MistyLynne

PERSONAL NOTE: 11/10/09 "Making up swaps at this time. My sincerest apologies.

Well back in 1980, my mother walked my grandmother out to her car one evening and, in a random act of absurdity, jumped up on a tree stump and began squawking like a hawk. Across the street, the man who would become my father and his oldest daughter stood mesmerized by this woman's rather bizarre behavior. In response, my mother simply waved. Weeks later, my mother found the man's daughter crying in the front yard and asked what was wrong; the girl explained it was her birthday but nobody had remembered. So my mother, being the kind soul she is, baked the sweetest strawberry cake she could and delivered it to the neighbor (who was the young girl's babysitter). Afterward, the lil' girl insisted her father meet this wonderful woman across the street. Thus, my parents formally met. A few months later, they wed, and then seven months later I was born (not prematurely). So that is how the man from Long Island, New York and the country girl from Southwest Oklahoma set about bringing yours truly into this world in May of 1981.

Fastward 17 years, beyond the drama of childhood and adolescence, and you find me hightailing it out of Oklahoma as fast as fast can be. I'll always cherish the down-home atmosphere of Altus, but I'm thankful every day that I had the opportunity to see more of the world than what existed between the realm of Main St and Broadway. Since then, I've continued my education and traveled to every continent (except Antarctica) to include 24 countries, 43 US States, and 3 Canadian Providences. Travel is the one thing I will never tire of.

When I'm not traveling (or daydreaming of it), I can be found reading, cycling, postcrossing, volunteering, hiking, geocaching, and anything else that may interest me at that particular moment in time.

As far as a job/career, I have a host of responsibilities, here in Maryland, which I love doing, such as being an analyst for various projects, training manager, sexual assault victim advocate, webmaster, secretary, and ... I could go on but I will refrain.

I don't have a specific "favorite genre," but my favorite concert has to be the international "Festival Couleur Café" event held annually in Brussels, Belgium. Highly recommend!

{But if I must list some fav's ~ in no particular order except the first one...} Ray LaMontagne, Wynn Varble, Warren Haynes, Colbie Caillat, James Morrison, Robert Mirabal, Elvis, Josephine Baker, Pink, Eminem, Beau Sisters, Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, Paolo Nutini, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Van Morrison, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Marley, No Doubt, Nirvana, Alanis Morissette, Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Bob Seger, Black Eyed Peas, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, Macy Gray, Mary J Blige, Chris LeDoux, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, George Straight, Jo Dee Messina, Big & Rich, Mary Chapin Carpenter, KD Lang, Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Brady Seals, Brooks & Dunn, Gretchen Wilson, Kelly Clarkson, Los Lonely Boys, Trick Pony

I love mixed CDs, especially if they introduce me to someone/thing new that's worth a listen.

I'm not an advocate for TV - in fact, I'd rather do without. But since the husband refuses to let that happen, I find myself drawn to: Saving Grace ~ My Name is Earl ~ Gray's Anatomy ~ House MD ~ NCIS ~ That 70's Show

Movies, on the other hand, are a necessity for me. Oh where to start?

Where the Heart Is ~ Ever After ~ Shag ~ American President ~ Boondock Saints ~ To Wong Foo ... ~ Sabrina ~ The Bucket List ~ Burn After Reading ~ Three Rooms ~ Young Guns ~ Love, Actually ~ Gone With the Wind ~ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ~ Patch Adams ~ Sense and Sensibility ~ P.S. I Love You ~ Sweet Home Alabama ~ Death at a Funeral ~ The Matchmaker ~ Empire Records ~ P.C.U. ~ Tremors ~ Tank Girl ~ Elvira ~ RHPS ~ Some Like it Hot ~ The Notebook ~ The Hangover (latest addition!)

I'm willing to try my hand at anything once.

I am developing an interest with ATCs so any suggestions, hints, etc are always welcomed. :o)

I enjoy a good story. It doesn’t have to be sappy or even have a “happy ending.” As long as it’s told/written well, I’m hooked. I think anything can be turned into a good story as well, it just depends on how much time and energy the presenter is willing to put into it. With this comes literature; I love all kinds of literature. But I have a nasty habit of beginning a book and leaving it for time on end and then I have to begin anew.

I love oddities. If it makes me go, “What the…,” it’s golden!

But since most folks don’t have strange and peculiar tidbits just lying around, some of the other objects that are certain to occupy me include: postcards ~ patches (all kinds, from anywhere) ~ geography (give me an atlas or map – and I can stay amused for hours … maybe even days) ~ foreign coins ~ fortune cookies (or just the fortunes) ~ photography (especially if it gives a different perspective than normal; black-n-white) ~ art (fascinates me; I don’t have to like it to appreciate it) ~ stamps (for crafty purposes) ~ quotes (usually any and all; but the wittier, the better) ~ philosophy ~ fair market trade items ~ smiles ~ tattoos ~ religious items (Christian, Hindu, Pagan, Buddhist, etc) ~ containers (jars, bottles, boxes – anything you can put something else in is neat) ~ cards (playing, language, Tarot) ~ various eras (Wild West, Medieval, hippie, chic, Roaring 20’s, Victorian) ~ burlesque ~ poker ~ origami ~ vintage pin-up girls ~ vintage military pieces (rank, insignia, devices) ~ "Life Is Good" brand items ~ calligraphy ~ postage stamps (I don’t collect them, I just like looking at them) ~ shotglasses ~ jokes ~ finding beauty in the oddest places ~ and/or pretty much anything cultural (which leaves a wide-open door to possibilities, I know) ~ surprises!

Oh, and red is my absolute favorit-est color. My senses are stimulated by:

• Sight ~ Something New and Inspiring
• Smell ~ Rain
• Touch ~ Soft or Natural or Cool Bits
• Sound ~ Laughter and Thunder
• Taste ~ Creme Brulee and Tibetan dishes

I love homemade items (especially ATC's). I'm beginning to explore with arts/crafts more and more, so any beads, buttons, ribbons, etc you'd like to toss my way ~ I'd be most appreciative. Anything you think is "inspiring." Thank you for taking the time to look at all this ~ I know it's probably a bit to take in, but thank you.

Snot

I love the written word. I may not always understand it at first, but I absolutely adore diving deeper and deeper into it. Some of my all-time favorites and recent lovelies include:

“The God of Animals” by Aryn Kyle ~ “Ridiculous Race” by Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran ~ “Adventurers of a Continental Drifter” by Elliott Hester ~ “The Faun” by Nathaniel Hawthorne ~ “Translations” [a play] by Brian Friel ~ “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley ~ Anything by Gertrude Stein ~ Poetry by Emily Dickinson ~ Any travel essay by Mark Twain ~ “Eutopia” by Thomas More ~ “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin ~ “No Saca Nada en La Escuela” [a play] by Luis Valdez ~ “Death and The King’s Horseman” [a play] by Wole Soyinka ~ “The Giver” by Lois Lowry ~ The “If…” Book Series ~ Any travel book ~ Any atlas, new or old ~ Comic Strips, especially the one-scene bits ~ Non-fiction and fiction, alike, about places, people, or cultures

The latest events in my life include:

• JUL: Received training to become a 4H Lead for a new club
• JUN: Began a new workcenter
• MAY: Turned 28 and graduated college with a BA in English
• APR: Lost my father. !Link {With the recent "not really dead" - not related to me - forum post, I still feel obligated to verify.}
• FEB: Celebrated 1yr anniversary (Technically 29 Feb)
• JAN: Traveled home for my uncle's cancer surgery
• DEC: Joined Swap-Bot

~ Swap Received (From, Date) ~

• Milwaukee County Zoo PC (Mrs. Andrews in Iowa, 28Jun09)

Please let me know what swap this was intended for, and I will rate accordingly.