USAFwife

Updated & current as of May 29, 2019

Hi there! I'd like to start off by saying that I've been a letter writer and a snail mailer for all of my life! I started swapping by snail mail in the late 1980's with Friendship Books and the like, but I wrote to family members starting when I was about 3! Snail mail it is one of the few constants in my life. I love that with a note or letter, I can learn about a new country, custom or life style, meet a new person, and the world gets a bit smaller and less scary. I've been on and off Swap-Bot for a number of years, and think it can be a really great site.

But I'd like state that - swap-bot isn't my life. It adds to my life, but my world does not revolve around it. I have yet to host or sign up for a swap and not complete it, I've rated everything I've received - or haven't received. But I don't immediately reply to a PM or comment. I'd love to hear from you, feel free to send me a PM or comment on my profile. But give me a chance to reply - it might take a few days.

I'm not looking for drama or complaints, no accusations and hurt feelings. This is my fun hobby.

Just found out that we will be MOVING (again) sometime this year. Not sure when yet. But we will be moving from MA to WA, about 3000 miles of driving. I will continue to swap until our time gets close, get my mail forwarded, and be back once settled. But over the summer I have the FUN and EXCITING job of sorting and packing our things (again) so I won't be on SB as much. You can still contact me via PM and I will respond as soon as I am able to.

Our oldest son, Nathan, is graduating from high school this June (2019)! He's had a lot of set back and medical issues for the last 10 years, and we're not sure what is next for him, but high school will be a thing of the past! Our other 2 kiddos will be graduating next year, in 2020. How in the world did that happen? How can I have such old kiddos? I'm still like 25 years old, right? :)

I learned about the Write On Challenge a few years ago, and I LOVE it. Can't wait for April! (Completed 47 letters in 2019 during April and can wait until next April already!)

Just recently learned of the InCoWriMo 'vintage social media' challenge for the month of February and completed 28 handwritten, mailed letters in 28 days for my first year!

I'm a member of the Letter Writers Alliance and I recently founded a group here on swap-bot Reading & Writing for those who, like me, enjoy reading (or listening to) books, creative writing, and journal experiments. I love to join and take part in International swaps when possible just to hear about your part of the world. Even if it's in the US. :)

After coming across the Unread shelf Project 2019, I started a group called TBR Bookshelf as well, to keep me on track with my TBR as well as find others in the same situation. :)

I'm usually open to ideas for Private swaps as well, US or International. Just send me a PM!

Please don't feel you need to add tuck ins, if not specified in the swap. I'm perfectly OK with no tuck ins. Actually, I'd prefer no tuck ins unless it's Garfield!

And, although snail mail and pen pals are my first love in life, I need to cut back on pen pals, so I won't be seeking or accepting any new pen pal relationships. It's hard to say no to, but something I need to do. I will join - or host - a letter swap here or there in February and April or for letter writing challenges, but not for a new pen pal relationship.

MAILING

After I drop my mail off in the blue boxes or at the post office, I mark it 'sent'. The only postmarks I trust are the metered strips from the post office. If you're going to be late, just tell me. It's ok. I am more annoyed with a lack of communication than I am about being a few days late (or whatever) in sending a swap.

I get rather annoyed when people spell my name wrong. It's Cindi, NOT Cindy!

I hate Face book. I do have an account, and I remember to check it about once a year. I have an Instagram account and check it a bit more often - maybe monthly - but don't have 'friends' on either site. I'm fully anti-social media. Please don't ask me to be 'friends' or whatever on such sites, I don't use them. I recently heard a comedian say it's amazing how I can have 750 'friends' but no one to help me move the couch! That's how I feel.

So, about me & mine:

I'm turning 43 years old in January, married 23 years now, a mom to 3 teens and really am a USAF wife. (USAF = United States Air Force) We are currently in Western Massachusetts. I'm not thrilled with the current presidency or their politics, but I am an American.

I'm not Christian, but am 'Faithfully Religionless'. :) I have read a lot and participated in Wiccan celebrations, and enjoy reading about Buddhism. I sometimes miss the old traditions of the Lutheran services I used to attend, but that's not where my beliefs are. I am "LGBTQ friendly"

I deal with anxiety, migraines and depression, and it sucks. I'm also an Adult Child of Alcoholics. My children have varying levels of "special needs", including anxiety, Autism spectrum, and TBI. I'm a 'caregiver' for those who need it, and it is exhausting most days.

We have 3 pets, all rescues that have traveled the country with us. Ben is a Turkish Van cat, Jack is an orange tiger cat, and Falcon is a Husky mix dog. I'd love to have a hamster, but Ben is just too predatory for small animals. :(

I'm afraid of owls. If you could skip sending me owl images, stickers, washi tape and not decorate the envelope with owls I'd appreciate it. I'm also afraid of deep water and drowning, but I doubt you'll send me a pool, so that's probably ok. :)

I LOVE Garfield. I've loved Garfield all my life, and dearly enjoy getting anything related. I also love Disney's Aladdin! I"m so happy to see some of the 'old' Aladdin merch in the stores, with the Robin Williams Genie and so on. I loved that movie so much! If you have any stickers, note sheets, even a stray sheet of stationery, I'd love to receive it.

I would like

I prefer NOT to receive 'tuck ins' with swaps, But, if a tuck in is required for a swap,

I like trees, and prefer stars and moons to heart shapes; I prefer silver to gold; My favorite color is blue (dark rather than pastel);

any Garfield item,

Love "Little Golden Books" of all types - books themselves and the related items such as post its, book marks, magnets. Esp love Raggedy Ann, Cookie Monster, Sesame Street, Garfield and Disney's Brer Rabbit & related "Song of the South" items. My dad used to read those stories to me, and they are very difficult to find.

rainbows, unicorns, llamas, bulldogs, hamsters, items designed by Laurel Burch; pens - (business / promotional pens, souvenir pens); items with sun/moon/stars; Egyptian Gods/Goddesses (esp. Bast); I love old, abandoned buildings.

Although I cannot read them very well, I LOVE tarot cards. I love the artwork on them, and would be happy to receive a random tarot card - maybe wrap a washi tape sample around it. :)

I re-use or re-purpose as much as I can, prefer used books, and LOVE any paper that's not made from trees. Love the Leaning Tree line of cards and products. Bamboo paper is the best!

I do like coffee, my family likes tea, and we all enjoy hot chocolate (though no artificial sweeteners) I prefer Starbucks, and am stuck in the land of Dunkin' Donuts. :/ (but not for much longer!)

I don't drink alcohol, and my guilty pleasure drink is Pepsi. (Or Vanilla Coke, when I can find it!)

Cartoonish characters I like include: Garfield, Scooby Doo, Pooh Bear (especially Eeyore), Tiny Toons & Animaniacs, Sanrio's Gudetama, Adventure Time. Regular Show. Also Ziggy and Simon's Cat! :)

Disney themed/movies I especially enjoy: Aladdin, Emperor's New Groove, Hercules

Please, NO OWLS of any kind

please do not send:

Items that smell like cigarette smoke (I have to throw those away, outside, as they will give me very bad headaches), also please no scented candles, air fresheners, etc. for the same reason.

Items with my name spelled incorrectly

Owl paper, stickers, washi, etc .... I'm afraid of them, so it's actually traumatic.

Patriotic & 'God Bless America' type items - we are a military family, but do not care for those type of items.

I've made some Dotee Dolls, and do some journal swaps. I've made some Pocket Letters, but I think I prefer regular letters. My 'mail art' is usually limited to washi tape and/or stickers - or printed paper, as I make some envelopes, usually from book pages or calendar pages. I like to re-use items when possible.

Planners I'm not a planner person, but have a Passion Planner - I do like that style more, the binding, size and basic design - as well as a traveler's notebook. Recently started a Bullet Journal and enjoyed The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll so much, I just bought my own copy of the book! Just doing the basic journal at this point, though. Not adding art and charts.

I love to read. Prefer used books to new books. Also love audio books. I am on Goodreads, and I log in all my books there. Gave up on the 'book journal' as I do so many swaps for my lists and reviews, I was making several different copies. :(

I'm not a 'collector' of books - I like to practice 'catch and release' - I read it and then trade or donate it. I prefer to use the library and save the money!

Some of my favorite authors are:
Agatha Christie, Stephen King , Shirley Jackson, Timber Hawkeye, Sarah Rayne, Sylvain Neuvel, The Grimm Brothers :) Rick Riordan (LOVE the Percy Jackson series and off shoots)

Some favorite Children's books are Original Winnie the Pooh, Where the Wild Things Are, Oh the Places You'll Go, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Harry the Dirty Dog, Sweet Pickles series, Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree, Raggedy Ann books, many Little Golden Books.

Enjoy books about: Haunted houses, ghosts, and fairy tales, mysteries, cozy mysteries, historical fiction or mysteries. I read some biographies and memoirs, but don't care much for self help style books. And don't read many sci-fi or fantasy. And really not a fan of Harry Potter.

I enter giveaways for ARC's on Netgallery and Goodreads. I seem to love the thought of pre-reading a book!

TV & Movies

Some of my favorite actors are: Robert Downey Jr, Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, David Tennant

TV shows I watch & like: Are You Being Served? (Old BBC show), Supernatural, Sherlock, Dr Who, Northern Exposure, Broadchurch

Favorite Movies: The Mummy, The Haunting, Brother's Grimm, 10 Things I Hate About You, Clue;
Disney's Hercules, Disney's Emperor's New Groove, Disney's Aladdin. Although I'm not a huge Disney fan, I do like enjoy many of the movies and have re-watched them all several times.

Favorite Music The Monkees,Imagine Dragons,John Mayer, Katy Perry, Joan Baez, Soul Asylum, Enigma,Billy Joel, Daft Punk,Dar Williams, Bjork, Edwyn Collins, Ricky Martin (yes, really. I was a fan of Menudo when he joined, so that lingers). Saw Imagine Dragons in concert in June 2018 and it was amazing! :)

Also like to listen to the PG Comedy channel on Pandora. Some favorites are Jim Gaffigan, Kathleen Madigan, John Mulaney, Mike Birbiglia, Brian Regan.

I still love stickers! :) Stickers I would enjoy:

Lisa Frank, Garfield (any, they are the only ones I actually collect & don't use), Scooby Doo, rainbows, books, coffee, flowers, stars/moon/sun, fall/autumn, trees, unicorns are ok, realistic animals like dogs, cats, llamas, giraffes, sloths. I have been a fan of Sloths, Llamas, and Giraffes for many years, and am happy with the images that are gaining popularity now. :)

No owls

Cartoon types I'd enjoy: Garfield, Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes/Tiny Toons/Animaniacs, Muppets, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Muppets, Snoopy/Peanuts, Ziggy, Sesame Street (esp Big Bird and Cookie Monster)

I'd rather NOT receive: holidays, teachers rewards, little kid themes, big- eyed animals, OWLS!!!, hearts. Please do not send American flags or 'God bless America' or the like items.

Washi Tape

I would enjoy tapes with coffee, books, cats, sloths, giraffes, unicorns, rainbows, llamas, stars, moon, trees, butterflies, snowflakes are ok, and I like snowmen. Blue, purple or silver colored. I prefer silver to gold. I don't mind glitter washi tape, as long as it won't "shed" on the paper or in the envelope.