Hi Kat, please introduce yourself.
K: Hello Everyone! I’m Kat, I am a 30 year old ICU Registered Nurse from New Jersey, fitness enthusiast, Cosplayer, dog mom and foodie!
What made you start cosplaying and how long have you been doing it?
K: The first time I ever really cosplayed was my first birthday. My parents dressed me up into a character according to the theme of my party. Ever since then, I’ve kept up with that tradition. My first convention was New York Comic Con in 2010. That’s when I decided to make cosplaying as a hobby of mine. I have always had such a passion for art and crafts. Nursing School and becoming a nurse made it difficult to make the time to practice crafting, painting, and drawing. I made cosplaying an outlet for my art and it cooperated all my strengths. I go to conventions a couple of times a year depending on my work schedule. I seek art as my stress relief and it is the best source to apply my skills into.
We have so much respect for health care workers such as yourself even more now during the pandemic. Can you tell us how you have time to be an RN full time and still have time to do Cosplay professionally during other times?
K: I appreciate the support and all the blessings during this difficult time. I’d like to thank everyone for doing their best and keeping safe. Being safe really is saving more lives than you all know. During this pandemic, work has become even more busier than it has before. It is a lot more difficult to focus on my next cosplay and to even work on it because the craft stores, that I usually go to, are closed. Purchasing supplies online takes longer than usual as well. But, time management has always been my strength and on days when I’m off, I give a couple of hours towards focusing on my cosplays. I need to give credit to my friends, Paul and Lisa, also known as Miss Gidget. Without them, my cosplays would not be as amazing as they are. I have been cosplaying with them since the beginning and I usually collaborate with them at conventions. We help one another with completing our projects before our deadline. The “cosplay crunch” always gets to us before a convention because work and family is our priority. We each have specific strengths in cosplaying and we use them to help one another enhance the vision of what we are trying to portray.
What’s your favorite Cosplay character that you have done already?
K: There are so many cosplays that I absolutely love due to their difficulty level. A lot of my cosplays take a lot of time and effort to complete. My favorite character to portray is Psylocke from X-Men. Many of my friends will notice that because I have done so many versions of her. But recently, my favorite cosplay character was Sindel from MK11. I had done this cosplay for New York Comic Con 2019. The only reference I had was her introduction trailer and even that did not show the full detail of her costume. The character was scheduled to be released in November and the convention was in October. It was difficult for me to complete, but I did my best with the screenshot references that were available at that time. I was so proud to bring Sindel to life because I had done her cosplay from UMK3 in 2011. Remaking her gave me a sense of how advanced I am now in my skill of cosplaying. The impressive thing was that I made my UMK3 Sindel in 2011 out of duct tape. My MK11 Sindel was comprised of armor made from Eva foam and worbla. Her accented accessories and skirt were made of silk fabric.
What was the most difficult cosplay you’ve done? What made it difficult?
K: The most difficult cosplay I’ve done would have to be my DC Comics Variant Play Arts Kai Harley Quinn. That cosplay took FOREVER to do. There was so much armor involved and material. I literally almost gave up on it at one point. She comes with an intricate hammer that I was so proud to have completed. The details in that prop were so detailed and that truly was what gave me the motivation to continue in finishing this project.
Have you learned more about yourself since you started cosplaying? If you have, what did you learn?
K: So, fun fact about me is that I primarily went to college for art. But since my filipino mother said I should try to get into the nursing program, I did. In doing so, I was one of the hundred students out of a thousand that was chosen for the nursing program. Being a nursing student taught me the discipline, determination, and dedication that it takes to be a nurse. Everything that I have learned gave me a chance to apply that knowledge into my cosplays. I have always been that type of person to complete a goal with the utmost precision. Cosplaying all these years, I’ve noticed that I will always find something to improve in. My art and my eye in detail has improved and has become more advanced compared to earlier projects that I have done.
Besides being an RN and cosplaying, what else do you enjoy doing?
K: Being a nurse is very stressful, and even though I have been cosplaying for years, creating a new cosplay before an allotted deadline, is also stressful. Number one tip during stressful times is to find something that can decrease that notion. My stress relief is hiking and traveling. Within my area, there are so many great hiking spots. Nature itself and being part of it, makes everything feel at peace. These areas are so beautiful and because of all the chaos going on in the world, I try to explore and search for what is left of that beauty, what is left of that peace. Before this quarantine, I used to go on trips every month to feed my wanderlust. Going on trips by yourself is such an interesting experience compared to exploring the world with friends or family. Traveling solo allows you to find some depth within yourself and understand your environment in another level.
I also love being a dog mom. I have a soon to be six year old Cream Shiba Inu named Zatoichi. I named him after a video game character from ‘Guilty Gear’ called Zato=1. He is the best dog and I am being biased, but he truly is. I got him when he was only two months old and he has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. Zato is so silly and playful, but is the most spoiled pup ever. What puppy isn’t!? He shows so much love to me and anyone he meets.
What are your 3 favorite trends at this moment?
K: What an interesting question! I don’t see myself as a trend setter for sure and there’s actually a lot of trends that has become very popular, especially everything you see in social media. Quarantine has made it very difficult for avid gym enthusiasts or any healthy individual to keep up with their exercise routines, so live stream workouts have been helping tremendously. My cousin, Carl Grande, is a personal trainer and holds live stream workouts. If anyone is interested to join our fitness family, follow @trainempyrean on instagram and message him for more details! I have been part of the Empyrean program for 5 years now and I have never felt better with myself, physically and mentally. There are so many resources in the internet that are very beneficial and I highly recommend everyone to do their best to apply exercise, as much as they can tolerate and as safely as possible, into their lives.
Another trend that I have noticed was meal prepping and posting cooking or meal stories to share to friends and whomever was interested. I love food and anyone who knows me I literally eat nonstop! Since it is difficult to get food after work, because most restaurants end take out by 8pm, I have been cooking a lot more than ever. It has become a learning experience for me and I usually eat healthy meals. Many people ask what I’ve made and I give them the recipe. I cook using simple ingredients and I am no master chef, but I do my best.
Finally, the last trend that I have absolutely loved during this quarantine was being minimalistic and natural. It has been a blessing in disguise really. I am known to always get my hair colored vibrant colors, nails done, eyelashes pristine, and going out to expensive places to eat and hang out. Currently, my hair is dull, nails are bare, no eyelash extensions, and have been outside in nature exploring. I barely wear makeup anymore and this minimalism and natural way of living has made me realize how beautiful and much more confident I am without the added glam.
What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
K: My cousin introduced me to “ The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. This book itself gives all the advice in life that you will need. The most important advice is to understand that what you do right now, your actions during this moment and time, is what matters. We worry about our past and our future that we forget what we should focus on right now and what is right in front of us. The anxiety and uneasiness that can be felt of our past actions can affect our future. Take yourself away from that worry, step back, clear your mind, and breathe. Think of what actions you can achieve right now to better yourself. The past can’t be changed. Learn from your mistakes. Change what you need to and press on forward.
What is your stance on health and wellness? Do you workout everyday?
K: As a Cardiac ICU nurse, I feel that exercise is so important for your body. Working out to me is not just a trend or short term goal. Exercise and health is and should be a lifestyle. To me, exercising and keeping a routine is my biggest stress reliever. I do not workout everyday. It is difficult to workout after work because I am exhausted and on my feet for 12+ hours. I usually workout four days a week to maintain my wellness. My cousin will train me through live stream workouts. I will hike or run at least two miles if I still have the energy. I find myself feeling great after each exercise. Doing my best to stick with a healthy lifestyle is so critical during this pandemic. Everyone is in such a high risk for COVID-19, especially healthcare and essential workers. We work nonstop, that stress and other factors can bring our immunity down. I always try to educate my patients and even my coworkers to drink plenty of water, get adequate sleep, exercise as much as you can tolerate, take your vitamins and supplements, and most of all, find ways to decrease your stress, whether it may be taking a walk, meditating, or reading a book.
What are you looking forward to in 2020?
K: This year really is waking us up and I still cannot believe the chaos that we are all experiencing. Our world, our country is falling apart and the violence needs to stop. Everyone is angry, but we cannot violently address any issue. I fully support safe and peaceful protests. I fully support those against our corrupt system and police brutality. I fully support those speaking up and giving awareness regarding those innocent people being affected by racism and discrimination. Being a nurse, I have encountered many people who have been noncompliant with their care, who have argued with us, and who have been difficult at times. But, we continue to treat them if they allow us to. We communicate with them and allow them to find a comfort so they may trust us. We never show any form of violence against a patient. We do not discriminate against race, cultural or religious beliefs, and sexual orientation. Healthcare professionals are trained to deescalate a patient when need be, in the safest way possible. There is a lack of understanding and education regarding racism and many other issues at this time. Actions and words should be used for good and to bring awareness to the current problem in our world.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
K: I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to interview. It is a very difficult time right now and I just want everyone to be safe and realize that even though the country is opening up, the pandemic still exists. Do your best to keep safe and abide by any safe procedures wherever you go. Keep strong, safe, and Unite for a positive change. Please, don’t forget to speak up and vote.
