UPDATES:This past week, I started at the local vocational school to earn my certificate as a Nursing Assistant. This is something that I had always wanted to do, but never got to. Anywho, this is my first step in becoming a Rehabilitative RN. Next I am enrolling in the LVN program. I am going to fulfill all swaps tha ti am currently in, but after that my attendance here at Swap-Bot will probably be rather spotty, as the programs that I have enrolled in are not traditional classroom settings. They are shorter programs, and so very condensed and WHOLE lot of work.

So, in short, I am trying to get caught up on ratings! I've got a three day weekend this week, so hopefully I will get all of that caught up.

~ Colors ~

chocolate brown, pistachio green, robin's egg blue, and cream.

~Patterns and Decorations~

retro, Victorian, paisley, modern deco, stripes, polka dots, anything sparkly, vintage writing, maps, old photographs, Pagan decorations, nature elements

~Books~

My favorite books are Executioner's Song (Norman Mailer), She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb), Slaughterhouse Five (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr), Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving), and Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger). I love reading in general, though, and I am always open to suggestions. I am very interested in participating in a book swap. :)

~Music~

Blue October, The Wallflowers, Guns N Roses, The Fray, Owl City, Jonathan Coulton, Pat Benatar, P!nk, Matchbox Twenty, Train, Death Cab for Cutie, Def Leppard, The Killers, Duran Duran, Ozzy Osbourne, Third Eye Blind.

~ Animals ~

owls, sparrows, hummingbirds, penguins, dragonflies, butterflies, lady bugs, kawaii animals, frogs, cute puppies, elephants, giraffes, dinosaurs, koi

~ Fragrances / Scents ~

French vanilla, cinnamon, hazelnut, apple pie, sugar cookie, cherry blossom, sandalwood

~ Characters ~

Hello Kitty, Stewie and Bryan (Family Guy), Cosmo (Fairly Odd Parents), Hank Hill and Dale (King of the Hill), SanX, kawaii characters, Metalocalypse, Android Kikaider,

~Craft Stuffs~

Scrapbooking papers, stickers, wallpaper samples, fabric swatches, textured and plain card stocks, flat-backed buttons, gel pens, sharpies, rubber stamps or clear stamps, stamp inks, ribbon, crochet and quilting patterns, Fiskars decorative scissors, punches, small wooden or cardboard boxes, wrapping paper scraps.

~Recipes/Foodstuffs/Teas~

Slow cooker recipes, soups, casseroles, Asian food, sushi recipes, coffee, Tazo teas, hot chocolate/cappuccino/frappuccino recipes, desert recipes, pasta recipes, any recipes from overseas - I am always looking for new things to try!

~Crafts~

crochet, card making, knitting, paper crafts, cooking, sewing. I also want to learn how to quilt. I love ATCs, inchies, and scrabble tile pendants. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at book binding and making journals.

~My Other Halves~

Chris is a huge nerd. The television would be on the science channel all the time if he had his way. He loves puzzles, chess, science, and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.

Lunabelle loves chasing anything that makes a crunchy noise. Her favorite toy is an old Gatorade bottle that I covered with fabric to make sure she can't get to the plastic. She also loves her teething ring. She's a big snuggle fan, and spends her nights curled up on the couch in her blanket.

~La-La-La-Love~

I love postcards. I want to collect one from every state. Handmade ones are great, too. They all go into a big album I have. :) I'm also a big fan of pretty stationary, letter sets, handmade envelopes and address labels. Handmade envelopes have become my latest addiction. And, of course, one can never underestimate the power of a smooth-writing pen.

I am highly allergic to peanuts, so that's a "no no." I am also not a fan of Ren and Stimpy. I haven't seen much mention of them on this site, but it is the one show that I just cannot stand to watch.

Of course, anything you send is greatly appreciated and anticipated excitedly. Dislikes are only meant to give some kind of guidance for swaps that are based on the profile.

I love writing letters, and I would love to have pen pals. If you are interested, just let me know. :)