Andrew Johnston
Bio
Educator, writer and documentarian based out of central China. Catch the full story at www.findthefabulist.com.
Stories (73)
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The Best Upcoming Indie Games in 2024
As the year draws to a close, we take time to reflect on topics of importance both great and small. Of all the deep and profound questions we ponder, none may be more important than this: What great video games are the gaming press going to completely ignore this year?
By Andrew Johnston2 years ago in Gamers
In Defense of Game Developers
It's funny what a difference a few decades makes. Twenty years ago, very few people outside of the video game industry knew what "crunch" was. That all changed with a 2004 blog post called "EA: The Human Story," written by Erin Hoffman (then anonymous). The post concerned the grim conditions that Hoffman's spouse faced at Electronic Arts during the end stages of the development cycle. This included work weeks that could run 70 to 90 hours, often without overtime pay.
By Andrew Johnston2 years ago in Gamers
Investigating Chinese Bar Culture
One of my past employers had a lounge area in their offices that, once in a while, they turned into a nightspot. It was a strange thing, finding a bar twenty stories up in an office building, but curiosities like this are far from unusual in China. It also had a certain amount of utility for an agency that, among other things, hired out foreign entertainers - such facilities were a chance to showcase the talent for prospective clients.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Proof
Xiaolongxia: On Chinese Crayfish
If you've lived or traveled anywhere close to the American South, you're likely familiar with crayfish, the tiny crustaceans that creep around the bottoms of freshwater lakes in the American interior. Cheaper and easier to find than lobsters, their bigger cousins, they are a signature element of Cajun cuisine. Stroll through New Orleans on a summer night and you'll see pots full of steamed crayfish served with potatoes and cornbread.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Feast
An Introduction to Chinese Breakfast. Top Story - August 2022.
Of the many adjustments Americans must make when living abroad, one of the biggest is getting used to a very different diet, and the biggest differences in diet often come at breakfast. The first morning meal served to a weary traveler may come as a shock for a few reasons. We're used to having a fairly strict divide between "breakfast foods" and "non-breakfast foods," a distinction which doesn't exist in most cultures outside of the Mediterranean. Add to that the heavy foods served in many breakfast traditions, and that first repast can be a bit of a hurdle.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Feast
Understanding Your International Chinese Students
As a teacher at any level and subject, one of the biggest challenges is dealing with students from very different cultural backgrounds. Expectations, norms and priorities can all vary across countries, and the nature of classes is going to be different wherever you go.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Education
Five Steps to Create Your Own Hypertext Fiction. Top Story - August 2022.
For the more experimentally-minded writer, hypertext fiction - a form of nonlinear interactive fiction using electronic documents - is a form with a lot of potential. However, creating hypertext fiction requires a set of technical skills that many writers don't possess.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Journal
Photographing the Elusive Ground Squirrel
Squirrels are, without question, one of my favorite photo subjects. The advantages are many: Squirrels are extraordinarily common in North America, they are often relatively accustomed to human presence and cuteness potential is very high.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Photography
What is Realistic Fiction? Characteristics and Style
I was born to write speculative fiction, but spec editors don't seem to share my readings of fate. After five years of trying to climb SFF mountain - short stories, novels, even nonfiction articles - I accepted my failures and moved on.
By Andrew Johnston3 years ago in Journal
