poofsizzle

Oct 24, 2008

Dear Swap partners:

well, it's been forever and I have obviously left things in a bad state. I'm not sure if I'm going to become an active member in swap-bot again (I have to figure out where there's a post office near my apartment as I can no longer mail lots of stuff from work) , but things in life have finally settled and I am looking to make right on the loose threads I've left behind. Some may say too-little, too-late. But I'm hoping people are more forgiving than that. PM's to those effected will be going out post-haste.

Melissa (aka poofsizzle)

I live in Chicago and love it here. I have the greatest dog, named Ripley (believe it or not) and spend most of my time just hanging out and having a good time.

Mostly Alternative stuff. Regina Spektor, Ditty Bops, Fall Out Boy, All-American Rejects are currently my top plays. I also like a bunch of Canadian stuff Moxy Fruvous, the Aarogant Worms, Mark Reeves... I sing in a chorus (well) and I play guitar (badly) but I love to sing as I strum. (Or more acurately strum while I sing). I am learning the fiddle, and I used to play Viola (or as I told a music prof. that I was talking to my viola is hibernting - I still have it I just haven't picked it up more than once or twice in the past 10 years.)

Action or Suspense. I like heist flicks or ones with a twist at the end the most. But then again chick-flicks are best for repetative viewing.

Veronica Mars (Booo they cancled it), House, Bones, Monk. I like Survivor and Kid Nation and some of the Dance reality shows... I'm not sure why - I can't dance.

Knitting, Beading, Making models of bridges out of balsa wood (though I haven't had much time for model making lately). Sewing purses. I have finally started making cold-process oil and lye soap... it's a blast! I also really like black and white photography. Right now I just collect it, but I'd like to take a class and get into a dark room.

I knit - my favorite things usually involve lace patterns and smaller accessory-type projects. I am knitting my first pair of socks an I am loooooving it! so simple, and jet involved, and so fast. it is very rewarding.

I'm not too picky about my materials as long as it is natural fiber, but in general the softer the better.

I still do some beading, mostly either combined with knitting or making stitch markers, or making book thongs. I only use glass, wood and metal beads.

Mostly I read Mysteries, Fantasy, and philosophy, though recentlyu I am mostly reading things that are historical action/mystery/suspense/quest novels. I don't really know if there is a proper title for the gene but it includes stuff like Dan Brown, Elizabeth Kostova, Raymond Khoury...

I also have a bit soft spot for well done YA stuff... oooo guilty pleasures... Harry Potter, Dark Matterials Trilogy, Sisterhood of the Traveling pants, the Twilight saga... And I have also been v. into the whole "cozy" mystery thing lately. (I really shouldn't admit to it but it is great when you want something really lazy to do...)

I am a big tea drinker. Where other people drink pop/soda or wine/beer, I'm all about the tea. For me it is a year round drink. Most of what I drink is loose leaf, but some is bagged - especially when I'm on the go. Now that I'm swapping it I've discovered that as tea has become more popular the quality of a lot of the tea bags has gone up. I am abit embarrased to say that I recently went throught my loose teas and discovered that I'm up to 40 different kind - whoops :)

I drink black, white and oolong. I'm really picky about Green tea I really only enjoy it as loose tea (I've yet to find a gree tea in a tea bag that I like). I'm not generally a fan of red tea (roobois)though occationally I come across some that uses a lot of other herbal flavors that is good. I have been having a great time with tea swaps here on swapbot.

I do drink plain coffee, but really only first thing in the morning when I'm too out of it to really taste it :)j/k It just that I have to be in the right mood/mind frame for coffee where tea is sooo very good whenever. Later in the day I like expresso drinks that are full of milk and flavorings. I also love hot apple cider in the fall, and hot coco when it's cold.

I love yellow flowers, Roses that smell, Forget-me-nots, irises, and columbines.

My favorite color combination is purple and green. Odd I know... but in general I like cool colors, so I suppose it does make sense... if your me. :) I am also big on Teals and heathery pinks.

I ride my bike all the time. I try to commute to work (9miles each way) for about 6 months of the year, but it was a rainy spring/summer so I was very bad this past year.

I've gotten some great tea bags. So far my favorite new finds have been wedgewood tea and Nordqvist tea from finland. Mmmmm they was good! I am also currently sitting here dringing a bag of Twinnings Lemon and Ginger Herbal Tea that is really yum. (since posting this I've gotten several other brands as well of lemon ginger and they've all been great. I'm convinced that it is just a truely excellent flavor combination, especially for summer - it's so clean and refreshing.) I really like ginger is everything. I got a pretty tea cup in the tea party swap and some interesting yarn from the magic yarn ball swap.

Take any pride in craftsmanship. For me sending things it is as much about sending something that will make someones day as it is about receiving someting that will make your day. When you send things unfinnished, or have rushed through them so they look sloppy, or have clearly put no thought in them it is just a waste of postage and supplies. If it is a difference of receiving something a bit late or receiving something poorly made, I'd rather get an email explaining the problem and wait the extra time or get an email saying "well I was going to make you X but that's really not working out can I send you Y instead?" I will almost always say Yes - I'd rather receive something you are proud of even if it is not quite what the swap dictates. I will still give a 5 if you communicate and show the extra effort.