Neko

ABOUT THE CAFE

Onio Café was created in January 2023, inspired by the many hours I spent online as a child, and later inside of coffee houses as an adult, meeting strangers who turned into friends.

It was also inspired by the currently active indie web movement, which aims to make the Internet free, personal and fun again. I didn't realize just how much character and adventure found in the Internet experience had been gradually lost over the past two decades, that is until I discovered a webring from Low Tech Magazine. Upon visiting a few sites on the Low Tech Webring Directory by Em Reed, all the warm, glowy feelings from childhood rushed back in. I knew pretty quickly that I wanted to make a site of my own.

Onio Café isn't intended to be anything more than it is: a small project for my own self-expression. It's my little birdbath on the web, here for all you webtravelers to stop on by and take a break if you would like. Feel welcome to hang out, leave a comment, and enjoy the site for what it is :)

ABOUT THE WEBKEEPER

As a kid, I spent my time on websites like Neopets, Geocities, and Expage. Ever since then, creating and sharing things have been my favorite activities.

While I was a teen, I developed an interest in various arts, dabbling in many media before going to school for photography. I worked for a long time establishing myself as an art photographer up until a few short years ago, when I decided to take a step back and reflect on it all. Now as I look toward pivoting my life and career in another direction, I've found myself dabbling in all sorts of media once again, and this website has been one result of that. I'm not sure what's in store for my future - photography will come with me for sure - but whichever niche pursuit I land in, I know I want to be a maker, a creator.

My ideal life would be spent inside of a giant warehouse full of all the materials and equipment I need to execute all of my creative ideas, and at night I would live inside of a van, traversing the world by wheel on the weekends. That's what sounds good to me. On the other hand, I think about the possibilities of giving up gas-powered vehicles. Could I live in a cart towed behind a solar powered eBike? What does unrealistic even mean anymore?

Alternatively, I would live a self-sufficient lifestyle, weaning myself off of money as I work to make my tiny-house woodland homestead fluorish, powered by renewable energy. I guess those ideals would classify me as a dreamer. :P

Above all that, I'm an imperfect human being with Christian beliefs, and if none of my dreams come true, I simply hope to have my mind and heart transformed by scripture, to learn how to truly love and help others as Christ has loved and helped me.