CorvoRidente

I am:

• Still new to this swapping thing, but determined to do good, timely work for folk. You'll notice there aren't a lot of completed swaps listed--it's because I limit myself to one or two at a time, to be sure of sending quality.

• Taking some time off from big swaps while I make books for a client (~dances!~). Maybe if i get my head above water, there, I'll be back here more often. :)

• An Aquarius with a Scorpio moon, according to Western reckoning. A Water Dog with Sheep ascendant, according to Chinese reckoning. And they're both fairly accurate.

• A proud mother (he'll be 5 in January '09, and he's ALL BOY godssaveus...;D) and gleeful wife (he'll be 40 in October '08; I'm looking forward to teasing him).

• Not religious. Organised religions scare me for the same reason Big Government does. I love religious iconography, as long as there's no proselytizing attached. In my eyes, a blessing is a blessing, whoever's wishing it on you and whatever's granting it.

That said, I've got a head full of mythology from various places, and there's a soft spot in my heart for Pan and Hermes, and for tricksters and fierce mothers and the halfmad wisdom of age. Anything nodding to those spirits will brighten my day beyond words.

I'm a data junkie--everything's food for my idea hamster, and I'll try any affordable thing once.

Current adorations are bookbinding, photography, polymer clay things that don't involve a pasta machine or knowing how to make canes, and the dying of fabric and hair.

If it's in the context of a rainbow, I love them all in technicolour.

My husband and I both tend to wear a lot of black, green, cranberry, and blue, though. Muted or jewel toned; navy before cobalt before turquoise, rose before candy-pink, and olive or hunter before kelly, you know?

My little boy isn't particular at ALL, as long as it's comfy. Dinosaurs, lizards, bugs, or tie-dye improve anything, in his opinion.

When I can set out time to do it, I dye my hair purple.

White taunts me--I fight the urge to dye or write on it, and I live in fear that if I wear it, it'll attract some strange stain.

The prettiest sights in the world are sunsets and oilslicks.

I'm a musical omnivore, but oldschool bluegrass (think Bill Monroe), growly/screamy/noisy metal (Kittie and Cannibal Corpse, for example), and most rap set my teeth on edge.
I like to be able to understand lyrics.
I also like expanding my horizons.

Artists currently in play:
Jason Mraz, Ani DiFranco, Styx, Cats Laughing, Iron Maiden, Duke Ellington, Joh Yamada, Blues Traveller, Queen, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Iron & Wine, Eve 6, & Flogging Molly.

This is right up there with music: I'll read the first four pages of anything.

Authors currently in the stack on my bedside table: Steven Erikson, Steven Brust, Jim Butcher, Charles deLint, Pamela Dean, Neal Stephenson (and now I want to learn more about physics...), Frank Herbert, & several cookbooks.

I admit it--I'm a pirate.

At the moment, the best "television" is fansubbed anime. I work my way through series online. If I understood more Japanese and knew how to get my hands on the raw stuff, I'd be fansubbing and contributing, too.

*Dark Chocolate

*Corn Chips

*Sweetgrass

*String of any variety, from silk sewing thread to cotton embroidery floss to 6mm hemp rope.

*Fuzzy fabrics

*Off-centre senses of humour and the quotes that come with. ("Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"--Einstein.)

*Gothic romance novels (they're horrible and dated, but I enjoy them!)

*Vintage pin-ups/noseart

*Ursula Vernon's art

*Sparklies! (because I'm easily distracted by shiny objects)

*Geekiness

*Hamsters & Rats

*Crows

*Wolves

*Coyotes

*Spiders

*Grizzly and polar bears

*Japanese calligraphy

*Chinese philosophy

*silk ribbon

*mix CDs

*handmade anything

*making people smile

*Polyester fabric when it's trying to be silk or a knit.

*Beads with holes too tiny for a needle & thread to go through.

*hot pink anything (although if there's enough black or brown to balance it out, I'm soft on that one...)

*Precious Moments-esque things.

*makeup.

*overscented things--my husband gets headaches from several naturally-derived aromas, and I get headaches from synthetics; subtle scent is good, but full-on perfume is right out.

My beloved husband smokes, but my son and I boot him outside to do it. I will do my level best to keep him and your swap-bits apart from one another; if there's ever a problem, LET ME KNOW and I'll figure out a way to fix it.

The flipside of this is that I'm one of the rare few who won't mind a slightly smoky article as long as it's not intended for my son, and if we're talking pipe or cigar smoke, I will actively enjoy it.

Because tobacco-scent, we both seem able to stand without threat of migraine.

Funny old world, ain't it?