Sunday February 8, 2026

Did you know I spent years convincing myself not to play Monster Hunter because I was resolute in my belief that I wouldn't like it? Kind of silly to think about but I've always been picky. I find I like something and then I don't want to try anything else because I'm having so much fun just doing the thing that I like. But sometimes it keeps me from discovering other things I'd like - like Monster Hunter. In my mind I loved playing Unholy Death Knight in WoW and that was all the combat I needed. For downtime I just wanted to spend time in Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing. I felt like I didn't need anything else.

To be fair I'm not sure that I did need anything else. But being open to the possibility I think is important too. Eventually I gave up on WoW and suddenly I was without the complex melee combat I had come to adore. I tried to simply delve deeper and deeper into farming sims, but it wasn't quite the same. And while initially fun, New Horizons didn't have the same feel as the original Animal Crossing I had loved so much. I started streaming because I was mainly playing single-player games but that was incredibly lonely after spending so much time in online communities. I became a vtuber because while most people on the internet are weird in a wonderful way, some are weird in a way that made me feel unsafe. And then one day my husband convinced me that I really needed to give Monster Hunter another try. And here we are.

If you're like me and you enjoy being comfortable, there is no shame in that. But sometimes there are new comfort zones to explore and the only way to find them is with a little discomfort. Like with this website. It's a little clunky right now. The ways of the old web are like an old friend you haven't spoken to in a long time - familiar and yet alien all wrapped up into one. It feels a bit cringe to write out thoughts like this, but also it feels important! To me! With time it'll become a little more comfortable to just write and be and share. I'd like to share how much I've been enjoying Monster Hunter and have a place to collect all the things I like. A new comfort zone to hunker down into but for now it'll be a bit uncomfy as I get over this learning curve.

This site will be a landing pad for my streaming activities. An all-in-one spot for Cottagers to see what we've been up to in our adventures so far, keep an eye on exciting events, and look over what we've got on the horizon. And this blog section will be for me to put thoughts down. Maybe one week it'll be about how cool I think the architecture in the Iceshard Cliffs is, or why I think it's a bit odd that the wild Popos of Hoarfrost Reach let you just hop on their backs. A place to ramble or ruminate or research. I'd like to write something once a week if I can! And over time the site will grow - a bit like tending a garden. It won't always be about Monster Hunter. It might be about other games we play or media we experience together as a community. The Monster Hunter teams have put so much love into that franchise over the years that it seems like an easy place to slot in and explore. So cheers to the start of the blog!