Suzanne

Even gay girls can love Elvis.

Europe added an amazing new dimension to my life. I have a much better idea of where I'm going and how I'm going to get there. Hang on for the ride!

I am more radical than the common good allows. Piercings are my standard specialty.

Some people have hobbies; I have small obsessions.

I love a good challenge and going out of my way to make something a little harder is like breathing: natural and happens like clockwork.

I'll probably like you. Love you, even.

All theory and no scientific experimentation. Also, I like Manhattans and big cities. Maybe not at the same time, but there is nothing like traipsing out of a restaurant and onto a city bus at midnight. Yeah...don't try that at home, kids!

My ladylove said yes so we eloped in June of '09. Big times.

It's a big wide world, and I've only seen a small part of it. My heart lives on an island just a hop-skip-and-huge-jump from Glasgow; my head lives in a tunnel in Stockholm.

Think locally, fuck globally. Wait, no. Think global, eat local. Walk, pedal, grow.

I celebrate in multiple languages, eavesdrop in all.

My Southern accent awaits. Ask nicely.

Life is hard. God is big.

My school colors are royal blue and white. My class colors (which are just as important) are blue and green. Any blue and any green, which makes blue and green a great color choice of stuff for me. I like the colors pink and red a whole lot, but not red + black. The only color I dislike is purple.

Despite liking certain specific items, I am as much of a non-consumer as I can be; having stuff is my least favorite thing. Being tied to possessions got old a long time ago.

Most of my swaps are for very small things or information (letters, links, recipes). I prefer useful items instead of just random crap. If you doubt I can use it, don't send it. Stuff wastes my time and our planet.

The Alter of Apple was my church, and Steve Jobs was it's high priest until the Holy Word of Pod came down and spoiled my faith.

I still take communion, but I'm a little bit of an agnostic now. My Mac collection is still pretty fucking impressive. Feel free to contribute.

I'm 24. I'm a senior in college. I live on campus. I go to a women's college. I'm going after a degree in art history and religion.

I did the right thing with my life.

I like the Phils. I'm an expert in disappointment.

For 500 pixels, this is probably a good click.

Also, this is what I looked like until I shaved my head in June of 2007. I'm the one that's not wearing lobster claws.

Lately, I've gone back to sewing. Don't need no stickin' sewing machines, either.

My influences are folk art and traditional quilts so I tend to sew with visible stitches and bright color contrasts.

When it comes to fabric, I like felt, fleece, and 100% cotton fabrics with small all-over patterns. Large scale patterns just don't work for me.

For thread, embroidery floss is my tear-up tool of choice. Or 100% cotton quilting thread in bright colors. Ja, ja, ja.

No purple. Negatory. Don't even think on it.

Despite not watching much entertainment or going to a big theater to pump money into the corporate movie machine, I do have some favorite flicks. They include Mulan, Alice in Wonderland, Newsies, the Baltimore Trilogy by Barry Levinson (Diner, Tin Men, Liberty Heights), and other movies that are yet to be viewed, I suppose.

My music tastes are mostly eclectic and mostly suck. 85% of the time, I'm listening to public radio which is all news and talky talky stuff.

To figure out what I like, feel free to haunt my Last.fm page. If you asked my favorite bands or singers, I'd tell you that David Rovics, the Gorillaz, Alice Cooper, Big Tent Revival, Futuristic Sex Robotz, and Gogol Bordello rule my brain.

TV eats brains. Don't fall for it...

I knit. I spin. I poke my guinea pigs.

As far as spinning goes, I'm no pro. I have a Kromski Sonata wheel with a walnut finish that was purchased at the 2007 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival (MSWF). My preferences for things to spin are very broad: merino, mohair, bfl, silk, blends, natural fibers, bright colors, well carded. I love brown, natural fleece, too, as long as it's well prepared.

My knitting tastes are far, far broader and more well-developed. I tend to use thinner yarns faster, with a serious lust for sock yarns. At any given time, I have socks, lace, and the vague "something else" on my needles. I don't like having a lot in the works, but I don't like limiting myself to one project, either. I also hate deadline knitting so you'll probably never see me in a knitting swap; I'll send yarn or patterns, but I won't knit for you. No.

I am on a silk knitting kick lately, with cotton falling out of favor. Silk, hemp, linen, and wool interest me; alpaca, cotton, and angora are old hat. (I'm also allergic to angora bunny fiber and yarn and fleece.) In terms of colors, I don't like purple. That's about it.

I also own two cute lil guinea pigs that live in the same area I do. (See here.) Their fur sometimes makes it into my crafts.

Call it butt-hurt. Call it silly pride.

But after being rated a 3 for a postcard that was originally eaten by the system and resent (although only one partner had receiving difficulties), Swap-Bot and I are drifting apart.

I think people are getting too jumpy and anal-retentive about receiving silly little swaps. I send without expecting to receive, and I don't even keep track of the swaps that never landed in my box.

When I drift back this way, you will be the first to know.

Themes I ♥♥♥♥♥

• Elvis

• action and adventure a la Indiana Jones

• apples (green > red)

• bikes

• shiny

• Christian religious imagery

• Sweden

• Spanish anything

• folk art

• 1960s mod

• GLBTQ

• Steampunk

• gnomes

Themes to avoid

• kittens and puppies and baby animals

• kawaii

• purple

• colony couture

Fantastic stationary or notecards -- candles

Stars -- kittens

Random quotes -- random crap

Handmade postcards -- craft store yarn

Anything blue or green -- anything purple

Latin American motifs -- Asian motifs

Your soul -- your first born

Matchboxes -- amigurumi

Fruit scented [item] -- vanilla scented [item]

Tea -- coffee

Decoder ring

things I would love to receive are on the left -- things I am loathe to receive are on the right

Being a strict vegetarian means there are some standard ingredients (gelatin) that don't agree with my moral stance. The following are things I won't consume so please don't send them:

• Skittles

• Altoids

• gummy anything (bears, worms, rings, whatever)

• Starbursts

• anything with marshmallows

• Jello

Most of the stuff I send or create has some strange political message or social statement aspect going on.

Postcard swaps are my favorite. I do a lot of them. I give hearts as the winds blow (no rhyme or reason); but if you include the phrase "blue bug" on your postie, you earn a heart for reading my profile.

I am notorious for leaving the card out of a swap package. If you get a package from me without a card or notes, oops. Sometimes, I send the card afterwards; sometimes, I just give up and send a PM. But dudes, I do this all the freaking time. Sorry.

If you don't understand what I sent you or why, feel free to PM me. I don't go to the forums so I won't see your questions there. Then again, that may be a blessing...