9/28What are your thoughts on incense? I like it, but I have plenty.What about handbags/totes/clutches? Being in a wheelchair doesn't afford one much use of one's pockets. I'm always on the lookout for a new pouch for my wallet, checkbook, pens and other incidentals. I generally prefer leather, but my primary requirements are that it must hang comfortably from a seatbelt without being burdensome in a sitting position. It must be easy to open can access in that position. It shouldn't be too bulky, otherwise it makes it more difficult to fit under tables. If that seems like a tall order, well... you can see why I'm always on the lookout for a better solution. Are there any particular movies you want on DVD? My Amazon wish list covers this pretty well. I've been adding things to it regularly as I think of them. What about stickers??Stickers clash heavily with my OCD. In the first place, my brain objects to marring the pristine surfaces of things. I don't even like it when they put the Windows and Intel stickers on my laptop. In the second place, a pristine sheet of stickers carries an enormous amount of possibility. I have trouble using them because once a sticker is peeled and placed, its nearly limitless potential is gone. Yes, I understand how neurotic that sounds.I do think I need the bumper sticker featured in this comic: http://wondermark.com/552/9/24Do you use henna at all? I don't use either, myself. I tend to associate it with holidays, weddings, and births, and I confess that, to me, it looks out of place in most other contexts. It would be something I'd consider doing for my wedding, were I to get married, and were my fiancée interested. Apart from that, I can't really see myself using it.What about 2010 Wall calenders? Or 2010 journals or appointment diaries? What subject? Wall calendars are wasted on me. The same is true for journals and appointment diaries. I haven't seen my favorite calendar in a long time (I used to get one that was oversized and featured reproductions of medieval musical manuscripts). Nowadays, I don't really have the space or inclination to hang one.I really do use schedulers at all, however, now that they've unveiled Microsoft's Courier tablet, I will be greedily coveting one once they become available.What are your thoughts on Halloween decorations? As I grow older, I find I really like fun, cute decorations (but not cutesy). I'm very partial to ghosts (I love hauntings and ghost stories in general), particularly Pac Man ghosts.With which tarot card do you most identify? I tend to vacillate between the Kings: wands, cups, swords, but never pentacles. I'm not a particularly grounded individual, as you might notice if you ever looked at my natal chart.If you could describe yourself in 5 words, what would they be? Humble and obedient Renaissance ManDo you collect new/used stamps? Will you like to get stamps on your mails? I don't collect stamps.Any WKAP you're excited about? Not really. It should be noted, however, that every time I see the acronym "WKAP" My brain automatically appends it with "In Cincinnaaaatiiiii."How do you feel about stationary? (pens, notepads, cards, pencils, etc.) I love pens. Fountain pens in particular (and if we're being particularly particular, I have a penchant for vintage fountain pens, and I've always wanted a Parker 51 and a Sheaffer Snorkel), but I find for writing purposes, medium body roller balls work better for my needs. I used to do a lot of writing with a feather quill dip pen, but it's not really something I can manage anymore.Would you object to anonymous postcards (real ones) from your witch before the big reveal??? That would be lovely.9/19Do you drink alcohol? Wine, beer or liquor? What is your favorite wine/beer/mixed drink? I do drink alcohol, and I enjoy a wide variety of drinks, although I tend to go in phases. In terms of wine, I prefer fruity red wines (not necessarily sweet, mind you, but with prominent fruit notes). I recently discovered Madison Cellars, and I've been enjoying their reds. White wine I prefer sweet over dry, and I particularly like Rieslings. I'm not a big fan of lagers, preferring ale or the occasional stout. I like smooth medium and dark ales with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness. In the summer, I like piña coladas (and getting caught in the rain) and margaritas. In the fall, gin and tonic or Gibson martini. In the winter, mulled wine Or mead. When ordering Japanese food, I like hot sake. I'm also fond of whiskey on occasion.I don't think I need any alcohol though. I like variety and trying new things, but at the rate I drink, a bottle lasts me forever.Do you like to find out there's a package on the way or to receive a tracking number to stalk, or do you prefer surprise packages? I'm okay either way. I really, strongly suggest that you send things with tracking confirmation, but you don't have to give me that number. The only exception is, if you decide to send me something perishable, please let me know so I can make sure someone is around to sign for it.If I were your witch, and I wanted to make you a spell or mojo bag, would you be into that? And, if you were, would you want it for something like love, prosperity or luck? Or would you want it for a certain element? Or would you want it for something more personal- and what might that be? Right now, something to draw money definitely wouldn't hurt.9/18Do you wear lip gloss/lip balm? If so, what flavors/scents? I don't go out of me way to be prettyin' up me lips, but aye... the cold salt sea air be chafin' me crew somethin' fierce. Somethin' with a hint of fruit so me boys don't get the scurvy.... And don't send nothin' with them spARRRRkles....What is one thing you constantly keep with you that you constantly loose? me mARRRRbles...What are your favorite fruits? arr... I be partial to mangoes, coconuts, bananas, pineapple, and... stARRRRfruitWhat is your favorite cookie type? Ho...Rum balls, o' course! But I also like me oatmeal, me peanut butter, me kolache, and me soft, chewy almond cookies (because they taste like mARRRRRzipan!)9/17Are you into 80s movies (like i am ) if so, which are your favorites and who are your favorite characters? I love 80s science fiction and fantasy movies. The Star Wars trilogy, of course (even though the first one was '77, I still think of the phenomenon as a whole being and 80s one), Aliens, The Last Starfighter, Enemy Mine, Blade Runner, Dragonslayer, Willow, Lady Hawke, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, The Princess Bride. Even the horrible, campy stuff like Hawk the Slayer. I also love Ferris Bueller's Day Off.Do you like Villainess soaps? What are your favorite scents? I don't like Villainess soaps, thanks.Do you mind artificial colors in your food? It doesn't matter too much to me.Who wants hair pretties?(headbands, barrettes, pony-o's, scrunchies, bobby pins, hair clips, etc) No, thank you. If you were my witchee, would you like any of the scents/sizes that are available on clearance? No, thank you. I am on an origami crane kick recently, so I wonder if anyone will be interested in origami crane earrings, origami crane in a glass vial (~1.2cm wide) phone charm/pendant or just a container filled with cranes of different sizes. No, thank you. How do you feel about clothing/accessories made from animals? Anti-fur, leather, shells, etc.? Does even faux wig you out? I'm okay with this.How do you deal with stress? What's your favorite way to unwind? My favorite way to unwind is to play video games. Sometimes I'll work on something creative instead, but I tend to find that more stress inducing than relaxing.You're given the opportunity to apprentice at any trade (or craft) of your choosing for the period of one year. Your mentor may be any currently living person. Which field of study would you choose, and who would be your mentor? When I create questions, I don't generally think about my responses, and so when I returned to answer them, sometimes they stump me. There are so many things I would love to learn to do. I would love to apprentice with Beth and learn how to make perfume blends. I would love to study traditional smithing techniques. I would love how to learn gold and silver smithing. I would love to learn how to make and repair clocks and watches. I would love to learn a dozen instruments. I would love to learn how to fence. A lot of these things are probably outside the scope of my ability, honestly, but I can dream.How about this one: I would like to learn sound design from Ben Burtt.9/16Who is musically inclined? What instruments (voice counts) do you play? Would you enjoy sheet music? I sing. I dabble at lap harp and kantele. I used to play many more instruments: piano, accordion, recorder, ocarina, tin whistle, siku, tarka. I don't have the upper arm strength to play those anymore. Today, most of my music is made with a computer.Favorite musicals? I love musicals. I grew up with them. I used to perform in them. They are a very integral aspect of my personality. I wrote my first musical in high school at the age of 15, and I will probably write others in my lifetime. They're very important to me.My favorites... it's hard to choose. Brigadoon and My Fair Lady, for the memories. The Music Man, for its musical and lyrical cleverness. Jesus Christ Superstar, for being a large part of my childhood. Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, although not a stage musical, still a huge part of my childhood. Into the Woods, for making Sondheim accessible. Sweeney Todd, for blowing my mind. Chess, for some truly groovy music. The Secret Garden, because I've always wanted to play Uncle Archibald on stage.Which of the seven deadly sins is most likely to be your undoing? Do I have to choose? Really? Can't I succumb to more than one? Perhaps all of them? Anyone want a nickname and embroidered headband from PandaBite? Why pay someone to give me an obnoxious nickname when you can have the pleasure of coming up with it yourself?I have seen a lot of yankee candles haters..... personally i like yankee candle (some of them, anyway). do you or don't you, and if not, what candles do you like? this assumes you like candles. otherwise, what specific home fragrance do you use? Scented candles are a very hit or miss thing with me. I don't have a particular hatred of Yankee Candles, but I find that most candles I've tried smell too synthetic for my tastes. At the moment, I mainly use incense (sandalwood, cedar, pine). Sometimes I'll let spices simmer on the stove for a more foodie smell. I don't particularly like florals, and I'm generally apathetic about citrus/fruit notes. I do love candles, however, and if you have some secret source of amazing smelling candles, I certainly wouldn't mind trying something new.Would a "gift" donation to one of the organizations/causes you support be a great gift, or a lame gift? That would be wonderful. I give a pretty detailed description of my charity preferences in my questionnaire, so I'm not going to repeat them here. I do love the idea of adopting a creature though. And I don't think I mentioned it before, But I really love the idea of providing micro loans to people in developing countries. If I had more money to invest, I think that would be a pretty wonderful way to invest in humanity.9/15Does anyone have any symbols they consider to be personally significant or talismanic?The Awen and the Ouroboros, naturally, which is why I combined the two into my personal symbol, the Awen Ddiderfyn:

Are there any Gods, Goddess, or other mythological figures of whom you're particularly fond? Ganesha, Shiva, Loki, Hela, Fenrir, Jörmungandr, Ceridwen, Taliesin, VäinämöinenSuper villain or vigilante? Let me see... Cultured tastes? Check. Desirous of the finer things in life? Check. Keen palate? Check. Genius level intellect? Check. Occasionally obsessive? Check. Not the least bit hindered by modesty? Check.I'm afraid I'm either a super villain, or Wile E. Coyote. What mythical or fantastic race of creatures (dragons, unicorns, griffins, elves, dwarves, faeries, etc.) do you most identify with, and why? I'm a dwarf through and through. Although, I admit I find deep serenity in woodlands, so perhaps I'm a dwarf that dreams of being an elf? (Heresy!)How do you feel about Dia de los Muertos? Are you interested in sugar skulls? Catrina (or other) skeleton figurines? I find it interesting, and i find the items beautiful, but I'm not particularly looking for this sort of thing.Do you have a favorite poem or poet? Nope, but I have a lot of close contenders: William Shakespeare, William Blake, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, William Butler Yeats, Rainer Maria Rilke, T.S. Eliot, E.E. Cummings, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Mark Strand.9/14For the crafty people out there: would you prefer something crafted or crafting supplies? I would prefer something crafted, but as I said before, I would be perfectly happy to receive more fantasy miniatures.Can you use pill boxes, a hard ID case, coin purse, etc? All of these would be really cool. Coin purses, in general tend to be too effeminate for my tastes, but if you can come up with something a gentleman might store his coins in, that would be wonderful gift.Any songs you are desperately into at the moment? Nothing new. I've had Jonathon Coulton stuck in my head for the past few days. I'm pretty sure it's Sheyona's fault.What's autumn like in your neck of the woods? What do you love and/or hate about it? Autumn is lovely, with beautiful changes in the leaves and usually just enough rain to keep me satisfied. Summer is the time when I want thunder and rain storms, but in autumn, I want cool mornings and chilly drizzles. All too soon, however, it turns into winter, and there's every indication that it's going to be a cold one this year.What's your favorite product(s) at Trader Joe's? Goodness, please no. I don't even want to think about it. I'm Trader Joe's junk food free at the moment, but this is how it all starts. You get something seemingly innocuous in the mail, and you think, "I have willpower. I can savor these slowly, and when they are gone, no big deal." But it is a big deal, because as soon as you finish mouthing those words between bites, you realize you've polished off the entire package, and now, you simply have to have more (for mom, or hubby, or kids, or boyfriend, mind you. After all, they didn't get their fair share), and so you wander off to Trader Joe's, Just to replace that one package. And oh, hey, let's see if they have that triple chocolate stout again, and hey, this wasabi the trail mix looks wonderful, and oh....Pretty soon, you're at The Church of Trader Joe's every Sunday morning, filling up your shopping cart with carton after carton of those damnable chocolate chip dipping cookies.Anyone who would do that to me is a false witch, and a true sadist.If you're caught in front of the tv, what are you watching? I don't have cable, so if I'm watching anything, it's probably a DVD or Bluray I've popped in.Any Amy Brown art fans? Not my cup of tea.How do you feel about Halloween music? (mix CDs, what have you) I'd be okay with this. I don't like music piracy, but I think mix CDs are kind of art form unto themselves, and as long as you're sending me 15 songs and not 1500, I think it's harmless enough.Who else is reeeeeally looking forward to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? I am not. Reeeeeally not. I realize saying such a thing is akin to blasphemy in this forum, but I am sick unto death of Burton/Depp collaborations. Is there a store that you love which does not have a location near you (but that has a physical presence somewhere, not just online?) Why do you love it so much? I can't really think of one, honestly. I miss the shops on State Street in Madison, but that was largely a matter of convenience rather than a love of any particular shop. If I think of something, I'll come back to this.Lolcats....yeah or nay? Like all things of the internet, I think there are some really funny, clever ones, and I think there are a lot of not funny, overplayed, past-their-prime ones. I can definitely appreciate the really funny ones, and also the especially adorable ones, but overall lolcats and their vernacular aren't particularly appealing.What is your favorite creepy folk story or legend? Oh, I don't know that I have a favorite. My favorite is the one being currently told to me.If your witch were to either write something for you or put together a collection of ghost stories, would you rather have it in writing, recorded as an oral telling, or both? I think either would be wonderful. If you had the funds to comission an original painting for yourself, what would it be of? What would it be like- colors, size, style?It would be a watercolor painting of dwarves. Something that looked like it came out of an old storybook, with the dwarves wearing liripipe hoods (for the men) and kerchiefs for the women. I imagine the colors being dreamy, washed, again evocative of an old storybook. As for the subject matter, the scene I have in mind would be an Escher-esque forced perspective view of their cavernous mountain home—a vertical panorama, if you will—depicting a close-up of the floor of the hall, like a medieval city, with shops and houses, and then rising high above to the cavern ceiling, with paths clinging to the sides of the rock walls, and vast bridges and stairways arcing high overhead. Clinging to the walls here and there would be other buildings: homes, crenellated fortifications, perhaps a mill being powered by a waterfall....... you realize that now that you've made me imagine this, I'm not going to be able to let it go until I can afford to have it commissioned, right?9/12 & 9/13What's something you're really looking forward to in the semi-near future? I don't really have anything like that on the horizon, sad to say. Receiving my first swap package?What fictional character do you most identify with and why? Hmm... I can get you characters who I aspire to be like, but in terms of who I am, I would probably have to say Tyrion Lannister, from George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. In reality, though, Tyrion's insecurities dwarf my own, no pun intended.Could you use a 'travel' imp case? How many should it hold? Thanks, but I really don't think I would need this sort of thing.As a witchee, would you prefer to have many little packages sent to you throughout the round with a not-so-big final package or fewer things throughout the round with one huge final package to seal the sweetness? I don't really have a preference, as long as I feel on some level that someone is paying attention to me. It's definitely nice to receive more than one package, but I would be happy with two packages, or even just one big one, as long as my witch maintains regular communication.What is your idea of the perfect evening at home? Ordering out, and then, depending largely on whether I want company, watching a film, reading a book, or playing a game. I'm easily contented.What kind of socks? Thin, stretchy, lightweight, knee-high girly socks! (Really!)How often do you update your wishlist? I don't have a formal BPAL WishList. I update my Amazon wishlist as regularly as I can remember. This is sometimes not very regularly, but I try to be more conscientious around this time of year when people are looking to shop for my birthday/Christmas. It wouldn't hurt to check back periodically.May I help you fill out your costuming wardrobe (assuming you costume)? Are there articles you are seeking to enhance your a) Halloween costume, Renfest attire, c) Cosplay, d) Steampunk accouterment? I'm always interested in new and interesting period hats and accessories. The trouble is, my head is very large (size 8), so while I love top hats, fedoras, and jaunty haberdashery of all shapes and sizes, it's very hard to find interesting hats that actually fit. If you like making hats, and can remedy this problem, I will love you forever.In terms of outfits, however... because of the peculiarities of my body shape, tailoring clothing to fit me is not a chore I would advise undertaking. I appreciate the offer.Who are your favorite artists/illustrators/art periods? Remedios Varo (and I am continually dismayed that so few people have heard of her), MC Escher, Evelyn De Morgan, Albrecht Dürer, Edmund Leighton, Gustave Caillebotte, Alfons Mucha, Max Ernst, Hieronymus Bosch, Brian Froud, Wayne Anderson. In general I love surrealist works, fantasy illustration, and medieval illumination.What's your stance on cranberries? I love cranberry sauce (provided it doesn't have mayonnaise in it. Someone actually served me that once). Apart from that, I'm not a huge fan. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's not something I go actively seeking in my food.Do you mind receiving used (in good condition, of course) CDs or DVDs? That would be lovely. Perhaps I should fill up my wish list with more CDs and DVDsDo you have a crush on anyone famous? Do you have a crush on any literary characters? Would you like fanfiction or fan art based on this/these people? I develop fast, intense crushes on women with beautiful singing voices, but I don't have any at the moment. I don't really develop crushes on fictional characters either. You're at home, or out, and you want a snack. Something that will get you through to the next meal, or through to the end of school or what ever. What do you grab? I love cashews, and they are one of my primary go-to snacks.Do you have a favorite bpal bottle art? I don't, really. There is some wonderful art to be found on the bottles, but I don't think I have a particular favorite.Are there any decants from the Halloweenies, Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly, or Hellboy that you would be interested in receiving? I would be pleased to receive decants out any of these collections, although the one I think I would like to try the most is Trevor Bruttenholm.9/11There has been a lot of talk about chocolate, but none about Candy! What is your favorite Candy? What candy do you hate? My favorite candy is marzipan, without a doubt. Least favorite? I'm not sure. Probably melon flavored hard candies. I don't mind hard candy, but I'm not crazy about melon.Do you have a Blu-Ray player? I have a PlayStation 3, which functions as a bluray player.Do you have any objections to receiving downloads? Is your internet connection fast enough for you to download large files like music easily? Are there any songs, albums, movies, or TV shows that you can't find/haven't been released that you want? I have no objection to receiving downloads, however I do have a strong objection to piracy of all media. I'm okay with downloads as long as they are something that is legal to download: public domain, open-source licenses, or materials that are legally paid for/given permission for. Anything else, I appreciate the offer, but it simply doesn't sit well with me.9/10If you do any kind of craft, could you use supplies? What kind? knitting needles, yarn, amazing fabric, pinking shears, cool thimbles or pincushins, jewelery making supplies, beads, etc.? I don't really do those kinds of crafts anymore. About the closest I come is collecting and painting fantasy miniatures.What's your favorite pain-relief remedy or ritual? I take four ibuprofen, and if that doesn't help, it's time to lie down and try to sleep it off.Do sounds make you happy? What ambient noises make you smile? The sound of pouring rain, the distant rumble of thunder, cats purring.When you receive your SW packages...do you like receiving things that are individually wrapped inside? or unwrapped? or both? I love unwrapping things, so individually wrapped presents are my favorite.Of course, we're all going to be grateful no matter what our witches give us, but for the record, what is your anti-present? Tell us something that you think your future witch might give you that you absolutely, unequivocally DO. NOT. WANT. I've mentioned bar soap several times, so I think my witch probably has that one figured out. What BPAL scent have you never tried but always wanted to? What scent have you tried and LOVED, and haven't been able to get more of and why? I've always wanted to try Ah'duno. I had a chance to sniff it once, but I could never get my hands on my own vial. One I love that I've never been able to get more of is Quincy Morris. In particular, I'd like to get some for my brother, but I've never been able to secure more of it.I know we're all scent sensitive here. What are your favorite non-perfume smells? Day in the life stuff? Petrichor (the smell released by the soil before rain), the smell of rain itself, autumn leaves, baking cornbread, bacon, coffee, mown grass, freshwater lakes and rivers, old books, new fallen snow, pipe tobacco, woodsmoke, gasoline (yes, really).Coffee drinkers, what types of beans to you like? Kona, Sumatra, Kenya..etc. How do you like them roasted? Do you like flavors, such as hazelnut, vanilla, etc. in your coffee? I really enjoy variety in my coffee, although I'm particularly fond of peaberry varieties. I tend to vary what I buy so that I can don't tire of any particular blend or flavor. I love flavored coffee, and my particular favorites are hazelnut and toffee. What I am not particularly fond of is pumpkin coffee. It's just not a flavor combination I'm fond of. Pumpkin chai however....Who has a birthday falling in this round? I mentioned it earlier, but yes, my birthday is on October 22nd.For those of us who like chocolate, do you like anything /in/ your chocolate, like fruit, nuts, or for the more daring among us, chilies? My favorite candy bar, hands down, is Cadbury's fruit and nut bar. I love chocolate with fruit and nuts. I've never been particularly crazy about chocolate and chilies. It has its place, but it's not one of my favorite flavors.Are there any childhood shows/movies/games/books/etc. that still hold a really special place in your heart? My favorite television series as a child was The Mysterious Cities of Gold, which used the air on Nickelodeon back in the mid-80s when they had a lot less money and a lot more class. They finally got around to releasing this one on DVD in the US, and I snatched up my copy right away. The other big cartoon from childhood was The Flight of Dragons. They've never officially released that one on DVD—you can find shady companies pirating it, but that's about it—and I'm afraid they never will, but at least you can usually catch it on Youtube. Star Wars was a huge part of my life. One day George Lucas will finally cave and release good copies of the original films (or else he'll die and 20 seconds after his death, the executives at Fox will do it for him. Until then I will remain mildly resentful.Games... I believe I've mentioned my love for Dungeons & Dragons and board games of all types. I love classic video games and classic arcade machines. Were it not for my disability, I would likely own at least one.Books... I really loved Choose Your Own Adventure books. The best ones were aimed at older kids and involved dice and combat rules, so they really were a lot like a single player form of Dungeons & Dragons. I read every one I could get my hands on, and I would probably play through them again if I had the chance.9/9Super power? Batman doesn't have superpowers. If I send you whole spices or coffee beans, would you be able to grind them or would you prefer them preground for your convenience? I vastly prefer whole beans to preground coffee. In terms of spices, however... as I've said before, I'm not much of a cook. I don't really have a preference, and the gift of whole spices would probably be wasted on me.For the tea and coffee drinkers: Opinion on tea- and/or coffee-related accessories/etc? (Teaware, sugar crystals, infusers, tea chests, etc)How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar? I have a love for beautiful tea infusers. Unfortunately, they don't make them very much anymore. Plain tea balls and teaspoons rule the day. Occasionally I've found infusers in cute shapes, but nothing artistically striking. I'd be happy to received coffee and tea related paraphernalia. I generally take my coffee and black tea with milk or cream and sweetener. On the occasions I drink green tea, I prefer it lightly sweetened, although if it's particularly good tea, I'll sometimes drink it unsweetened.Restaurants you'd like a gift certificate to on Restaurant.com? No thank you. In your perfect world it is chocolate and...? I'm not sure chocolate actually has any bearing on my conceptualization of a perfect world. Certainly not when you go about dipping men in it.How do you scent your home: tarts, reed diffusers, BPAL, candles? I've used diffusers before, but I don't particularly care for the concept. Most of the time, I'll light some incense.What's your favorite dessert treat? Ice cream? Cake? Pie? Fudge brownie cake with pie flavored ice cream on top? I don't think I have a favorite. It depends on my mood. It depends on what's being served for dinner (e.g., there's something that just feels right about having traditional sakura mochi after a satisfying sushi dinner, but it's not something that I crave after a hamburger). Sometimes the perfect "dessert" is an after dinner drink followed by a good nights sleep. The notion of desert can be highly subjective. Do you believe we control our destiny, or does our destiny control us? I'm actually fairly deterministic in my philosophy. I believe in the great chain of causality, beginning at Time 0—the creation of the known universe—and moving inexorably forward, action begetting reaction until our universe either collapses in upon itself or succumbs to entropy and heat death. As such, destiny is a misnomer, because it implies a guiding hand, and I don't believe such a thing exists in the universe. There is no great orchestrator, no great maker. There is no inspired plan. However, if the universe is absolutely causal, there's no room for genuine randomness. Thus, free will is a kind of illusion as well. Our choices are influenced by our experience, which is in turn determined by the experience of others, influenced by and actions and reactions of the universe around us and all that has come before us. We cannot behave outside this chain of events.On the other hand, I believe the notion of free will is largely semantic. Ultimately, many things we take for granted in the universe are merely illusions. We think of ourselves as corporeal beings, but ultimately we are comprised of tiny bits of energy. We can look to our arms, think of them as solid, and yet we are built of building blocks with a relative amount of space between them. Particles of sufficiently small size can pass through these gaps. It's entirely possible that the nature of causality as we perceive it is an illusion as well. If we were capable of viewing for dimensional objects, how we perceive the universe? Would it unfold like an enormous fractal with all morons existing at once? I don't know. And so, I don't believe there's any real point in arguing about whether or not the choices we make can be considered free will. We can call choice free will because even if the future is already determined, we act with out any clear understanding of it. We are forever making choices in an infinitely small moment we call now. Those choices, influenced by everything that came before us, are still our own. If it comforts us, at some level, to call the state of being free will, why should we deny ourselves the peace of mind?What one thing that is missing from your life would you like to have above all else? Why do I make my own questions so difficult? I'm pretty happy with my life overall, but if I let my mind wander, I can certainly think of a few things I wish I had. I wish I had the money to take care of the problems my family is facing. I wish I had a job, suited to my talents, that I could do from home, but that's essentially a practical version of my first statement. I would like mobility without pain. I would like to be in a fulfilling romantic relationship. I would like to have a tightknit circle of friends that live closer to me.These are all things I want. But when it comes right down to it, I think what I want most is focus: a driving conviction that I'm doing what I should be doing with my life rather than feeling constantly like a dilettante.9/8Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator? I would never build such a thing, and so I must assume that I purchased/was given a pass into a facility capable of holding a community of people. If so, our power needs have probably been carefully considered. Rather than albums, I would bring either my harp or my kantele, and keep the music in my head. Even with a fairly stable power source, we're going to be wanting to ration power. Better not to waste that power on a stereo. With a musical instrument and my voice I can entertain myself and others, and provide a useful service to the community. I'd better bring extra strings, though.What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"? Hmm... Dorian. I still don't have any Dorian. I haven't really looked at the catalog in a long time, so I'm sure there are other things that I'm missing that I should definitely try.Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.? Do you have a home remedy for dispelling bad luck/drawing good fortune. I confess I could use a bit of that.9/7Any cooks? Could you use anything cooking related? Aprons? Cookbooks? Measuring Cups? Recipes? Herb/Spice containers? Fancy Spices? Dish Towels? Cocktail napkins? Amazing Beaded Pot Holders? (like from our very own Pottersville! ) Something else? I'm not particularly useful in the kitchen. I can't think of anything I'd really want or need.What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween? I don't go out of my way to purchase Halloween candy for myself. That said, I wouldn't mind receiving a small amount. It's the variety that makes Halloween candy appealing, in my opinion: the mixture of really cheap, awful candy, candy that was pretty good, and the occasional piece of really great candy.What is your favourite flower (or plant)? English ivy. For flowers, snapdragons.Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so? Not my style, but to each their own.An anonymous benefactor gives you $500 (or an equivalent amount of money in your currency of choice) with the following stipulations. You must spend all of it within a week: any money left unspent must be returned. You must spend at least half of the money on yourself. You may not use it to pay off debts or bills of any kind. What do you do with the money? Assuming I got it today, I would go ahead and grab The Beatles: Rock Band (which... I was planning on doing anyway, but it would certainly make my budgeting easier. After that, I'd go Switch Witch shopping and then treat my family to a nice dinner.Who likes coloring books? I can appreciate them, but I don't collect them or anything, and I probably wouldn't use one. Do you know what I still love? Where's Waldo? My copy of The Great Waldo Search was destroyed, and that had some amazing illustrations. I really miss that book.Even better? Books that are interactive puzzles like this one.Are you an avid reader? What's your favorite book/series? Yes. Yes, I'm an avid reader. A few of my favorite books: El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra; Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky; Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter; Les Misérables by Victor Hugo; The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco; The Compass Rose by Ursula K. Le Guin; A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin; Perdido Street Station by China Miéville; Beauty by Sheri S. TepperDo you have a Good Reads profile? If so, make with the link! If you don't have one, go make one! I don't have one, and I really don't think I need another webspace to neglect. 9/6You're in the kitchen at the end of a pay period and groceries are pretty scarce. Do you take the five ingredients you find first and make something fabulous, or do you order take out? Something fabulous? No. No one should have that much faith in my culinary skills. Something edible? That's possible. Honestly, I would probably order out unless I was desperately short on money, in which case, I almost always have some cappellini on hand. Even in the absence of tomato sauce... a little butter, some grated Parmesan. It's not exactly the most balanced meal, but I won't starve.If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it? I only have a truly vested interest in one room in my house: my bedroom. I'm very happy with the way it looks, and I'm not prepared to redecorate yet. That said, I would probably redecorate our kitchen. I would tear out our existing cabinetry start from scratch. Marble countertops, tile walls, brand-new everything.Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for? I am definitely not a rabid sports fan, but I do enjoy watching a game now and again. In general, if the Chicago team is playing, I root for them. If not, I root for whoever I feel like at any given second, and my team of preference may change throughout the game.. There are only two notable exceptions to this. The first is when the White Sox play the Cubs, in which case, I always root for the Sox. The other is Manchester United versus Liverpool, in which case, I will support Liverpool with my dying breath. What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.) I'm fond of snakes, armadillos, pangolins, and cetaceans of various persuasions.This is how the world ends... zombie apocalypse, robot uprising, alien invasion, return of the elder gods... which doomsday scenario do you prefer (or make your own!)?. I tend to think the world is going to end in some ridiculous, unforeseeable way. In Douglas Adams fashion, our planet will be vaporized to make way for a galactic highway. Aliens will invade, but they'll be unicellular organisms: benign diatoms that multiply at an alarming rate and smother the planet to death. God will flush his final project down the toilet after having only gotten a B- on it.In the year 2525... if man is still alive... what sort of future do you imagine? The next 100 years is going to be very telling for humanity. We have so many systems on the verge of collapse, and the outlook doesn't look promising. Despite that, human beings have proven very difficult to kill, and the planet Earth is nothing if not resilient. I think we're going to make it. I don't think our future will be perfect, but I do think we are too tenacious to die off that easily.I don't believe our future will be apocalyptic, but there will be a lot of death in the next 500 years, there will be climate change, there will be countries that collapse and other countries that rise to take their place. I hesitate to call our future dystopian, because I think ultimately, if we call this sort of future dystopian, we must affirm that our present is dystopian, and that vast majority of human civilization since the dawn of history has been functionally dystopian. I don't believe we can effectively judge our future selves through modern-day societal filters. I do think their way of life will be as alien to us as ours would be to a medieval man.I do think it will be fascinating, and exhilarating, and terrifying, and ugly, and also beautiful. I wish, in some ways, I could see what happens.Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you? I do, but I'm not even certain in what context I believe in it or why. I share Hamlet's conviction, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."If you found the puzzle box from Hellraiser, what would you do with it? ( and would you be able to resist playing with it? ) I agree with Wildbriar. If I recognized it for what it was, I would encase it in a 5' x 5' block of concrete and drop it into the deepest part of the ocean. Firing it into the sun would be even better, although less practical. If I didn't know what it was, I fear the world would be doomed.9/5Do you like pinup art/images? Not particularly, no.What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions? I would love to have plans for Halloween, but I will be at home wishing I had a party to attend, and the means to attend it. Perhaps I should be the one holding a party.Who are your BPAL forum buddies? You know, people I could conspire with to Witch you! Goodness, I don't know. Heartbeast and Merlu might, if they have time. Laurel the Woodfairy might. I went to school briefly with waternight, and she might be willing to help. I'm not sure. I'm fond of a lot of people here, but most of them still feel like relative strangers to me. I'm not sure if any of them would be willing to conspire on my behalf.What is your favorite color? My favorite color changes with my mood, but in general, I like bold colors: Hunter Green, cobalt blue, Royal purple, Venetian red, Gold. I also like warm, earthy browns, and French grays.Any other steampunk fans/lovers? I'm not what I would consider a huge fan, but I loved the aesthetic long before I knew there was a term for it. I still have visions of transforming my new wheelchair into a steampunk work of art, a la George Pál's version of The Time Machine.Describe your ideal picnic lunch. Where would you go? Who (if anyone, and yes there can be multiple people) would accompany you? What sort of food would you take? And, of course, if a picnic lunch sounds like a horrible idea, feel free to say so! I think I'd like to invite this switch witch group to come picnic with me. We'll have our picnic at Graue Mill. It's a large group, so everyone will be responsible for bringing a dish or two. For my part, I'll bring Swedish meatballs (both beef and vegetarian), cornbread, cane sugar soda, iced tea, and perhaps a couple bottles of my favorite Riesling.9/4Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG? I'm a gamer. I'm a gamer in pretty much every sense of the word. I love RPGs, and I've been playing them for well over two decades now. I am quite enamored with fourth edition Dungeons & Dragons, and I've collected almost every supplement to date.I love board games, and I collect vintage board games (old 1970s-1980s boardgames, primarily). I'm always on the lookout for old fantasy-inspired boardgames (Hero Quest, Dungeon, Dark Tower, Dragonlance), Star Wars-inspired boardgames, and video game-inspired boardgames. It can be hard to find these games, much less with all the pieces intact.More than boardgames, however, I love video games. They are my favored method of relaxation, particularly when I'm feeling too tired to be particularly creative or social. In general, I'd rather be social, but there are times when pure escapism wins out, and I just want to spend a few hours exploring life as a noble hero, space marine, assassin, or... you know... Batman.Is anyone playing this round of SW into ABJ? (asian ball jointed dolls) I appreciate the art form, but no. I've never really had much of an interest.What is your favorite Halloween icon? Probably the little ghost. Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put any number of items in the box that symbolize who you are. The items can be may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but they must fit within the box. Which items do you choose? In the original spirit of the question, I'm going to answer with both a one item answer and with a multiple item answer.Multiple items: A black muffin cap adorned with a feather (this can easily be folded or rolled, so I'm not particularly concerned about space), a fountain pen without any ink, a set of polyhedral dice, three cards from the Rider Waite tarot deck (The King of Wands, The Eight of Cups, The Three of Swords), a soprano recorder, a book of matches, and a postcard of MC Escher's "Relativity." On the back is written:Yesterday, upon the stair,I met a man who wasn’t thereHe wasn’t there again todayI wish, I wish he’d go away...If I may only choose one item, it would be thus: a cunningly crafted music box, in the likeness of the twin Voyager probes. When wound, it plays "To Dream the Impossible Dream."Are you involved in any long-term, ambitious project? something like decorating your house or saving for a trip to the other end of the world, for example. I'm currently writing a novel, programming a video game, and compiling songs for an album.Favorite kind or take out kinda burger? Whats your burger preference? Veggie,meat or ???? I like a good hamburger now and again, but I've never had one that I would consider a religious experience. A burger is a burger is a burger. I prefer mine with bacon and occasionally mushrooms, but apart from that, I don't have a great deal of preference. I don't like Black Angus burgers, however. Veggie burgers... it really depends. If it's trying to be meat, I will almost certainly hate it. There are many very tasty veggie burgers out there, however, that are wonderful primarily because they don't disguise what they are. I don't generally eat them, however, so I couldn't offer specific brandsWhats your favorite childhood toy? My very favorite toys were the Star Wars Micro Collection toys released in the early 80s. Here is my favorite set from the Micro Collection toys. Each set came with little painted metal miniatures of the characters. I loved these specifically because even as a kid I had a range of motion issues. The larger 3 3/4 inch action figures had really cool vehicles and playsets, but they were large and difficult for a kid with a physical disability to use effectively. The micro collection toys let me have the entirety of cloud city, or the death Star, or what have you right at my fingertips. Much later, there was an entirely different line of micro figures and vehicles. I had a few, for nostalgia's sake, but they were a little disappointing. Somehow, they lacked the character of those original toys, or perhaps they merely lacked the love of a five-year-old Star Wars fanatic.If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them? My cats love little catnip toys, kitty treats (I think they all prefer fish flavored), the occasional tin of tuna... apart from catnip toys none of them take very much interest in toys. In fact they tend to shun anything not food related that is freely given to them. It's only interesting if one of the humans (a.k.a. "the staff") doesn't want them to have it.Do you Tweet? What is your Twitter name? I dislike Twitter immensely, so no.Are you on Ravelry? What is your Ravelry name? No. I don't believe I've ever heard of it.9/3What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to? I don't really have a tradition. Just recently, I acquired a huge box full of 250 horror films (old, campy public domain stuff), and I'll probably be working my way through those all season.Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what? I'm not a big fan of roasted pumpkin seeds anymore, but I love chex mix.Whats your favorite pie, my dear SW's? I've never met a pie I didn't like, but particular favorites include pumpkin, brown sugar, French silk, blueberry, Dutch apple, peach... dare I go on?... strawberry rhubarb... key lime... coconut cream... quiche?... chicken?... steak and kidney?... stargazey? (the squeamish might not want to look that last one up)Err… yes. I like pie. Yes.What kinda socks are you wearing tonight? I'm not wearing socks.Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most? Knitted socks aren't particularly good idea for me. But if you were to knit me an afghan or a shawl, I would adore you forever.How do you feel about ghost stories? Do you like to tell the old tales around a campfire? Read true accounts on the web way past your bedtime? I love ghost stories. As a kid I used to thrive on them. I love when they are allegedly true. I love when there is documented evidence to support the claims. When it comes to things like ghosts and alien abductions, I consider myself a skeptic. But in the end, I always come back, driven by the desire to know.Do you like to pick up a good anthology of Poe stories on a blustery day? Or is all that too scary for you? I love Poe's work, and also Lovecraft's, but I don't find either particularly scary. I do love a good scary story, but I haven't really found any in a long time.Who here is LOVING Warehouse 13? I hadn't heard of it until this question appeared. I don't have cable. It sounds rather like the old Friday the 13th TV series with a little X-Files thrown in for good measure. Could be interesting. I'll have to give it a look when it comes to DVD.Nother question! Coffee or Tea? Both. There are times when I prefer one or the other. Lately, I've been in a coffee mood, but I swing back and forth between the two. Of late, I've become particularly fond of peaberry coffees. I love trying new varieties of coffee, gourmet blends, unusual flavors. I also like supporting coffee farmers through fair trade. On many levels, that would be a wonderful gift. In terms of tea, I prefer black teas over green teas or white teas. I'm not a big fan of herbal teas. My favorite tea is Glengettie, which is imported from the UK, and rather difficult to find around here. It makes a lovely stiff cup of tea.Interested in locally produced products? Food, skincare or both?Olive oil? Lavender oils or soaps? Not particularly. I've already discussed skincare products in my questionnaire. I don't do much cooking, and so a product like olive oil, used primarily for cooking, has little appeal to me. (Although, admittedly, I do love olive oil in place of butter on fresh baked bread.)Does anyone in here wear a lot of dangly earrings or collect pendants of all kinds?? How about hair clips or pony tail band things? I used to wear dangly earrings. Typically I would wear a dangling earring in one ear and a hoop in the other. I've pretty much given up on earrings, however. My hair is also now much too short for a pony tail band. Pendants, however, I'm quite fond of: particularly those with a medieval flavor, and those made with interesting found items.What is your favourite historical period? Oh dear.... you know, I really don't think I have one. There's a sort of implied romanticism when one chooses a favorite time or place, and I don't really feel that sort of bond or pull with any particular culture or period. I certainly can't think of many historical periods in which I would prefer to live. In any case, I'm too fascinated by the evolution of human culture as a whole, and by the multitude of unsolved mysteries before us to settle down and fall in love with any one time and place.What other hot beverages everyone likes for fall? and have a great fondness for hot chocolate and mulled wine. I'm not particularly fond of hot cider, although I will drink it on rare occasion. I love hot sake, but typically only with Japanese fair. I love mead, but I actually prefer it at room temperature.Did you order anything from the most recent update? I ordered a bronze library skeleton plaque.Vampires or Werewolves? Or some other monster? If I have to choose between the two, werewolves win. I'm prefer my monsters to be a little bit more edge-of-awareness, however. Vengeful spirits, alien abductors...What sort of odd or regional foods do you crave? I admit it. I have strange—some would say unnatural—cravings for meat products other people might find unsettling: blood sausage, haggis, scrapple, etc. I like uni (sea urchin), which is definitely an acquired taste. None of this does my witch the least bit of good, of course, unless he or she knows of a way to safely ship various and sundry alarming meat products, but these are the only odd things in my diet that I can think of at the moment.