thureris

Hello! I'm Janie, a 34-year-old lady living in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my best friend and our two cats, Nora and Kit. I am single and childless, both by choice. :)

I love mail and have been penpalling since about 2008, and joined Swap-Bot in 2013. I'm not always the most active, but I love this community!

I try to always send out swaps as soon as possible after partners are assigned, and I never send late. If for any reason you have not received a swap from me, it comes damaged, has postage due, or you're unsatisfied, please message me before rating. I would be more than happy to resend.

I always rate immediately after receiving swaps. If a reasonable time has passed and I still haven't rated you, please don't hesitate to contact me.

If I do not receive a swap, I will always contact my partner before rating. I realize life happens (and that the postal service is fallible) and would rather not give out 3s and 1s. If something comes up and you know your swap will be late, please tell me ahead of time.

I typically join domestic swaps (because of postage costs). These days I almost exclusively participate in group swaps, which is why I am in so many groups!

I love being surprised and will appreciate anything you send. But since I do occasionally join profile-based swaps, here’s a list of some of the things I particularly enjoy:

˖ colors: cool tones (especially green), pinks, metallics
˖ tea - all kinds, but black is preferred (I also happily accept loose-leaf/non-factory packaged teas as long as they are neatly wrapped and labelled, even if the swap calls for packaged tea)
˖ washi tape
˖ cats, and especially stuff where the cats resemble mine - Ava is a medium-haired calico and Nora and Kit are short-haired mostly-black torties.
˖ touristy things from your town/area - I love learning about where people live
˖ the moon
˖ flowers & florals
˖ Pre-Raphaelite art
˖ ancient Egypt
˖ mythology, folklore, legends, & tall tales
˖ Halloween
˖ clear stamps
˖ ephemera
˖ mug rugs
˖ postage stamps (both used & unused!)
˖ pocket letters
˖ flip books
˖ ATCs
˖ zines
˖ stickers - I would particularly appreciate any tiny alphabet stickers
˖ libraries & books
˖ feminism
˖ Scandinavian anything
˖ glam rock
˖ lilacs & lavender
˖ occult/witchy stuff - especially tarot, astrology, crystals
˖ crosswords
˖ the paranormal & anything spooky - send me your personal ghost story!
˖ tattoos (both temporary and permanent)
˖ castles
˖ cemeteries & graveyards
˖ BTS & Stray Kids
˖ I’m fine receiving things that are a little risqué/provocative (e.g., curse words, tasteful nudity, dirty jokes)

I'm really not picky at all, and even if I'm sent something I don't personally care for, I'll just send it along to someone else. That being said, I thought I'd try to make a list just to be helpful.

˖ coffee
˖ foam stickers
˖ anything that needs to be sent on (fbs, etc.)
˖ lotion or skincare, as I’m very particular
˖ Christian items (I celebrate Christian holidays but am not interested in any religious material)

I'm a chronic craft dabbler!

In terms of mail art, I've recently gotten really into flip books, pocket letters, and ATCs. I'm still very new to these and they are kind of outside of my comfort zone, so please be gentle - but I'd love any productive feedback you have!

I can't draw to save my life, so my artsier crafts are mostly collage/mixed media/abstract.

Other crafts I enjoy include sewing (primarily clothing), cross stitch, embroidery, and crochet.

I'm an avid reader - recommendations are always welcome!

My favorite genres are fantasy, magical realism, feminist fiction, and anything that utilizes mythology in a compelling way.

Some of my favorite authors include: Angela Carter ˖ Alice Hoffman ˖ Neil Gaiman ˖ Ursula K. Le Guin ˖ Octavia Butler ˖ N.K. Jemisin ˖ Frances Hodgson Burnett ˖ Elizabeth Peters ˖ Margaret Atwood ˖ Shirley Jackson ˖ Nora Roberts ˖ Beverly Jenkins

I'm a podcast junkie and am subscribed to ~35! (I finally freed myself from the self-set expectation to listen to every single episode of every single one; now I just listen if the description sounds appealing.) I'm always open to suggestions and recommendations! Some of my favorite topics/specific podcasts:

˖ self-help/self-improvement (Happier with Gretchen Rubin, By the Book)
˖ personal finance (Choose FI, Afford Anything, Frugal Friends, How To Money, YNAB)
˖ general educational (99% Invisible, The History of Egypt, You're Wrong About, Maintenance Phase)
˖ pop culture (Pop Culture Happy Hour, Reply All, Satellite Sisters)