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About this blog

She just sings whatever she's seen

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2007 Book List

So, evidently I am going to primarily be using my blog for lists.   This is a list of books I've read/started/finished/etc. in 2007. 'Cause, you know, it's the in thing.   Read Entirely in 2007 1. The Trolley to Yesterday - John Bellairs 2. The Lamp from the Worlock's Tomb - John Bellairs 3. Vengence of the Witchfinder - John Bellairs 4. Doom of the Haunted Opera - John Bellairs 5. The Secret of the Underground Room - John Bellairs 6. The Great Snape Debate - Amy Berner, Orson Scott Card, Joyce Millman 7. Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey 8. Kushiel's Chosen - Jacqueline Carey 9. Kushiel's Avatar - Jacqueline Carey 10. Neverwhere - Mike Carey, Garth Ellis (graphic novel) 11. Alice in Wonderland - Louis Carroll (reread for forum Book Club) 12. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (reread with son) 13. The Witches - Roald Dahl (reading with son) 14. A Christmas Carol and Other Stories - Charles Dickens (annual reread of ACC, first go round with "The Chimes" and "Cricket in the Hearth") 15. Geek Love - Katherine Dunn 16. Interworld - Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves 17. Vanished - Tess Garretson 18. Hell to Pay - Simon Green 19. Guilty Pleasures - Laurel K. Hamilton 20. The Laughing Corpse - LKH 21. Circus of the Damned - LKH 22. Bloody Bones - LKH 23. The Killing Dance - LKH 24. A Kiss of Shadows - LKH 25. A Caress of Twilight - LKH 26. Seduced by Moonlight - LKH 27. A Stroke of Midnight - LKH 28. Dead Until Dark - Charlene Harris 29. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlene Harris 30. Club Dead - Charlene Harris 31. Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison 32. The Good, the Bad, the Undead - Kim Harrison 33. Every Which Way but Dead - Kim Harrison 34. Fistfull of Charms - Kim Harrison 35. Native Tongue - Carl Hasissian 36. Injustice for All - J.A. Jance 37. Trial by Fury - J.A. Jance 38. Taking the Fifth - J.A. Jance 39. Improbable Cause - J.A. Jance 40. A More Perfect Union - J.A. Jance 41. Dismissed With Prejudice - J.A. Jance 42. Payment in Kind - J.A. Jance 43. Without Due Process - J.A. Jance 44. Failure to Appear - J.A. Jance 45. Lying in Wait - J.A. Jance 46. Breach of Duty - J.A. Jance 47. Long Time Gone - J.A. Jance 48. Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs - Chuck Klosterman 49. Swordpoint - Ellen Kushner 50. A Feast for Crows - George R.R. Martin 51. The Hedge Knight (graphic novel) - George RR Martin 52. Deerskin - Robyn McKinley 53. The Hero and the Crown - Robyn McKinley 54. Spindle's End - Robyn McKinley 55. Sunshine - Robyn McKinley 56. Moby Dick - Herman Melville (via LJ) 57. V for Vendetta (graphic novel) - Alan Moore 58. Sir Thursday (The Keys to the Kingdom) - Garth Nix 59. Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell (reread from childhood) 60. 3rd Degree - James Patterson 61. 4th of July - James Patterson 62. 5th Horseman - James Patterson 63. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (reread from childhood) 64. Clockwork - Phillip Pullman 65. The Firework Maker's Daughter - Phillip Pullman 66. The Antipope - Robert Rankin 67. Brightonomicon - Robert Rankin 68. Piece of My Heart - Peter Robinson 69. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (reread) 70. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling (reread) 71. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban - J.K. Rowling (reread) 72. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (reread) 73. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (reread) 74. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (reread) 75. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling (x2) 76. Broken Prey - John Sandford 77. Subterranean (Hellblazer novel) - John Shirley 78. Perfume: Story of a Murderer - Patrick Suskind 79. The Secret History - Donna Tartt 80. Take the Cannoli - Sarah Vowell 81. Dark Lover - J.R. Ward 82. Lover Eternal - J.R. Ward 83. Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward 84. Lover Revealed - J.R. Ward 85. Lover Unbound - J.R. Ward 86. Fables: Arabian Nights (and Days) Graphic Novel v. 7 - Bill Willingham 87. Fables: Wolves Graphic Novel v. 8 - Bill Willingham 88. Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall Graphic Novel (prequel) - Bill Willingham 89. Lord of Light - Roger Zalany   Started in 2006 or before, finished in 2007 Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman The Neverending Story - Michael Ende Cages - Dave McKeon (2005) Life of Pi (originally started in 2005, completely restarted because I lost the book and refound it!)   In progress (if not started in 2007, starting year in parens) Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren(2006) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Les Mis - Victor Hugo (via LJ) Jambalaya - L. Tisch Black House - Steven King/Peter Straub Dead to the World - Charlene Harris   The island of the just couldn't finish Haunted - Chuck Palonick

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To everything there is a season

After almost two decades of protests, my alma mater, the University of Illinois, has decided to retire its mascot "Chief Illiniwek". They will retain the name "Fighting Illini", desipite the fact that tribe that gives the state, and the Chief, and the sports teams their name, the Illiniwek tribe, were a peaceful tribe that didn't fight - which probably helped account for the fact that they were completely wiped out in earlier centuries.   I'm taking the time to write about this because it is in part, the culmination of years of effort that I was a part of back in the early 1990s when I was a student at UofI. As a freshman and later I marched against the Chief, I met with the off-campus protesters. Somewhere I have the Daily Illini photo, not online, alas, of my sophomore year roomate and I holding up a banner bearing the admonishion - "What if the Pope were our mascot?", complete with little pope mugs and t-shirts. I think I still have the mug cut out somewhere as well.   Robert Novak and his ilk are up in arms about the PC police and caving in to political pressure. But what this really should be about is basic respect. Respect for the people around you. Respect for Native Americans on campus and for the tribes who are portrayed in the Illiniwek dance.   It's about time. And it's overdue.

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Books for 2009

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2009.   Read Entirely in 2009 1. Heat Lightning - John Sandford (S) (M) 2. The Discworld Graphic Novels (The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic)- Terry Pratchett (GN) (SF) (S) 3. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini (YA) (S) (F) 4. Stolen - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 5. MacBeth (original text graphic novel) (GN) 6. Blood Lite (anthology) (SW) (V) 7. Buried Onions - Gary Soto (AOC) (YA) 8. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues - Ellen Raskin (YA) (R ) (M) 9. The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin (YA) (R ) (M) 10. The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy (AOC) 11. City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau (YA) (SF) (S) (F) 12. Fables: Sons of Empire - Bill Willingham (GN) (S) 13. Wild Ducks Flying Backwards - Tom Robbins (SW) 14. Blue Light - Walter Mosley (AOC) (SF) 15. Snow White and Rose Red - Patricia Wrede (F) 16. Coraline - Neil Gaiman (R ) (YA) 17. Fledgling - Octavia Butler (AOC) (V) 18. Dawn - Octavia Butler (AOC) (S) (SF) 19. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (F) (R ) 20. All the Colors of Darkness - Peter Robinson (M)(S) 21. White Witch, Black Curse - Kim Harrison (S) (V) 22. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 23. Chalice - Robin McKinley (F) (read a second time in December) 24. Beauty - Robin McKinley (F) 25. Dinosaur Tales - Ray Bradbury (R of most stories) (SF) (SW) 26. Wolfskin - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 27. The Beast Under the Wizard's Bridge - John Bellairs/Brad Strickland (M) (S) (YA) 28. Wolf Tower - Tanith Lee (S) (F) (YA) 29. Superior Saturday - Garth Nix (F) (S) (SF) (YA) 30. Dime Store Magic - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 31. Industrial Magic - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 32. Four is a Crowd - Emily Chase (S) (YA) 33. Dead Girls are Easy - Terry Gerey (S) (V) 34. Lessons from the Fat-O-Sphere - Kate Harding & Marianne Kirby (NF) 35. Taste of Night - Vicki Pettersson (S)(V) 36. Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley (S) (SF) 37. Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 38. Tithe - Holly Black (S) (F) (YA) 39. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 40. A Match Made in Hell - Terry Garey (S) (V) 41. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 42. Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris (S)(V) 43. Nation - Terry Pratchett (YA)(SF) 44. Damage Control - J.A. Jance (S)(M) 45. Haunted - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 46. Specials - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 47. Broken - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 48. Hatter M - Frank Beddor, et al (S)(GN)(F) 49. A Child Across the Sky - Jonathan Carroll (F) 50. Stormy Weather - Carl Hiassen 51. Foxmask - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 52. Jenny of the Tetons - Kristiana Gregory (YA) 53. Appointment with Death - Agatha Christie (M) 54. Adulthood Rites - Octavia Butler (AOC) (S) (SF) 55. Lucky You - Carl Hiassen 56. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (R ) (S) (F) (YA) 57. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (F) (R ) (S) (TA) 58. Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation - Ray Bradbury, Tim Hamilton (R for text) (GN) (SF) 59. Wicked Prey - John Sanford (M) (S) 60. Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey (S) (F) 61. 8th Confession - James Patterson (M) (S) 62. Extras - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 63. The Forest House - Marion Zimmer Bradley (S) (F) 64. Heir to Sevenwaters - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 65. Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 66. Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 67. Rose Daughter - Robin McKinley (F) 68. White Apples - Jonathan Carroll (F) 69. Making Money - Terry Pratchett (S) (SF) 70. The Dark Mirror - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 71. Fables: The Good Prince - Bill Willingham (GN) (S) 72. Embroideries - Marjane Satrapi (AOC) (GN) (S) 73. The Blade of Fortiu - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 74. Sandman: The Doll's House - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 75. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (v.1) - Alan Moore (GN) (S) (SF) 76. Coraline: The Graphic Novel - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (F) (YA) 77. Succubus Blues - Rachelle Mead (S) (V) 78. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (v.2) - Alan Moore (GN) (S) (SF) 79. Skin Tight - Laurel K. Hamilton (S)(V) 80. Palimpsest - Catherynne M. Valente (F) 81. A Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula K. LeGuin (F) (S) 82. A People's History of the American Empire - Howard Zinn, et al (GN) (NF) 83. The Sharing Knife: Beguilement - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 84. The Gates of Sleep - Mercedes Lackey (S) (F) 85. Sandman: Dream Country - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 86. Wildwood Dancing - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) (YA) 87. Skinny Dip - Carl Hiassan 88. Bread and Butter Journey - Anne Culver (YA) (S) (R ) 89. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 90. No Humans Involved - Kelley Armstrong (S) (V) 91. Double Whammy - Carl Hiassan 92. The Wooden Sea - Jonathan Carroll (F) 93. Lady of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley (S) (F) 94. The House Where Nobody Lived - Brad Strikland (YA) (M) (S) 95. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare (S)(YA) (V) 96. Touch of Twilight - Vicki Pettersson (S)(V) 97. The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury (R ) (YA) (SF) 98. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger 99. Sandman: Season of Mists - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 100. Real Food for Mother and Baby - Nina Planck (NF) (S) 101. The Austure Academy - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 102. The Ersatz Elevator - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 103. The Vile Village - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 104. The Hostile Hospital - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 105. The Carniverous Carnival - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 106. The Slippery Slope - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 107. The Grim Grotto - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 108. The Pentultimate Peril - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 109. The End - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 110. Quicker than the Eye - Ray Bradbury (SW) (SF) 111. Feminist Theory from Margin to Center - bell hooks (NF) (AOC) 112. The Ghostway - Tony Hillerman (S) (M) 113. The Sharing Knife: Legacy - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 114. Sandman: Game of You - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 115. The Sharing Knife: Passage - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 116. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare (S)(YA) (V) 117. Kissing the Witch - Emma Donoghue (YA) (SW) (F) 118. The Sharing Knife: Horizon - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 119. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (R ) 120. Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman (YA) (F)   Chapter books read with Son 1-7 The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 5, 14, 16-20) 8-11. Captain Underpants (v. 1, 3-5) Dinosaurs - Magic Treehouse Reference Book Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major - Ron Kidd Chasing George Washington - Ron Kidd Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone - JK Rowling (R for me) (S)   Started in 2008 or before, finished in 2009 1. Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris (2008) (S) 2. Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren (2006) (NF)   In progress (if not started in 2009, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) (AOC) (NF) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF) 13 1/2 - Nevada Barr (M) Lover Avenged - J.R. Ward (S) (V)     Island of the Could Not Finish Guilty Pleasures v 2 - Laurel K. Hamilton (GN) (S) (V) One for the Money - Janet Evanovich (S)(M) Tag Against Time - Helen Hughes Vick (YA) (S) (SF) Un Lun Dun - China Mieville (YA) (F) No Defense - Kate Wilhelm (S)(M)   Some coding: (AOC) = Author of Color (F) = Fantasy (GN) = Graphic Novel (M) = Mystery (NF) = Non-fiction (R ) = Reread (S) = Series (SF) = Science Fiction (SW) = Short Works (V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my! (YA) = Young Adult

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2013 Reading

Or, what is on by kindle/bookshelves/library record...   Read Entirely in 2013 1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs (S)(F) 2. Bone River - Megan Chance 3. Bones of the Moon - Johnathan Carrol 4. Infernal Devices - KW Jeter (F) (BC) 5. Chalice - Robyn McKinley ®(F) 6. Watership Down - Richard Adams (BC) (F) 7. A Perfect Blood - Kim Harrison (V)(S) 8. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn 9. Into the Woods - Kim Harrison (V)(S)(SF) 10. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - N. K. Jemisin (F)(AOC) (S) 11. The Drowning Girl - Caitlin R Kiernan (H) 12. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (R )(F)(BC) 13. Snow White and Rose Red: The Huntsman - Lily Fang (F) 14. Coraline - Neil Gaiman, P Craig Russell (GN) (YA) ® (F) 15. Movies in Fifteen Minutes - Cleolinda Jones (SW)(BPALER!) 16. The Broken Kingdoms - N.K. Jemisin (F)(S)(AOC) 17. The Wretched of Muirwood - Jeff Wheeler (S)(F) 18. The Scourge of Muirwood - Jeff Wheeler (S)(F) 19. The Kingdom of the Gods - N.K. Jemisin (F)(S)(AOC) 20. The Killing Moon - N.K. Jemisin (F)(S)(AOC) 21. The Blight of Muirwood - Jeff Wheeler (S)(F) 22. Paleofantasy - Marlene Zuk (NF) 23. The Grimm Curse: Snow White - Stephen Carpenter (S)(F) 24. After - Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (SW)(F)(SF)(YA) 25. The List - Konrath, J.A., Jack Kilborn (M)(S?) 26. The Ruth Valley Missing - Amber West (M) 27. The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman (F) 28. Embassytown - China Mieville (SF) 29. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead (V)(YA)(S)(BPALER!) 30. Frostbite - Richelle Mead (V)(YA)(S)(BPALER) 31. Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead (V)(YA)(S)(BPALER) 32. Blood Promise - Richelle Mead (V)(YA)(S)(BPALER) 33. Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 34. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler - E.L. Koningsberg (YA)(R )(BC) 35. After the Poison - Peter Robinson (M) 36. A Confusion of Princes - Garth Nix (YA)(SF) 37. Redshirts - John Scalzi (SF) 38. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rowling (YA)(F)(R ) 39. The Golden Compass - Phillip Pullman (R )(YA)(F)(W/S) 40. Dead Ever After - Charlaine Harris (F)(V)(S) 41. Bloodsucking Fiends - Christopher Moore (V)(S)(BC) 42. Ever After - Kim Harrison (F)(S)(V) 43. Shades of Gray - Jasper Fforde (F)(SF) 44. Spirit Bound - Richelle Mead (F)(V)(S)(YA) 45. Last Sacrifice - Richelle Mead (F)(V)(S)(YA) 46. Asylum - Kristen Selleck (S)(F) 47. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky (YAish) (BC) 48. Chalice (again) 49. The Infernals - John Connelly (YA)(S)(F) 50. A Reliable Wife - Robert Goolrick 51. The Iron Wyrm Affair - Lilith Saintcrow (S)(F) 52. The Subtle Knife - Phillip Pullman (R )(YA)(F)(W/S) 53. Summon the Keeper - Tanya Huff (F)(V)(S) 54. Virals - Kathy Reichs (S)(YA)(SF) 55. Dustlands: Blood Red Road - Moira Young (S)(F) 56. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (BC) 55. The Book of Lost Things - John Connelly (BC) 56. Oryx & Crake - Margaret Atwood (SFF)(S) 57. The Human Division - John Scalzi (SF)(S) 58. Unfortunately the Milk - Neil Gaiman (YA) 59. In the Woods - Tara French (S)(M) (BC) 60. The Cookoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith/JKR 61. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens - Classics Illustrated Edition (R for text)(GN) 62. Redifining Girly - Melissa Atkins Wardy (NF) (MY NAME IS IN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS! ;-) 63. The Life and Advertures of Santa Claus (YA)(W/S) (BC) ...I feel like I'm forgetting something here...   Started in 2012 or before, finished in 2013     In progress (if not started in 2013, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (started 2005, completely restarted in 2011) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW) (2010)   The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern The Amber Spyglass - Phillip Pullman (R )(YA)(F)(W/S)     Island of the Could Not Finish The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi Prospero Lost - L. Jeri Lamplighter (F) I am a Cat - Soseki Natsume (AOC) Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates - Tom Robbins (got to pg 277 and just couldn't give a crap anymore)   Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color/(BC)= Book Club/(F) = Fantasy/(GN) = Graphic Novel/(H) = Horror/(M) = Mystery/(NF) = Non-fiction/(R ) = Reread/(S) = Series/(SF) = Science Fiction/(SW) = Short Works/(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!/(YA) = Young Adult

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2014 Reading

ATTN! I HAVE MOVED MY BOOK TRACKING TO GOODREADS : https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1543793-em   2014 Books @ Goodreads     So...what is here right now is a snapshot up to about April, otherwise, check my bookshelves! I'm also in the process of moving each year over and will note that in the relevant posts. Or, what is on by kindle/bookshelves/library record...   Read Entirely in 2014 1. Hopeless - Colleen Hoover (romance, maybe series?) 2. S - JJ Abrams, Doug Darst 3. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn 4. The Giver - Lois Lowry (YA)(S)(D) 5. Dark Places - Gillian Flynn 6. Interworld - Neil Gaiman, Michael Reaves (SF)(YA)(R )(WS)(S) 7. Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood (S)(SF)(D) 8. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (technically started in 2013, but counting because I reread the few pages I started) 9. Fight Club - Chuck Palhonick (BC) 10. The Silver Dream - Neil Gaiman, Michael Reaves, Melody Reaves (SF)(YA)(WS)(S) 11. The Onion Girl - Charles DeLint (S)(F) 12. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (S)(YA)® 13. Divergent - Veronica Roth (S)(YA)(D) 14. The Knife of Never Letting Go - (YA)(S)(D) 15. The Maze Runner (YA)(S)(D) 16. Shards and Ashes (YA)(SW)(D) 17. The Magicians - Lev Grossman (S)(F) 18. The Magician King - Lev Grossman (S)(F) 19. Gathering Blue - Lois Lowry (S)(YA)(D) 20. The Ask and the Answer - Patrick Ness (A)(YA)(D) 21. Watching the Dark - Peter Robinson (S)(M) 22. Man and Wife - Andrew Klavan (M) 23. Orange is the New Black 24. Sabriel - Garth Nix ®(YA)(WS)(F)   Started in 2013 or before, finished in 2014 The Amber Spyglass - Phillip Pullman (R )(YA)(F)(W/S)   In progress (if not started in 2013, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (started 2005, completely restarted in 2011) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW) (2010)   Children of the Revolution - Peter Robinson The Hobbit (w/son)®           Island of the Could Not Finish     Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color/(BC)= Book Club/(D) = Dyatopia/(F) = Fantasy/(GN) = Graphic Novel/(H) = Horror/(M) = Mystery/(NF) = Non-fiction/(R ) = Reread/(S) = Series/(SF) = Science Fiction/(SW) = Short Works/(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!/(YA) = Young Adult

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Book List 2008

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2008.   Read Entirely in 2008 1. Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out - McSweeney's YA Short Story Collection 2. Lunatic Cafe - Laurel K. Hamilton 3. M is for Magic - Neil Gaiman 4. Dead as a Doornail - Charlene Harris 5. For a Few Demons More - Kim Harrison 6. The Cat's Pajamas - Ray Bradbury 7. The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost - John Bellairs 8. The Thief of Always - Clive Barker 9. Burnt Offerings - Laurel K. Hamilton 10. Blue Moon - Laurel K. Hamilton 11. Obsidian Butterfly - Laurel K. Hamilton 12. Train Man v1 (manga) 13. The Innocent Man - John Grisham 14. 6th Target - James Patterson/Maxine Gross 15. Narcissus in Chains - Laurel K. Hamilton 16. The Dark Secret of Whetherend - John Bellairs 17. Definitely Dead - Charlene Harris 18. Cerilean Sins - Laurel K. Hamilton 19. The Bloody Chamber - Angela Carter 20. Kushiel's Scion - Jacqueline Carey 21. Incubus Dreams - Laurel K. Hamilton 22. Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War - Clive Barker 23. Yuki Huma Dream Shoppe (manga) 24. Wild Ones v.1 (manga) 25. Not Safe After Dark - Peter Robinson 26. Micah - Laurel K. Hamilton 27. Friend of the Devil - Peter Robinson 28. Farewell Summer - Ray Bradbury 29. Serenity Rose Vol. 1 (graphic novel) 30. Mistral's Kiss - Laurel K. Hamilton 31. Grave Sight - Charlene Harris 32. Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlene Harris 33. Danse Macabre - Laurel K. Hamilton 34. Killing Yourself to Live - Chuck Klosterman 35. Roomates - Emily Chase 36. My Roomate is Missing - Emily Chase 37. Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey 38. Strange Candy - Laurel K. Hamilton 39. The 13th of Never (graphic novel) 40. Hellboy - Seed of Destruction - Mike Mignola (v. 1 graphic novel) 41. Justice Denied - J.A. Jance 42. Emerald Magic, Tales of Irish Fantasy - Andrew Greeley Ed. 43. The Harlequin - Laurel K. Hamilton 44. Nature Girl - Carl Haissian 45. 7th Heaven - James Patterson 46. Grave Surprise - Charlene Harris 47. The Outlaw Demon Wails - Kim Harrison 48. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris 49. You're No Friend of Mine - Emily Chase 50. My Dead Girlfriend (graphic novel) 51. Kushiel's Mercy - Jacqueline Carey 52. Keeping Secrets - Emily Chase 53. Hellboy - The Chained Coffin and Others - Mike Mignola (v. 3 graphic novel) 54. Hellboy - The Right Hand of Doom - Mike Mignola (v. 4 graphic novel) 55. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris 56. Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris 57. Hellboy - Conqueror Worm- Mike Mignola (v. 5 graphic novel) 58. Hellboy - Strange....- Mike Mignola (v. 6 graphic novel) 59. Rose - Jeff Smith & Charles Vess (graphic novel) 60. Dark Side of the Moon - John Sanford 61. Stardust - Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess (reread of text, first time w/illustrations) 62. Lady Friday - Garth Nix 63. Watchman - Alan Moore (graphic novel) 64. Parable of the Sewer - Octavia Butler 65. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris 66. Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi 67. A Lick of Frost - Laurel K. Hamilton 68. Glasshouse - Charles Stross 69. Daughter of the Forest - Juliet Marillier 70. Hellboy - The Troll Witch and Other Stories - Mike Mignola (v. 7 graphic novel) 71. Son of the Shadows - Juliet Marillier 72. Persepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi 73. Child of the Prophesy - Juliet Marillier 74. Storm Front - Jim Butcher 75. Maus I - Art Spiegelman 76. Maus II - Art Spiegelman 77. Kindred - Octavia Butler 78. Summer Blues - Emily Chase 79. Best Friends Forever - Emily Chase 80. Blood Noir - Laurel K. Hamilton 81. Wild Seed - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 82. Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 83. Invisible Prey - John Sandford 84. Hellboy - Wake the Devil - Mike Mignola (v. 2 graphic novel) 85. Hellboy - Darkness Calls - Mike Mignola (v. 8 graphic novel) 86. Mind of My Mind - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 87. Clay's Ark - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 88. Patternmaster - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 89. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 90. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman 91. Parable of the Talents - Octavia Butler 92. The Host - Stephanie Meyer 93. Bloodchild and Other Stories - Octavia Butler 94. Lover Enshrined - J.R. Ward 95. Across the Wall - Garth Nix 96. Phantom Prey - John Sandford 97. Survivor - Octavia Butler 98. Winter Study - Nevada Barr 99. Bitten - Kelly Armstrong 100. Exit Wounds - J.A. Jance 101. Dead Wrong - J.A. Jance 102. Halting State - Charles Stross 103. Silver Screen - Justina Robson 104. Swallowing Darkness - Laurel K. Hamilton 105. Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris 106. Scent of Shadows - Vicki Peterson 107. The Marriage of Sticks - Jonathan Carrol 108. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs 109. A Secret Rage - Charlaine Harris 110. Shakespeare's Counsler - Charlaine Harris 111. The Egypt Game - Zilpha Keatley Snyder 112. A Cristmas Carol - Charles Dickens (annual reread) 113. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (annual reread) 114. Outlaws of Sherwood - Robin McKinley 115. The Shining - Stephen King 116. The Final Death (Anita Blake Graphic Novel) 117. Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling (read stories to son as well)   Chapter books read with Son 1. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White (reread with son) 2. Stuart Little - E.B. White (reread with son) 3. Matilda - Roald Dahl (with son) 4. Trumpet of the Swan - E.B. White (reread w/son) 5. George's Marvelous Medicine - Roald Dahl (w/son) 6 - 45. The Magic Treehouse series (v. 1-40) 46. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler - E.L. Koningsberg (reread with son) 47. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling (abridged, w/son) 48. Who Really Killed Cock Robin - Jean Craighead George (reread w/son) 49-60. The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 1-4, 6-9, 11-13, 17) 61. The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum (w/R) 62. Cam Janson an the Mystery of the Missing Dinosaur Bones - David Adler 63. Transformers: The Search for the Allspark   Started in 2007 or before, finished in 2008 Dead to the World - Charlene Harris (2007) Les Mis - Victor Hugo (via LJ) (2007)   In progress (if not started in 2008, starting year in parens) Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren(2006) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins Blood Lite (anthology) Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris   In progress with R The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 10, 14)   Island of the Could Not Finish Death of a Darklord - Laurel K. Hamilton Hand of Evil - J.A. Jance Children of Chaos - John C. Wright Black House - Steven King/Peter Straub (2007) Artimis Fowl - Eoin Coifer Fool Moon - Jim Butcher Septimus Heap Book 1: Magyk - Angie Sage Mr. Monk in Outer Space - Lee Goldberg Inkspell - Cornelia Funke

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Books For 2010

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2010.   Read Entirely in 2010 1. Frostbitten - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 2. Heart's Blood - Juliet Marillier (F) 3. Sandman: Fables and Reflections - Neil Gaiman (S)(R )(GN) (F) 4. Cybele's Secret - Juliet Marillier (S)(YA)(F) 5. The Man with the Golden Torc - Simon R. Green (F)(S)(SF) 6. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon (S)(F) 7. The Well of Shades - Juliet Marillier (F)(S) 8. Sandman: Brief Lives - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 9. The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden - Catherine M. Valente (F)(S) 10. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming - Patricia Briggs (V)(GN)(S) 11. The Orphan's Tales: Cities of Coin and Spice - Catherine M. Valente (F)(S) 12. Once Dead, Twice Shy - Kim Harrison (V)(YA) 13. Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris (S)(V) 14. Flirt - Laurel K. Hamilton (S)(V) 15. Paladan of Souls - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 16. Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 17. City of Glass - Cassandra Claire (YA)(S)(F)(V) 18. Devine Misdemeaners - Laurel K. Hamilton (S)(V) 19. Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species (NF)(GN) 20. The Summoning - Kelly Armstrong (S)(YA)(V) 21. Men of the Otherworld - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) (SW) 22. Sandman: World's End - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 23. Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris (S) (SW)(V) 24. Lord Sunday - Garth Nix (S)(YA)(F) 25. Personal Demon - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) 26. Living With the Dead - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) 27. Sandman: The Kindly Ones - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 28. Fables: War and Pieces - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 29. Black Magic Sanction - Kim Harrison (S)(V) 30. Child of Fire - Harry Connelly (S)(V) 31. Jack of Fables: The (Nearly) Great Escape - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 32. Fables: The Dark Ages - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 33. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (R )(F) 34. Fables: The Great Fables Crossover - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 35. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 36. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 37. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 38. Sandman: The Wake - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 39. Voyager - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 40. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 41. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 42. Imago - Octavia Butler (S) (AOC)(SF) 43. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 44. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 45. Alex and the Ironic Gentleman - Adrienne Kress (YA) 46. Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut (SF) 47. Drums of Autumn - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 48. A Door in the Hedge - Robyn McKinley (F)(SW)(YA) 49. Tales of the Otherworld - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) (SW) 50. The Firey Cross - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 51. Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 52. Lord John and the Private Matter - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 53. The Homecoming - Ray Bradbury & Dave McKeon (SW)(GN)(R for story) 54. Pictures that Tick - Dave McKeon (SW)(GN) 55. Alibi Man - Tami Hoag (S) (M) 56. House of Mystery - Bill Willingham (GN) (S)(f) 57. Namaah's Curse - Jacqueline Carey (S) 58. Identity Crisis - Brad Meltzer & Rags Morales (GN) 59. Vampires Don't Sleep Alone - Elizabeth Barrial and DH Altair (V) 60. Peter and Max - Bill Willingham (S)(F) 61. World's End - Mark Chadbourn (S)(SF) 62. Exit Wounds - Rutu Modon (GN) 63. Darkest Hour - Mark Chadbourn (S)(SF) 64. The Gates - John Connolly (F) 65. A Breath of Snow and Ashes - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 66. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 67. Always Forever - Mark Chadbourn (S)(SF) 68. Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris (S) (V) 69. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown (S)(M) 70. Exile - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S)(GN) 71. Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 72. Now and Forever - Ray Bradbury (SF) 73. The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Begle (F) 74. Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett (SF) (S) 75. The Fall of Atlantis - Maron Zimmer Bradley (F) 76. A Christmas Carol and other Stories - Charles Dickens (R ) 77. Storm Prey - John Sanford (S)(M) 78. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (R ) (SW) 79. The Runaway Dragon - Kate Combs (YA) (F) 80. Steven Colbert's Tek Janson - (GN)(SF) 81. The Anarchist Convention and Other Stories - John Sayles (SW) 82. Sandman: The Dream Hunters - Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russel (F) (GN) (R for story)     Chapter books read with Son 1. Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman 2. D'Aulaire's Norse Gods & Giants - Ingri D'Aulaire 3. Fire and Wings: Dragon Tales from East and West - Marianne Carus 4. Favorite Norse Myths - Mary Pope Osborne 5. A Ring of Tricksters - Virginia Hamilton 6. The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient China - Leonard Everett Fisher 7. The Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Maya - Leonard Everett Fisher 8. Children of the Dragon - Sherry Garland 9. Spellbound - Anna Dale 10. Kenny and the Dragon... 11. Magic Tree House 44 12. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens 13. The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush - S. Jones Rogan (in progress as of 12-29) 14-37. The A-to-Z Mysteries - Ron Roy (Letters: A-L, N-U, W-Y, Special 1) 38. The Calendar Mysteries - Ron Roy (January) 39-50. The Boxcar Children Mysteries - Gertrude Changler Warner (1, 3-6, 8, 11, 14, 25, 51, 65, Special 11)   Started in 2009 or before, finished in 2010 Lover Avenged - J.R. Ward (2009) (S)(V) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) (AOC) (NF)   In progress (if not started in 2010, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW)   Island of the Could Not Finish 13 1/2 - Nevada Barr (2009) (M) Curse of Challion - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) Lover Mine - JR Ward Bullet - Laurel K. Hamilton   Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color(F) = Fantasy(GN) = Graphic Novel(M) = Mystery(NF) = Non-fiction(R ) = Reread(S) = Series(SF) = Science Fiction(SW) = Short Works(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!(YA) = Young Adult

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2012 Reading

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2012.   Read Entirely in 2012 1. Artimis Fowl - Eoin Cofer (S)(YA)(F) (Technically I started this in 2011, but I reread what I'd already read, so I'm counting it for 2012.) 2. Eternals - Neil Gaiman (GN) (S) 3. Land of Laughs - Johnathan Carroll 4. Yseult: A Tale of Love in the Age of King Arthur - Ruth Nestvold (F) 5. The Wright 3 - Blue Balliett (YA)(M) 6. Chalice - Robyn McKinley (F)(R ) 7. Black Wine - Candas Jane Dorsey (F) 8. The Gypsy Morph - Terry Brooks (F)(S)(SF) 9. Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner - Diana Gabaldon (S) 10. The Hangman's Daughter - Oliver Pötzsch 11. Magic Bites - Ilona Andrews (F)(V)(S) 12. Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception - Maggie Stiefvater (YA)(F) 13. The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (S)(F)(SF) 14. The Righteous - Michael Wallace (S)(M) 15. We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver 16. The Invisible Man (Illustrated Classics) - HG Wells (GN) 17. Snuff - Terry Pratchett (S)(SF) 18. Old Man's War - John Scalzi (SF) (S) 19. The Selkie Spell - Sophie Moss (F)(S) 20. The Ghost Brigades - John Scalzi (SF)(S) 21. Mighty and Strong - Michael Wallace (S)(M) 22. Mummy (Ramses the Damned) - Anne Rice (F)(V) 23. Naamah's Blessing - Jacqueline Carey (F)(S) 24. Circle of Magic: Tris's Book - Tamora Price (S)(F)(YA) 25. The Android's Dream - John Scalzi (SF) 26. Pegasus - Robin McKinley (F)(YA) 27. Fuzzy Nation - John Scalzi (SF) 28. Something Wicked This Way Comes, the Authorized GN - Ray Bradbury, Ron Wimberly (GN)(F)(R- for text) 29. American Gods 10th Anniversary Edition - Neil Gaiman (F)(R- for all but the preferred text bit) 30. Wicked - Michael Wallace (S)(M) 31. Green Shadows, White Whale - Ray Bradbury 32. The Grimm Curse: Once Upon A Time Is Now - Stephen Carpenter(?) (S)(F)(YAish) 33. Shadow Show: All-New Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury - Mort Castle,Sam Weller, eds. (SW) (F)(SF) 34. Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl (F) (YA) (S) 35. Ghost of a Chance - Simon Green (S)(F) 36. The Grimm Curse: Girl in the Red Hoodie - Stephen Carpenter(?) (S)(F)(YAish) 37. The Red Tree - Caitlin R. Kiernan (M)(H)(F) 38. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - Cathrynne Valente (YA)(F)(S) 39. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 40. Alpha & Omega - Patricia Briggs (S)(SW)(V) 41. EDGE - Various (GN)(SW) 42. Taliesin - Stephen R. Lawhead (F)(S) 43. Hunting Ground - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 44. Fifty Shades of Gray - E.L. James (S) 45. Fair Game - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 46. Season of the Harvest - Michael R. Hicks (S) (SFish) 47. Deadlocked - Charlene Harris (S)(V) 48. Echo - Jack McDevitt (S)(SF) 49. Seer of Sevenwaters - Juliet Marillier (S)(F) 50. Kraken - China Mieville (F) 51. Cthulhu Tales Omnibus: Delirium (GN) (SW) 52. The Eyes of the Killer Robot - John Bellairs (S)(M)(YA) 53. Why Have Kids? - Jessica Valente (NF) 54. Talon of the Unnamed Goddess, a Fantasy Adventure - C. R. Daems and J. R. Tomlin (F) 55. The Last Colony - John Scalzi (S)(SF) 56. Tommyknockers - Stephen King (H) 57. The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling 58. Katwalk - Karen Kijewski (M)(S) 59. Flush - Carl Hiassen (YA) 60. Skin Tight - Carl Hiassen 61. Irish Moon - Amber Scott (S)(F) 62. Scrooge and Marley - Karl F. Hollenbach (S sort of) 63. The Christmas Tree - Charles Dickens (NF sort of)(SW) 64. Hogfather - Terry Pratchett ®(S)(F) 65. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ® 66. Old Christmas - Washington Irving (NF sort of)(SW) 67. A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows: An Outlander Novella - Diana Gabeldon (S)(SW) 68. Dodger - Terry Pratchett (YA) 69. Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror - Priestley, Chris (YA)   Chapter books read with Son 1. Dogs in the Dead of Night (MTH 46) 2. Half Moon Investigations - Eoin Coifer Supernaturals-Eoin Coifer 3. The Wright 3 - Blue Balliett 4. Throne of Fire - Richard Riordon 5. Abe Lincoln at Last (MTH 47) 6. Charlie Bone 1 7. The Phantom Tollbooth 8. Hoot - Carl Hiassen 9. Chasing Vermeer - Blue Balliet (s) 10. Scat - Carl Hiassen 11. Chomp - Carl Hiassen 12. The Neverending Story - ®(F)   Started in 2011 or before, finished in 2012 Dances With Dragons - George R.R. Martin (S)(F) Halloween - Paula Guran (SW) (F) (2011) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF)   In progress (if not started in 2012, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (started 2005, completely restarted in 2011) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW) (2010)     Island of the Could Not Finish Barry Trotter and the Unauthorized Parody   Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color/(F) = Fantasy/(GN) = Graphic Novel/(H) = Horror/(M) = Mystery/(NF) = Non-fiction/(R ) = Reread/(S) = Series/(SF) = Science Fiction/(SW) = Short Works/(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!/(YA) = Young Adult

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Books for 2011

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2011.   Read Entirely in 2011 1. I Shall Wear Midnight - Terry Pratchett (F) (YA) (S) (368 pages) 2. Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Diana Gabaldon (F) (SW) (S) 3. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt - Mike Mignola (F)(GN) (S) 4. Rough Country - John Sanford (S)(M) 5. Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (F)(S)(YA) 6. Steampunk - Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (SF) (SW) (400 pages) 7. Bread and Butter Indian - Anne Culver (YA) (R ) 8. Graphic Classics Edgar Allen Poe (GN) (partial reread for text) 9. The Shadows (Elsewhere Book 1) - Jacqueline West (YA) (F) 10. Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan (YA) (F) (S) 11. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (F)(S)(YA) 12. Mad With Wonder - Frank Beddor, Sami Makkonen (GN) (F) 13. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan (YA) (F) (S) 14. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (F)(S)(YA) 15. Mystery and Dream - Charles DeLint (F) 16. The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan (YA) (F) (S) 17. The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan (YA)(F)(S) 18. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan (YA)(F)(S) 19. Pale Demon - Kim Harrison (F)(V)(S) 20. The Blue Castle - L.M. Montgomery (YA) (R ) 21. Muse and Reverie - Charles de Lint (F)(SW) 22. River Marked - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 23. The Mystery of Grace - Charles de Lint (F) 24. The Painted Boy - Charles de Lint (F)(YA) 25. Three Shadows - Cyril Pedrosa (GN) (F) 26. Burn - Nevada Barr (S)(M) 27. Dingo - Charles de Lint (F)(YA) 28. Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book - Tamora Pierce (YA)(F)(S) 29. Widdershins - Charles de Lint (F) 30. Chalice - Robin McKinley (F)® 31. Armagaddon's Children - Terry Brooks (F) © 32. Elves of Cintra - Terry Brooks (S)(F) 33. Storm Born - Rachelle Mead (S)(V)(F) 34. The Black Swan - Lee Carroll (S)(V)(F) 35. Angel Fire East - Terry Brooks (S)(F) 36. Thorn Queen - Rachelle Mead (S)(V)(F) 37. Freedom - Daniel Suarez (S) (SF) 38. Daemon - Daniel Suarez (S)(SF) 39. Bad Boy - Peter Robinson (S)(M) 40. Santa Olivia - Jacqueline Carey (F)(V) 41. Rotters - Daniel Kraus (YA) 42. The Watchtower - Lee Carrol (S)(F) 43. Iron Crowned - Rachelle Mead (S)(V)(F) 44. Downtown Owl - Chuck Klastermam 45. Rule 34 - Charles Stross (SF) (S) 46. Endangered Species (Lost novelizations) (S)(SF)(F) 47. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ®   Chapter books read with Son 1. The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush - S. Jones Rogan (2010) 2. The London Eye Mystery 3. The Curse of the Romeny Wolves - S. Jones Rogan 4. Leprechaun in Late Winter (MTH 43) 5. Crazy Day with Cobras (MTH 45) 6. Tales from the Oddessey v1 7. Tales from the Oddessey v2 8. D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths 9. D'Aulares Norse Gods and Monsters ® 10. Greek something 11.Greek something 12. The Lightning Thief 13. Sea of Monsters 14. The Titan's Curse 15. The Red Pyramid 16. Abarat 17. The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury 18. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident     Started in 2010 or before, finished in 2011   In progress (if not started in 2011, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (started 2005, completely restarted in 2011) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW) (2010) Dances With Dragons - George R.R. Martin (S)(F) Halloween - Paula Guran (SW) (F) Artimis Fowl - Eoin Cofer (S)(YA)(F)       Island of the Could Not Finish   Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color(F) = Fantasy(GN) = Graphic Novel(M) = Mystery(NF) = Non-fiction(R ) = Reread(S) = Series(SF) = Science Fiction(SW) = Short Works(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!(YA) = Young Adult

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~Snow Bunny Quests~

NEW QUESTIONS ADDED 11.21 3:30 ish   Milk or dark chocolate: Yes please! I like to think that I prefer dark, but really, secretly, I think I like milk just a little better, and I prefer bits in (crispies, caramel, fruit, etc). White is nice too.   Sooo. Yules. Those just happened. What are you interested in, Bunny? I ordered everything that I'm seriously interested in and have updated my wishlist with what I didn't order.   Coin purses: I think I already answered this one, but I probably wouldn't get much use out of one.   If your fox were to knit something for you, would it be a lacy shawl or a pair of socks? Yes please! I really truly would love either.   Would anyone else be interested in a soap dish or something like that? I don't really have a use (or a place) for one, honestly.   Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, which house do you identify with, and why? Would you want knitted things/replicas/accessories in your house colours? YES! I'm mostly Ravenclaw, with a side of either Gryffindor or Slytherin, depending on who's sorting. I would love a house scarf, as I think I already mentioned.   Are there any Yules from *PAST* years that you're interested in trying? Including past winter inquisitions? There's nothing that screams at me, but what I want to try is in my wishlist.   Let's talk about fruit! Do you like dried fruit or h ate it? Like some but not others? I'm not opposed to it, but dried fruit is not something I'd ever actively seek out unless I'm making fruitcake. I do LOVE fruitcake.   How do you feel about cherries? Prefer the sweet or tart versions? Dried? Jam? Salsa? Hot sauce? BBQ sauce? All your cherries are belong to me. I'm not so into hot sauce, though.   Bunnies! What is your general philosophy about patterns for accessories such as socks, scarves, and tights? Do you like solids? Stripes? Polka dots? Weird patterns like harlequin-type stuff? Any of the above? Patterns are love. Random not-so-patterns are also love.   Bunny, are you interested in anything from Geek Chic Cosmetics?   I've never heard of them. I do wear makeup, but other than a nice blue-black mascara, I'm pretty set at the moment.   Chile, yay or nay? Herm. Neither? I like a little heat, but I'm set for spicy chocolate and it's not a flavor I actively seek out otherwise.   Would you rather have an early reveal, or would you prefer one close to the end of the round? I do love me a surprise, but so long as you reveal at some point, I'm good either way.   Stuffed microbes from Think Geek LOVE THEM! Every year I covet the Christmas boxes.   Baking supplies? I think I've covered this pretty well?   Anniversary Update! Does anything interest you, Bunny? The only one I didn't order was Midnight, since the jasmine has the potential to be fatal. I'd love a sniffie of that one, otherwise, I'm set.   Cthulhu, yes or no? Of course!     NEW QUESTIONS ADDED 11.7 @ 2:00ish   A question: reveal, yes or no? Please yes! I hate not knowing who to thank! I do love the suspense of wondering who is sending to me, though. I usually reveal in the last shipment.   Any favorite cuddly characters? I used to be really into Sanrio, but not so much anymore. I love Uglydolls. And Kermit. But mostly I just like soft cuddly things. I don't really collect anything anymore.   Charity gifts? Either fair-trade type stuff, or virtual type gifts, like vaccinations or school supplies being bought on your behalf, or something along those lines? Sure.   Bunny, are you interested in tarts from Two Timing Tart? What scents, if any, are you interested in? Wow, those look amazing. I'd be interested in trying tarts or candles of any of the following: Insomniac, Tease, Teatime With Mary Pickford, Innocence, Bombshell, ANY of the autumn or winter seasonals, Exp 3 or 5, Sex Kitten, Pornography   Do you need any holiday recipes? Is there something in particular that you'd like baked or made for you? And for those of you doing the no sugar/low sugar, etc. thing these days, how about savory things? I don't *need* any holiday recipes, but I'd love any you'd like to share, along with just about any baked goods. I like savories as well as sweets, but there's *no* need to avoid sugar.   Speaking about candles, how much do you look forward to the BPTP candles that will be launched on Etsy? I don't know if there will be other scents than the Samhain and Pumpkin Cookie one, but is there a specific one you are longing for? Both Samhain and Pumpkin Cookie sound amazing.   Does anyone have issues with gently used things like books, etc.? Not at all!   Are you a big ol' nerd for any particular subject? Science, math, linguistics, etc? Or particular authors/fandoms? Not really. The book post I linked below probably answers this best. I am sort of into Harry Potter fandom, but not madly. Probably my nerdiest passion is Shakespearian adaptations, like Kurasawa's Ran and Throne of Blood, Rosencranz and Gildenstern are Dead and the like.   Bunnies, how do you feel about lemon-flavored items, like lemon marmalade, lemon curd, lemon pound cake, or lemon cookies? All your lemon are belong to me.   Fingerless mittens or full mitts? Er...I've never had fingerless, so I have no idea! Although reading some of the comments to this one, it would seem that I need some fingerless gloves for those days when it's frakkin cold in my office and I can no longer use my space heater because it keeps tripping the breaker. Not that I'm bitter about that or anything.   Pink? I don't hate pink, especially if it veers toward raspberry/purply, but it's definitely not a fave.   Thematic scarves? Extrapolating from the Tom Baker scarf discussion, I am not enough of a Doctor Who fan to covet this particular scarf, but I would love a Hogwarts house scarf! Ravenclaw or Slytherin, or Slytherclaw (which would work well with the movie colors).   What are your opinions on traditional holiday cookie flavorings? I'm thinking anise and cardamom in particular. I'm not sure my love for anise and cardamom can be adequately conveyed through the written word. BRING THEM ON!!!!!   Do you like artisan oils and vinegars? Very much. I have rather a surplus of EVOO at the moment though. I keep meaning to make my own infused oils and can never gather the right supplies (bottles and such). In terms of vinegars, I love love love them.   Any crafty pursuits you’ve been dying to experiment with? Would you like a little kit of something you’ve never tried? Do you need any particular items for your new or existing stash? I would love to learn to knit, but I fail miserably at any yarncraft I try. I have done needlepoint in the past and am pretty good at it, but I haven't done it in years.   2012 calendar? Not really. We get really nice freebies through our zoo membership, so I'm set for my wall calendar. A page a day calendar could be fun if my Fox sees something that just screams my name, otherwise, I'm good, calendar wise.   NEW QUESTIONS ADDED 11.4 @ 3:00ish   Stealing coldandsleepy's idea to put the new ones first:   What was the best holiday present you ever got?   Oh wow. A couple of years ago my husband managed to completely and utterly surprise me with a stained glass window that is the perfect complement to one we already had hanging in our living room, which is awesome, both in terms of how well he knows me, how hard it was to find, and the fact that I had ABSOLUTELY no idea. And last year he managed to shock both my son and I with a piano. Also, our daughter was arguably conceived on/around our 13th wedding anniversary.   Bunny, what scent are you desperately wanting to be resurrected this year with the Anniversary update? Hrm. I hadn't really thought about it, but I guess, in terms of wishes, I'd go with King of Spades. Or the original Lugnasadah or Mabon.   Groupon for Moxie Nouveau! Dear Bunneh, is this something that would interest you? Honestly, I'm pretty much a BPAL loyalist. I've tried half a dozen or so other companies and just never like them as much as I do my BPAL.   Bun-bun, what's your favourite colour?   Purple! (Real purple, not lavender)   Your favourite gemstone?   Honestly, as long as it's sparkly and has pretty colors, I don't really have a favorite, per se. I love big chunky rocks of just about any sort.   Your favourite animal (real or imaginary)? Dragons! And spiders and bats and squids and frogs and lizards and penguins and...oh hell. I'm the mom who continues to buy her kid the 1000th stuffed animal because we don't have that species of buffalo yet. In terms of animals to live with, definitely cats and fish and frogs and lizards.   And do you have any intense phobias? Not really. I'm not fond of bees or wasps or other stingy things in my immediate presense, but I love representations of bees.   Facebook/twitter: I use my real name on facbook and pretty much only friend people I actually know and/or have had an extensive online relationship with. I'm emandink on twitter.   Are you Nano-ing this month, bunny? If so, how would you feel about merch/donations to the cause? Not this year, sadly.   Do you like/need boxes for perfume/knicknacks? I like them perhaps a little too much - I actually have some extra boxes, as I moved my BPAL to a cabinet a few years ago.   Coffee or tea? With caffine or without? Flavors (if so, what?) or no? Whole bean/ground/loose leaf/bags? Yes please! Coffee must have caffiene, tea can go whichever way it chooses. Love flavored coffee (vanilla/fruity/caramel/spicy), but only if ground, otherwise, love wholebean dark roasts with fruity/caramel notes. Flavored tea strongly preferred - similar likes + chocolate! Coffee grinding preferences as noted, tea bags are more convenient, but I am fully equiped for a wonderful loose leaf tea.   Do you have a strong preference for any sort of bath and body product brands (i.e. etailer/etsy type cos, department store/specialty brands like Lush) or are you cool with anything that doesn't smell like Bunnybane? I try to stick with small/woman owned companies where I can, but if you find something that seems right up my alley at Target, I will be thrilled no matter what.   ______________________________________________ Good golly y'all!   I'm going to throw this out up front because I totally forgot to mention it in my survey - please do not send me anything with artificial sweeteners. I can sometimes tolerate stevia, but a lot of them give me migraines and I just don't like them. I try to avoid HFCS as well, but I'd rather have something loaded with that than sucrolose or acesulfame.   1. $20 from Walgreens... I'd surely start in the makeup/nail polish aisle and would probably pick up some sort of totally impractical color(s) in one or both areas. Then, if I take it seriously and stay with the fun (as opposed to picking up one of the vitamin supplements I'm low on or something), then I'd probably grab some fun sparkly markers or pens (I love brightly colored sharpies), and then hit the chocolate aisle - depending on what I have left over and my mood, I'd either grab a Cadbury fruit and nut, some Lindt truffles, a marshmallow santa or whatever new strange chocolate caramel concoction is on sale. Or maybe HoHos.   2. I live near a brick and morter location for a really, really good spice store. Would you use cooking spices and if you would, what would you need? (It's Penzey's if you want to Google it.) I got the giant bakers gift crate for Christmas last year. So, er, nothing from that one, I guess. In general, except for curries, I tend to prefer solo herbs and spices to blends, and I have pretty good coverage at the moment for the basics, but I do love the idea. (And for starfish, I think? Their cinnamons are, indeed, amazing.)   3. Do you like knitted goods? If so, what would you like, what colors, and do you have any sensitivites or preference when it comes to type of yarn (ex: wool: yay or nay? Do you prefer machine washable materials? Do you not care?)? Absolutely love knitted goods. Strongly prefer machine washable and soft, but I'm not allergic to wool or anything. I am all about dark colors and jewel tones - black, grey, purple, green, blue, red. Not so much orange, yellow or pink...or white or brown.   4. Hey swap partner... could you use a new mug? I can always use a new mug, size large.   5. Is there any sort of regional food/drink/treat you miss or have always wanted to try? I love flavored/varietal honeys and those maple sugar leaves. Are those regional? Also, Indian and British sweets. In general, I would love to try anything that my Fox considers her regional specialties.   6. Do you do a Christmas tree? If yes is it themed or specially colored or do you just have all different ornaments and such? We do do a tree and it is a total mishmash of things from my childhood, ornaments gifted to the kids (lots of snowmen and alligators, and snowgators...long story) and just pretty things we've purchased over the years.   7. Would you like a special ornament? Sure! We tend to do cute, but not "country", fwiw.   8. Tim Tams. Yay or nay? Yes please!   9. I know some people are squicked out at the idea of eating things that other people make, or the thought of deep fried cookies sends them into cardiac arrest. If you were my fox, would you like to receive some homemade goodies, or would you prefer that your goodies came from the store? I would love homemade goodies. Maybe not deep fried cookies, though.   10. Would any Bunny like to receive Holiday serving bowls, trays, platters etc...? Winter/Christmas or Thanksgiving/Fall themed? Sure! I host Thanksgiving every year and Christmas Eve dinner and love holiday themed dishes.   11. My lovely fluffy Snow Bunny, would you like a body scrub made by me? If so, what scent(s) would you like, if you had to think along the lines of essential oils? And would you prefer sugar or salt? A dryer scrub or one that's more oily/moist? Ooh, absolutely. I love scrubs (oily/moist sugar typically, although I wouldn't say no to a citrussy salt scrub). I think I covered my general scent preferences pretty well in my questionaire, but holiday scents I particularly like are grapefruit + pine/spruce or sweet/cookie type scents with pine/spruce.   12. Dear snow bunny, do you like candles? If yes, then what kind? Scented (what scents), unscented, what colors, do you like them plain/painted on the outside/with decorations attached to the surface/sculpted? Love candles, especially this time of year (holiday cookie/christmas tree/spicy are alwaus good, although not so much cinnamon). I tend to prefer jar candles or votives, since I have kids and need to keep them out of the way.   13. Also what do you think of little soaps? I know most people don't use soaps nowadays but I love the chocolate/vanilla/cocoa/butter/sugar combo scents that I see at beauty stores.... Love them!   14. Socks! Slippers! Do you love them or not really wear them? If you love them, do you also love Sock Dreams? Love socks (generally not more than knee highs, though, and generally in the colors I listed above or holiday. Holiday socks are love!), love Sock Dreams (especially BBella). I do wear slippers, but I'm pretty particular about them, so that could be tough.   15. Would you wear something like http://www.ravelry.c...astic-cowl]this if your Fox were to knit you one? If so, what color? Hrm. That's not really my style, to be honest, unless it were big enough to use as a shawl instead.   16. New question: talk to me of coffee. Whole bean? Ground? Flavored, not flavored? Decaf, whole caff? Favorite roasters? Drip, french press, keurig? BRING ON THE TEA? Whole bean dark roast or flavored ground. Whole caff. (We have a grind and brew combo where you can't just switch out beans.) Locally, I like Beanetics, but I'm really not that picky. Tea is love and I'm all about the seasonal flavors and chocolate blends here, bags or loose.   17. Who else here loves or would like to try Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics? If so, what would you like? I've never heard of them.   18. Have you tried anything from Cocoa Pink and if so, what products and scents do you like or would like to try? I haven't. I'm not really that into hair stuff, as it's short and pretty low maintainance.   19. Anybody into nail polish? Any color or formula preferences? I like painting my toenails (my fingers never last long enough to make it worthwhile, to be honest), but I'm not "into" it, per se. I'd love a cool sparkly blue or green (and I do covet the Muppet colors that someone's supposed to be coming out with soonish), but it's not something anyone should go out of their way for.   20. If you found a $50 bill on the ground and were to place a Lab order, what would be in it? (And shipping is free through the magical BPAL unicorn!) Hmmmm. That's a tough one. Probably Tattered Lace and Ein Kuss Von Krampus from Dark Delacacies.   21. Is there any particular holiday DVD that you don't have that you would like to own? Nothing jumps to mind, as we tend to buy/tivo stuff as we get the itch for it.   22. How do you feel about superheros? Are you a Marvel or DC fan? Do you have a favorite hero? Generally I tend to be more of a Vertigo (Sandman/Hellblazer/Preacher/that sort) of gal. So, DC, I guess. I'm not so much into superheroes as I am darker graphic novel type comics.   23. would you like a Paintbox from Paintbox Soapworks? If so, which scents? That looks awesome, but I try to avoid glycerine soaps.   24. Do you have kids (or kid-like pets) who your fox may want to take into account, either in terms of a little extra goody or simple safety? 2 kids (8 year old boy, 18 month old girl, he tends to inherit all wee toys, stickers and to share in appropriate snacky things). Also 2 cats, but they tend to stick to themselves and actually don't really do the treat thing. Same with the fish/snails and the hermit crab.   25. Lush? I love the Buche de Noel cleanser, Lemony Flutter and I tend to like a lot of the holiday bubble bar scents, so long as they aren't floral (I haven't had a chance to go through this year's offerings though). I don't like their soaps at all, which makes me sad, since they tend to sound delightful.   26. Honey/Beeswax? Honey is an absolute yes. Not sure what I'd do with beeswax, but if it came with suggestions, I'd be game, I guess.   27. TJs - we have them around here but they are always horribly crowded on the weekends and I can just never be bothered. I do really like their crumpets, though.   28. Paintbox Yulies? - So, while I'm not up for the soaps, scrubs and lotion are always good. Snoggin sounds devine, as does Comfort and Joy. White Snow, Bright Snow and the Victorious Sun sound nice too...For that matter, looking at the rest of the LEs, Avast, Guy Faukes, Indian Summer and Smiling Jack all sound lovely.   29. If I were to place ONE LAST Weenie order, (uh, which I will) what would you want me to include for you? (presuming that is that the order can get here in time, bites nails)? I did a pretty good job on this year's Weenies on my on. The stuff on my wishlist is pretty much stuff I just want to sniff. This is prolly as good a place as any to mention that I know my WL is pretty heavy on harder to find/LE type stuff. While I always love BPAL, I totally don't expect it.   Will you be away for any part of the round? Nope.   Anyone else with an Etsy store and a member of Tradeaholics (or you could join) and interested in bartering for gifts for their bunny? Nope.   What type of books do you like? Dying to read anything? I adore books. I keep a running list of everything I've read throughout the year here in my .org blog - it goes back to 2007, I think. Yeep. I may just make a new post with my answers to the Bookworm swap, to be honest, since that's prolly the easiest way to keep track of things (here!. But I do love interesting, not too sappy, holiday stories. And I'm jonsing for some Authurian legends at the moment for some reason (not MZB, as I've either read or have on my to read shelves many of her books). Also, I love a Kindle, if that matters. ;-)   If you like Christmas music (or anyother holiday music, for that matter), what kind of style do you like? Traditional? Modern and poppy? Indie? I love Christmas and holiday music and I'm a sucker for modern/indie compilations. I have a lot of holiday music though (I wanna say 300+ songs on my iPod), but I haven't gotten anything in the past couple of years.   Do you enjoy things that taste like roses? For example chewing gum, turkish delight, delicious goo that you eat by the spoonful out of a glass jar (and they all taste of rose. Yes, we have all these in Greece.)   I do! Lavender as well. I don't really chew gum though.   Also, same question about mastic. Would you be interested in trying it out? (If yes, any preferences? for example you would prefer to try the chewing gum, the turkish delight, an Easter bun, the raw resin itself, anything?)   I don't think I've ever tried it, but I'm always up for new experiences.   I live in the city of the chickenwing. If I were to send you something savory, what's your heat tolerance (or sweet and heat for that matter)? I like things spicy, but not necessarily hot, if that makes any sense? Nothing more than a "medium", basically. I do love sweet-spicy combos (chili chocolate, baked goods, etc, but mostly if I can actually taste the flavors). That being said, I'm really not a huge fan of the chickenwing.   If your fox/bunny were to gift you with a giftcard from anywhere, as in any store food wise, music wise etc. what giftcard would you like? Amazon is always good, as is Starbucks, since I do like to treat myself there ocassionally. Other online only options would be Sock Dreams, Soap Box, Villainess, someplace similar that my Fox wants to surprise me with. I'm always up for discovering new places. Lego would be fun too.   If I were to send you chocolate is there anything I should avoid as in nuts, cherries etc.? Also, what are some of your favorite holiday candies? I'm not real nuts about nuts (HA!), unless there's lots of dried fruit and other stuff (e.g., the aforementioned fruit & nut bar). I love caramel, marshmallow, cherries, other fruity bits. Also, despite not being a huge fan of nuts, I do love marzipan. One thing I've learned about myself recently is that while I do love high quality chocolate (or moderate, even) with bits in, I don't like things that are too outlandish, like curry or fennel. My love affair with Vosges is suffering for this fact, as I like their caramels and truffles, but not so much the candy bars. In terms of holiday faves, divinity, fudge, peppermint chocolates, marzipan and I love me a marshmallow santa.   Does anything from FusionSweets interest you? The caramel marshmallows sound AMAZEBALLS. As do the chocolate orange marshmallows. If I were to do a pick 4, I'd choose the chocolate marshmallow, grasshopper, lavender and vanilla. For caramels, the apple cider, lemon ginger, star anice etc, and French lavender honey all sound fabulous. But I have alot of caramels about right now, so the marshmallows would definitely be my first choice.   Interested in anything from the Elements and Artifacts Yule update? I almost bought these yesterday. Everything else I wanted is long gone.   Mulling spices? I love mulling spices, but unless my Fox likes to make their own amazing blend, I have a jar of Penzy's on hand for this season.

Em-

Em-

 

13 Nights 2021!!!

Updated 9/6/21     Would you be interested in a cross stitched Halloween ornament? Sure, especially something like a bat or spider or a skull or tombstone!   Are there any collage artists in the mix?   I would LOVE to curate one of spooky autumn goodness if my person were to be interested! I would LOVE to say yes to this, but it is sadly not really my thing. I love the idea of doing collage art, but I somehow never get to actually making art.    Have you seen the Dragon con list?  & would any of them appeal to you? Honestly, all of them except the oakmoss one. I'm planning to order the two online ones, but would be especially interested in Vanilla Wafers and Peach Cream; Peach and Sugared Orange Slices, and just a tester of Pomegranate, Spice Geranium, Black Musk and Peach Pulp.   What Harry Potter house are you? Ravenclaw forever with a side helping of Slytherin, except not, because I just can-fucking-not with JKR's rampant transphobia. I know there are good arguments for why it shouldn't matter and I don't judge anyone who is still into the fandom, but I had to draw a bright line last spring and just go cold turkey on Pottermania for my own sanity. That's not to say that I don't miss it down to my bones sometimes,  but she just continues to be a terrible person and I refuse to support her anymore. If she decides to stop channeling Delores Umbridge at some point, I might go back to Hogwarts, but not yet. I do still enjoy plotting out the long form puppy-shipping novella I've had running in my head for a decade, but otherwise...nah. (It also occurs to me that this is possibly the most Ravenclaw answer possible.)   Do you like any art from these two sellers? They are local artists and I will probably pick up some stuff for myself soon! 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaitlinMcCarthyArt - I definitely dig the bookmarks and am always up for cool stickers for my guitar and neat notecards. I love the prints, but don't have a lot of wall space.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BatinYourBelfry - I LOVE the Plague Bat pin and just about all of the stickers.    Frankenbag? Definitely sounds cool! I make beautiful and very lightweight yarn-and-ribbon hairfalls - would you like a set in the colors and length of your choice? If yes, name up to four colors and length in inches! Remember- this can be part of your Halloween costume! So, I totally don't need these, but I've always wanted fun hair falls. My hair is super short and dyed burgundy with a natural white streak in the front - so something that would complement that color scheme (black, gray, hints of dark red) and shoulder length would work best.     Would you appreciate a skein of handspun yarn? If yes, what weight? What colors? How do you feel about beads? Any allergies to typical fibers? I totally appreciate what goes into this, but no. I fail at pretty much any project that would involve yarn.    Do you like stickers? Patches? Buttons? As noted before, I do! I also have started decorating my laptop bag with cool pins - it's already Sanrio x Tokidoki, so any attempt at professionalism is out the window.   Do you spend time in the outdoors? I do  - we hike and kayak and live right on wooded parkland with a creek that we explore on the regular.    Do you enjoy cooking and/or baking? I do indeed! I tend to bake a lot this time of year - more for Christmas than Halloween, but there is little that I can't "improve" with pumpkin - from chili to brownies.    The Paintbox Soapworks Weenie collection went live today! Would you like anything? Fairytale, G.O.A.T, and Once for Yes Twice for No all look good - I would be interested in soap or lotion in any of these.    The Pickety Witch is taking pre-orders for their new Halloween pins (estimated ship date: early September). Have any caught your eye? The bat and some of the owls and goats are cute.   Zeep's Spooky Collection drops some time next week. Here's the scent list. Would you like any wax melts, candles, whipped soaps, sugar whips (whipped soap/scrub hybrid), body butter sugar scrubs (moisturizing scrub), meringues (lotion), bath bombs, or bath rocks from Zeep? CANDLES (I don't NEED candles, but I do like them)
🎃 County Fair- A perfect day at the fair.  Sweet funnel cakes, handmade caramel apples, and fresh popped kettle corn.  Close your eyes and you'll think you're there!
🕸Hocus Pocus - Take a walk through the graveyard to the Sanderson sisters house and smell the scents of the smoky fire under the cauldron, crunchy dried fall leaves, and the sweet temptation of roasted marshmallows and brown sugar!
🎃 Pumpkin Soufflé – mouthwatering sweet pumpkin, creamy butter, warm brown sugar and a hint of spice completes this favorite fall confection!
🦇Season of the Witch - 'Tis the season...of the Witch!  Crunchy dried maple leaves, gooey toasted marshmallows and sweet caramel cider bring home all the spooky scents of fall!
BODY CARE (lotion, sugar whips, whipped soap)
🦇Boo-nilla Scream – Sweet and creamy vanilla bean with hints of fall spice and everything nice!
🍁Candy Corn Sugar Cookie – Sweet candy corn bits swirled into creamy, fresh sugar cookies
🎃 Jack-o-Lantern- Sweet pumpkin, spiced vanilla marshmallows, and hints of smoky bonfires
🦇Poison Apple – For you, my sweet!  Crisp macintosh apple, sweet fall pumpkin, and a dash of sweet baked Halloween treats will have you needing to take a bite out of this poison apple!
🍁Season of the Witch- 'Tis the season...of the Witch! Crunchy dried maple leaves, gooey toasted marshmallows and sweet caramel cider bring home all the spooky scents of fall!   Does anyone here like vintage halloween? OMG, yes! I don't really have any, but I love it.    It seems like a lot of shops’ Halloween lines have items related to the same standard fandoms, such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Beetlejuice, Addams Family, etc.  Do any of those (or other ones) particularly resonate with you?  I absolutely love TMBC, Beetlejuice and Haunted Mansion. I don't dislike it, but I am not a Hocus Pocus fangirl and I enjoy, but definitely don't ship, the family Addams.   How do you feel about atmospheric/novelty scents and novelty food items? Things like "new car candle" or "eyeball jawbreaker" or whatever. I don't really have strong feelings about them either way. I tend to like BPAL's novelty holiday single notes a lot and am not opposed to novelty food items.   If you like tea, how do you want it delivered? Loose? Bags? Tiny little messenger pigeons (subject to availability)? Messenger pigeons, duh, although a murder of crows or a parliament of owls might be more on-brand for Halloween. In all seriousness, either is fine. I'm marginally more likely to grab bags, especially if I am back in the office post-labor day,  but not enough to not want the perfect tea as loose leaf.    Would you prefer to receive ONE HUGE (more expensive) GIFT and 12 inexpensive ones, a few more expensive, or all about the same price? I don't have a strong preference, but in terms of my own gifting, tend to default to 3-4 pricier but not outrageously expensive items, and the rest a mix of smaller or gently used, but still awesome, goodies.   What are your fandoms, if any? Star Wars (particularly Leia, Yoda and silly cute creatures like Ewoks and Porgs), MCU (especially Loki, Black Widow, and Scarlet Witch  - so I have had a veritable feast on Disney+ lately),  Gaiman's Sandman (Dream, Death, Delirium) , Muppets (Kermit, Statler and Waldorf, Janice, Dr Bunson), Doctor Who (Nine, Ten, Thirteen, NOT Eleven)   Do you collect things like tarot decks?  If so do you have a wish list or a list of ones you already have?  Would you like a silk tarot bag? I do not collect tarot decks. I have a couple, including a gorgeous one that I received via a forum swap, but don't really have a use for more. I would not be opposed to a silk tarot bag, but probably wouldn't use it much.    Do you like rocks/crystals?  What colors / kinds?  Would you like them with holes drilled (either as a pendant - you'd need to stick a bale in, or a bead?)  I do like cool rocks and crystals, especially geodes. For jewelry purposes, I'd want something sort of unusual.   My mom has an etsy store - she makes bags.  Do you love anything from it?  We can also do box bags, draw string bags, dice bags, etc. and if you want a different type of material or a different fabric pattern, I'm open to links to specific things.   (yes, we have harry potter things.  We bought most of it before JKR showed herself to be a twat since we buy lots of bolts at the same time - yes, we have a whole room stuffed full of fabric.) Hehe! I would happily receive a box bag in NMBC print or ravens or something else spooky.    Let's say you want something knitted.  What are you most interested in?  (hat, fingerless mitts, scarf, shawl, cowl, infinity scarf, shawlette, gnome, doily, coffee mug cozy, talisman bag, dice bag, soap sack, washcloth (I have a pattern with the leviathan cross for bpal), amigurumi / toy, bracelet, cuff, necklace, other?)   (Can you link to a photo of what you envision or a pattern on ravelry?  Or put it on pinterest or something if you have that.)  I would love fingerless mitts, a shawl or shawlette, gnome or amigurumi in something cute or a washcloth. I don't have anything specific in mind, though. * What colors would you prefer said knitted object in?  Dark colors or jewel tones.  * Stripes, gradient, semi solid, variegated? I am all about patterns like stripes and dots or animal print and color gradients. * What type of yarn would you prefer?  ("wool", BFL, merino, merino/silk, merino/silk/cashmere, merino/cashmere, just silk, just cashmere, tencel (non-animal, plant based), other?   I also have non-dyed organic wool (mill spun) from our own sheep - finnsheep and shetland.  The finnsheep is dark brown (sun bleached black sheep from Sarge and our two black ewes we can't tell apart so they're ewe 1 and ewe 2) or a lighter silvery beige (from freckles) and the shetland is white.  (we just call her shetland.  They're mom's sheep, she should have named them, lol.)  Most of my stripy yarn is either merino or merino cashmere.) I like things soft, but don;t have a strong preference otherwise.    You can check out some of my finished projects on Ravelry if you like (click on the project for more photos)  (I'll have to make a list of which items are available  because I knit a lot of things and then just put them in a cabinet and gift or sell them.) Sadly, I cannot get to the page without creating an account.    Are you interested in receiving any of the following homemade / home dried / home canned goodies?  (just erase the ones you don't want when you answer to make it easy?) (see list in this post under spoiler because long) dried (we have a commercial sized dehydrator): Dried Honey Crisps (apple crips as @voodoocatwoman calls them, from one of the many orchards on Green Bluff) Dried catnip (organic grown on my property) Dried elderberries (wildcrafted)   canned (these are from last year, I haven't started canning yet this year.  I plan on getting more peaches and italian plums when they're ready)  Fruit from Green Bluff. Candied jalapenos Cardamom plum jam Vanilla peach jam TBD types of peach or plum canned goodies - do you have a favorite or suggestion?  I'll probably do whole plums again with cloves/cinnamon/spices as they were AMAZING (Brandied plums, maybe?)   homemade liqueur / brandy - flowers are organic from my bushes, fruit from orchards on green bluff. Rose Petal liqueur (small sample) (having had this, OMG it is good) Plum Brandy (Slivovitz) (small sample) Lavender Vanilla Bean liqueur (small sample)   Pumpkin ginger bread sounds AMAZING I also love zucchini bread with chocolate chips in - we had a family friend who used to make that and it was so good, but of course, I have no idea what her recipe was   How do you feel about oracle decks? Not really my thing. I have runes and a couple of tarot decks that I'll pull out once in awhile, but don't do a whole lot of reading.   Would you like witchy/ritual oils/sundries? Any limitations (e.g. deities you won't work with)? No thank you.    Is there anything you would like to try from the UK specifically? (e.g. Lush exclusives)  I love UK chocolates (Aero bars and the like), and other edible goodies. I haven't really looked at Lush in ages, but am always up for trying things that seem generally up my alley.   Oh, and are you into astrology? Not really.   What size shoe do you wear (inc wide/narrow, etc)? Pretty standard US 8/UK 6   Do you like/would you want to receive comic books? Any favorite genres or characters? Definitely - I tend to like dark ambient sorts of comics and graphic novels. The most recent series I've been reading is Monstress.    Would you like a palm stone, or anything else, from Haute Macabre? No thank you.    What's your favorite flower(s)? Calla lilies   What's you favorite woodland creature? Owls, deer, black squirrels   Do you prefer receiving a big box with all of your goodies, or is it okay if one or two things are shipped directly to you separately (with notice!!) for customs/shipping cost purposes (i.e. if there's something customs might not allow in from the States that can be shipped from within your country)? Shipping in multiple boxes is totally fine.    Would you like a fabric face mask? If so, do you prefer a dome shape or a pleated shape? I would love more pleated masks - they work better for me with my thick heavy glasses than even domed ones with nose wires.   I have a literal stockpile of skincare products.  Can I interest you in cleanser, sheet masks, moisturizer, sample things etc etc.?  Or a general pampering package? What is your skin type? I'm always on the lookout for new cleanser options and light daytime moisturizer with SPF of at least 30 or above. I am also an absolute sucker for sheet masks and nail/cuticle creams. Face skin type is pretty normal to slightly oily these days - I have a general regimen I like from the Ordinary that has stopped about 90% of my breakouts, so that's nice.    Anything from here?  ChocolateStorybook on Etsy Oh wow, these look delightful. I'm most curious about the caramel apple (seasonal flavor and all), hot chocolate, beer, and the other cocktail flavors.    I have been enjoying the incense from here hand-dipped incense sticks | Hexennacht and here Hand-dipped incense sticks | Mr. Hex (mr-hex.com)  Any thing interesting from either site? No thank you. Incense is not my thing and tends to be a migraine trigger.   Would you like some delicious coffee? If so, do you prefer whole bean or ground? If ground, what grind? Also, light or dark roast? Flavor preferences? Dark roast whole bean for unflavored, ground for a drip machine for flavored - I do like an occasional pot of flavored coffee - usually something sort of sweet/spicy.   I may be going to the Renaissance Fair this weekend (if not this weekend then soon and multiple times), any Ren Faire goodies you may like? It has been decades since I've been to a ren faire, so I have no idea what goodies might be available. Maybe a chain maille bracelet or earrings or something?   I always go to my town's local Farmer's Market and they have booths selling things like candles, Gourmet Pickles, Flavored Oils and Vinegars, dog treats (like bones and animal feet), honey, and bath products. Would you like any of these things? Honey, pickles, flavored vinegars and oils would be my top choices, but really, anything except dog treats would be up my alley.   Do you have a preference for numbered packages for each night of the swap vs randomly selecting from unlabeled goodies? I do not have a strong preference.    If you didn't say much about your reading preferences in your survey but would be interested in receiving books, can you elaborate a bit? I have blathered extensively about books in links, on goodreads, and in my blog here.   Are you interested in cocktails, be it recipes, infusion kits, tools, supplies, specialty bitters? Particular flavors you like? Cocktails you'd like to learn to make?  Personally, big yes - I've been doing a lot of experimentation with bitters and infusions and different flavor profiles. I especially like making different whiskey cocktails, but have also tried different infusions, like sour cherry rum and I make a mean dirty martini.   Is there something that you definitely prefer to not receive in any category (anything to avoid if you hadn't/forgotten to mention)? Other than incense, I can't really think of anything. Heavily scented cleaning products?   Are there patterns/prints (more guidance than general Halloween/Autumn) you like for things or are you open to whatever I may find that speaks to me?  I'm pretty open. I like most of the standard spooky critters - bats, spiders, snakes, black cats, gargoyles. I'd rather have stripes or dots or weenie prints than plaid or paisley, I guess.    Any significant other or other special person? Like if I wanted to send you specialty cocoa for a date night, would that be OK? I am making up the cocoa part, but you get my drift. I do have a husband of 24 years and we still have one kid at home. I'm definitely not opposed to something date night themed, but I'm having a hard time imagining what it might be.    I would love to request folks to to put their wish list in this thread and link in their signature. I would love to decant from my oils if I have any my person is looking for!  My updated and somewhat overwhelming wishlist is here: https://www.bpal.org/topic/127-wishlist/?page=10&tab=comments#comment-273423(also linked in my sig and in the meta blog post)     If you happened to list some favorite fandoms earlier, would you also name your favorite character(s) from those fandoms? See my answers there - I'd covered about half of them already.   Do you have an Amazon link?  Can you post it??  https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1VUCTGTF5088A/ref=cm_wl_search_1 (It's also in the meta swap entry)
if you are a knitter/crocheter, are you over on Ravelry?  If so, what’s your user name there?? I am soooooo not. Sorry.    I make homemade fire ciders, would that be of interest? Non-alcoholic and they are quite fiery.  I admit to being quite curious about this, so sure!   Are you interested in getting other BPAL items besides perfume, like hair gloss, bath oils or T-shirts? Absolutely. I cover a lot of these in my wishlist, but I don't have many of the newer tees, so those could be particularly interesting.    So partner, would you be interested in a Frankenbag done in Halloween prints? That sounds very cool!   Y'all with furbabies... Are there any food allergies/sensitivities or quirks to know about? Nope. Alex will try just about anything once (including my salad the other day...oops).   how do you feel about (ethically sourced) butterfly / moth art (in a jar or shadowbox) I would love that. I have a gorgeous blue morpho shadow box that I got at a butterfly garden years and years ago and love all (well most) colorful insects.    I may have preemptively picked out 2 Halloween-themed mugs with cute matching spoons, before I knew who my match was going to be! So I leave it to you: Bat, or Cat? Bat. But cat is cool too.   If you mentioned aversions to any common Halloween decor items (skeletons, witches, spiders, etc.), how encompassing is that? Specifically, is a "kid friendly" drawing of that same item on a piece of decor (like, a book cover or wrapping paper) still a preferred pass?  I would be fine with incidental depictions of zombies or gore - I just prefer other motifs.
  Would you be interested in receiving a never-used eyeshadow palette from Nororiously Morbid (gothy colors) and/or a never-used eyeshadow palette from Pretty Vulgar (romantic neutrals)? Definitely interested in gothy colors. Not so much neutrals, romantic or otherwise.    I live in Japan. Are you interested in anything specifically Japanese I could get for you here (doesn't necessarily have to be Halloween themed)? For example, are you a fan of the anime Demon Slayer and want merch? Are you interested in trying some fun kit-kat flavors? Do you need a new set of pretty chopsticks? I am ALWAYS interested in fun kit kat flavors. My daughter is really into anime and kawaii right now and is taking some very basic Japanese language classes, so she would be up for anything in that vein.   there is an excellent chance teeturtle will have a sale in time for this swap: anything (particularly tshirts or socks) that appeal? Sizes?  It might be easier to list what I don't want from tee turtle, but I'll try to narrow it down  - for tees, I'm a Womens XL and I really like Spellbound, My Cat is a Flerken, The Headless Unicornsman  Socks, Don't Make Me Hex You, Spooky Kitty    Haus of Gloi Fall Part 1 drops soon, anything here you like?  https://www.hausofgloi.com/blogs/blog/fall-lineup-2021 I love blood orange marshmallow - I'd get the most use out of bubbling scrub or pumpkin butter. Cozy Pumpkin soap sounds good, as do all of the lip balms, especially Brown Sugar Latte.   Could you use a journal or sketchbook?  No thank you. I have so many that need using...   Do you need BPAL storage?  Imps?  Bottles?  No thanks.   Do you wear socks?  What kind?  No show, ankle, knee high, over the knee?  Fibers? As the weather gets colder, I tend to like knee high or calf and big fuzzy ones in the evening. In the transition seasons, I like ankle socks. I tend not to wear them for weeks at a time during the summer. In terms of fiber the only thing I care about is not itchy.    Do you have a favorite candy(ies) [or prepacked individual snacks] that you wouldn't mind filling up your box as packing material? Or teas/coffee blends you'd enjoy? If you prefer none of this, that's fine too!  I'm always up for chocolate and other flavored teas, spice blends and packets, kit kats, pumpkin spice just about anything.   I'm going down the Shore for a few days! Any treats you'd like from a cute beach town- salt water taffy? Fudge? Wrist fans? Tie-dye beach dress...? Fudge! I went to the beach this summer and never got any and then my son went with some friends and didn't get a chance to hit the candy store, so I have a hankering.    How do you feel about fancy marshmallows? I feel all sorts of desire for fancy marshmallows.    We've asked about candy, but let's talk specifically about gummies. Do you like crazy shapes, sweet/sour?  I love the Haribo cola and peach rings. My daughter will eat any that I pass on.   Anything from these Etsy shops?  Kodiak Sea Charms, I like the bracelets and dangly earrings Halloween Hill Studio, These are a little too cutsie for my taste, but the work is great. Grave Markings I love the "Not a Phase" pin, the Pink Snek print and just about everything with the cat skull   What about the Mutter Museum's gift shop? Ooh! Plague Doctor pin, Skeleton Key keychain, Spit Spreads Death mask   I grow mugwort and it's harvest season. Would you like dried leaves for bathing or tea? Or a bound bundle for smoke cleansing? (Its said to be excellent for divination or lucid dreaming, but do not use if pregnant.)  its also a digestive bitter and tastes great on chicken. I'm willing to try anything once - I would probably use for tea or seasoning.   I grow loads of other herbs and I'm drying them now. Any favorites you might like? Mint, basil, oregano, chives, lemon balm or others? I have a store of dried mint, but anything else sounds great!    I grew a huge load of onions and garlic. Any interest? I think I'm set here, thanks.   Feathers? I have geese, ducks, peafowl, chickens and quail. So I collect their shed feathers and share them with people I like. My daughter would love any really unusual feathers (she is very into birds).   I grew a boatload of Green Shiso this year and plan to make a shiso pesto with it. Would you like some? (Nut wise it has pistachios) I love pesto, so would love to try this.    I also plan to experiment with infusing it in vodka. I'm planning a plain shiso infusion and a shiso citrus infusion. If they turn out would you like some? I always want all of the boozy infusions.    Would you be interested in this hand sanitizer dispenser/keychain that doubles as a light (its eyes light up when you press between its eyes!)?  (see photo here) OMG YES I WOULD.   If you're into tabletop games, what games do you already own, and/or what type are you interested in? I would be interested in checking out Unstable Unicorns. Otherwise, I have SO MANY games, I should probably pass.     DO YOU LIKE TRUE CRIME STORIES?  YES I DO!    DO YOU LIKE SEASONAL MAGAZINES ON BAKING AND DECORATING? I do indeed, more baking, like 1001 things to do with pumpkin or Gross Foods to Scare Your Party Guests.   If you are enthused by the idea of receiving coffee, do you want whole bean or ground? AND do you have flavors that you like (or definitely hate and never want again)? We just got a burr grinder, so any unflavored roasts I would prefer whole bean. Any flavors (I would definitely be interested in autumn flavor themed packets) should be ground.    Would you be interested in some very size-inclusive tights? There are Halloween patterns, but also most colours under the sun, and are very comfy. I would, in Halloween patterns, especially bats or spiders.    What about indie chilli sauces/chutneys/jams? What type of chilli/spice level?  Mild to moderate spice level in chutneys and jams would be delightful.   In case anyone else shares a love for adorable tiny plushies, any interest in v soft and cute vegetable/fruit plushies? There are also small animals. Oh yes.    The Polish Pickup/Indie Pickup is live for wishlisting, and will ship in time for this swap (this year). Anything strike your fancy? (It's not just nail polish...there's jewelry and bath scrubs and wax tarts and all manner of things. It's fun!)  https://polishpickup.com/ I am fascinated by the color changing polishes, but cannot even begin to pick one. The cuticle oils could be cool and I love the bat necklace.    Anything here sound good to you? https://gryffonridge.com/ The flavored sugars look good and I have an actual need for Five Spice powder.    Hayden Evens Art has released some new Halloween and Disney-themed prints and stickers.  Do any spark your interest? I do really like these, but I am not sure I have any space for the prints I really love.    So would you hate or be into more miscreant Halloween vibe decor - like wholesome figurines repainted, creepy dolls, goats with horns, (fake) animal skeletons, things in jars? Is anything too dark, morbid, or recoil worthy? This sounds super cool. I love bones and eyeballs and all sorts of creepy remains. Uh...   do you use any sorts of semipermanent dyes or do anything fun/wild to your hair? are there any hair products you like? I am back to having my hair professionally dyed a just barely sorta not really natural deep red/burgundy (keeping my silver streak in the front, natch). My kiddo has played around with different semi-permanent colors, but she seems largely out of that for the time being. Otherwise, if you have a line on some really good color preserving shampoo and conditioner, I mainly use John Freida's color depositing reds, but am not necessarily in love with them. In terms of styling products, I mostly use texture cream or gel to give it a little body and keep the slight wave from becoming too early 80s layer look.     what about skincare? i am pretty into k beauty and am curious if others are interested in any aspects of this. I enjoy sheet masks and have played with some interesting blackhead remedies. I have a regimen from the Ordinary (mostly) that I'm pretty happy with, but am definitely interested in eye creams/rollers for puffy, dark circled eyes and lightweight moisturizers with strong (35+) spf. Very light tinting in either is okay, but I am very pale (like 001/01 kind of pale, so not translucent, mainly because my cheeks are very ruddy).   Cellar Door Bath Supply Co.'s Halloween & Fall collection is out (https://cellardoorbathsupply.com/collections/halloween-fall-collection😞 anything you might be interested in? Ooh, yes! I absolutely love the idea of a collection of soap ends, because while I LOVE me some autumnal soap, I tend to cut down full bars so that I can switch things up. So the opportunity to try a few of these in smaller more manageable sizes sounds fabulous. I'm particularly interested in Autumn Apple Fest, Black No 1, Once Bitten, Pumpkin Chai Latte, Pumpkin Guts, Samhain Hard Cider, Sanderson Spice, and maybe Zombie Repellant, depending on whether the spices are the more forward scent notes (in which case, yes!). Candles in Samhain Hard Cider or Sanderson Spice would not go amiss either.   Regarding tea, what type of tea do you prefer? Black tea, green tea, herbal tea? Any type of tea you really don’t enjoy? I pretty much only drink flavored tea these days, mostly black or herbal. Green tea is pretty hit or miss for me. I also enjoy rooibos and roasted mates.    are you interested in eco-friendly menstrual products? There are some beautiful gothic print reuseable pads I'm looking at specifically. I was all about to say no to this, because I'm just about at the end of this time of my life and I am a big fan of my menstrual cup when I do get the occasional visit, but it occurs to me that if there are lightweight pantyliner style reusable pads, that could be awesome, as because my cycle is so erratic, I've taken to just wearing a pantyliner every day, which is super wasteful. (apologies if this is TMI).   Bath and Body Works? I know this is a bit of a love em or hate em company, but I really love their foaming hand soaps and scented hand sanitizers and my kids like their body wash, so I'll be placing an order with the next good sale. Anything that catches your eye? (I'm obviously set here...)     I'm making homemade applesauce this weekend with apples I picked last weekend. I'm going to try my hand at canning for the first time (got my mom, the experienced canner, on speed dial lol) If I succeed would you like a jar? Absolutely!

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Analysis of 2007 reading

So, to start, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't reach 100 books. At some point, I thought I'd counted and was way ahead of 89 - 93 if you count the books I finished in 2007 that I'd started previously, 99, if you count books which I didn't finish in 2007 as well - I can get to 100 if you count the one book I read about 75 pages of then decided to abandon. Although I think I'd still have to go with 99, since I don't think I actually read anything of Ulysses last year.   Braking down the 89 that I read entirely in 2007: * 78 were new to me, 11 were re-reads * 22 were children's/ya books * 6 were graphic novels + a 7th novelization based on a comic series * 3 were non-fiction (2 books of essays, 1 of literary criticism) * 41 were installments of fantasy/sci-fi/historical fantasy series * 35 were by authors which were new to me in 2007 * there are 42 unique authors represented

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Shameless Self Promotion

There is no reason why anyone would even read this thing (since it essentially consists of a bunch of lists for my own record keeping), but I've started a real, honest to goodness, ranting about politics/social issues/isisms blog: I'm Just Not Impressed.   Visit?

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2009 Reading Analysis

Wow, so, definitely met the standing 100+ books goal with 120 unique books last year. In addition, there were 2 books that I started prior to this year and finished, one that’s part of a mystery series, another non-fiction history of Haitian voodoo. I gave up on 5 books entirely. Of these, 3 were by authors I’ve read before and enjoyed, including one adaptation from a book I enjoyed originally and one sequel. As of Jan. 1, I had 5 books still in progress (note that of the 2 started in 2009, 1 I’ve given up on and 1 is completed, but that’s for a year from now). The 3 remaining are from previous years. Maybe this will be the year I actually plow through Ulysses.   I got pretty haphazard about tracking reading with the boy this year. Ultimately, I just started noting books that I would/have read on my own as well. I’m just not up for keeping track of 40 Scooby Doo chapter books.   As for the rest of the analysis: • 15 of these were rereads, and that doesn’t count that I read 1 book twice. • 83 were books in series of various kinds. • In terms of genre, 39 were fantasy (as defined personally), 37 were YA, 19 sci-fi, 22 involved vampires, werewolves or other staples of urban fantasy (I categorized these differently, because Anita Blake just feels different to me than, say, Mists of Avalon), 11 were mysteries • In terms of form, 5 were short works (usually short stories), 17 were graphic novels and 4 were non-fiction (and 1 of those was a graphic novel) • Looking at authors, only 8 books were written by authors identified as non-white, 26 total were new to me (accounting for roughly 38 books read) and approximately 58 distinct authors represented overall.   Every year I tend to beat myself up for the fact that I read a lot of genre fiction and not a lot of “classics” or books that are generally heralded as books of substance. But screw that. I read for entertainment and what entertains me are stories about vampires and fictional societies where magic exists in some form and dystopic alien worlds and mysteries where I can lose myself for a while. I could whip out my hairshirt about the fact that I don’t really enjoy biographies and non-fiction much outside of humorous pop-cult essays, but really, why bother. I still read more than probably 90% of the population and I’m teaching my kid to value reading for its own sake and am continuing to discover new sub-genres and authors that I thoroughly enjoy. So, go me. Or something like that.

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2018 Samhain Seven Qs

Updated 9/19/18

Shortbread? Heck yes. I am up for just about any baked good.

Is there something you’d like from the UK? Pimms is probably out, but I love UK chocos and other edibles.

Do you like Lord of the Rings? Yes, but I"m not a huge fangirl. It is one of those things where I like the movies and such and have read the books, but have no desire to do so again.

Any ceramics you could use? I can always use trays and cups for jewelry.

If you like tea and I have opened tea as well as sealed tea to send would you mind some cleanly decanted and clearly labeled tea I think you would really enjoy based on your preferences? Absolutely!

Would you like anything from my etsy shop? (http://twinklentwilight.etsy.com)
I love a lot of the fabric choices - the dragon/bat (all of the bat options, really), ravens, galaxy, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter and Dr. Who. I want something the blinded me with science for my science loving daughter and the plush monsters are adorable. I don't really knit, so I wouldn't have use for bags as project bags, but I still wants them my precious.

Are you interested in a crocheted monster or unicorn or whatever? Colors?
I am all about the fun plushies.
Lavender Vanilla Bean or Rose Petal liqueur?
Both of these sound AMAZING.

Nail stamping plates
I have no idea what these are and google isn't giving me a good sense of whether I would actually use them. I'm guessing not, since I am fumble fingers with polish and usually go to a nail salon.

knitted things:
Yes please! I would be most interested in arm warmers or socks, or maybe a shawl or cowl.

cylindrical tins:
No thank you. I have a ton of these lying about myself.

What about white witchy items (oils, sage, stones, etc).
No thank you.

What about reusable shopping bags?
If they are fun, from local places and such, sure! I don't need plain store ones and such as I have a ton, but I love getting ones from different locales.

Korean beauty items like sheet masks?
Sure!

Do you like Bath and Body Works and if so, what are your fave products/scents?
BBW is one of my guilty pleasures. I love getting shower gel/lotion combos and I love their foaming hand soap (although I have rather a lot of that at the moment, but I don't have any of their fall scents). I also like the C Bigelow nail and hand care products.

Would you like something from Walt Disney World?
I would love NMBC stuff, but other than that, I'm fine. I was just at Disneyland last December and am pretty stocked up.

So Shihaya & Co has a bunch of fantastic candles, bath & body stuff (from Paintbox Soapworks!), Arcana perfume, etc. Is there anything there you are interested in? Please list products as well as scents. (as an FYI, the Smiles by Wedelstaedt soap is make by Brooke who used to own Villainess.)
In terms of candles, Amber and Velvet, Autumnvale Cafe, Ember and Mallow, Full Moon, Gemini all sound delightful. In terms of other stuff, the Hocus Pocus soap and scrub, Bermuda Triangle soap.

What are your favorite products and scents from Paintbox Soapworks (that are in stock?)
Generally, I love her scrubs and soaps (not as fond of the lotions) I would love to try Abnoba, Indian Summer, Putney Road, Princess Pony Sparklebutt in sample sizes of either scrub or soap. I also adore the Rice Pudding hot process soap.

Fatherhood update desires? I've ordered a bunch, but have added a few that I'd still love to try to my wishlist.

Do you have any interest in fun tees or other goodies either related to your fandoms or otherwise from TeeTurtle or similar sites (https://www.teeturtle.com/)? If the answer is yes, what's your t-shirt size?
Absolutely! I prefer women's cut, 2XL for tees. Generally, darker is better in terms of color.

Do you have a favorite musical, opera, playwright or other theatrical or performing arts interest for which you might like interesting goodies? I am pretty set on this score in that I have easy access to merch along these lines.

Do you have any desire/need for a new umbrella? I always need more small collapsible ones as my children seem to have discovered some sort of portal that devours all umbrellas in the immediate vicinity.

Any desire for mugs - travel or otherwise? How about water bottles?
I am pretty set for ceramic mugs. I can always use more travel mugs if they are both cool and diswasher safe. Same for water bottles.

How do you feel about things like Halloween-themed blankets and throw pillows?
I feel great about them! We have a pumpkin pillow and spider blankie that are used year round. I'd be particularly interested in flying things - bats, owls, ravens, gargoyles in blacks and purples.

Are there any companies you've been wanting to try or would like to try more of?
I would definitely be interested in trying more soap and lotion products from Haus of Gloi and Arcana and Brooke's new stuff. I only wear BPAL perfumes, but am much more flexible with other products.

How do you feel about this: thevampstamp.com
This is pretty much the only way I could possibly attempt that sort of eyeliner, but honestly, I'd probably never use it.

Would you, or your swapee be interested in fall themed Yankee candle small candles?
Sure.

How do you feel about loose eyeshadow? (new of course)
Not really my thing. I have a bunch and while I love the colors, it's just to fussy for me to use much.

How does a scent of rose, mahagony, coffee and tobacco sound to you?
Probably not my thing (sorry!). I only wear BPAL perfumes and that's not a combo that really grabs me for bath stuff.

Is this something you, or your swapee might need or be interested in?
https://www.rekonect...ducts/rekonlife
(its a notebook with a magnetic spine and pages that can be removed and reattached) I have two that are totally unused.
No thanks.

Also, I am brewing my own kombucha now. Would you like a bottle or two?
Sure!


How do you feel about literal pumpkin *spice* - i.e. cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger - as a flavoring (the inclusion of pumpkin is not essential in my plotting)? How about those flavors combined with chocolate in some mystery form?
I am all over this concept (literally).

If you like/want books, do you have a goodreads or other place where you discuss your favorite books? Would you be interested in a spooky Halloween compilation or a classic halloweenie/autumnal book like Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes?
I would love a new weenie compilation (now that I think about it, that's not the word I want, but wev).

If I were making something for you, would it be:
1. Dramatic, Black Cashmere, elbow length fingerless mitts - would they have buttons?
2 stripey, funky long fingerless mitts- what colors?
3.a teapot cozy to keep your tea warm - I'm thinking a Halloween design.
All of the above sound AMAZING. Probably no buttons on mits, though. For stripey, I do not have any that are peacock blue, so that with gray and black would be lovely (and probably the option that would get the most use).

Would you like flameless color changing sort of fake candles that are controlled by remote?
Absolutely!   Would you care for horror graphic novels or comics?
Yes please!   Do you like local honey?
Yes!   Apple Pie/regular Fudge?
The apple pie sounds intriguing, especially if it is particularly fruity as well as sweet (sometimes I find non-chocolate fudge to be toothachingly sweet). I also love chocolate fudge with almost anything.

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Analysis of 2008 Reading

First off, hot damn, did I ever meet my goal of 100 books for 2008.   I did a couple of things differently this year - first, because my son is now super into having me read him chapter books - which have ranged from classics like The Wizard of Oz to insipid Transformers tie-ins, I started tracking those separately, instead of counting substantive classics that I might actually choose to read on my own as part of my own count (as I did with things like Roald Dahl last year. The second is that I gave myself permission to not read things that I wasn't enjoying. Which means that rather than having my "couldn't finish" list consist of one book that actively revolted me, if a book didn't engage me and I didn't care about picking it up again, I just didn't. It was kind of a lovely feeling, and I actually wonder if it contributed to my longer reading list, since I wasn't forcing myself back to things that didn't capture my attention. The third change was how I listed - going in order of reading, as opposed to alphabetically by author. I like all of these changes and plan to keep them for 2009.   Anyway, my totals: 117 books read entirely in 2008 2 started in 2007, finished on 2008 62 books read with the boy 6 books in progress (one of which I finished just this morning) 2 books in progress with R 9 books kicked to the curb   An interesting thing about those last 9, too - 5 of them were by authors that I've read before and liked and of those, I read and enjoyed books by 4 of them just this year. Three were books in series were I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, but just couldn't get into the second. Three of the 9 were books in well regarded YA series. Another was a television tie in for a show I enjoy.   Of the books in progress, one I've already finished, two are books of short stories or essays that I fully expect to finish in 2009. I suppose I should make finishing the other three part of my reading resolutions for this year, in addition to reading another 100 books in their entirety.   The reading with my son doesn't really take too long to look at - most were series books, most were at least mildly educational, either by design or by virtue of being classics.   Now, the meat. Breaking down the 117 that I read entirely in 2008: * 108 were new to me, 9 were re-reads (if you count the fact that I had already read the text of Stardust) * 20 were children's/ya books (I didn't count some things are are sometimes shelved as YA in the library, such as some of the manga/graphic novels which were not specifically aimed at these age groups, S. Myers "The Host" or the Juliet Marillier books, which while certainly appropriate to a YA audience don't struck me as being marketed as YA - so, this could potentially be about 10 higher) * 22 were graphic novels, 1 of which was a GN version of a book I've read several times, another of which was related to a book series) * 2 were non-fiction (1 book of essays, 1 true crime) * 10 were books of short fiction * 83 were installments of various series, of which 13 were YA, 17 were graphic novels, * I read 13 new authors, accounting for 37 of books read * there are 47 unique authors represented   I am rediculously pleased that I read way more than my 100 book goal - I want to read more of substance next year, though.

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Spring Cleaning 2019!

Updated 4/19/19 Noon   I have A LOT of different types of loose leaf tea.  Would you be happy with some samples decanted into new, sealable bags? Sure thing - I tend to prefer flavored tea to just straight black/green/white, but otherwise, I'm always happy to sample new things!   How about a new laptop/tablet sleeve? It's new and fits up to 11.6" laptops/tablets. No thanks.    Or some vintage vinyl (for the music or for home decoration)?  I really really want to say yes to this, but I know I shouldn't because a) I don't even think I have a working turntable and b) I know I don't have available wall space. So, reluctant no.    Do you need any office-type stuff?  Pens, post its, binder clips, clip board would all be used!   Knitted washcloths, shawl, scarves, etc... I have an actual pressing need for scrubby kitchen washcloths. A shawl in jewel tones, or black and teal or something like that would not go amiss.   Hellboy decants? Honestly, I haven't even looked and I really should. I will try to get my wishlist updated ASAP.    Would you like small decorative bowls or plates? I have a lot of japanese trinkets and small plateware. Most of it is not dishwasher/microwave safe however. Also do you like chopsticks? I would prefer nothing that is purely decorative, to be honest. I am already hurting for wall and shelf and cabinet space. Fun chopsticks would be cool. Or usable fancy cups and saucers.    Mugs? Regular/Travel/Etc. Please no. My cabinets are already exploding with mugs. I do actually have a need for travel mugs for my morning coffee, but ONLY WITHOUT HANDLES. Not sure why I'm weird about that, but no travel mugs with handles please. Hopefully my Dustpan will feel differently.   If you said you don't really wear makeup, does that mean you hate it and will never wear it or you just don't have it around, but you'd maybe have some fun playing with a good palette if you had one at hand? I think I covered this pretty thoroughly in my original questionnaire, but I actively do not want more palettes or big collections.    Chapstick-like lip balm (unused) - yay or nay? I am pretty set in this arena right now.    What book are you reading right now?  On my Kindle, I'm reading "How Long 'Til Black Future Month", a short story collection from N.K. Jemison. In physical books, I'm reading volume 1 of "Pretty Deadly".    What is the last movie you saw in the theater? Did you like it? Captain Marvel - I loved it. Almost as importantly, so did my 8 year old.   What is one thing you are really looking forward to? My best friend from college is getting married in May and we are using it as an excuse for a get away for my husband and I. Otherwise, planning our summer vacation to San Diego, but that is a long way off.    What is your favorite type of cookie? My own homemade chocolate chip or chewy frosted sugar cookies.    What about nail polish? What types of polish do you like? What colors? Any particular type of nail art? Willing to try new types of nail art? Sparkly bold polish, no neutrals. I would be willing to try nail art, but I don't really do it myself because I'm just not that coordinated.    I will be pruning both of my bay laurel bushes and will dry the leaves for culinary use (stews, casseroles, roasts, Mediterranean recipes). I will have A  LOT, so could you use any? Sure!   Do you mind makeup palettes that have been very lightly tested? (Definitely nothing lip related as that's just not hygienic!) No thank you - not because I mind but because I really don't want any more in my house.   Vintage glass items? Oh goodness. I have to say no to this. I don't want to, but I need to. I would honestly love poison bottles though.     Loose crystals, minerals, or gemstones?    If they are tiny like beads, then no. But larger ones that my youngest could study and identify would be cool. She loves that sort of thing.    Do you have strong feelings about receiving a book from a series that is not the first one in that series? Does it matter to you whether each book can function on its own despite some backward reference?  If the story can stand alone, that is fine. Honestly, I tend to forget a lot of the details that authors pull over between books anyway. If it the kind of series where the narrative picks up hours after the last book and dives into part two of a cliffhanger, I'll probably pass.    - Anyone into men's cologne (non-bpal, think nice department store or designer brands)?   I beg of you please DO NOT send me any non-BPAL perfume. So, er, no thank you!   - Do you like comic books, and, if so, what types? Yes! I go into this pretty extensively in my book info posts. I tend to prefer graphic novels to individual issues because I'm really bad about tracking down the latter, but I love comics as a method of storytelling and would be perfectly happy to have individual issues if that's what you have. On point - I just finished the first volume of Pretty Deadly, just started the second of Y the Last Man and am anxiously awaiting Monstress vol 4 and Bitch Planet vol 3. 

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2011 Reading Analysis

Wow. So this was one my my less stellar years in terms of reading. Ironically, I think that getting a Kindle actually worked against me, as it made it so much easier to be a magpie, play little word games, etc. So time I might otherwise have spent reading got sucked into playing strange logic puzzles. I also think I might have lost a couple of quick reads between October and November.   The Kindle did make it easier to make progress on some of my long-term reading projects, like Ulysses. While I'm still a long way from done, having it with me wherever I have the Kindle means I plugged away more than I would have if the book just stayed by my bed. Also, my copy was lovely in its way, but it is old, has some cover damage and the 60s era cover had to be taped on, so having it in a sleak electronic format is a more friendly reading experience (note that doesn't mean I'm getting rid of the hardcopy :-).   Along those lines, I had hoped to make 2011 the year I finished everything on my previously started list, which clearly didn't happen. I did read at least part of every single book still outstanding and I think it's realistic to think at least 4 of those will be cleared out this year (I've already finished ADWD and just started up with AF again, so that's one down, one probably finished by the end of the month). There's not much left of the Molly Ivins - it's sort of a crime that I've not completed that one, to be honest, and Halloween will be resurrected come fall. So there.   I did discover a ton of new authors this year, reading more than one book (and in a couple of cases, entire series) by Suzanne Collins, , Charles DeLint, Terry Brooks, Lee Carroll, and Daniel Suarez, and one offs by Jacqueline West, Cyril Pedrosa, Tamora Pierce and Daniel Kraus. I also discovered a lot of new possibilities via the Steampunk anthology (which contains a story by one of my dearest friends) and the Halloween anthology (which I shall finish next fall, natch).   Normally, this is where I go through a detailed accounting of new vs. old, genre, etc. But I kind of don't really care. I like knowing what I read and so long as I liked it, I'm not sure it matters that much one way or another.

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Spring Cleaning v4.0 2015 Q&A

1.Ladies and gents, if you're comfortable receiving clothing, what size(s)? Any particular types of clothing (skirts, oversized t-shirts for crafting, work clothing)? How do you feel about shoes that were bought, worn once, and never brought out of the closet again? Ditto this for anyone else in your household who might appreciate wearables.   I am a L in BPTP tissue tees, XL in just about anything else, including Tee Fury and Threadless. Otherwise, I'm a 12-14 in bottoms (usually larger in pants, smaller in skirts unless they are super form fitting, generally skirts are somewhat safer because I am about the bass, as it were), I don't wear much in the way of button ups because boobage. On the weekends it's pretty much tees- either TP or geeky tee fury type stuff and jeans for me, and pretty business formal during the week. Shoes: I wear a US 8, I love me some funky Fluevogs, or sandals in the summer. I'm trying to keep heels to no more than 1.5 inches because my calves are not what they used to be. Totally happy to take anything that fits this description off your hands.   2.How do you feel about socks that were very briefly on fresh-out-of-the-shower feet & then removed when it was discovered they didn't fit? Absolutely! I do have pretty monster calves, so I have the same "gee these are adorbs except for the circulation in my legs" issue, and I have a couple of pairs in my hope to find a home pile myself.   3.How do you feel about vinyl designer toys? (Ex super7, kidrobot, etc) I've never really gotten into these, which basically means I'm a clean slate. Someone mentioned Lego, which is my obsession. Otherwise, my fandoms are Harry Potter (Ravenclaw represent), Doctor Who (especially 9/Rose), Star Wars, Firefly, GOT (sort of, though I've only read the books), pretty much anything Gaiman related, LOTR sort of.   4.What kind of makeup and/or nail polish would you be interested in receiving? What kind of colors do you like? Sure! I covet bright colors for eyes and lips and could actually use some sort of setting "glue" for sparkly shadows (I know there's a name for this, but search me). Also, I search forever for non-black or brown mascaras (especially need blue-black, but love other colors too). I do not need facial care stuff or foundation/powder and I never wear blush, so anything along those lines would just get a home in the next round of BBBoxes. 5.Speaking of books, are there any books you WOULD NOT READ if something happened to fall into your package? My goodreads has a ton of info about my preferences, but jumping of an earlier answer, I would NOT be interested in anything religious at all, including pagan stuff. I'm an avowed atheist, so it's just not my scene. Otherwise, I'm not real big on non-fiction or much from before 1940 or so. 6.Are there any other hoarders collectors of nail polish? All the bright sparkly colors for my toes. I don't really wear/need neutrals and don't care much for matte.   7. Any hobbies/crafts you would really like supplies for? Similarly, any that you just *really* don't need more stuff of? I keep saying that I want to start doing cross stitch and embroidery again and I can always use polymer clay and related supplies, beads, and jewelry fittings.   8.Are you interested in anything for your kitchen? Pots/pans/gadgets/small appliances/etc. In terms of need, probably not. But I could find a good use for a salad spinner, double boiler, madeline and bakeware. Fun dishtowels and spatulas are cool. And wooden spoons.   9.How about fashion accessories??? I have super short hair, so don't really use hair accessories, but my daughter has really long hair and is growing out her bangs right now, so she would get use out of hair clips, headbands and the like. I have a lot of scarves and such as well, so I don't really need more, but if something seems perfect, I'd be happy to adopt it.   10. Used makeup? I'm not terribly picky about my makeup, other than mascara. No non-cleanly tested mascara, please.   11.Would you like to try anything that may not be so easily available in your country, for those of you who may get an international person? Sure!   12.Kids' stuff? I have a daughter who will turn 5 during the swap who loves owls and rainbows and birds and dolphins. Gently used clothes in a size 5 or above are totally cool, as are Kindergarten age appropriate books and such. I also have an 11 year old son who is gigantic and totally pubescent and who will take anything military history related off your hands.   13.Are there any styles/colors of handbags you won't carry? Anything in the biege/brown/white/yellow/orange spectrum or anything too canvasy utilitarian or patchwork hippy-chic. Otherwise, I prefer cross body bags that are kind of classy-funky, if that makes any sense.   14.Do you play video games & would you be interested in recieving games? If yes, what systems do you have & what types of games do you like? Sure! Personally, I mostly play adventure/HO games on my kindle (think Big Fish/G4), but we do have a Wii that I wish I had more time for and my son and husband play all the time. They are also angling for an Xbox.   15.Are you a BPAL only person, or do you wear other perfumes as well? BPAL only please!   16.Do you have pets and if so what?   Two cats and a tank of guppies, none of whom need anything. The cats don't really like treats and catnip gives one of ours a really bad trip, so we avoid it. Cool aquarium accessories might get some love, I guess.   17. Bath/beauty stuff? Ie oils, salts, bubbles? Masks, bb creams? All the bath stuff. ALL OF IT! Except for non-cleansing scrubs. I have SO many jars of non-cleansing scrubs that I really really should not adopt more. But all the foaming scrubs. I am pretty set for a skincare routine as well, but am always on the look out for a good charcoal face wash to tempt me away from my current decidedly uncool Mary Kay regimen.   18. If you are a dustpan who would like to receive yarn, are you particular about said yarn? Wool allergies? Irrational hatred of acrylics? Can you use partial balls (like I used maybe 50 yards of a 200 yard skein), or do you only use certain weights? Please no yarn. I have no use for it unless you're making something out of it before you sent it to me. No fabric, either, while I'm thinking of it.   19. How does everyone feel about CDs and DVDs? Any preferences? Sure, but I have no idea how to even begin to guide this question, other than to send you to my amazon wishlist.   20. Hey, how do people feel about stripes? Say, black and white stripes? Stripes are love. 21. Do you have any interest or use for anything tarot-related? Not really. 22. Do you like cats? Actual cats are great, have 2. Not that big on stuff with cats on it, unless it's kind of weird (like a cat in a space helmet or something, not anything super cutsie). 23. Do you collect anything? Not super comprehensively, but I like gargoyles and creepy critters. My daughter will take anything you have with owls on it. Lego is probably the biggest thing, now that I think of it. We have several hundred of the actual sets and probably close to a million bricks all told. So there's that. I also love sticker books and adult coloring books and my daughter likes the youngling variety. Son is in a big military history kick right now. 24. Also, I've unearthed a ton of stuff from the regifting heap, so do you have any use for a potpourri container, a bright purple reusable water bottle, or a Massage Envy gift card? As noted in thread, I will take all water bottles or travel mugs that are in good condition and I'd happily find a use for Massage Envy. No potpourri please, containers or otherwise.   25. If you are interested in receiving homemade baked goods, do you have any favorites or limitations not mentioned in your questionnaire? Would you like a full list of ingredients included? Homemade baked goods are awesome, no limitations other than what I listed in my questionnaire. Most salient would be please no no-calorie sweeteners or dill. 26. If you are interested in receiving clothing, would you like any belts, sweatpants, or slippers? And do you have color/style preferences? No sweatpants. Belts would be great. Slippers that can go outdoors would be great in dark colors, or cozy socks. 27. If you are interested in receiving books, would you like to receive ebooks? As in, book files I'd send you on a USB drive, that you can read on your computer or e-reader. Sure!   28. How do you feel about barely-used candles? I have no objection to partially burned candles.

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12 Days of Christmas 2019

Updated 11/21/19   What are you feelings about chocolate? Not the drink, but the candy. If you like it, what sort? I covered this pretty thoroughly in my questionnaire, but I love chocolate. I prefer milk and white to dark and I love fruit and nuts and other bits in, as well as truffles and other non-bar chocolates.    Do you like animals? Any favourites? And would you like to receive framed animal photo’s?   I do like animals, especially bats, owls, spiders, penguins, snakes, lizards, beetles. I probably would not have a place for a framed photo though.   When it comes to art, would you like to receive printed art? If so: what style? I really don't have wall space.    Any Trader Joe’s goodies you really love? I don't really have any faves. We have them locally, but not conveniently, so I don't go there often.     for those folks who like candles/tarts/incense... what companies/scents do you favorite??  anything/place to strictly stay away from??   This is about the only time of year I burn candles, but I don't really need more. I don't do tarts and please DO NOT send me incense.     If you wear jewelry, what's your style?? I tend to be pretty go big or go home with my jewelry. I like big dangly earrings and chunky necklaces and things with interesting astronomy themes. I do not wear gold or rings or earrings with posts.    Would you like/do you need a smallish sized box I would paint? It could be very small or a little bigger to hold some bpal bottles or similar.  I don't have a specific need, but if something calls to you, I am always happy for more little storage options. I would definitely prefer it not to have dividers or other customization, since I probably will not use it for bottles, but rather for jewelry or other things that are overrunning my dresser.   If I were placing a Tentacle Kitty order, would you want a Little One to hop in the box for you? This is my own question, but I seriously lurve Tentacle Kitty. I am ordering the tortie one for my daughter, but I love the snowflake and santa hat ones in particular.   What are your feelings about fruitcake?  I make little mini-muffin bites with dried fruit that soaks in good quality booze for at least a month, not your average grocery store monstrosity.  I always want to try anyone's fruitcake, so yes please!   Do you care if a book is used or not? Not a bit.   Do you use sugar or honey in your tea/coffee. If you only use one, would you like to try the other? I don't really, but I do like infused or different honey varietals and infused sugars for other purposes.   Do you enjoy nuts? Most of the time I prefer nuts in mixes with other things - fruit, chocolate, that sort of thing or with spices. BUT, my husband LOVES nuts, so he would definitely be happy.   What is your favorite category of candy (ie gummies, chocolates, pure sugar [like nerds or pixie sticks])? Probably chocolates and licorice (the rich black stuff, not fruity, but I also love jelly beans and allsorts). I'm also a fan of sour gummies.    Are you interested in spices, herbs, or blends from Penzeys or similar? I have a lot already, so I'm probably good. If you have a favorite blend from someplace else, I'm definitely game.    You find yourself in IKEA without proper adult supervision. Why do you get kindly escorted out by security and/or make your local evening news? Probably for sleeping on one of the couches covered by those furry white shirling rugs.   How do you feel about bugs? I LOVE BUGS. Especially beetles and butterflies, but generally, I love bugs and bug related things (although maybe not like cricket flour or anything).    

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New Year's Swap 19-20

Updated 11/20/19   Would you like anything from Spireside candles? https://spireside.com/ I'm not really up for candles at this point, but the whipped soaps in Flight of the Pegasus and Beauty Sleep look good. And poking around in the candles, pretty much all of the holiday ones really do sound amazing, especially the Yeti and Jungle Bells and Wizard Ball scents.    Are you interested in anything from Bird and Blend Tea Company? Snowball teabags look delightful. Generally, caffeine free chocolate flavors are my jam.   On the decorating spectrum, do you head more towards classic/stylish or towards cheesy/kitsch? Definitely the latter, but not country kitchy, more geeky/silly.   Fiber artists! (Knitters, weavers, crocheters etc) How would you like to get some nice yarn? No thank you.   Is there any animal you feel a strong connection with? Corgis, tortie cats, bats, dragons, penguins, the owl that lives in my backyard, our ball python   Books - there is a TON of info in my other blog posts and everything I've read in the past 12 years is in Goodreads, so I will send you there.   Cowl or fingerless mitts (these are the only things I'll have time to do.) - if a cowl, do you want something like a double length cowl, or a cowl that looks like a shawl,  a large bulky cowl, or a short tighter type cowl?  (not necessarily these patterns, although if you love the pattern I can do it.  I welcome photos of what you want.) - if fingerless mitts, how long do you like them over the fingers, how far past the wrist, and how large are your hands, wrists, and arms in inches? I would ABSOLUTELY love a double length or shawl-like cowl.   Is merino wool ok or do you have allergies I need to be aware of?  (most of my stash is Merino or a blend of Merino, Cashmere, or Silk.) Marino and blends are fine.     

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2010 Reading Analysis

This year may be the year that gets me to start tracking pages read; because while I did not come terribly close to 100 books (totaling 82 books in their entirety, 84 with the ones started before 2010, although 132/4 with the ones read with my son, but I typically don’t count those toward my own totals) I would be willing to bet that I came pretty close to my page totals for previous years, thanks largely to discovering Diana Gabaldon and rereading the entire Harry Potter series. I also did a lot of magazine and other non-tracked reading (I am not counting skimming through pregnancy and baby-care books, for example) and had a fair amount of external distraction (hello new baby and having not been totally alone in my house since May).   Just skimming, this year had fewer really short (>300 pages) YA and urban fantasy/paranormal romance sorts of books, fewer graphic novels which I tend to polish off in a few hours as most, and a lot more really dense, really long books.   Some quick totals:   82 books read in their entirety. 2 books finished from previous years. 50 chapter books read in whole or in part with my son. 4 books which I just could not finish – interestingly, all by authors that I have really enjoyed in the past and 3 of which were installments in series where I’ve enjoyed the other books.   Of the 82 books I read in full, they breakdown along my coding as follows:   Author of Color – 1 (wow, that’s pathetic) Fantasy – 44 (my most common genre this year with 5 more than last year) Graphic Novel – 19 (hum, actually 2 more than last year- but at least two of what I categorized as GN were fairly long) Mystery - 3 (way fewer straight mysteries this year than in the past – probably because I’m completely caught up with the series I read and haven’t introduced any new ones) Non-fiction – 1 Reread – 15 total rereads and 2 graphic novel adaptations where I’d read the original story, but not the adaptation Series –60 Science Fiction – 9 Short Works – 9 Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my! – 25 (3 more than last year, maybe because I included the 7 HPs?) Young Adult – 16 (way fewer than last year and tending toward the longer end (i.e. 300 plus pages))   Interestingly, even with almost ¾ of my reading being from series, nearly half – 40 total- unique authors are represented, with 12 totally new authors this year. That’s about the same number of unique authors, although fewer new ones this year.

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Everything you ever wanted to know about books...

Edited 4/4/13 to add links to amz, etc.   Amazon Bookmooch - woefully out of date and a combo of me, my husband and my kid Goodreads - not so much a wishlist, but sort of what I'm poking around with   Okay, maybe not exactly, but it dawned on me that it might not be a bad idea to toss my answers to the recent bookworm swap over this away, for the curious.     What kind of books do you usually like? Any favorite authors, genres, or topics?   I love urban and traditional fantasy, whether it be about vampires, fairies, steampunk or something strange happening in a castle far away. I definitely like the supernatural twist and have a yen for post-apocalyptic tales (e.g. Terry Brooks) and mystery and fantasy kids lit (think John Bellairs, Harry Potter, Neil’s kids books, the Garth Nix "Keys to the Kingdom" series, the Uglies series, and Clive Barker's kids books). I also like straight mysteries (particularly about the southwest US (Nevada Barr, J.A. Jance, Tony Hillerman, Kirk Mitchell) and I also really like Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series) and am woefully behind on new developments in that genre. Fave authors include Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler, Julliet Marrillier, Robin McKinley, Jacqueline Carey, Catherynne M. Valente, JK Rowling, John Bellairs, Jonathan Carroll, ...I could go on for a while, but the links below should really help. And I'm just getting into Charles de Lint.   Pulling a list from a similar swap (kind of repetitive, but more info is better, right?):   *Urban fantasy(DeLint, Gaiman, lots of people I really need to read, I'm sure) *Magical realism (Jonathan Carroll and the like) *Quasi-historical fantasy (I'm thinking things like a Juliet Marillier and some of the non-adaptation McKinley here and I'd probably put Outlander in this category for my purposes since I don't otherwise tend to enjoy historical romance) *Supernatural romance (vampire, werewolves, zombies, OH MY! Things I'm pretty well caught up on incudes Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Kelly Armstrong, and I've read most LK Hamilton to the point where I just can't anymore ;-) *Sci-fi (although I tend to gravitate toward short stories in this genre - a la Ray Bradbury - and more worldbuilding Steampunky sorts of stuff than hard tech-geeky a-bunch-of-guys-land-on-a-strange-planet sort of stuff) *Mysteries/crime/detective novels (tho I'm more into the actual crime solving than the legal wrangling, so, more Sara Paretsky/Raymond Chandler/Michael Connelley than Scott Turow/John Grisham, also I sort of love true crime, which I rarely admit to and never seek out but adore when it falls in my lap) *Fairy tales (classics and adaptations and totally new interpretations) *Mythology adaptations (really, just kind of in love with adaptations of almost any sort, including comic versions especially the original text classics) *Authurian/Avalon myth (this is a fairly recent acquisition, so it's good mining as well is my guess. I've got MZB covered, but otherwise...) *Comics/graphic novels (not so much superhero stuff for the most part, but there's a lot of BPAL related stuff I haven't read) *Kids lit of any of the above, especially the mystery/fantasy bit (loving Rick Riordan with my 8 year old right now!)   Any authors, genres or topics you really dislike?   I am not a fan of Jim Butcher, oddly. I should be, but he just doesn't grab me. Similarly, Holly Black and I have never really hit it off. I think most of my other "dislikes" are touched on below.   Do you consider yourself "well-read"? Well-read within a particular genre?   Kinda, in that I read all-the-damn-time. There are huge gaping holes in my knowledge base, though, as I'm kind of a magpie.   How do you feel about classics?   I'm kind of embarassed to admit this, but kind of meh. I love Dickens, but otherwise, can pretty much take or leave most lit written before 1900. I know, I'm a philistine.   Would you like something challenging/outside your comfort zone or would you prefer something fairly close to what you know you like?   I would definitely like *something* in my comfort zone. There's a pretty deep well there, I think. I would absolutely love to discover new authors within genres I like and am happy to discover things kind of on the fence. Pride, Prejudice and Zombies sorts of crossovers hold no interest for me, though.   How do you feel about nonfiction?   I'm typically not a huge fan, to be honest. I do tend to like narrative non-fic storytelling along the lines of Sarah Vowell or Chuck Klosterman (I just bought his new novel, FYI), but I really look to recreational reading for escapism. I do love a good political firebrand, but I have a lot of that unread on my shelves at the moment. Although, as noted above, true crime is kind of my secret shame.   Are you ok with something like a graphic novel or young adult book?   Abso-frikkin-lutely. I love graphic novels and YA lit.   What makes you pick a book up and want to read it right away? What makes you put something down and never want to pick it up again?   You know, I have no idea. My main go-to books that I read over and over again are Gaiman's Neverwhere, McKinley's Chalice and the Harry Potter series. They are all escapist fantasy to some extent, but I read plenty of other things in the same genres, but don't feel compelled to read them repetedly. Those books, though, feel like slipping between the pages and into a whole new world, almost like pulling up the covers in bed on a cold night. I know I just mixed my metaphors, but I don't care. ;-) In terms of putting things down, while I have no particular issues with violence and gore, being shocking and gross just for the sake of being shocking and gross just doesn't appeal to me. And I have no issues with genre tropes, but I really really need a story and some fabulous characterization as well.   Would you be open to receiving ebooks? If so, what sort of reader do you have, and do you prefer electronic or physical books?   YES! I would love/prefer kindle books, to be honest, but would be perfectly happy to get physical goodness as well. And for anything with color pics (e.g. graphic novels) the Kindle just won't cut it. For physical books, used is a-ok.

Em-

Em-

 

12 Days of Christmas 2016

UPDATED 11/18

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?

Absolutely! I am not much of a cowl wearer, but otherwise, bring on all the homemade goodies, especially since yarn-craft and I do not get along.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).

Yes please! Fingerless gloves are another desire of mine.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?

I don't really have feelings about them, to be honest, which is a good excuse to show me why they are awesome! (This is as good a time as any to mention that I forgot to include Ghostbusters on my list of beloved fandoms.)

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?

I love dried fruit/veg/nut combos. I love honey, like good jerky, jam is fab. The only thing that jumps out at me from PNW that I wouldn't want is salmon anything. Otherwise, I love to try local snacks, bread mixes, that sort of thing.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?

I really want to go to Australia and New Zealand. Truly, I want to go everywhere, but that's my next big desire.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?

I inevitably get distracted by the wall of tacky jewelry, but I never actually buy anything.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?

I would not want gardening stuff or plants. I generally prefer not to receive things I will inevitably kill. Calla lilies are my favorite flower.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)

Something spicy/creamy/red musky. Text would be a silly bit of poetry.

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?

I...have no idea. Sorry, that is totally unhelpful. Maybe sketches of my kids?

Have we already answered questions about Christmas tree themes for this year?
We always do a tree, but it's not themed. Generally, we do a combo of modern bright colors, ornaments from my childhood, things my kids have made, souvenirs from vacations, and whatever characters my kids are currently into.

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
Fair with ruddy cheeks. Blue eyes. Dyed dark red hair. Makeup style is definitely funky - if I want to look natural, I just don't wear makeup. Otherwise, I usually do a bit of powder foundation, vibrant eye shadow crayon and black or blue/black mascara (note I DO NOT need more black mascara). Then a red or berry or burgundy lip color. I don't wear blush or lip liner or usually eye liner, although I will play with that sometimes. I am always in the market for more bold eye or lip colors, nail polishes (glitter is good) and could legit use a "glue" for loose powder shadow.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
There's nothing I'm particularly jonsing for at the moment, but I've been a little curious about needle felting if there's an all inclusive kit you like. My daughter also loves crafty stuff, so things we could work on together would be fun.

Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?
I love their lotions and shower gel and some of their specialty spa stuff. I also love their candles, perhaps a bit too much.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell!
My fave Lush products are their bath products, which I have no current ability to use, sadly. I don't care for their soap at all, their shower gels are okay. I do love me some Lemony Flutter, though.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
ALL THE LICORICE!!! I generally prefer sweet, but like salty if it is combined with something sweet (Nemi gave me some chocolate covered salty licorice last year that was AMAZING.)

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
Magnets, jewelry, local sweets and candy are among my travel related loves.

is you BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do!
I will try to get that taken care of ASAP.

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
I particularly love pens in all sorts of colors and sticky notes.

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
Sure! I particularly like cheesy..

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
Absolutely!

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
I marginally prefer soap, just because I'm more likely to grab it to use.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Candles are fine, although I am kind of drowning in them. Please no incense or wax melts.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
The bigger and bolder the better. I do not wear post earrings, though. Otherwise, in terms of length, anything goes.

Sweeteners:
I don't do artificial sweeteners.Honey, agave, other actual sugar alternatives are fine. No stevia or stuff like that though.

Handmade items & homemade food:
Absolutely!

Shakespearean swag:
This is my question, so I am pretty well set, but yes, I do love me some random Shakespeare.

Favorite Christmas story:
A Christmas Carol all day long, the book, adaptations, everything other than the Jim Carrey version.

Numbered packages or random:
Whatever you prefer, Snow Angel.

Goodreads or other wish lists:
Everything is in my swap help blog entry linked in my sig..

Books in a series-- in order?
If books are pretty much standalone, like Discworld or a lot of police procedural series, I am cool with random entries. For anything that is truly serial and the series is meant to tell a full story together, then I want them in order.

Trader Joe's:
I have one super close but I never actually go there, so it is fair game.(I love cookie butter ; -)

Shoe size
US womens 8, socks are wonderful

I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving?
I can't think of anything SD specific, to be honest, but see above re my usual souvenirs.

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?
I yes and yes! The biggest catch is a lot of steampunk jewelry I see is very gold/bronze based.

I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft?
I have so many journals that I never get around to using, so I should probably pass.

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?
I a not ISO anything in particular right now. I will try to get my wishlist updated ASAP. I listed a lot of my faves in my survey, I think.

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
I'm sure there will be some deals on movies or games that are up my alley, but there's nothing specific I can think of (I tend to avoid any offline black Friday shopping).

Homemade stuff specifics:
Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples Yes
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes
- Rose petal liqueur Yes!
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam Yes!
- garlic dill pickles Yes
- raw honey from bees on our property Yes!
- Baked or homemade goods Always. Of particular interest from the list are rum balls, cranberry bars, fudge and trail mix. If you make extra fab brownies or breads, that's cool too.
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? If you have thematic fabric or the desire to make something that fits with my fandoms, that would be super, but I don't really need them in general. Of particular interest would be Harry Potter, Doctor Who, NMBC, MLP. Bigger bags that could hold some of my daughter's huge MLP collection would actually be pretty fab.
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? No thank you.
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? Bookmarks, dishtowels, pillows, other usable things would be great. I don't have much wall space for hangings, though.
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - I have no idea and am not on ravelry or relevantly on pinteroist. I am not real big on cable-knit or that sort of classic texture, though. For some reason, I now have an image of some sort of cephalopod texture and would be all over something like that, though. In terms of colors, any of the jewel tones I mention in my survey, especially black/gray/purples/teal.

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?
I love anything evergreeny this time of year, or spicy foody kind of scents.

Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks?
I do cook, but I have a lot of cookbooks. I do love quirky fannish ones, though. I have Dining with the Doctor.

Do you like games (board/card), and if so for how many players?
Yes! I would particularly be interested in games that can be played with 2-3 players as well as larger groups.

If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?
I have tried to break down what I have and what I want via an "on-my-shelves" sub-category. Anything on my to-read list that is not so marked is something I would be happy to receive, whether it specifically says "want a copy" or not.

Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
Technically we have both fireplace and a metal fire bowl thing, although we have never used the former and rarely use the latter. I wouldn't necessarily be opposed, but these sound like the sort of thing I would acquire and never remember to use.

What animals do you think are considered cute?
Penguins, owls, birds generally, bats, lizards, seals, and I have a fondness for arctic animals specifically - white foxes, wolves, polar bears, etc.

You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf?
I don't think I did, actually. But generally, I like big shawl like winter scarves more than light lacy scarves.

I stalked your etsy and noticed you like gemstones in jewellery!
If yes, what's a list of your favorite semi-precious gemstones?

Sapphires, garnets, moonstone...honestly, I care more about color and overall style than gemstones themselves.

And what is your ring size in US?
I really would prefer not to receive rings. Sorry! I can barely wear my wedding and engagement rings anymore, let alone others.

Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards?
These are beautiful, but outside of owls or birds that I could share with my daughter, I really don't have wall space right now.

Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
Non-foody, please. Some food items are wonderful, but I would prefer that less than half be treats, thanks!

Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
Jewelry, books, a mix cd of seasonal music, fun sparkly decorations, socks or arm warmers... Grabbing this from the thread, but I also love fandom blind bags, incl. Lego!

Anybody else pay attention to Solstice Scents?
Nope. I am a BPAL only gal and do not wear anything else.

If I were go get my shit together to actually bake before December 7, would you have any interest in fruitcake?
My own question, so the YES I LOVE IT answer can probably be assumed, but yes, I love fruitcake - even the stereotypical brick - but especially people's different recipes. I go pretty much gaga over any holiday fruit bread - panatella, stollen, etc.

If I were still feeling the alcoholic spirit and decided to make boozy chocolate balls of some sort, do you have a preference for bourbon, rum or Irish whiskey?
I have no real preference. In terms of drinking, I lean toward whiskeys, but all the booze is welcome over here.

Em-

Em-

 

13 Nights of Halloween Questions 2014

What are your thoughts on yarn and handmade yarny things?   Handmade anything is awesome and love and fabulous. But despite many many attempts at yarncraft I have come to the conclusion that I shall never be adept at things involving anything larger than an embroidery needle and floss.   For bath and body products: do you have a bathtub or shower?   I can do either with pretty much anything. All the bath and shower things!   Dear Swappee: is there anything you might have forgotten to put on your survey?   Nothing I can think of at the moment.   Are there any particular fandoms that you follow?   Fandoms (by which I mainly mean things I would be happy to receive swag about): Harry Potter (Ravenclaw here), Doctor Who, Muppets, Nightmare Before Christmas, StarWars (especially Yoda or Princess Leia or droids), Game of Thrones, Sandman, Firefly, Lego, Princess Bride   Do you own a wax/oil burner? (If no, would you like one?) Incense, y/n?   Oil/Wax/Incense/Candles:Scented candles in nommy autumnal scents are cool, no incense, wax melts/tarts or burning oils, please.   Would you like loose, fancy tea?   All the chocolatey, autumnal flavored tea.I also love a good Earl Gray.   What is your favorite fall activity?   Favorite activities - I have to go to a pumpkin patch with the kids. And then we have to carve crazy-ass jack o lanterns. October is probably my favorite month of the year - the weather here is fabulous - cool and crisp, but not cold yet. I love having whatever giant creature my husband and son come up with in our yard, and our skelemingos and other silly-creepy things. I love prepping for our Halloween party and then Halloween itself - filling the big candy bowl and getting the first wee trick-or-treaters...I really can't pick just one thing, but if I absolutely had to, it would probably be the pumpkin patch.   I'm in Japan, anything specifically Japanese-y you want?   Cute Halloweenie Sanrio stuffs would be fun, or other similar items. Probably not much in the way of sweets or snacks.   Please briefly describe (color, style, preferred type of beads) or provide a picture of (if it is suitable), the type of necklace (if any) you would be interested in getting. If you do not like necklaces, what kinds of jewelry (if any) would you want to wear?   What I really seriously kind of sort of need, to the extent that it is possible for me to actually *need* jewelry at this point in my life, is a bracelet in purples/blues. I particularly like loose bracelets with a single charm. I don't like what I think of as hippy-quasi-Indian flowery fittings between beeds. I would also love Halloweenie themed bracelets or earrings (I have a necklace that I love and can only wear this time of year already).   In terms of necklaces, something purple and/or red would be cool. I have a lot of blues and plain silver and oranges and even a couple of green tone ones, but purple in particular is missing, despite being my favorite color. I have been particularly drawn to long drapey multi-strand things lately, but really, I just love big bold colorful statement jewelry that leans modern (as opposed to Victorian or hippy costume beads), although I also love art deco/nouveau.   What about hot chocolate/malt drinks?   I kind of have more hot chocolate than I will ever be able to use and most of the time I am too lazy to actually heat milk, etc unless I'm making Hershey's for the kids. That said, if you have a line on amazing pumpkin spice hot chocolate where you just add water, I'm all in. As for malt drinks, assuming you mean like Ovaltine or something, I'm not strictly opposed, but it's not something I seek out and I'd probably prefer my carbs elsewhere.     If you said that you are interested in books (or DVDs or any relatively big standalone sort of item), would you be okay with having multiples of such items spread over a couple of days, or would you prefer 13 distinct themish packages?   Personally, while I wouldn't want, say 4 days of books and 5 days of DVDs and just 4 of other goodies, I would be cool with receiving 2-3 days of books if they are things you think I would really love.   How into the day themeing mentioned in the first post are you? All themed? A few maybe if they are fun? Not at all?   I would probably be more into general Halloweenie/Autumnal theming than say bologna or mincemeat. If it helps my treater out of a bind or if zie really can have a lot of fun with it, have at.   Speaking of DVDs - are you interested in receiving movies and if so, what sort?   Anything on my Amazon wishlist is fair game, if not terribly thematic. I don't have a whole lot of time to watch tv, period, unless it's at least 11 year old friendly, but I would love to see "Let the Right One In" and I have a fondness for old Steven King movies.   Back to the books - if you said you would like books, would you prefer I send you, say, my favorite Halloween anthology or something else spooky/scary, or something off your wishlist/want-to-read on goodreads?   Personally, books are love. I would particularly love a new thematic anthology (I have Halloween by Paula Guran and send it to everyone in these things...which means I'll have to make that last this time if I repeat it) or something kind of scary or otherwise autumnal, but really anything you think I'd love would be fabulous. My next project still in progress on goodreads is shelving my "want to read" books into "have them/don't have them", since right now it's a mix, but it should give you some ideas at the very least.   Process question: Do you want to know who is sending to you right away, or would you prefer to be surprised on the last day, to the extent possible? Likewise, do you have a preference for specifically numbered packages or for reach in and grab according to your fancy?   I definitely want to know who you are. I don't feel super strongly about when I find out, although tradition leans toward the end. In terms of numbering, both a free for all and specific numbering are fun, so whatever strikes you as most appropriate.     Would you be interested in solid perfume? What about lip balm?   I'm very much a BPAL only girl, so no on solid perfume. Lip balm forever, though, especially if it has SPF.     There was a lot of mention of not wearing costumes/not being allowed to at workplaces. Would you be interested in goth style or Halloween-themed(pumpkins, ghosts,etc.) normal clothes to wear instead, and what would be suitable?   I could probably get away with a costume more than actual club-wear and since I never actually get to wear any of the club wear I already own (and in fact might be raiding my stash of jewelry from my hardcore goth days for this swap, I'm a no on the gothy clothes question. I would love Halloweenie socks, accessories, fingerless gloves/armwarmers, t-shirts and other accessories (I'd lean more toward black/purple/spiders/bats than orange and pumpkins for anything other than socks or maybe jewelry). For that matter, a long wig could be fun - I actually borrowed a long black and purple wig and wore it to a work lunch for Halloween last year.   Rose City Comicon - Are any of them particularly appealing to you and/or your inner twelve-year-old (mine is calling dibs on the Goonies stuff)? I didn't see anything that jumps out at me in the vendor list, but my inner 12-year-old will fight your inner 12-year-old for Goonies. Day of the dead/ Dia de los Muertos stuff? I go back and forth on DDLM stuffs (as opposed to my much hoarded stash of the 2004 DDLM oil. I would love some sugar skull earrings, otherwise, I'm pretty particular. Question for all you knitters,crocheters and people who like yarn and yarnie things; can you give somebody just one or two balls of yarn? Can you make something out of that? Is it useful? This is definitely not directed at me, but no, I would get absolutely no use out of yarn, unless you made it into something for me. Does anything from this shop catch your eye? I have a lotion in some sort of vanilla from Debauchery that I really love and I'm a sucker for bubbling scrubs, so I'd be happy to try those - in terms of scents, the Black Honey and Buttermilk Nectar both look fabulous and every single one of the autumn scents I looked at looked promising. Dear Pumpkin: Do you have aversions to any animals or insects? Centipedes/millipedes, wasps, cockroaches. I would not want anything with them on. Otherwise, there's not much that freaks me out. How do you feel about canned foods like jams and things along those lines? They are love! Do you have a favourite colour scheme? Black/gray, jewel tones and dark, almost black versions of same. How do you feel about stickers (and stationery in general)? Stickers and cute note cards are fine. Pretty papers are not likely to get used. How do we feel about fibercrafting (knit, crochet, etc.)? wearables? crafted critters? If you would like a scarf or something similar, would you like it to be themed, like fall colors, or have a skull or other halloweenie motif/border? We think that any of these are amazeballs, particularly in halloweenie themes. What makes you feel pampered? A long hot bath with some sort of scented product (bath oll, bomb, something), with a cup of hot tea and a good book. OR a really luxe massage or a pedicure. New Question! We've covered what critters you don't like, but what about the critters that you DO like? What are your favorite animals/creatures, real or imagined? Bats, owls, ravens, spiders, lizards, gargoyles, pegasi, DRAGONS!   I have a dumb question! I know it's a big joke that we get everything five years later than everyone else in the world, but is there anything specifically Canadian you'd like? Maple things, chocolate bars, or any of our creepy chip flavours? Totally not a dumb question! I want maple everything and maple sugar candy is one of my favorite things in the world. Also, cheap Canadian chocolate is infinitely superior to cheap USian chocolate and I am happy to try any creepy chip flavors that do not include any of my blackout items (so no salmon dill blue cheese crisps). A new question from me: While I am stalking the restock of the Rice Pudding hot process soap, does anything from Paintbox Soapworks catch your eye?   My answer - the afore mentioned Rice Pudding soap, also sorbetto, soaps (I prefer the hot process to glycerin, but both are fabulous) or lotion in any of the following (in order of preference): The Bees Lament, Indian Summer, Avast, Little Paper Umbrellas, Candy Floss, Guy Falkes, Pink Salt, Beet It   Is there is any TAZO tea you have a hankering for? Zen, Awake, Passion, China Green Tips, Vanilla Roibois, Calm, Refresh? (tea bags in a tin) Cocoa Mint Mate looks yum, as does the Bushberry Black Iced.   How about any Teavana tea? (loose leaf) I love their toasted mates. Also, anything fruity/chocolaty. How about Starbucks coffee beans? If so, ground (and for what kind of filter) or whole bean? Whole bean, all the way. How about Starbucks coffee via (italian, columbia, anniversary, vanilla latte?) or Iced coffee via (caramel or regular?) Fruit flavored via (berry hisbiscus, cool lime, strawberry lemonade?) Pumpkin Spice Latte via? Pumpkin Spice Latte!!!!!!!!!! Nothing else there I'm willing to take the carbs for, though. Starbucks K-cups or Verismo pods? No thanks. Coffee/tea travel mugs or ceramic home mugs? Travel mugs would be fabulous. Coffee maker (french press) or tea steeper? A tea steeper would be cool. Anything else from Starbucks/Teavana? Syrups, honey, whatever? I always love honey. How would you feel about a gently-used card game? For example, something I may have purchased several years ago and maybe played with my daughter *twice* before she became a moody teenager, and too cool for card and/or board games? Oh, absolutely. Especially if it is pre-moody teen friendly. Alcoholic beverages in your goodies-- yay or nay (mostly I'm thinking minis, tho I did get a full bottle of liqueur in a Switch Witch years ago!)-- if yay, what kind? Total yay! I love whiskeys of pretty much all sorts, flavored vodkas, gin, weird artisan brews. Really there's not much I won't drink. CANDY CORN--- YAY OR NAY? Nay for me.   New question! Name at least one thing that you really wouldn't like to receive in your package.   Totally cribbing from someone else's answer and saying Spongebob stuff.   I have eyeshadow pigments which have been decanted from--as in the powder tapped out into another container,never used directly. (I don't use very much makeup, though I love it, so I keep shadow pigments clean so I can safely share.) Would a jar of pigment handled thus bother you or are you ok with costmetic-type stuff that has not been directly touched?   That is totally cool with me. Bring on the bright sparkles!   ETA: For those with fiber allergies, is it ok if you get, say, an ornament/amigur-whatsit yarn thing that has wool in the blend, as long as it's not something to be worn? Also, because I don't know, do people with wool allergies generally also have sensitivity to other fibers like alpaca? No fiber allergies here, so no worries. Just nothing too scratchy.   does anyone especially like or want anything from cost plus/world market?   I love World Market with an unholy passion. In fact, I should probably swing by there this weekend for my pumpkin, but the short answer is yes, that is a very safe place to shop for me.   does anyone need any small kitchen items or utensils?   Need is such a strong word. I would love measuring cups in weird sizes - 2 cup, 2/3, 3/4 sorts of things. I can always use more spatulas and measuring spoons, especially if they are colorful and/or seasonal. Also, wooden spoons or other non-stick pan friendly spoony things. And baking stuff - cupcake liners, sanding sugars, that sort of thing, are always grand.   Dearist Pumpkin- do you have a preference of edible/drinkable vs. non edible items in your package? Would you prefer your package heavier on one side or the other?   Probably more on the non-edible side. I'd be happy to have some edible/drinkables, though.   Any guilty pleasures? TV show you're embarassed to admit you like? Musical group/preference that seems out-of-place for you? Gray's Anatomy is probably the closest thing.   And now, a new question: to sort of piggy-back onto the question about small kitchen items, do you like to bake or cook, and if yes, are there any special ingredients, spices, or decorations for baked goods (like sprinkles in seasonal shapes or those decorative picks you put on top of cupcakes, for instance) that you would like? I love baking and would definitely love Halloweenie accessories, especially early on in the swap where I could incorporate things into our party.   Hey, Pumpkin! How do you feel about lounge pants/pajama pants? Sounds great. I probably need an XL.   Do you have long, medium, or short hair? What kids of hair accessories do you like to use?   Very very short is my hair. I make it kind of spiky with pomade and that's about it. My daughter has super long hair and will adopt any styling related goodies, hair oils, etc.   If you could have a lotion/soap scented just for you, what are some notes you'd like to see? Autumn themed? or tried and true loves?   I would love something autumnal, but not pumpkin (I have a Punkie Night lotion from Paintbox, so I'm good there). Maybe a spicy apple cidery scent or something? I tend toward more foody in my body products.     Pumpkin: Is there something that catches your eye from this shop?   I love love love the overall style, but I never wear gold. Very occassionally I'll wear copper, but in general, I prefer my jewelry silvertone, so assume that all of my lusting is imagining silver. To the extent that is possible, the Games necklace is amazeballs and now I want one in silvertone. I also like Rough Diamond, Circle Bib, Lightning Cloud, any of the Feathers and all the bracelets.   If I were going to the mountains tomorrow, for the apple harvest, would you wanted some dehydrated apple rings??? Late to this party, but sure!   If you have an Etsy favorites list, are all of the things on the list things you'd be happy to get, or are some of them gift ideas for other people, or stuff that you've already bought and loved but don't need more of, or for any reason not something you'd want to get in this swap? Everything on there is for MEMEMEME. Mostly it's sort of a general idea list, or a way for me to sort out the items I want to seriously consider from an update, but generally speaking, if you got me anything from there, I would be thrilled.   New question from me! how do you feel about music? would you like some? if so, what would you be interested in & in what format (do you still have somewhere to play CDs, or would a flash drive be better, etc)? Music would be cool, probably best as a burned CD. I don't have much of anything from the last 4-5 years or so, so indie/alt-country/rock in that vein would be fun.   Lilith Update?   I am interested in decants of Goofballs, Mermaid, Venustas, Very Pink Surprise Cake

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