SW Summer 08 Q&As
Little treats: Not much of a candy person m'self, but I love tiny (pocket-sized or smaller) school supplies and sketchpads! It's so hard to resist buying one whenever I go to the campus store/an art supply store. My favorites have plain brown covers and spines, but spiral bound ones are nice too.
Hair: I once got my hair highlighted with red and violet... It was at a Japanese hair parlor. They had to bleach first because I have blackblack hair... and apparently my hair was traumatized by the experience. 
From now on the only chemical treatment I'm going to use is permanent straightening...
BPAL storage: I use unfinished wooden boxes from Michael's with simple handmade cardboard partitions. I have three right now, but they're overflowing... But I don't really want any more boxes; they take up too much space. I might instead make second stories inside them.
Checkout eye-catchers: Hmmmmm, iTunes cards maybe...
Characters/theme: I've got a post about this on my BPAL blog Tada! My favorite characters/themes are my own -- a bunch of them are detailed here. I love stuff that relates to them, especially Moon (who sort of represents "soul" or "the child" to me), Uriel (gentle professor/tragic lover figure), Cosimo (spunky but complex nerdy mageboy), and Isaac (himself!). A couple of the "other people's characters" from that post: Zhang Liao (Dynasty Warriors, Romance of the Three Kingdoms), Lezard Valeth (Valkyrie Profile), Crowley (Good Omens), and the Spy (Team Fortress 2.)
Used books, CDs, DvDs: Sure!
The only exception would be video games that require (or practically require) you to register online. These are better new for obvious reasons.
What are your favorite flavors? Oily, salty, deep-fried... errrr, you mean for candy and stuff?
In ice cream, my favorite flavor is coffee. I like chocolate and French vanilla, too. What few candies I like, I tend to like citrus fruits. In general, I like things that are a little bit sweet, but not super-sweet.
What's your favorite flower? Tree? Flower: Lavender.
Tree: Apricot tree, 'cause my dorky Japanese name is 杏.
Sports? Nope -- don't watch or play any.
How do people feel about homemade items? And what about mix CDs? I welcome them!
Pirates or Ninjas? ROBOTS
Are you an indoor person or outdoor person? Totally indoor. I go outside sometimes, but I spend most of my day in my room. Think neurotic nest-guarding Cancer.
Is any witchee opposed to "naughty" gifts? I explain here why naughty's not really my style. I don't mind it, it's just not my thing.
What's your guilty pleasure? Do I have to pick just one? Video games... the guiltiest of the guilty are the horrible pink sparkly otome dating sims. Don't tar and feather me, please!!
What's your favorite color? Brown, lavender, pastelly and grayish tints
For wearing? Black, jewel tones, Flaming Fuschia, white
For decorating? Uhhhhhh...
Do you have a particular decorating style? I think my decorating style is "Gee, I don't have anywhere to put this. I guess I have to store it on the floor!"
Do you have pets and what kind of gifts would be good for them? I have one beautiful, aloof, senile, dog-eating female Shiba at home. I looooove her so much, but she doesn't love me Either that or she's not the type to reveal her true feelings. Anyway, I can't seem to get her interested in toys anymore... She will steal tennis balls and carry them home if she finds them on a walk, but she never plays! Probably the only thing she's interested in any more is food, and she tends to be pretty picky. Not sure my witchee would be able to find something the Empress would deign to participate in, but you're welcome to try. ;;
What sort of crafites do you do and what sort of crafty supplies do you like? I'm more of a digital person than a crafty person, but I do love sewing little felt dolls. The current generation is around 6" and almost totally naked, so I'd love fabric for clothing them. This is my gallery of them on my LJ. Ceri is now owned by a good friend of mine.
Witch remain a secret? I would like to know who my Witch is! But she doesn't have to reveal if she really doesn't want. I hope that won't be the case, though.
LiveJournal: mine is [redacted].
Are they up to being gifted with anime? Sure, I like some anime. I prefer comedy to action, deep angsty stuff, etc. And I'm sure my witchee knows from my questionnaire that I'm a history freak.
For those of you who play video games, what consoles do you own? I've got a massive PC, 2 years old now, that's been able to take everything I've thrown at it -- BioShock, TF2, etc., all look great!
I've also got a PS2 and Nintendo DS. I'm permanently borrowing my brother's PSP because he never plays it. Not interested in other consoles... not yet.
How would you describe yourself--do you feel that you're shy or outgoing, laidback, high-strung... and in what ways?
I am extremely weird. Not just in the superficial senses (super shy, nerdy gamer, crossdresser, illithid-lover, biggest crush ever on Al Jahiz,) but I feel I relate to people in strange ways and have strange aspirations. My dream is to make a particular story in the shape of a video game, "Moon's Apologia," about... all sorts of stuff. Though I have a tendency to get derailed by a gazillion other game ideas that just get out of control... Currently working on a Harvest Moon-style dog breeding sim set in a fantasy Arabia around 602. Errr... yeah. That alone should tell you a lot about me...
Mailbox situation: At home, our mail gets stuffed in through the mail slot in the door if it's thin enough or left on the steps if it's too big. We've never had problems with people stealing packages, and usually someone's home to answer the door. Not sure what it's going to be like this summer, though, with dad in the hospital.
What’s your favorite genre of books to read? History, biographies of really really really dead people.
What’s a talent you are most proud of? Hard for me to say... probably my ability to come up with new stories? I'll never run out of ideas. Of course, this is also my most hated talent. I'll never finish my ideas!!
Can I send you chocolate and melty treats from Lush, or are they going to wind up being really decadent goo? Texas. They'll be goo. Also, I can't eat most chocolate.
What was your favorite childhood toy? I loved tinker toys, but my favorite "toy"? Construction paper and scissors. I would cut out silhouettes of animals and trees and things and would arrange them in epic outward-spiraling pictographic stories, covering the floors of whole rooms. And my poor parents would pick up after me!
How much do you still enjoy playing with toys? I like soft toys like my felt dolls and plush animals, but more for dressing up/arranging than playing. Nowadays my "toys" are on the computer -- Photoshop, RPG Maker, Excel (srsly), MIDI editors, etc.
What practical goals to you have for the upcoming summer? I'm gonna work on my projects and do at least a little cooking. I'm not going to set any really heavy goals, though, at least until I've got a better idea of how my dad is doing.
How would you describe your sense of humor? I'd like to say I utilize fabulously witty wordplay, but really I'm not that clever. I'm more easily amused; I laugh at a lot of things other people don't seem to find funny. Occasionally I come out with a riposte though, and I gloat for days afterwards.
Things I find offensive? I'm pretty sure none of you are going to send anything actually horribly racist or queer-phobic or similar, so I'm probably safe. Except that I'd like to ask not to receive anything really heavy-handedly religious -- though I often find religious imagery interesting aesthetically, the messages sometimes make me uncomfortable.
But as for phobias! Vomit-phobic Pretty much OK with images of spiders and bugs (don't send me live ones though.) Love snakes.
What goodies do you love that you can't usually get? Pokka canned jasmine green tea. ! But I can get most other things I like at home, since it's a big city. My school is in a teeny tiny teeny town, though, and I have to mail order or mom-order almost everything!
What is the hottest and coldest it gets where you live? At my home (where I will be during this round) it's usually 60F to 105-110F. At school, usually -30F to 80F.
What's your most obscure interest?
I'm not even sure I can answer my own question because all my interests are pretty darn obscure... Aforementioned illithids, Silla Korea & pre-Islamic Arabia, Takarazuka Revue are probably some of the stranger ones... and I've never met anyone trying to learn Venetian either.
favorite books as a kid? I'm having trouble remembering. I know my first book was Chicka Chika Boom Boom with which I was omgobsessed, but I don't remember childhood/preteen books very well, other than a few like Trumpet of the Swan, Island of the Blue Dolphins, ... a bit of Jack London when I was slightly older... ... ... nope, amnesia.
But I can tell you about my:
Favorite TV shows as a kid.
Nature. Nova. And Bill Nye the Science Guy.
... This may have contributed to the development of my weirdness, watching lions tear apart their prey on TV and all that. And I knew aaaaall about reproduction way before sex ed. I never understood all the hype and giggles... ... ... in fact, I still don't really...
Rice Krispy treats, yes or no? Homemade or prepackaged? No thanks, too sweet for me!
Religious preferences and such: I am an utterly unspiritual atheist, while at the same time I love to read about mythology and like a lot of the imagery, like I mentioned before. Pictures of angels, goddesses, sacred animals, and so forth, they can all be quite beautiful. But I hate being proselytized, don't want to hear about how your god(s) love me (or don't love me,) etc.
Chex Mix or Puppy Chow? Chex Mix I guess; Puppy Chow sounds too sweet for me?
I'm a big soap fan, so which kinds of soaps do YOU like? I am not a big soap fan, but I loves me some Silk Road Trading Company! I love Clear Wind Rice, lovelovelovelove. I like Chogori, too.
What's hanging on your walls? What do you want hanging on your walls? I've got a poster of one of my other deadguycrushes, Zhang Liao! I think I might like to add something by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, but I can't decide on one. Or maybe something by Arthur Rackham ... Raphael... but again, having to pick is hard.
What things (that you can put in a box) make you giggle wildly, catch your breath, and touch you deeply? Tentacles for me, too
My Witch from last round, likie, did this for me with the most amazing Dante and Shakespeare cards. Squee! It's hard for me to say, though, since the best things tend to be surprises! Things that are just me, but that I never expected.
Other forms of burned media? I prefer legal things in general, but if it's something rare that only appears on ebay once every 3 years and goes for hundreds of dollars? (There may or may not be such things I want O_O)
Maple syrup? I like it OK, but I can only stand teeny amounts at a time. Sweet!!!!
as for Corset or Cami? ... 
Um... no. Not for me!
Incense or candles? I wrote about this in my questionnaire; I can't have them in my dorm and I'm too afraid to burn them at home although I use tarts as potpourri-type-stuff sometimes.
Tattoos? Piercings? No tattoos, piercings, or other body modifications here. Washable only for me!
Receiving (NEW AND UNUSED/non-crunchy) cute undies in a SW package: awesome or creepy?
... Crunchy? How... how does underwear get crunchy -- no, don't tell me. No.
I guess it depends on what "cute" means here. Nobody's ever going to see my undies but me, so something cute/sexy but uncomfortable's not for me. But cute as in octopus-print boxers? Yes! Yes!
Anything you really absolutely don't want to get? There are a few things I can imagine... but I don't suspect that my witchee, having read my questionnaire, would send. Giant heavy stuff, cheese, etc. Live animals?
How conventional/weird are you comfortable with? I guess it depends on what "conventional" and "weird" here mean. I often seem to have pretty conventional tastes, but I am also myself pretty weird. I don't really like either hoity-toity or kitschy-flashy, but I like unique, cute, clean, odd...
What kind of socks do you like and wear? I mostly wear black dress socks. I don't wear a lot of knitted things...
Most coveted BPALs at the moment: I'm actually pretty much OK right now... just the usual Gaimans and untried GCs. The only one for which I have an ongoing melancholy longing is Chokmah.
Are you a good witch or a bad witch? I'm a bumbling, good-natured Switch Wizard!
what's everyone's favorite new music find? Not applicable, though I've been searching...
First concert? I'm... not much of a concert-goer...
Top 10? Here's mine!
Most obscure vacation? Possibly Kakogawa in Japan. Apparently it's considered "countryside" by our Osaka and Kobe friends. For several years we went in the summer and stayed in a house that belonged to the parents of one of mom's friends. It was really nice... much more comfortable than hotels, for sure!
Who are your favorite Disney characters? I'm not that much of a Disney person anymore, but my parents would take me when I was little. I tended to attach to supporting characters, though, not the heroes or heroines. Like--
... ... ...
Actually, you guys have just given me a deep revelation about my psychological development. Lumiere. Holy crap.
What's your idea of a great weekend? Waking up late, working on my own projects until late, and going to bed late. There's nothing better in the world.
What about makeup? Not really -- eyebrow pencil for drag, and I own a concealer stick but I almost never bother using it...
Do you play online games? I don't really play browser games, but I play some computer games online (mostly just TF2, occasionally NWN or NWN2.)
Do you like hair things? Hair's too short for stuff! Plus I usually wear a hat...
Lip Balm? Don't usually do anything fancier than ChapStick types of things...
Nails? It's a good day when I remember to clip them
How do you feel about leather/leather scraps? I am not veggie, but I don't really care for real leather for a variety of reasons. Even though I like the scent in perfume... o.O
Do you prefer one large package, a couple of medium packages or a handful small ones spaced out? I like to get lots of contact, but these could be a bunch of ecards and then 1 package, so... whatever my Witch likes!
Plants? I wish I could say yes but we're too busy/distracted to take proper care of them, I'm afraid...
Stuff for kids? Well, we've got one 19-going-on-20-year-old kid at home here who loves video games...
What insects do you delight in where you come from? Not many... O_O Ladybugs sometimes.
How do people feel about feet. I don't like my own feet for TMI reasons...
What are five simple things that you just can't get through the day without?
1. Proper food and drink; if I have to fast I get super-cranky
2. A word processor or notebook so I can record things
3. The internet or some books so I can learn things
4. Alone time, pretty much as much as possible (ideally I'd interact with other people for only 1-2 hours of the day)
5. Uhhh... not sure. Those four are the most important.
What is your favorite beverage (adult bev. if you are of age)? I am not of age, so: tea (Pokka canned jasmine green tea, Earl Grey, oolong, genmaicha, etc., tea plant tea,) orange juice, apple juice, citrussy fruit juice blends with orange, pineapple, etc.
I like these things for their taste. I'm not a tea addict... I don't seem to need it, and I don't notice any effect from it, actually -- juice, with the sugar, seems to wake me up just as much.
I don't like coffee or vegetable juice.
Who here reads comics/graphic novels? And Which ones? I used to read a lot of manga but sort of stopped when I got into college because they were a pain to get and really expensive to buy. The last manga I followed all the way to the end was Angel Sanctuary, which I loved even though it wasn't the typical comedy fare I like.
Is it rude to send soap that's been opened to sniff? If it's BPTP soap? I don't have any problem with it!
Gemstones? What's your favorite? And why? (including precious and semi-precious). My favorite decorative thingie is mother of pearl, which is not really a stone, but I love it. I also like pearl, lapis lazuli, opal, etc...
I don't like crystally stones (brain fried, not sure what the correct term would be ^^ ; ) like ruby, aquamarine, etc. More opaque, milky-colored things appeal to me.
...Though I don't really wear jewelry...
Earrings? No pierced ears here!
New question! Anyone need scent lockets? I would never refuse one, but I'm not sure how I would wear it, 'cause I'm usually wearing a tie. Maybe scent pocketwatch...?!
Do you like spicy/asian food? Asian food seasoning, anyone? I don't like spicy -- my stomach is pretty delicate and cranky -- but I love the less spicy Asian foods. I like a lot of my mom's Korean food, for example, but we leave off the hot bean paste or whatever.
How adventurous are you when it comes to food/candies? Not terribly adventurous, but I'll try new things.
what websites MUST everyone visit at least daily? My webmail, LiveJournal, bpal.org, and Wikipedia. The other ones switch up depending on the day.
Beloved TV shows? MythBusters! And Nature and NOVA still, depending on program. I love all sorts of programs relating to animal behavior, emotions, intelligence, etc..
Tarot? I don't use tarot, but I love the symbolism and the art is often quite beautiful, so I'm thinking of getting a Shadowscapes tarot when they become available.
Who likes hats, and what styles? I love fedoras! I have only one proper one, a black with a medium-size brim, but I would really like a white-with-black ribbon (or maybe light gray with black, or white with dark gray) especially if I can find a white suit jacket to wear this summer.
How important is BPAL in your Switch Witch packages? Not important -- of course I love it, but I wouldn't mind if I didn't get any.
"Used" BPAL? Ugly BPAL? Empties? Love 'em!
deadly sin? My primary sin is Sloth: Getting myself to do anything (other than work on my insane schemes) is a chore. Eating, exercising, meeting friends? Bleeeeeeh, too hard!
Secondary sins are Avarice, Wrath, and Pride.
Lust and Envy aren't too troublesome for me, and I need to figure out how to induce Gluttony in myself 
What did you sing along to in the shower this morning? "Honor To Us All"
if you could meet anyone living and anyone dead, who would it be? I should totally answer this question but it's too hard!!!! There are so many awesome people!
Webcomics: I used to read Order of the Stick, 9th Elsewhere, and Mind Flayed, but fell behind and ended up stopping last semester.
How much would everyone want their Witch to be in touch with them? I like lots of little bits of contact, but whatever is most convenient for my Witch is fine! I'm not too needy.
What things make you feel as though you have brought a pleasing sense of order to the world? Organizing my BPAL and related spreadsheets!
How much personal swapping/purchasing do you plan on doing this round, and what if your witch gets you something you've already ordered? As far as BPAL goes, I don't think I'm going to do all that much -- we'll see. But I don't really mind getting duplicates of BPAL.
Do you use scent diffusers? I didn't much because I lived in a double last year (but now, roommate no more!! Squee!!) but now I have the opportunity. We'll see if I do.
what flavored hard candies do you or don't like? and are you willing to try different things like green tea or some other strange flavors? Green tea is a "strange" flavor? Well, I'm willing to try most things once. I prefer to stick to my favorites, though: apple, citrus, coffee, and a couple other things.
what is your favorite time waster? Wikipedia *thud*
Favorite mailable food-items? Hmmmm... Senbei?
Strangest dream you've ever had? Wow... Well... Most of my dreams don't seem that strange to me, but they're apparently all pretty strange. I don't generally dream about things happening to me, but I dream narratives (video games mostly) in which I'm both a character and the author or player. (When I'm the player, I often restart from the last save if things don't turn out right. ; ) Some of the weirder ones have been stuff like a Valkyrie Profile and Pokemon crossover and one dream where I had to dodge bullets made of yogurt...
What is your favorite cuisine/food? Mom's home cooking! After that, probably Japanese.
Favorite Halloween costume: Not sure. I've sure been having a lot of fun these past few Halloweens, though, 'cause it's a great opportunity to do drag and not be stared at (too much.) 
A scent that you adore but have decided that it's impossible to find? I don't have too many of these. Maybe Sugar-Slathered Candied Apple. 
Is there a perfume company that you've never tried that you are curious about? I Hate Perfume, maybe. I'm interested in trying mainstream perfumes with the notes I like, too.
If you could design your own perfume oil, which notes would it have? Man... I'd have a hard time choosing between Moon-blend, Uriel-blend, and Isaac-blend. They are:
Moon - snow, pear, cucumber, honeydew, blackcurrant, lavender, lychee, bamboo, pine, and myrrh.
Uriel - lavender, cocoa, coffee bean, frankincense, myrrh, agarwood, benzoin, tobacco leaf, and rosewood.
Isaac - ozone, coffee, vanilla, leather, white musk, and a bit of cocoa.
As far as Vintage goes, I don't mind it at all -- I've got a few items, like an old kimono, that were worn by untold, unnamed musky men in the previous century...
Scarf: skinny or fat? Medium-fat, I suppose, although I have sooo many now -- don't need any more for a while!
What's your purse preference? I have a black shoulder-bag with lots of pockets. It's reasonably manly and doesn't clash too badly with my outfits.
Pecan brittle? I like brittle OK, but I can only have a bit at a time 'cause it's sweeeet. But I like pecan, sesame, all different kinds!
Salty food? Yes please!
What bpal didn't work on you? Man, a lot of BPALs don't work on me... I have around a 30-40% success rate! Plum and white florals tend to go especially weird on my skin.
Homemade body care products? Sure! Why not?
What kind of peni... err... pens do I like? Hmm... rollerball pens and those whatchamacallit fine line drawing pens. I like to draw and write with the same pens. I'm not a pen geek though, since I do most of my work on the computer.
So, bath products. I mentioned in my questionnaire that I am bath-challenged and don't have the slightest clue what to do with most exotic fancy stuff... soap, shampoo, conditioner, that's it for me.
But I can tell you about my favorite textures in soap: I don't like things too exfoliating because my skin is apparently really sensitive to scratching, but just a wee bit of texture is nice. I don't care for gooey.