USAFwife

Updated & current as of December 5, 2019

I have a new mailing address and have updated my records here. Please check that you are mailing swaps to me in WA! And that the zip code is 98439! If that is not the address you are being given, please PM me and ask for the address.

And please notice!!! I now live on a military installation again! The mail is slow! And the on base USPS is super picky about 'questionable' packages! If you are sending me anything at all 'lumpy' please take it to the USPS counter, if possible, to get stamped and marked. That usually helps the folks here feel safer. And please note - my mail will get randomly opened! Just part of living in such an environment.
If you are sending from outside the USA please be sure you use whatever necessary customs labels - this will help the mail get to me faster, and hopefully not be opened.

Mailing: I mark a swap 'sent' when I drop it in the box. Sometimes on a holiday or weekend, it may sit, unmarked, for a few days before starting it's journey to you. So post marks don't always match up. But I do try to send out as soon as partners are assigned, if possible. As for rating, I rate as soon as I open the swap. If I can't rate right away, I hold off opening the mail until I can rate. And I do believe in giving hearts, even for e-mail swaps. The amount of time you put in is what earns a heart, and am a believer that email swaps can earn hearts as well. All swaps are welcome for me.

Holidays! For any holiday swaps I sign up for, I will probably be ok with whatever you send. While I am not Christian, I understand many are, so if the card you send has a Bible verse, it's ok.
If given a choice, I prefer 'holiday wishes' with winter scenes or funny/numerous cards, Festivus, Solstice and the like. I would be happy with a Krampus card, Snoopy or just about anything. I'd prefer less glitter, if possible, and if you'd like to tell me your holiday traditions or share a recipe, I'd love to read it. I find customs and traditions fascinating, so I'm happy to hear about them all. :)

Back to our regularly scheduled profile:

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. Days when my husband is home (weekends, holidays) I'm not on the computer much, and I have 3 kiddos with special needs. Family comes first.

I learned about the Write On Challenge a few years ago, and I LOVE it. Can't wait for April! Also participate in the InCoWriMo 'vintage social media' challenge for the month of February and am a member of the Letter Writers Alliance and I 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, and help them, too, tackle those long TBR lists. :)

I'm usually open to ideas for Private swaps as well, US or International. Just send me a PM! And I will do private swaps with new swappers from time to time. Just ask!

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!

MAILING

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'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 43 years old , married 24 years now, a mom to 3 teens and really am a USAF wife. (USAF = United States Air Force) We are currently in Washington (state). 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 try to keep their hair/fur and dander out of my swaps, but it may happen, for which I apologize.

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!, Disney's Haunted Mansion, Disney's Emperor's New Groove.

We are now big fans of She Ra and the Princesses of Power show on Netflix! I think my husband looks forward to the new episodes more than the kids do! :) Other things family is in to - Star Wars ("the old ones" apparently), Fullmetal Alchemist, My Hero Academia and my daughter loved "Voltron" on Netflix "until the last season ruined it all". My hubby watches football, but no particular team. He's more of a soccer fan. I grew up a Chicago Bears fan, and hubby first liked the Indy Colts, then we followed Payton Manning to the Denver Broncos. Seattle Seahawks are the new local team, and he follows that.

Fall, then winter, are my favorite times of the year, and Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's a quiet day at home, and the house usually just smells so good! I don't 'do' Black Friday, and am not really a shopper, I dislike crowds.

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!

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!

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

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.

Would rather not receive tea bags. And though I like coffee, I'd rather not receive coffee in swaps.

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 Just doing the basic journal at this point, though. Not adding art and charts. I have no need for washi or stickers that are planner themed.

I love to read. Prefer used books to new books. And this past summer, I have been relying more and more on e-books. I love getting ARC's from publishers, too. :) Prefer mysteries, but I read all types of books. (Think "Murder She Wrote" and Agatha Christie - that's most often my style.) I'm branching out more to paranormal books including paranormal romance (esp featuring dragons. Don't know why that's an interest, but there you go.) Not a fan of vampire novels. If I do read romance or erotica, it is usually lesbian themed.

I also LOVE audio books. I probably listen to more books than I read, but also enjoy listening to favorites multiple times. We listen to audio books together as a family, when eating dinner or in the car. Some from 2019 were "Becoming" by Michelle Obama, "The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass" by Frederick Douglass, "Dracula" by Bram Stoker, "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, and "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown.

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) And of course - Washington Irving. Edgar Allen Poe isn't too bad either. :) A newer interest is Molly Harper, also like the Dresden files series by Jim Butcher (because they are narrated by James Marsters - Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - and he's an amazing narrator!)

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 LOVE the original Grimm Brother's type fairy tales and folk tales. I would always welcome local traditions and folk lore that you would like to share.

Podcasts I listen to a few podcasts, and my favorites are Lore, Cabinet of Curiosities and Unobscured by Aaron Mahnke, Buddhist Boot Camp by Timber Hawkeye, History Goes Bump by Diane Student. Usually listen to Serial from This American Life.

TV & Movies

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

TV shows I watch & like: Are You Being Served? (Old BBC show), Supernatural, Sherlock, Dr Who, Northern Exposure, Broadchurch, Golden Girls, Murder She Wrote, Lore on Amazon Prime. Recently been watching Nailed It on Netflix, and prefer the French version, for whatever reason.

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, Disney's Hercules, Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney's Haunted Mansion.

Favorite Music The Monkees,Imagine Dragons,John Mayer, Katy Perry, Joan Baez, Soul Asylum, Enigma, Billy Joel, Daft Punk, Bjork, Edwyn Collins, Ricky Martin (yes, really. I was a fan of Menudo when he joined, so that lingers).

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. Also, anything relating to drinking wine (I don't drink) or any of the motivational phrases with that brush lettering style of writing. I have a hard time reading it for whatever reason. Also, not a fan of cursing or profanity in stickers and the like.

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.