About

This is a personal web site. While many personal web sites offer little to nothing of value to the internet, my goal is for everything I publish to amuse, educate, or stimulate readers in some fashion. I refuse to claim that everything I put up will be a cut above (most of) the rest, but I hope that you’ll consider it to be at least above average.

That said: My real name is Lena LeRay, and I am an army brat. My dad was stationed at Ft. Richardson, Alaska when I was 7 going on 8. Dad suffered an unfortunate accident during PT which left him with a messed-up knee and forced him to retire from his military career. With the exception of a year spent in Japan for college-level exchange, I’ve lived in Alaska ever since. I remember little about life before Alaska and consider myself to be Alaskan, though Iwas born in Alabama and have lived in Nuremburg, Germany and Carthage, New York as well.

I’m a huge nerd; I study things for fun. My primary passion is gaming of all kinds — video, board, card, tabletop RPG, etc. I’ve been studying Japanese language and culture since I was 16 (and even got my degree in Japanese Studies). I enjoy needlework, especially when I can tie it into my other passions. I love a good cartoon. A beautiful font makes me swoon. One of my favorite things on the face of the planet is the design of the envelopes Netflix ships DVDs in. My favorite meat is chicken, with pork and moose warring for second place.

My father died in the summer of 2011, about 6 weeks before I moved to a small town in Hokkaido as a JET Program participant. My mom works for a trucking company in Colorado. I have a younger brother, who is currently in the U.S. Navy. He’s a SeaBee, primarily an electrician. I have a half-brother who I don’t like to talk about, but he has three kids by his ex-wife, who I love dearly. My family includes people with no blood ties to me, as well; my sister, Shannon, for instance, and her husband and son.