A roundup of the in-thread questions with answers!

 

Fandoms. I have many. A partial list:

 

 

 

I'm constantly looking for another universe to fall into, especially if the entire series is on Netflix Instant. Caveat: I feel like the only person in the world utterly uninterested in Sailor Moon, Lord of the Rings, or My Little Pony. ETA: Or Nightmare Before Christmas. I *knew* I was forgetting something crucial for this swap. It's *okay*, and I feel like I *should* like it because the director lives here (or at least he did around the time he made Coraline because this is where Laika lives), but it just doesn't grab me as a must-see Halloween movie like Donnie Darko does.

 

Wax/oil burner — Yes! I have one! It’s *adorable*! A mama turtle with a baby turtle on her back! The baby turtle is a LID so I can COVER THE MELTED WAX so curious kitties don't dip their paws in it!

 

Loose fancy tea: Ooh, yes! I used to live in Seattle and developed a severe fondness for Dammann Freres (ugh, SO EXPENSIVE) Jardin Bleu and Earl Grey Gout Russe, and I haven't found anything close to those two flavors. I love berry-scented black and Earl Grey variations! And Adagio! I used to get their Forest Berries and Cream teas and mix them together for iced tea. I haven't thought about that in ages! I got an Earl Grey Cream from somewhere that was fantastic, but I can't remember where. If decaf is an option, I do prefer that so I can drink it later in the day! So... Uh. Yeah. Love tea!

 

Incense: Love it. Always forget how much I love it until I stumble across the remains of a long-forgotten pack that has lost its scent! I think my only limit is no resin incense, only because I don't have a resin burner.

 

Autumn activities: Um... Cleaning my apartment because it's finally not a steambox and changing my makeup rotation box to earthier colors? Does that count? I love holing up for the weekend with tea and books. Month-of-October festivities always mean even more horror movies than usual. I used to go to San Francisco for a long weekend at the beginning of November to rest up for the rest of the year when I had a job with a nasty year-end crunchtime, but I don't work there anymore, so I haven't gone to SF since, like, 2007. It's funny how much I love autumn but don't really have any rituals to celebrate the season other than breaking out the Weenies (once that year's update hits) and Yules (after Dia de los Muertos)!

 

New Question! I'm in Japan, anything specifically Japanese-y you want? Hmm... I love yogurt-flavored candy!

 

New Question: 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? Not a jewelry person, alas. At all. I bought a bunch of long necklaces last year because I thought I would wear them ALL OF THE TIME. And... Not so much.

 

New question: What about hot chocolate/malted drinks like ovaltine? Love hot chocolate! I haven't had Ovaltine in probably thirty years, but i remember loving that stuff as well!

 

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? I don't really have a preference!

 

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 love themes, but I love *fun* themes! If it's boring, don't do it!

 

Speaking of DVDs - are you interested in receiving movies and if so, what sort? Love movies. There are several on my amazon wishlist, but if it's a recent movie (released in the past five years or so), I probably don't have it, whether it's on my list or not (I think the only movies I've bought that have come out in the past five years are Veronica Mars and Inception). I'm a hardcore horror fan. This is not restricted to Halloween! Dark, black, psychologically twisted, disturbing stuff -- love it. I'm also realizing I'm a huge science fiction fan but never quite realized it until recently. Not sure how I missed *that* all these years! I also love good mysteries and thrillers. I'm *not* a romcom fan *at all*. Comedies are okay, but they're not my go-to like horror (honestly, I think the reason I like Halloween so much is because it gives me a reason to binge on horror flicks). (I do prefer plot in my horror movie, though. A splatterfest with no story is just a boring special effects reel as far as I'm concerned.)

 

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? When it comes to big-name authors (Chuck Palahniuk, Neil Gaiman, Neal Stephenson, Chelsea Cain, Stephen King, Joe Hill, Philip K. Dick, probably more I can't think of off the top of my head, but, basically, the heavy hitters), please stick to my wishlist because I do have some of their work (in some cases, more than others!). For less-known authors, the most likely reason they're not on my list is because I don't know about them, so if you have a favorite, I would love to curl up with it! I love scary, disturbing stuff!

 

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? Hmm... Good question. I want to know *eventually*, but I don't have a preference whether it's right away or at the end. I don't have a preference for sequentially or not, either. Whatever is more fun for you!

 

Would you be interested in solid perfume? What about lip balm? Solid perfume: Not particularly. I always *think* I want some, and then I get some, and then I don't wear it. I have three of them that I never wear in my bag right now! Lip balm, on the other hand, is *always* within four feet of me. I'm always on the lookout for more no matter how much I already have!

 

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? Scarves/shawls/wraps and ankle-length socks, sure. Goth/Halloween-themed tops/skirts/vests/etc. aren't my style.

 

I'm going to Rose City Comic Con during the shopping window. Any exhibitors/vendors/comics/etc. you're particularly interested in? OMG THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A GOONIES "NEVER SAY DIE" T-SHIRT! I AM TOTALLY GETTING THAT! Ahem. Yes. I mean... There are things! Are any of them particularly appealing to you and/or your inner twelve-year-old (mine is calling dibs on the Goonies stuff)?

[This was a question I asked. I'm leaving it in here for people who might be checking this entry out to grab all of the questions!]

 

Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos stuff: Yes! Love it! (Really, I think it boils down to this for me: If there's a skull involved, I dig it. _Hamlet_, pirates, Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, Dan Aykroyd's vodka: All fantabulous. I draw the line at _Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull_, though.)

 

Does anything from this shop catch your eye?

Body/perfume stuff: Rockabilly, Black Cat, Beguiling Violette, The Red Queens Rage Corpse Bride, Dead Corsage, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, Cheshire's Grin, Sweet Jezebel, Zombie Girl, Mad Hatter Tea Cakes, Beware of the Kraken, Stanko. Lip balm: Lemon Drop, Pin Up Babe, Blossom, Sweet Nectar, Blackberry Honey, Cherry Limeade, Yasmin.

 

Dear Pumpkin: Do you have aversions to any animals or insects?

I'm pretty sure I covered this in my survey, but NO SPIDERS. Or bugs. Or anything with more appendages than your average mammal. I'm not a huge fan of snakes or worms, but that's more like "eh, they exist" than anything else. Bugs, spiders, cockroaches, insects, etc.: No no no no no. And no.

(Bats to me are just flying rats. I say this as someone who has had pet rats in the past and doesn't really understand _Willard_ because it's like watching a horde of rampaging kittens. All of that is to say that bats are awesome. Also: Fruit bats and flying foxes belong to a family of bat called megabat. I cannot dislike anything with the prefix "mega.")

(And owls fall in somewhere in between. My tendency to avoid them is more because owl stuff is omnipresent, like like deer stuff was a few years ago.)

 

How do you feel about canned foods like jams and things along those lines?

They're lovely!

 

Do you have a favourite colour scheme?

Not particularly. I tend to go for browns and greens for my living room since the carpet and walls are brown (brown + green = trees!), but when it comes to everything else, I think my preferred color schemes are Bollywood combinations. Aqua and purple, tangerine and fuchsia (I normally hate orange, but in combination with something like fuchsia, it's great), tangerine and aqua, purple and green, etc. I also tend to gravitate towards hot pink and fuchsia for some reason.

 

How do you feel about stickers (and stationery in general)?

I tend to lose those sorts of things, although if it was a neat waterproof sticker, I could put it on my waterbottle!

 

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?

As long as it's not wool (allergies) or itchy, it's great! Skulls, bats, and cats, oh my! Ahem. Yeah. I love Halloween motif-y things. When it comes to clothes and accessories, I tend to not wear many autumnal colors except dark greens and purples.

 

What makes you feel pampered?

A clean apartment coupled with supplies to hide from the world for the weekend. A book, some tea, snacks -- that sort of thing. I'm not big on at-home spa days, but I love being a hermit every once in a while.

 

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?

In a word, mammals! Otters, monkeys, wolves, pandas, giraffes, squirrels, beavers, bats, dogs, deer, cats, IT'S TOO EARLY AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY MORE. Ahem. Yes. I'm a sucker for mammals of pretty much all varieties. Also hummingbirds (my grandmother *loved* them, and we like to say that anytime we see a hummingbird, it's her coming back to visit us).

 

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?

A random thing that I used to get *every single time* I went to BC: There was this popcorn place called, uh, Kernels, maybe, in Eaton Centre (I think), and they had this butter toffee popcorn that was *amazing*. Double Double, maybe? I'm not a fan of caramel corn because I don't like molasses, but I love butter toffee popcorn! Also, Maynard's candy. Swedish berries, Juicy Squirts, wine gums. Potato chips: Fries'n'gravy, maybe? (I used to go to BC and buy ten different flavors of chips just to try them all, but I think fries'n'gravy came around after the passport laws changed, so I missed out on those.) And I have to toss a fondness for Tylenol 1s in there as well. Sometimes I just need codeine to fully stomp out those headaches. And is Dentyne Ice gum in Midnight Mint still around? That's another thing I used to buy in bulk, which is weird because I normally *hate* the taste of licorice, but there was something about that gum that I loved. Yeesh, I miss being able to get up at 6am, drive up to Canada, and get back home by midnight!

 

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?

Lots of stuff! Clean Slate facial scrub. Bookkeeper's Butter Intense Hand Salve. Scrubs/creams/lotions only (that is, no bar soap): The Bees' Lament, Punkie Night, Guy Fawkes, Indian Summer, Miss Ada (eee! My girlkitty was named Ada, and I frequently called her Miss Ada! I miss her), Sweet Cheeks, Blackbird, Mandinka. I didn't see any wax tarts that really caught my attention.

 

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) Anything without licorice or rose hips (I used to work in a place where I drank my way through a *lot* of Tazo, and I realized that I loved everything without those two things)! I’m also curious about the Oprah Chai (love chai!).

 

How about any Teavana tea? (loose leaf) Earl Grey Creme, Sevenberry Sangria Rooibos, Opus Rouge Rooibos, any of the rooibos chais, Javavana mate, Pumpkin Spice Brûlée Oolong, Earl Grey White.

 

How about Starbucks coffee beans? If so, ground (and for what kind of filter) or whole bean? Yes! Whole bean, please. I do pourover, so I have to do Turkish grind, and that’s not something you want to do even a day in advance.

 

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? Nothing with sugar. Aside from that, not really picky.

 

Starbucks K-cups or Verismo pods? K-cups would be awesome! We have a Keurig at work and occasionally run out of decent K-cups, so I like to have my secret emergency stash for such tragedies.

 

Coffee/tea travel mugs or ceramic home mugs? I love mugs, whether ceramic home or travel! (In fact, I recall TwilightEyes sending me a travel mug ages ago for fairying Snow Glass Apples. Yes, I can remember the specific reason she sent it. I lost it at some point and still mourn its absence from my life!) (And I am particularly coveting anything from the Siren collection!

 

Coffee maker (french press) or tea steeper? Tea steeper! Even though I have one, it's one of those things that it would be awesome to have a spare of.

 

Anything else from Starbucks/Teavana? Syrups, honey, whatever? Sugar-free syrups are awesome! I use SF hazelnut and vanilla in my coffee already, and I'm curious about the SF caramel and cinnamon dolce syrups!

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? No, thank you. It’s not the gently-used thing. It’s the I’m-a-hermit-who-doesn’t-play-games-with-other-people thing! The cats swear they will play games just as soon as they develop opposable thumbs. They are seriously falling down on the job.

 

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? Yay! Halloween-time is when I remember that I love stuff that will go nicely in hot cocoa. I’m also curious about apple liqueurs (maybe pear or cherry as well) because it seems like they would be wonderful in apple cider.

 

CANDY CORN--- YAY OR NAY? Yay! And all of the variations, and those pumpkin things, too, and that mix with candy corn/pumpkins/etc. I always forget how much I love this stuff until I get a bag and discover it mysteriously empty a short time later! (Weird candy corn product I found last year that I’m going to have to recreate on my own if I can’t find it pre-mixed: Salted peanuts and candy corn. I love that salt-and-sweet combination.) And candy corn scented/flavored stuff, like shower gel/lotion or lip balm? LOVE.

 

New Question! Name at least one thing that you really wouldn't like to receive in your package.

Hmm... Wool or scratchy fibers! I'm allergic to wool, and I just DO NOT LIKE scratchy! Also itty bitty decorative confetti-type or glitter things as part of the packaging. My kitties tend to "help" me unwrap my packages, and they have been known to chew on the packing materials. I love glitter in my makeup. I do not like it in my kitties!

 

does anyone especially like or want anything from cost plus/world market?

Cost Plus is one of my big danger stores, so I haven't gone there in a while just because I'm scared of how much money I will spend there. After a quick glance through their website EEE! SO MUCH COOL STUFF! Skull stuff, bat stuff, Dia de los Muertos stuff, so much awesome! Ooh, they even have cat luminaries that use LED tealights instead of real candles with flames! Those look cool, although I'm not sure how long they would last in my apartment with the monsters since they're made out of paper. (And aside from Halloween stuff, I'm always a sucker for Buddha iconography.

 

does anyone need any small kitchen items or utensils?

Define "need"! I love those things, especially if they're holiday- or seasonally-oriented. I have no *need* for, say, a or leaf-shaped pancake turner or a spatula with ghosts on it. I have a huge *want*, though!

 

Hey, Pumpkin! How do you feel about lounge pants/pajama pants?

I could have sworn I already answered this one. Love them! Target used to put some out in the men's section every Halloween, and I would buy them in pretty much every design, but they haven't had any in several years. If I'm at home, I'm usually wearing them (even though they're, like, ten years old!). Knit ones are best, in men's XL.

 

Another question! Do you have long, medium, or short hair? What kids of hair accessories do you like to use?

Medium-long? It's down past my shoulders and almost to my bra band, and it's getting longer due to my apathy towards haircuts. I tend to put it up in an elastic ribbon hairtie that I make (one part twistbands are ridiculously expensive for what they are, one part they're too small for my mass of hair anyway, but I would love other accessories for putting it up, like hair sticks/forks or something to cover a knot/bun.

 

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 tend to go for fruity hand soaps, preferably apple or pear when it comes to autumnal scents. I sleep with my hands next to my face, and I get strangely weirded out if my hands don't smell like fruit! (I'm not a big fan of pomegranate, but OTOH, it's more of a winter fruit than autumn anyway, and I hate banana, full stop.)

 

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?

They're all things I've been eying for myself! It's basically one of my "I'm bored and killing time until the bus gets here/my lunch is ready/it's my turn at the cash register/etc." things: Pull out the phone, fire up the etsy app, and window shop.

 

what are your favorite animals/any aversion to animals or insects?

Monkeys. Absolute favorite. Also: Black cats, bats, otters. Really, mammals in general. Aversion: Spiders, worms, bugs, centipedes, etc. Hate hate hate.

 

are there any scents from the Lilith update you would like ? Any other you are looking for ?

As far as Liliths go, Hearts for Ghost Friends and Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. Others are in my wishlist. Last night, I realized that I missed pretty much an entire year of updates!