About Me

name:   Maral Agnerian
nicknames:   Herself the Elf, Sarcasm-hime
things I hate:   stupid people, people who act like experts when they don't know anything, sexist jerks, religious fanatics of any denomination, green peppers.
hobbies:   collecting and wearing kimono, choral singing (soprano), costuming, bellydance (Egyptian cabaret and Tribal styles)
weaknesses:   Beads, rabbits, fancy textiles, historical clothing, silver, moonstone, embroidery.
what i do for a living:   Jewelry/accessories designer, freelance illustrator and costumer.
affiliations:   staff at Anime North; member of the Toronto Kimono Club and  International Costumers' Guild

favourite foods:     

  • Japanese - soba, chirashi-don, wakame salad, onigiri, ochazuke
  • Armenian (it's what I grew up with) - sarma (similar to Greek dolmades), mante, madzoun kefta
  • Moroccan - chicken olive tajine
  • Veggies - broccoli, eggplant, spinach, cauliflower, zucchini, GARLIC!
  • Beverages - lots and lots of tea (earl grey, jasmine, mint, green, genmai), carrot juice, soy milk, bubble tea
  • Booze - Amaretto, Strongbow (cider)

favourite authors:
      Elizabeth Hand, Tanya Huff, Robin McKinley, Mercedes Lackey (older stuff only), A.S. Byatt, Jane Yolen, Lloyd Alexander, Patricia McKillip, Nancy Springer, Connie Willis, Susanna Clarke, George R. R. Martin

all-time favourite comics:
      Sandman (Brief Lives especially), Black Orchid (original), Books of Magic (original), Elfquest (original series), Finder, Watchmen, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Fables

favourite music:
      Niyaz, Vas, Tarkan, Imogen Heap, Tori Amos, Buck-Tick, Kokia, Akino Arai, Maaya Sakamoto, Gackt, Pizzicato Five, Yungchen Lhamo, Happy Rhodes, Hedningarna, Mylène Farmer, The Sisters of Mercy, Khaled, Angélique Kidjo, Sheila Chandra, Ayumi Hamasaki, Moist, various anime mp3s & soundtracks. Also a hell of a lot of middle-eastern music, from Algerian or Egyptian pop to classic bellydance music.

'puter games:
      RPGs and world-building games like Civilization (although I always get bored as soon as I hit the 1700s or so, coz then everything's been explored and it's just politics and war). I love games where I get to explore and figure out things. What really got me hooked was the Sega game Phantasy Star.