? Pistachio
Favorite candy? Chocolate-covered pistachios
What's your go-to outfit? I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of person, so my favorite outfit is a band tee, black jeans, and my black Clarks sneakers. If it's cold outside, I'll throw on my favorite black-and-white striped oversized cardigan.
Do you practice any sport? I played soccer for 15 years and used to run marathons until I destroyed all the cartilage in my knees. Currently, I just play soccer with my niece every now and then. I'd love to coach a kids' soccer team someday.
Do you play any instrument? No, but I love to sing
Do you have any kids? No, and Danny and I plan to remain child-free. We're content with being the cool aunt and uncle.
Do you have any pets? Not at the moment. Danny and I are planning on getting a dog when we're in a better place for that.
Do you have any siblings? I have a sister who's five years older than me and a brother who's twelve years older than me.
Do you collect anything? Yes, a lot of things! I collect Silent Hill merch. We have a "Silent Hill mantel" which is covered in pieces from my SH collection. I also have a pin board where I keep my pin collection. I collect plushies, action figures, Monster High dolls, and my favorite CDs. And I've recently starting slowly building a perfume collection. You can see more about my collections here.
What do you believe in? Equality, intersectional feminism, and eco-socialism
Do you have any disabilities? I'm diagnosed with bipolar I and OCD. I also have osteoarthritis, which is common in my family.
What is your favorite season? I'm a fan of mild weather and pretty scenery, so I love autumn and spring.
Favorite holiday? Halloween, for sure!
Favorite animal? Raccoons or whales
What's your favorite way to spend a weekend? I like to make sure I get some relaxation in, usually with a good video game or book, but I also like to try to get out of the apartment and go for a nice walk or hike. Danny and I have a date night on Saturdays, so I enjoy going out to dinner and spending time with him. I also like to visit my parents and have board game nights with my family.
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Definitely a night owl! My job forces me to wake up early during the week, but on weekends I stay up late and sleep in.
What's something you love learning about? Strange or interesting animal facts! I have a subscription to National Geographic magazine, and it's one of my favorite things.
I may update this with more later if I can think of anything else!