Equality72521

(my likes/dislikes are listed in sections further down the page)

I'm a student at San Jose State University studying Anthropology. I love to travel and go camping! Before I moved to San Jose I had a lovely garden with ferns and moss and foxgloves out front, and out back I had all kinds of flowers and veggies and half an apple tree hanging over the fence. =D I really miss my garden and getting my hands in the dirt.

I have a kitty named Jake (4 years) that lives with me now, and another old man kitty (11 years) that is currently staying with my parents while i go to school.

I've noticed that a lot of people on swap-bot seem to be really high-strung and uptight about this whole "swapping" thing. A lot of people seem to be real busy-bodies, enjoy citicizing what other people made, or like to stir up drama in the forums to prove they're "right". I don't understand it. I've noticed a lot of people leaving negative comments because the stuff they got wasn't expensive from fancy schmancy place. The more i look around the more i get the impression that this isnt just a simple group of crafters who like to make good quality handmade things. I signed up for this because i want to MAKE stuff, not get stuff. I'd be upset if i didnt get anything for a swap, but as long as it meets the requirements I dont know why a person would whine about it. I'm a simple person, so im trying to avoid swaps that look like they might draw in high-maintenance prissy types. Life is too short to deal with that.

I enjoy reading Dorothy Parker, H.D., R. K. Narayan, Italo Calvino, Ray Bradbury, Anne Sexton, Alan Lightman, and ....

I like books about gardening, archaeology, philosophy, tea, camping, folk lore and fairy tales.

I tend to get ahead of myself and become frustrated with patterns and recipes, so in any craft I tend to make it up as I go along. Sometimes this leads to errm... unexpected results! ;)

i enjoy simple crochet, sewing and painting projects, as well as decoupage, beading, and seasonal crafts like christmas ornaments. I also like making things for the pets of friends and family (dog treats, catnip toys etc).

I like musicals and kids movies a lot. I watch stuff like The Parent Trap when I'm sad. I like fantasy, romantic comedy, drama, action ... there's not really a genre i don't like. As a rule, I don't actively seek out horror films, still there are horror films i do like. I don't generally care for the kinds of movies you see by the dozens in Blockbuster (and I know, because i used to work for that awful company).

City of Lost Children, The Gnome Mobile, Chinese Ghost Story, Labyrinth, Singin' In the Rain, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Arsenic and Old Lace, Sleeper, Love and Death etc etc.

rich color; earth tones/fall colors, cobalt blue, amber/golden yellow, royal purple, leaf green. Botanical/flower stuffs, things that shine and sparkle, green tea, interesting fabrics in rich colors, holiday decorations, good ideas! I love chocolate and fruit flavors!

As my list of books suggests, I like pictures/symbols/motifs that have to do with world cultures, gardening, philosophy (ie Tao).

I like nature. I like things that make a dramatic and bold statement without being loud or busy (too many stripes, polka dots, or too much contrast like black/white squares tends to be a turn-off for me. A little is ok, but not a lot).

i love kitties! I especially love unique little kitties; my boyfriend brought me back some carved wooden cats from Bali that are really adorable.

I like fantasy/mystical (faeries, unicorns) and mystical/spiritual (shamanism, runes, magic) themes as long as they're not too over-the-top (if you're not sure what I mean then i'd stay away from these categories hehe).

I'm interested in Eastern/Middle-Eastern Philosophy and Religion as far as symbols, scripts (writing, characters) and mythology (am not so much interested in Christian art, thinking, symbolism and mythology at this time).

I don't mind getting stuff I don't like (provided it's not just universally considered ugly or poorly crafted)as part of a swap, because I can always swap it to someone who will like it more! =) And I'm pretty picky... I think. So If you're not sure what to send me, don't sweat it!

There's nothing that i dislike ALL the time; almost everything has its place, in moderation, in certain contexts.

colors not fond of: bright red and fluorescent colors, most pastel colors (blue is ok), not a huge fan of pink in most contexts, magenta.

I don't like bubble gum, plastic beads, certain kinds of folk/country crafts(not a big fan of corn husk dolls and toll panting kind of stuff. well, toll painting is ok i guess), and I really don't like Americana stuff that much.

I really dislike things with sayings on them like "If you don't like something and you can't change it, change the way you think about it!" or "Life is just a chair of bowlies" on pillows, buttons, shirts and the like. My mom thinks stuff like that is really cute, but its never appealed to me.

I don't usually like the kind of "funny" quirky stuff they have at places like Spencer Gifts and Hot Topic (some of the stuff at Spencer is ok). I'm also not into overly cute stuff. When i was 18 i was still into Hello Kitty type stuff, but its not really my style anymore.

I tend to shy away from things that are cartoony or have a novelty shop vibe to them, even when they are wonderful and hilarious. I don't really care for things with religious themes like angels, crosses etc.