September 30th
Witchee, would you like anything from this particular Haunt update?
I've never looked at the Haunt site before! I can't tell which stuff is the new stuff.
Who's interested in Halloween: Montreal?
The candy notes involved make it less interesting to me. I would, however, love to try Hochelaga. That one sounds right up my alley.
You get a package in the mail containing 3 things you have really wanted more than anything else you've mentioned so far in this thread. (they are all reasonably priced of course! ~$20 or less apiece). What are they?
I'm going to have to think about this longer. I am leaning toward specific refill inks for my markers, because I'm burning out a lot of them on the illustrations for this calendar.
how do you feel about hemp? jewelry, soap, etc?
Neutral?
September 29th
What kind of purse do you prefer? Leather, cloth? over the shoulder or crossbody, or something that can do either? Do you like bold bright prints with fun things, or monochrome, solid colours?
julep maven monthly boxes:
No thanks.
Your favorite restaurant or type of food to eat out. Would you use a restaurant.com voucher? Groupon?
I love lots of kinds of food. If I had to pick one favorite, though, I'd have to go with Japanese. I would absolutely use vouchers/coupons for local restaurants.
Like commercial socks?
Socks are good.
What kind of bear is best?
Bear, as in the animal? Alas, the fate of the California grizzly!
Is anyone interested in reading The Night Circus?
I'd never heard of it before, but it sounds intriguing.
Hershey's Pumpkin Spice kisses?
HECK YES. (Even though I know I shouldn't. But they are THE BEST.)
I have a not-so-secret love for The Broship of the Rings. Are there any prints from her store you'd like?
Hahahahaha! I'd never heard of this before, but it's cracking me up now! I still think I'd like to hold off on new stuff for my walls until I move, but I am so linking people to this. The fixie Nazgul in particular has me laughing in particular. (And also Shark!Mystique.)
Who here likes Stephanie Pui-Min Law's artwork?
I'd never heard of her before either, but the stuff on her site is very pretty.
Do you drink wine?
I do. Not hugely often (when I'm not at a conference), but yes.
Is it just me who is nervous at revealing herself to her witchee, and finding out who her witch is?!
I'm excited to know who my Witch is, but I'm always nervous about revealing to my Witchee, in case they think I'm a screwup and then can put a name to the fail.
Witches, did you lament NOT getting one of the condom case/imp cases that got released with the courtesan series???
Not really.
I recently saw candy corn in non-candy corn flavors like CHOCOLATE and CARAMEL APPLE. It's not a fancy brand, I just saw it in the drugstore, but who here would like something like that?
I'm intrigued by the caramel apple one, but chocolate-flavored stuff with a texture of candy corn just seems wrong.
September 28th
JONES SODA CO has LE soda packs for The Guild, Buffy, D&D, So Cute, etc. Would you be interested in these, Witchee?
I'm not a big soda drinker.
It'sBanned Books Week! Are there any books on the list you'd be interested in checking out?
I've been meaning to check out the Hunger Games, since I have heard many good things.
I have just been enlightened to THESE. Are these flavors relevant to your interests?
Not so much.
September 27th
What is something people are always surprised to learn about you?
Within the earth science community, people are surprised that I have a music degree.
So who else watched Babylon 5?
I've never seen it.
If you had to decide what your stripper name was, what would it be?
I'm not even gonna go there. Sorry.
Sooooo Witchees, have you ever taken that particular personality test? If so, are you an Analytical, a Driver, an Expressive or an Amiable?
Apparently I am equally a Driver and an Expressive.
Is anyone else afraid of or creepy out by dummies/puppets/Muppets/etc? Other things you're squicked/freaked by that's best left by the wayside?
Nothing particularly comes to mind.
what level of contact were you hoping for?
Whatever my Witch is doing now is great!
Are there any local museums/attractions you keep never getting around to going to?
Around here, I still haven't been to Griffith Park Observatory or the L.A. Museum of Natural History. In San Francisco, I've been meaning to go to the Exploratorium and the Cal Academy of Sciences for ages.
September 26th
Is there any kind of international candy you love or would like to try?
No particular types come to mind, but I love trying different foods and candies from around the world.
What is something totally random (yes, that thing that just popped into your head) that hasn't been covered by any previous questions?
What is the average air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Is there any cheesy/non-cheesy Canadian stuff you'd be interested in?
Again, no particular things come to mind, but I have had a good time every time I've been to Canada. Canada good.
If you were to go here and create your very own chocolate bar, what might it have in it?
THAT IS A DANGEROUS WEBSITE. Zomg. I want to TRY ALL THE THINGS. I can't deciiiide. I am especially intrigued by the things in the herbs and spices category.
Is there anything you're wanting from LPMP?
What is this? When I google "LPMP," I get the Indonesian education council, which is not what I think you mean.
say you stumbled into Camp Half Blood (or whatever the Roman camp ends up being named <bounces in anticipation>), which god claims you?
I have no idea what this is, but probably whichever Roman god deals with geology. Is that Vulcan? I should know more about geology myths.
September 25th
Stuff you've been meaning to do:
CLEAN ALL THE THINGS.
Uh.
Actually, that is probably the main one right now, along with filling out these questions and going grocery shopping and stuff.
Would you be interested in regional jams, jellies, or other preserves?
Yes! Definitely!
Do you have any bedtime rituals? Is there any particular product you have to apply or a certain shirt you wear or an act you perform to get you in the "bedtime" mood?
My usual bedtime ritual is to realize I might have already fallen asleep at the computer, then to get up, turn off the computer, and actually go to bed.
Are you interested in today's/any recent Tee Fury shirts?
I was unfamiliar with this site until now! None of the recent ones really jump out at me, though.
Princess Bride? Yay or nay?
Yay. I liked the book and the movie! I don't have anything to do with the fandom, though.
What's your favorite classic fairytale, witches
I'm not sure.
September 24th
how do you feel about ethical animal fiber, i.e. wool and the like?
This is fine with me.
What about little wee creatures for your desk or mantel?
My desk is a black hole. These would probably disappear.
Look down. What are you wearing, right now?
…my pajamas.
Kerchiefs?
No thanks.
It's the weekend, and you find yourself without a single chore or responsibility for a few hours. Right this very moment, what's the one thing you would do if you could do anything?
I would go back to sleep, except I tried and it didn't work, because of the jet lag. It's something like 6 PM in my brain, but it's 9 AM here. I want to just sleep through the night again! YARGH.
September 23rd
Is there anything you'd like from the Mütter Museum Store?
Uhhh. Ü?
I just noticed that Cocoa Pink has 5 ml Perfume Atomizers. Yay or nay? Scents you would like? Scents you would NOT like?
No atomizers, please. The spray stuff makes me sneeze.
what's your favorite kind of pizza?
The local pizza place has this fantastic spicy chicken pizza they call Blazing Chicken.
who are your style/fashion icons? post pics if you want!
I don't have a sense of style, so far as I can tell. Hahah.
Are there any food items you're craving/aren't able to find around your area?
I can get a lot of things around here, luckily enough.
September 22nd
If you're interested in a handmade pouch/cover for an item you have (phones, tablets, books, keys, kettles...), what would your ideal pouch/cover have? Design, material, additional functionality/features like pockets or lights or secret hidey-holes?
It would need to be fairly indestructible, knowing me.
Would you like a photo collage based around your interests/favorite colors/favorite themes?
As much as I don't need more things for my walls right now, if this is your craft of choice, Witch, I would love one. Handmade things are win!
If you're crafty, are you interested in spoonfeather? And if so, what things there delight your eyes?
I can't find this site. I don't know what it is.
Colors! What are your favorite colors and what colors do you not like? Pictures and links, people!
In general, I like blues and greens, more toward the muted/greyish side than the bright screamy side, though. The vast majority of my clothing is blue, green, or grey.
I also like international orange.
I am not so into pink and purple.
What is your favorite word?
I don't know!
What are the feelings on arm warmers? Color, style, texture, length?
I don't live somewhere cold enough for these.
Do you like tarts? tealights? jar candles? votives?
Candles are pretty, but I don't trust my cats to not knock them over. I am best off not having open flame in my apartment.
What's your favorite flavor? Sour, sweet, bitter, salty?
I have to pick ONE? Variety is more fun.
So, are there any online gaming witchees who covet purchasable in-game items or other gamer-y stuff? (yup, geek question)
I've never really been a gamer.
Anyone doing anything cool for Mabon (or the start of fall, if you aren't pagan?
I missed this, didn't I? But I didn't do anything other than get ready for this conference.
What is your favorite coffee blend at Starbucks? If you don't have one, what is your favorite roast of coffee?
I almost never go to Starbucks, honestly. There are a few decent independent coffee places here, and when I go to San Francisco, there is fantastic locally-roasted coffee all over the place. I tend to buy my beans at Blue Bottle (favorite: Retrofit), Philz (favorite: Philharmonic), or Epicenter/Barefoot (favorite: Redcab).
September 21st
Cthulhu: yay or nay?
I need to read more Lovecraft. Yay to what I have read so far!
Is there something that you wish you could do, but you keep putting it off?
I wish I could move to San Francisco now? (While still working with the same research advisor. Not gonna happen.)
Put your current mp3player (I am the anti-apple, so no ipod ), winamp playlist, what have you, on shuffle, list the first 10 songs:
1. Minimum Wage - They Might Be Giants
2. Ode to Margot - Elissa P
3. So Long, Mom - Tom Lehrer
4. The House Upon the Hill - Secret Garden Original Broadway Cast
5. Tora Lille - Gjallarhorn
6. Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
7. No Mother Or Dad - The Osborne Brothers
8. Mandy Goes to Med School - The Dresden Dolls
9. Lukey - Great Big Sea
10. Hair - Lady Gaga
(I'm amazed this picked up none of the earthquake songs and none of the San Francisco songs that lurk in my music library.)
Witchee, have you made (or are you planning to make) any Lab or Trading post orders soon? And if you did (or plan to), you should share what you're getting
I'm going to the next West Coast Will Call. I'm planning on picking up either Pallas Athene or Tree of Life, whichever I prefer upon second testing (I last tested them a few months ago). I'm going to test a bunch of Halloweenies, but I probably won't buy any until November Will Call, because I like time to think about it. I also plan on picking some stuff up for my Witchee! Mwahaha.
Do you have any interest in rocks? Not like, polished colorful stones.. but like... rocks. With geologic significance!
This question was MADE for me, wasn't it?
That is to say, DUH.
(I am surprised I didn't ASK this question.)
If your witch were to knit you a scarf/shawl/cowl, which would you prefer, and what features would you want? Would you prefer something light and drape-y or thick and warm? What kind of colors would you prefer? Do you have any fiber allergies or preferences?
Scarves are nice, but it doesn't get very cold here, so it would have to be a light scarf. As I've mentioned ad nauseum, I like blues, greens, greys, and international orange.
If you have a pet, could you please post a photo of it? I really need to see what your pet, if you have one, looks like.
Andreas:
Garlock:
Do you like/own/wear/want fairy wings or something of the like?
No thank you.
How do you feel about terrariums?
My cats would think it was a box of live food. Or they might be scared of it.
What's your favorite horror movie?
I don't really have one. I've never been much of a horror movie person.
If your witch was the practical type and wanted to include one or more of your everyday essentials, what would those include? I'm talking about the bath products, lotions, face lotions, teas, food, etc that you really use every day.
I am running low on bar soap.
Jane Austen .. Yay or Nay?
I am woefully underread in this department.
I put up quotes I love in my office and studio to get me going, They range from goofy to sarcastic to inspirational... Are you interested in a hand painted quote? Do you have one in mind, or a topic in mind?
I am always interested in things my Witch made! But no particular quotes come to mind. Goofy is good.
Do you like period or period-styled paraphernalia? Stuff like postcards, notecards, jewelry, office supplies, what-have-you?
I like art noveau and art deco. I don't wear jewelry, though, and I don't really need more office supplies right now.
If you like manga, comics, and/or graphic novels, what is it about them that you like, in general? The story, the art/style, etc?
I enjoy comics and graphic novels in general, because I love the premise of combining words and still pictures to convey action and motion. You can show things that are harder to convey in words alone, and the still scenes and composition are very different from the visual approach done on film. The medium allows for a different kind of storytelling. But all of that said, if the story isn't compelling, even the best art can only keep it going for so long. On the flip side, less technically-proficient art can still sustain a really excellent story.
I try to draw comics, in addition to reading them. I don't know how successful I am, but I enjoy the process.
If you could choose a Smack, what would it have in it?
if you could have a salon scent made, based on any artwork(s) what would it be?
I'm going to cheat badly and say how much I'd love to see scents based on the concert hall, in addition to the art museum. I'd adore a set based on Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. All six movements, musically and textually, are very evocative and some even mention smells.
Are you scientifically curious and/or process-oriented? Would you like a project-type gift that allowed you do do something like make soap from scratch, take and (nontoxic-ly) develop photographs using a pinhole camera, use plant dyes on yarn or fabric, etc.?
Yes! All of those sound awesome!
What's 'your' song/your theme song?
Uh. I don't know. I like too many songs to pick one. (But a lot of my friends have emailed me recently saying they heard that Train song "Save Me, San Francisco" and that it reminded them of me. Because I am a little fixated on certain cities…)
What would be your superpower?
If I could choose one? I'd love to be able to teleport. I could go anywhere, without travel time, without jet lag, without cost of gas and tickets, without carbon footprint. I could live in San Francisco and commute to Riverside!
Witchee, would you like a gently used BPAL tshirt?
Sure, though it would depend on the design! None of the really cutesy/overtly feminine ones, please.
Do you like homemade snack mixes? I know Puppy Chow was mentioned in a previous question, but what about healthier and more natural type snacks like granola or trail mix? You can put a lot of delicious and fun things into trail mix, yeah? If you say "Sure, I'd love some!" what kinds of things do you like/not like in those kinds of snacks, ie coconut flakes, raisins, certain nuts (allergies??), candy, etc. Give us your list of DO's and DON'Ts!
Snack mix is good! My only restriction is no stone fruits, dried or fresh. No cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, or apricots. I'm allergic to those.
Do you like charm bracelets? If you had a bracelet, what sort of charms would you want on it? Favorite hobbies, symbols, whatever?
I don't wear jewelry.
September 20th
Would you like any ecotools makeup brushes? They're kinda one of my favorite things ever, and they're animal-friendly and the handles are bamboo. And to top it all off, they work really well for applying makeup.
I don't wear makeup.
Do you like Legos? Especially mini-fig key chains, Lego block keychains, small Lego sets, etc?
They were fun when I was a little kid, but I haven't played with them in a good twenty years.
Since the previous question about "what would you buy from the Lab if you had unlimited funds, etc" left WAY too much to the imagination with no limitations (my answer was pretty much BUY ALL THE THINGS!), what would you do if you found a $50 bill on the ground and a nagging voice in the back of your mind told you that you HAD to spend it on BPAL or else face Death. Also, say they had free shipping (LOL) so don't factor that in. What would you get? And spend it all! Or as close to $50 as you can get.
Bottle of Carceri d'Invenzione, bottle of whichever of the Weenies I end up liking best, and an imp of Ameles Potamos. I think that puts me at $52, but I can spare the extra $2. Haha.
Are there any characters that you love or identify with?
There are certainly ones I've identified with in things I've read/watched, but they're not coming to mind right now. They haven't been close life-long identifications or anything.
A question! If you are crafty, what's your personal art style? I'm not talking just about what art you like to look at, but what kind of art do you like creating? Do you have a "process" while you're creating beauty?
I draw comicy/cartoony things, using ink and markers. I do other crafty stuff, but these drawings are the things I do the most often. In particular, I tend to come up with characters that are personifications of non-human things, like buildings or geologic features.
My character design process is that I look at the thing I'm about to personify and try to incorporate as many of its shapes and colors into the character as possible. A building with a lot of angles and points will lead to a character with angular pointy features. Something painted red-orange (*cough*) will have red-orange hair and an orangey skin tone. A fault that cuts through granite is going to have granitic colors/spots.
In terms of actually sitting down and drawing, I do pencils first, then an outline, then colors. I often lose track of time.
Are there any Arcana Weenies that you MUST HAVE?
A lot of them sound good, but none are MUST HAVE NOW.
So what say you? IS an "unexpected" visit/in-person witching OK?
Please, no unexpected! I love meeting BPAL people, and meeting my Witch would be cool, I would prefer for it to be scheduled/planned! I would be very awkward otherwise (and may be anyway, heh), but just showing up, well, my apartment is a disaster and I'd be embarrassed. I might also not be home, since I'm in the lab a lot.
September 19th
What strange misc. items would you love to receive that you just haven't gotten for yourself?:
I don't tend to think of the strange miscellaneous stuff until I see it in the store.
How do you feel about franken polish? Are you okay with all chemicals, or would you prefer 3 free? Would you want glitter or holographic glitter? What colors would interest you?
I don't wear nail polish.
Dear witchee, how do you feel about lip balm? Favorite style (twist up tube, pot, tube with wand, etc.)? Favorite flavors? Flavors to avoid? Favorite brand? Do you need more right now or are you set? Are you one of those people who could never have enough lip balm even though you have a bowl on your dresser overflowing with them and 10 in your purse and an order for more on the way?
I don't need lip balm now. My lips get cracked and bloody when it gets chilly and dry, but I have plenty of lip balm from last winter.
Would you be interested in getting fountain pen inks or art supplies via JetPens and or DickBlick? (I know I have a wishlist on JetPens and just love using fountain pens in my artwork)
YES PLEASE.
-For those interested in watercolors, how would you feel about getting a palette filled with paint from my watercolor tubes but not getting the paint tube itself? (kind of like this but without the covers for the compartments and bigger http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream)
I am kind of fail at watercolor, but I love trying! This would be win!
-How do you feel about getting art supplies in general? (copic markers, watercolor, brushes, paint, sketchbooks etc.)
YES YES YES.
-How do you feel about Threadless tshirts?
I have a few!
If you were turned loose in a basic drug store (CVS, Walgreens - a pharmacy with attached mini-mart, basically!) with a $20 bill, what would you pick up?
Toilet paper, kitty literal, a pack of gum, and envelopes.
Darling Witchee, would you enjoy farmer's market pickled veggies (green beans, garlic, asparagus, etc) or fresh canned peaches or something of that nature?
Pickled things are good! Farmer's market stuff is good in general. No peaches, though. I'm allergic to peaches.
Do you prefer color or white photographs? Nature or abstract?
This really depends on the subject and composition of the photo!
would you be interested in something like this?
https://lostcrates.com/how-it-works
This looks very cool, but so expensive!
Amigurumi, yes or no?
These are cute, but I suspect my cats would appropriate them.
I have a question! What are some of your favorite paintings? (famous or undiscovered?) Feel free to link to examples!
I actually am not sure.
If you could have an image painted for you - sky is the limit - what would it be?
Oh jeez. I don't know.
Name your 3 favorite scents for candles
I don't burn candles, because I don't trust my cats to not knock them over.
Name your 3 favorite types/flavors of tea
Lapsang souchong
Genmaicha
Spiced chai
September 15th
interested in anything from Lush?
Nothing immediately comes to mind, but I've used some of their soap before, and it's nice.
Do you blog? Would you like a header for your blog, a layout, etc?
I've been meaning to get back into blogging, but I haven't really done so yet. When I do, I'd rather come up with my own design, I think.
Would you be interested in a handmade bookmark?
Yes!
do you like chex puppy chow or muddie buddies (ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate chips, PB, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, chex cereal)? would you want to get some from your witch / nacho witch?
Om nom nom nom.
How would you feel about receiving a Groupon deal for something in your local area? If there is anything you WOULDN'T like, mention that also.
I've never looked at Groupon before. I am intrigued!
September 14th
Can you sum yourself (whether it be personality, life's goals, ethics, whatever) in 10 words or less?
Nerdy awkward scientist musician cartoonist Californian cat-owner asexual
How about little bottles of booze? Ya wanna? What kind?
I think you need a permit to ship alcohol within/to California, so this is probably a bad idea.
What are your views on fudge and brownies? (Also, if you live in a warm place, where the fudge might melt, that'd be helpful to know. Or, if you're diabetic and fudge is death, that'd be useful to know, too.)
I definitely live somewhere where the fudge would melt, but I do love fudge. Brownies a little less so; for some reason, chocolatey cakey things kind of knock me out.
Also, what about mochi? Love it, hate it, baffled by it?
Love it!
Anything from the update ya'll are liking? BPTP UPDATE
Does anyone like kimchi?
Yes!
Would you be interested in a sample box(from somewhere like Birchbox or loosebutton)?
Not particularly.
You have to place a Lab and Trading Post order. Right fuckin' now. No spending limits. What do you buy?
Oh dear. Uh. From the Lab, bottles of Tree of Life, Pallas Athene, Carceri d'Invenzione, Elegy IX: The Autumnal, Mictecacihuatl, Nothing But Death, The Night Hag Visiting the Lapland Witches, Triumph of Death, The Seekim, and the Zoom. Go go Salons and LEs!
Paintbox Soapworks - anything you're interested in, in general or from the latest update?
I'd never heard of them before. That Old Masters set looks interesting; I love how it's packaged. Also intrigued by Cicada, all the more so because BPAL's Brood XIX didn't work on me.
Do you guys have any sports that you follow obsessively? How about favorite teams and/or athletes
I wouldn't say I'm obsessive, but I follow the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL and the San Francisco Giants in MLB.
How do you feel about notebooks/journals/stationery? Anything you need or particularly like?
I really like nice notebooks and writing paper. My problem is that I'm never completely sure what to put in them. I figure I should use nice paper for out-of-the-ordinary things, and then I never figure out what the things are. I need to convince myself it's totally fine to take physics notes in a Moleskine, for example!
Does confetti/glitter make you angry or fill you with glee?
I'd rather not have it all over my apartment. It's already messy enough in here!
Fabulous witches and witchees, perhaps you all could note of you've received MeiLin's goodies? Or if you want?
What is this? Do tell?
How do you feel about stuffed animals/plushies/general soft, cuddly things? If you like them, what kind of animals would you be interested in?
I have two real cats. They'd probably chew on any plush toys that showed up. (Either that or they'd be afraid of them. They're a little pathetic.)
how interested would you be on somewhat personalized bottle cap labels? Like these that I did?
I like those! But I've already labeled all my BPAL bottles.
When you're miserably sick (*sniffle, cough!*) what are the things that comfort you the most?
Sleep! And tea. And my purring cats.
What constitutes ultimate luxury to you? (go crazy!)
I'm actually really not terribly fixated on creature comforts, for the most part. I like a nice comfortable bed in a room that's a little bit chilly, so I can curl up and sleep. None of this it's-85-degrees-at-night crap. I am far more interested in places and experience than little comforts. I would love for my comfy bed in a slightly chilly room to be in San Francisco, with a window that looks out onto some picturesque part of the cityscape. I would also love for the room to have an infinite coffee supply, and a computer chair that doesn't make my back sore. Simple things, I guess! (Oh, wait, does finding clothing that actually fits me count here? I would love to find pants that I don't have to get hemmed or shirts that aren't too long, even if they're the right width.)
What do you really NOT want?
No makeup! I'm a guy, and I won't wear it!
September 13th
How would you feel about kitchen towels and other similar household objects, if they are pretty or a souvenir?
Kitchen towels are always useful. If they're really pretty/artistic, though, I'd feel bad about actually using them for kitchen cleanup.
How did you dress up for your last party or compulsory-formal-dress occasion?
Grey khakis, grey shoes, button down shirt that's plaid in shades of dark and light greyish green, blue, and white. I hate getting dressed up, honestly.
Do you enjoy puzzles/riddles? (Cryptograms, Sudoku, Crossword, Jigsaw, etc)
Yes! They're especially nice for long plane rides, and I've been traveling a lot lately.
Witchee, would you be interested in having a special tea cup/coffee mug/glass to drink out of?
Definitely! I drink lots of coffee and tea.
September 12th
Would you like to receive e-books? And if so, in what format?
No thanks. I don't have an e-reader. I'd much prefer actual paper books.
If you have kids, would you be interested in getting things for them? And if so, what are they interested and what sizes are the wearing now?
I don't have kids, and I have no plans to ever have them.
Would you be interested in a felted handbag? Do any of these styles appeal to you? http://tinyurl.com/3o2epzl (there's at least one guy-friendly style, too!)
I have so many bags. I probably do not need more bags.
Are there are patterns, motifs, etc that you especially like?
I'm not sure if this counts as pattern or motif so much as theme, but if it's related to geology or to San Francisco, that's a good thing! I also like the idea of incorporating patterns related to these things (ie. mineral structures or seismograms or elements of the architectural design of various SF landmarks) more subtly into, say, an article of clothing.
If you're a tea drinker, is there any specific tea you would like to receive, not just the kind/flavor but also the type/packing--i.e., tea bags, loose tea, compressed, etc?
I like trying all sorts of tea! This includes black, green, white, red, tisane, etc. I'm good with loose or bagged.
September 11th
I am fond of the thrift. Do you mind lightly used goods? Please be specific! For instance, I'm a little squicked by used clothing, but I don't mind any other used goods (i.e. books, glassware, games, DVDs, whatever.)
I don't mind them! Even used clothing, if it's in good condition, doesn't bother me.
Do you have an Etsy shop? Do you know of any Etsy shops that are Switch Witch friendly?
I don't have one. The idea occasionally crosses my mind, but then I think about how little time I'd have to consistently make things to sell in it, I convince myself to not even try. I also try not to browse the site that often, because I don't have a whole lot of extra money. It's a dangerous place! Haha.
Would a gift or a postcard from Disneyland make you squee with delight or puke into your mail box?
A postcard from my Witch is always good! Disneyland specifically doesn't excite me that much, though, since it's quite local to me.
What are your favorite types of Halloween candy?
I am a fan of candy in general. In terms of very Halloween-specific, though? Those pumpkin spice Hershey kisses are fantastic.
Do you prefer soap or shower gel? Please give examples of your favorite scents or brands.
How do you like your chocolate? For example with nuts, mint, peanut butter, caramel?
All of the above.
Beads! Do you use them? Would you want some? What sorts of beads do you like?
I've never really gotten into bead craft.
Anyone here like caramels? Sea salted caramels?!?!
Love!
Would you like a hand dyed or hand painted scarf or wrap or other item? If so, what colors/designs/fabrics do you like?
Handmade things are awesome! That said, it is almost never scarf weather here.
This was a question before, but does anyone here like stones? Just pretty polished stones for use in whatever purposes?
I like rocks! Though, as a geologist, I like them even better in their natural unpolished state.
And another question; anyone like anything in particular from Think Geek?
Think Geek is another site at which I don't look too closely, because then I'll be tempted to buy things. So, no particular thing comes to mind, but I'm always struck by the OOH SHINY GADGET factor whenever I do visit the site.
Pinterest, do you have boards you want to share or are you following anyone with great boards you want to share?
Boards? In what context? Message boards?
September 10th
What #1 actor, director, author and/or musician are you obsessed with?
I'm not even sure! I would say I'm obsessing most over a place, not a person.
are you interested in anything from the Villainness Bad Apples update?
Discord and Proscription both sound very good.
If you have a pet, would he/she/they like to receive a treat or a toy as a gift? Does your pet have any dietary restrictions or other preferences w.r.t. said treat?
Both of my cats adore catnip. One of my previous witches sent them catnip beanbags, which led to hilarious behavior. They like small toys they can bat around, but they sometimes get bored with those in favor of random strips of plastic, because they're weirdos. They both like dangly feathery toys, too.
What are your top three "I want to try them but I think I'll never get to try them" (or, "I've tried them and I want moar moar moar, but I don't think I'll ever get any") scents/bath oils/sprays?
Oh jeez, I don't know. There are a few Salons I haven't bought because they're more expensive, but I could still get them. As for stuff I'm definitely not getting more of? I do wish I could've had bottles, not just frimps, of Tinfoil Hat and Leipreachan. I also have a little bitty bit of Skadi, which is gorgeous.
Is there a particular artist and piece that you would like a print of? If so, what is your max size that you could spare on your walls?
I hesitate to speak for wall space, because I don't know how much I'll have once I move. I'd steer away from stuff to hang on walls for this round, really.
If you are in to beauty and makeup related stuff, what kind of stuff do you like? What is your skintone and hair color? Are there any beauty products you've wanted to try but just never purchase?
I'm not into this stuff.
Do you like coffee or tea? Would you be interested in trying some different types?
YES. Very much yes.
Are there any CDs/Albums you've been wanting but haven't bought yet? What format do you prefer? (i.e. mp3, actual cd, record, etc)
Ever since I went on a long road trip with a friend who had a bunch of this stuff in his car, I've been meaning to get some Decemberists, Iron & Wine, and Death Cab for Cutie albums. I am always glad to be exposed to new music, also! In terms of format, I like actual CDs, but mp3s are good, too.
Are you going away for any part of this round?
I will be away from 22-29 September, 15-18 October, and 11-13 November.
Would you like to receive a mix-CD from your Witch?
Absolutely yes!
If your witch were going somewhere on a vacation during the round, would you want a little souvenir?
Sure! And I'm likely to include such things in my own witching activities, unless told not to.
Do you enjoy any outdoor activities? Do you have a favorite form of "exercise"?
I do! I like going for walks when the weather permits. I also like hiking. I recently bought a bicycle, and have been enjoying riding it. Exercise activities that allow me to be outside and see things in the process are my favorites, definitely, though I do also go to the gym, in all its boring glory.
Any witchee's with a ravelry account have any favourited patterns that cost money that would be a welcome gift?
I don't have a Ravelry account. I did learn to knit this summer, but I am still very much a n00b.
Do you work/study at a desk and enjoy interesting or cute office supplies?
I spend SO much time at my desk. I appreciate nice pens and things, but my desk tends to eat supplies.
Witchee, are you a fan of musicals? If so, which ones?
I am! Some of my particular favorites are Into the Woods, Wicked, The Secret Garden, Fiddler on the Roof, Spamalot, and Chicago. I haven't been to see one in a while, and I should fix that.
September 9th
Do you like to burn incense? If so, what are your favorite kinds...sticks? cones? resins? What are your favorite scents?
I don't burn incense. It makes me a little sneezy.
- Harry Potter - a fan? If so, what house are you?
I enjoy the series! I've never been heavily involved in the fandom, but I like it, and I'm definitely a Ravenclaw. SUCH a Ravenclaw.
- If you were to receive a gift card, what places would you like to get one from?
The main things that come to mind are Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Blick, Blue Bottle Coffee, and REI.
Is there a particular myth/folktale/legend/fairytale/godstory that you're drawn to?
Not particularly, but in a more general sense, the idea of animism appeals to me. It's kind of a natural extension of all of those personified inanimate things that I draw, I guess.
If you RP, tabletop, forum, or otherwise... Do you have any original characters you'd like to see art of? If so, please give information! Even if it's a link to a web page or a profile or picture!
I haven't been RPing lately. I'd say any of my RP characters are outdated at this point.
If you could see anything, what would it be? Can be a person, an event, a landmark or monument, an object, etc. And it doesn't have to be on this planet, or in this time period, or in this reality!
When you are having a really rough day, what do you like to do/have to make it a little brighter?
I like to sit down with my cats and just relax. I'll usually have some TV on in the background and may draw some pictures, but I may also just spend the time looking at mindless things online. Depending on what kind of day it was, tea, chocolate, or wine might be involved. But at the very least, just sitting and petting the cats.
What are your thoughts on comics? Any you like? Any you have been wanting to try? Favorite characters?
I love comics! Some particular favorites of mine are Sandman, Fables, Watchmen, The Unwritten, Irredeemable, Scott Pilgrim. I've been meaning to read Y: The Last Man, and also Incorruptible. There are others I always think look interesting when I go to a comic store, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.
Are you musical? Do you play an instrument, and if so, what? If not, what do you wish you could play or do?
I play entirely too many musical instruments: violin, viola, piano, viola da gamba, recorder, crumhorn, guitarron, mandolin, and several Javanese gamelan instruments.
Does anyone garden? And if you do, what do you grow? If not, would a starter garden kit be something you'd be interested in?
I don't garden. I'd love to, but I don't have space in which to grow things.
Do you decorate for Halloween? Is your decorating taste elegant, kitschy and fun, or scary?
I don't decorate for Halloween. I really only have an apartment door facing the rest of the apartment complex, anyway.
Witchee, do you have any symbols or totems that have special meaning for you?
I'm not sure if these really count, but San Francisco's landmarks in general are meaningful to me. Also, seismograms.
Is anyone fond of programs like Adopt a Tree/Highway/Library/Manatee/Acre of Rainforest/etc?:
I like them on principle, but I've never really done any of them.
September 8th
From the Weenie Update....what are you most wanting to try?
Elegy IX: The Autumnal, Nothing But Death, Black Apple of Saturn, The Night Hag Visiting the Lapland Witches, Triumph of Death, Mictecacihuatl, The Seekim, The Zoom.
Who's into nail polish? What colors/brands?
I'm not.
Is there a quote (or lyric or part of a poem) that really resonates with you or is your favorite?
I don't have a single favorite.
Dream candle? Scent, color, type (tealight, votive, pillar, jar, etc.), throw...
Hmm. I've never really used candles, so I don't know. It would be fantastic to have one that captured the scent of a cool foggy night by the water, especially since I live in the desert. I guess it would have to be blueish grey.
Do you like knitted goodies? If so, what would you like and what colors?
It generally doesn't get cold enough here to warrant wearing knitted things, but socks are still good. I like blues and greens and greasy.
Would you be interested in homemade edibles that are NOT sweets? Any specifics?
Sure! No specifics come to mind, though.
What GC do you live in mortal terror of the lab discontinuing, but never get around to buying?
Uhh. There are a couple. Tenochtitlan, Lear, Yorick, and Cathode immediately come to mind.
Yo, yarnies! Do you Ravelry? If so, who are you over thar?
I don't do Ravelry. I am an epic n00b at knitting. I am still in the "knit rectangular things" phase.
Social Media?
I'm on Twitter pretty regularly, same username as here. I'm also on Tumblr, with this same username. I have a Facebook, but I rarely check it. I've been meaning to start a more standard blog.
Do you have wishlists for non-BPAL e-tailers? And if so, could you provide a link or a list?
Not at the moment. Thinking of pulling one together for Blick art supplies, though.
Witchee, do you use a PC or a Mac?
I have a Mac.
What is your favorite animal?
Oh jeez, I have no idea. I guess I could cop out and say my two particular cats are my favorites. Some more general favorites: foxes, otters, martens, cheetahs.
What are you going to be for Halloween?
Probably a personified cable car. Like so, except not Christmasy: http://mitya.deviantart.com/art/Cable-Car-olers-190931587
If you could have a piece of oil painting jewelry (pendant, pair of earrings, or ring) with absolutely anything painted on it, what would it be?
(If you prefer wall art instead, same question as above.)
I don't wear jewelry. I also hesitate to get new wall art right before I move.
How do you feel about nick-knacks?
I like small goofy stuff! It is always in danger of being appropriated by the cats, though.
What traditions (family, holiday, or otherwise) are important to you?
My family actually doesn't have much in the way of traditions. There was a general sequence of events and guests associate with Christmas, but even that has dissipated in the past few years. I have no real individual traditions, either, though I'm trying to make a habit of going to San Francisco for major anniversaries related to its history. I can't wait until I live there, though, and don't have to travel for these things.
Do you like going to the movies?
I always enjoy myself when I do go, but I rarely go.
What are your favorite restaurants?
There's a tapas place called Sevilla that's basically the best restaurant in Riverside. This really isn't much of a restaurant town, though. In Los Angeles, I like Kobawoo House for Korean food. In San Francisco, I like Borobudur, House of Nanking, Fang, Higher Grounds, Moki's Sushi, Epicenter Cafe, and plenty of others.
Do you play any video games?
Not really.
Do you like any anime?
I don't really know any anime.
Do you have an E-reader/iPad/something similar that you need a cover/case for?
I don't have any of those.
how much do you like jewelry? like, if you were to get a shit ton of it during the round, how excited would you be?
I don't wear jewelry.
How would you like to receive some of your Witch's favorite recipes, tailored to your likes/dietary restrictions? And specific wants?
Recipes are good, especially if they're fairly foolproof. I am not terribly good at cooking, and would love to be able to make tasty things without screwing up.
Do you need any boxes to store your smellies in? What would you store in said hypothetical box--imps, bottles, supplies, all of the above?
I am doing pretty well for storage space right now, but I would never turn down a handmade box.
Muppets: yea or nay?
Yea.
Do you have an affinity for Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, The Far Side, and other comic strips? If so, which is your favorite?
I like all of those. Calvin and Hobbes is my favorite among those.
Favorite Mythological Creature?:
I dunno. Gryphons are pretty cool.
Do you like hair things barrettes, headbands, flowers
No thanks.
Expanding on the hair question - does anyone like those flower clips for the hair that are big right now??
Still no thanks.
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?
Both ways are fun! It is extremely exciting to receive unexpected mail, but it's also fun to obsessively hit refresh on the USPS website once one has received a tracking number. I'll leave this up to my Witch!
If i were your witch, and I wanted to make you a spell or mojo bag, would you be into that?
I honestly wouldn't know what to do with it.
What are your favorite fruits?
Berries of all sorts, mango, clementines (and citrus in general, really), apples (but not red delicious), pear, watermelon, banana...I like fruit in general. Just not cherries, white nectarines, or white plums. Screw you, allergies.
What is one thing you constantly keep with you that you constantly lose?
Pencils and pens! I always try to carry one of each, and I lose so very many. I do have this one pen that I've managed to hold onto for over a year, but it's noticeably heavier than the other pens I tend to carry, so I may be more aware of its presence.
Lusting over anything from the Trading Post lately?
I haven't really been looking, because I am trying to avoid spending more money.
Are you a Miyazaki fan? Do you have all the films you like, or is your collection missing one? Is there any merchandise you want?
The only Miyazaki thing with which I'm familiar is Nausicaä, which I like very much. I've seen the movie and have the books. I figure I'd like his other work, but I just haven't gotten around to seeing/reading it yet.
Do you wear lip gloss/lip balm? If so, what flavors/scents?
I'll wear unflavored or basic mint lip balm in the winter, because my lips get really chapped and bleed everywhere, which sucks. Definitely not gloss for fashion reasons, or anything with a color to it!
Fetish?
I assume this means fetish animal, and I honestly don't know. It's an interesting concept, but I haven't investigated it much, and so to say something about a particular animal in this thread would be pulling something out of very little consideration, which just doesn't work. So, nothing for now.
Do you drink alcohol? Wine, beer or liquor? What is your favorite wine/beer/mixed drink?
I do drink, though not very much and not particularly often. As an earth scientist, I am required to have an appreciation for beer; I tend to like amber ales, pale ales, and hefeweizens. In terms of wine, I know woefully little about specifics, but I do know that I have consistently liked pinot grigio and shiraz when I've had them. I don't really drink hard liquor, though Bailey's or Kahlua in coffee or cocoa is good.
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If Beth made a perfume called "switch witch" what notes would be in it?
Hrmm. Wrapping paper and/or shipping cardboard, tea, chocolate, the metal of handcrafted jewelry, the soft wood of hand-painted BPAL boxes, the sweet wax of candles, and a whiff of so many generously gifted imps at once that you can't tell them apart. This round might also have beets, but if we're going with a more general Switch Witch scent...
What is your favorite cookie type?
Oh jeez. You're making me pick one?! In general, cookies are awesome. Some particular favorites are white chocolate macadamia nut, things related in composition to Thin Mints, and snickerdoodles, but there's no way you could really screw up with sending me a cookie. Unless it had cherries - stupid allergies.
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Are you into 80s movies (like i am ) if so, which are your favorites and who are your favorite characters?
I was born in 1984, so I probably know more '80s cartoons than anything else. Haha. I was kind of obsessed with "Oliver and Company" when I was little (I haven't seen it in ages - but I do remember the awesome soundtrack). Also, "Ghostbusters," though I preferred the animated spinoff at the time, and now I prefer the movie. Definitely "The Princess Bride" as well.
Do you like Villainess soaps? What are your favorite scents?
I have, thus far, only tried two Villainess soaps (Ginger Snapped and Smashing), and I liked them both quite a lot. They smell good and feel nice. In terms of ones I'd want to try, Quick Or Dead sounds awesome, but also appears to be sold out. As for others I might be interested in trying: Friction, Krakatoa (on principle, because it's a big volcano!), Grundy, Scintillating, Byzantium
Do you mind artificial colors in your food?
I don't mind.
Who wants hair pretties?(headbands, barrettes, pony-o's, scrunchies, bobby pins, hair clips, etc)
No thanks. My hair is not long enough for these things, even disregarding the fact that I'm a guy.
If you were my witchee, would you like any of the scents/sizes that are available on clearance?
No candles, please. Don't want to have the cats start yet another southern California fire.
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.
I think origami cranes are cool, but I wouldn't have use for earrings or a phone charm, and I suspect that a really tiny one in a jar would get devoured by my desk somewhere. I should clean this thing, really.
How do you feel about clothing/accessories made from animals? Anti-fur, leather, shells, etc.? Does even faux wig you out?
I'm fine with leather, since it comes from an animal that people use for other things as well. Fur is a definite no, though, since the animal is killed specifically and only for its fur. I have no moral objection to faux fur, though things with faux fur do not necessarily fit into the vague thing that is my "style." No problems with shells, either.
How do you deal with stress? What's your favorite way to unwind?
I release my constant loading stress slowly and steadily in a process called aseismic creep, in which I move constantly and produce no earthqu--...wait, that's the Calaveras Fault, not me. Sorry.
In all seriousness, though, I sometimes follow a more traditional stick-slip/elastic rebound fault behavior in my personal stress management. That is, stress builds up and I don't let it show so much, but at some yield point, I have a really bad day, whether it's bad-mood-discouraged/depressed or whether it's explosive. I'm trying to be less like this, since I always feel terrible about the bad outburst days later. The goal is to be more like aseismic creep - letting the stress slide, or releasing it so steadily that there are no bad mood problems. I tend to unwind by plunking down in front of the TV and drawing, or by petting my cats, or sometimes by playing music. Reading is less effective than it used to be, because it makes me feel guilty about reading fun stuff rather than reading all the stuff assigned to me.
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?
My initial thought was that I'd want to do fault geology with some of the best people out there, but then I realized that I should answer this question in a way not related to my actual research/job, and I also realize that I already know some of the best people out there in this field.
So - actual crafts. Artistic things. Hrm. Wouldn't want to do a music thing, since I'm terrible at practicing and would just tick the person off. I'd also be hesitant to do visual art, for fear that formal study might make me feel less inclined to do it on my own (I'm currently completely self-taught.) At this point, I'd probably say I'd want to lean to cook from someone really good, since the only things I can cook now are boring and not very tasty. I don't know enough about chefs to know who I'd want to work with, though.
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Who is musically inclined? What instruments (voice counts) do you play? Would you enjoy sheet music?
Hooboy, this question.
Vaguely in the order of when I learned them: piano, violin/fiddle, viola (I consider this my main instrument), voice, tenor viol, recorder (mostly alto), guitarrón, crumhorn (though I suck at it), and most of the instruments in a Javanese gamelan (with a particular focus on gendèr and bonang, if that means anything to any of you). I also compose (and, in fact, have two degrees in composition). And I'm contemplating learning mandolin next.
But for all of that, I rarely practice outside of actual rehearsal. There just isn't time, since I'm not a music major/proper musician/what have you. I probably would not ever get a chance to learn any sheet music sent to me, at least not if it's solo stuff. If you were to send something like parts for string quartets, I would find people to sightread through them with me.
Favorite musicals?
Wicked, Into the Woods, Spamalot, The Secret Garden, Fiddler On The Roof, Ludwig II (which is a German musical, and which has really good music), Chicago, probably forgetting a few others...
Which of the seven deadly sins is most likely to be your undoing?
Hrmm. Possibly envy. I do get jealous when other people get awesome opportunities related to things that I also do. It's not a crippling thing, but if I were to let myself fixate on it, I would get sidetracked from working hard so that I can get my own awesome opportunities.
Anyone want a nickname and embroidered headband from PandaBite?
Not particularly.
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?
I don't scent my apartment, since I hear doing so is bad for animals, and I have two cats. Even if I did scent my home, I think candles would be a terrible idea, because of the whole burning thing, and said two cats.
Would a "gift" donation to one of the organizations/causes you support be a great gift, or a lame gift?
That would be a good thing!
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Does anyone have any symbols they consider to be personally significant or talismanic?
Not particularly. There are symbols that I like, but they are generally representative of my larger interests, rather than being talismans in and of themselves.
Are there any Gods, Goddess, or other mythological figures of whom you're particularly fond?
I enjoy myths and legends in general, though no particular named figures come to mind as being favorites. Lately, I've been particularly interested in myths that involve/explain natural disasters. Since my research is into some of the real mechanisms behind earthquakes in particular, it's really cool to hear how different groups of people explained these phenomena before there was such a thing as modern science.
Super villain or vigilante? Which would you like to be?
I'm not really the type for either of these, but I think I'd more likely be a vigilante than a supervillain.
What mythical or fantastic race of creatures (dragons, unicorns, griffins, elves, dwarves, faeries, etc.) do you most identify with, and why?
This is never something I've thought much about, but out of the list here, I think I'm going to have to go with gryphons. They're part one mundane creature, part another, and come together to be something weirder and, perhaps, greater overall. This makes sense given my academic background - scientist and musician at once.
Though, perhaps, a phoenix might describe this switch of focus better. One field wasn't working for me - I felt totally burned out on it - so I let that one go and rose out of the frustration and mess and angst into a totally different field that I'm enjoying much better.
How do you feel about Dia de los Muertos? Are you interested in sugar skulls? Catrina (or other) skeleton figurines?
I know very little about this holiday, but I do know that the aesthetic of sugar skulls is appealing to me. I like all the little patterns and details that go into the designs.
Do you have a favorite poem or poet?
I know shamefully little about poetry.
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For the crafty people out there: would you prefer something crafted or crafting supplies?
I would be thrilled to receive a craft that my witch made! I would also be excited to receive supplies, particularly in the form of markers.
Can you use pill boxes, a hard ID case, coin purse, etc?
Not particularly. Though maybe I should get some cards, since I go to conferences a lot now and end up scrawling my email address on paper for people.
Any songs you are desperately into at the moment?
I am still totally hooked on the whole Nickel Creek compilation CD that Lizard Queen gave me in the last Switch Witch round.
What's autumn like in your neck of the woods? What do you love and/or hate about it?
We don't have proper autumn as most people think of it here in Riverside. It remains quite hot even into November, and humidity is pretty much nonexistent. The Santa Ana winds, which result from a high pressure system spilling already warm and pressurized winds from the desert over the mountains, thus heating and speeding the air up even more as it flows into the L.A. basin, generally start in October, making everything hotter and drier. This is also the time of year that fires are whipped into their worst conditions, due to the heat and dryness and wind. Given the recent drought and the severity of fire we've had already, even without Santa Anas, I'm expecting a bad year. So...I do love how the Santa Anas clear all the smog and crap out of the air, leading to some very clear views of the mountains, but I'm definitely not a fan of the fires.
What's your favorite product(s) at Trader Joe's?
Those dark chocolate and sea salt almonds are amazing, as are the dark chocolate chipotle hazelnuts. I'm also a big fan of their maple frosted wheat cereal, and of the microwavable Thai lunches they have. I actually do a lot of my regular shopping at Trader Joe's, since it's so close by.
If you're caught in front of the tv, what are you watching?
Mythbusters, Monk, House, or something on the Discovery Health Channel. Unless it's 3AM and I'm up drawing things, in which case it's probably Law and Order.
Any Amy Brown art fans?
I do not know who this is!
How do you feel about Halloween music? (mix CDs, what have you)
I generally find Halloween songs amusing, but not so much that I have sought out CDs/MP3s. But don't let this deter you, Witch - if you have found some musically interesting or particularly funny Halloween songs, they're welcome!
Who else is reeeeeally looking forward to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland?
I am excited!
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?
Nothing comes to mind. (I live within an hour's drive or so from the Lab, even.)
Lolcats....yeah or nay?
I can has!
What is your favorite creepy folk story or legend?
I don't have a favorite, since I know very few to begin with.
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'd probably rather have it in writing, but I certainly would not object to a recording if that was something my Witch wanted to do.
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?
I have no idea. Seriously. I actually don't think it'd be something geological, though, since that's the kind of stuff I draw.
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What's something you're really looking forward to in the semi-near future?
Volcanology class field trip to Hawaii!
Also, continued work on the big earthquake outreach project I've been focused on for the past month and a half.
What fictional character do you most identify with and why?
I could think about this question for a long time and never come up with one in particular, so I won't.
Could you use a 'travel' imp case? How many should it hold?
It wouldn't hurt, though my use would be more as a way to keep the imps from getting squished in transit, than as a thing I'd carry around for the sake of refreshing the scent. I'd have no preference as to what it could hold.
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 would be thrilled with whatever modus operandi of gift giving my Witch chose to adopt.
What is your idea of the perfect evening at home?
Just me, petting the cats and relaxing, maybe reading or drawing. If I'm drawing, the TV might be on, and it'd be an actually interesting show. In this perfect evening, it is not stupidly hot in my apartment.
Are you on any social networks (MySpace, Twitter, LJ, Facebook, Bebo, etc)? If so, make with the links! Are you open to new friends?
I'm dsch on Livejournal and seismogenic on Twitter. I'm definitelt open for new friends.
What kind of socks?
Right now, my socks are all the plain nondescript white ones.
How often do you update your wishlist?
Generally, whenever I get s new thing and test it.
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?
Nothing immediately comes to mind here. I generally only do the costume thing around Halloween, though if I had more excuses to do so without being the only person in costume, I would. My Halloween costumes tend to either be somehow historical, or to be anthropomorphic personifications of things.
So, who has a store or ETSY shop or knows of a shop of a fellow BPALer that everybody needs to check out?
I have never actually poked around on Etsy.
Who are your favorite artists/illustrators/art periods?
In terms of periods, I tend to like my art rather like my music - stuff from the late 19th and early 20th centuries - Romanticism, if you will. I like art nouveau and jugendstil for all the patterned details, and I have an appreciation for art deco providing it has not been done as a simplification/modification of things that were prettier earlier (see: the Call Building/Central Tower, 3rd and Market, San Francisco. Grr.) As for artists...hm. I like Mucha, I like Klimt...I actually don't know that much about fine art. Haha. If we can include photographers, definitely Ansel Adams. An if we can include comics, P. Craig Russell.
What's your stance on cranberries?
Yum!
Do you mind receiving used (in good condition, of course) CDs or DVDs? (I know this question was on the questionnaire about books, but I didn't see one for DVDs or CDs.)
Used things are great by me! I tend to buy used CDs rather than new for myself, even, since they still work but cost less.
Do 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 have no crushes.
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?
In reality, this is often determined by mood, and I may not make the best choices (read: Pop Tarts), but if I want to keep my blood sugar at a good height and not have a rumbling tummy, I go for things like almonds or other mixed nuts.
Do you have a favorite bpal bottle art?
I love looking at the bottle art for all the new scents that come out. This is actually one of the things I do first at Will Call, before even testing some of the new ones. As for favorites, hm. All of the Steamworks and Carnaval labels are amazing (the label art may have been partly responsible for my purchasing a bottle of Priala, even). All of the Lunacy labels lately have been wonderful, too, though I haven't actually purchased one since Windy Moon. I also found last year's Wind in the Willows labels to be particularly charming. So...after all that, I can't say I have a single favorite, but that I enjoy the bottle art in general. The artists must have such fun with these.
Are there any decants from the Halloweenies, Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly, or Hellboy that you would be interested in receiving?
I sniffed a bunch of these at Will Call, but didn't spring for decants due to money reasons. Things that I'd be glad to have decants of, though, would be Carlin, the Hell Gate of Ireland, and any/all of the Hellboy scents. With Hellboy, though, I figure I can also keep sniffing them at Will Call to figure out if/when I want bottles of any of them.
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Do you have a Livejournal?
I do! My username is dsch. I don't update horribly often, but when I do, the posts are long.
There has been a lot of talk about chocolate, but none about Candy! What is your favorite Candy? What candy do you hate?
I am a big fan of candy in general, it's true! Favorites entirely depend on my mood, though as before stated, you can never go wrong with chocolate for me. Ditto mints. Cinnamon things are also quite welcome. I like fruit candies in general, except for the grape ones. Please do not send me grape candy. It reminds me too much of the awful purple allergy medicine I took daily as a little kid.
Do you have a Blu-Ray player?
Nope.
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 objections! My connection is tolerably fast, though I've never really tried downloading more than individual songs at a time. Even if my home connection turns out to be slow, the connection at school is ridiculously fast.
Nothing is coming to mind right this instant in terms of things I particularly want, but if I think of something, I'll post or blog.
skull.gif ******9/10*****
If 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 could always use more art markers, specifically Copics or Prismacolors. I use them frequently, and I just burned through a bunch of them on a major project this summer.
What's your favorite pain-relief remedy or ritual?
Advil and a nap.
Do sounds make you happy? What ambient noises make you smile?
Like so many other people here, I love the sound of my cats purring. It's especially nice when I get them both purring at once. I also like the sound of wind through the trees, providing it is a nice sane gentle wind (as opposed to, say, Santa Anas). Also like other people here, I think distant train whistles sound cool.
When you receive your SW packages...do you like receiving things that are individually wrapped inside? or unwrapped? or both?
I have no particular preference - whatever my Witch wants to do!
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.
Nothing really comes to mind here. I think I was pretty clear about the kind of stuff I don't want in my questionnaire. Uh, I guess, no candles? Since things that involve fire are not a good idea around rambunctious cats.
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 generally don't look at the older scents, since I know there's next to no chance of me getting to test them. In terms of recent things that there's no way I'll get to try, almost every single note in Sacrifice sounded amazing. The only one that didn't immediately appeal was the blood note, but everything else looked awesome.
As for things I got to try once, Skadi is amazing. I am lucky enough to have a decant, and I'm sure I'll never come by more of it than that.
I know we're all scent sensitive here. What are your favorite non-perfume smells? Day in the life stuff?
Coffee, orange blossoms wafting over campus in the spring, the desert right after rain, woodsmoke (providing it is not a huge freaking wildfire), chai
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 like trying different types of beans. Right now, I have some from Guatemala and some from Flores (Indonesia). They're pretty different from each other, and both are delicious. I like flavored coffee drinks sometimes, but not so much for my first cup in the morning.
Who has a birthday falling in this round?
Nope. It was in June.
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?
I like trying interesting things with my chocolate! I think I'd draw the line at that bacon bar that seems to get mentioned every round, though. But yeah, so long as it's not cherries (to which I'm allergic), I like trying things in chocolate.
Are there any childhood shows/movies/games/books/etc. that still hold a really special place in your heart?
I still adore the Redwall books. I also wish I could watch shows like Gargoyles again.
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Super power?
I would want to be able to teleport. I could visit all kinds of places at the snap of a finger, with no travel bills, no transit time, and no carbon footprint! If I had this power, I could also move to San Francisco now and just teleport-commute to school, rather than having to wait until I graduate in 2013.
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 have a coffee grinder. I do not know how grinding of spices works.
For the tea and coffee drinkers: Opinion on tea- and/or coffee-related accessories/etc? (Teaware, sugar crystals, infusers, tea chests, etc)
I don't particularly need fancy accessories to make coffee or tea turn out good. An infuser for loose leaf tea is the only one of those things I actually have, and I do use it regularly
How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar?
I take my coffee black. As for tea, it depends on the type. Green and white tea, I don't add anything. Black tea, sometimes milk and sugar.
Restaurants you'd like a gift certificate to on Restaurant.com?
I can't get this website to looooad.
In your perfect world it is chocolate and...?
Oh jeez. I have to pick? I like trying different types of chocolate things.
How do you scent your home: tarts, reed diffusers, BPAL, candles?
I don't scent my home. This is apparently a bad idea for people who have cats.
What's your favorite dessert treat? Ice cream? Cake? Pie? Fudge brownie cake with pie flavored ice cream on top?
This entirely depends on my mood. In the summer, though, it's generally ice cream, because it's so stupid hot here in the summer.
Do you believe we control our destiny, or does our destiny control us?
We control our destiny.
What one thing that is missing from your life would you like to have above all else?
Uh. Is "living in San Francisco NOW" a thing?
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What was your favouritest job ever, and why?
I'm enjoying this getting paid to do research thing I'm doing now. The docent position at the Smithsonian was also awesome, but that wasn't a paid thing, so it's not really a job.
Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator?
The Beatles' Revolver, Gjallarhorn's Ranarop, and Great Big Sea's Rant and Roar
What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"?
Tombstone and Kumari Kandam. I very nearly caved on Tombstone at the last Will Call, but I talked myself out of it in exactly this way.
Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.?
I have no experience with such things, but if you have any magic cat-pee-smell-remover, that would rock. Also, allergy remedies are good things.
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Any 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?
When I cook, it generally ends in epic fail. I probably don't even deserve fancy supplies.
Are you an avid reader? What's your favorite book/series?
I love to read, but I almost never have time to read for pleasure anymore, since I'm in grad school. It's very sad. That said, I like Gaiman and Pratchett in general. I also confess that I still read the Redwall books, though more for nostalgia than for anything else. In terms of nonfiction, I've been on a bit of a John McPhee kick this summer.
What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween?
Pumpkin spice Hershey's Kisses. I didn't hoard enough last year, I don't think.
What are your phobias?
Falling off the freeway (again). Though it is not enough of a fear to keep me from driving. I've put 15,000 miles on the new car since my falling-off-freeway incident in June of 2007. This was, perhaps oddly, a thing that still scared me even before it actually happened.
What is your favourite flower (or plant)?
A huge expansive field full of a variety of wildflowers is a gorgeous thing. I don't know if I have a favorite among them, though. As for other plants, I love Joshua trees. They're so weird.
Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so?
They are pretty cool.
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?
I'd go to San Francisco for a few days. Not that I'm fixating or anything.
Who likes coloring books?
I prefer to color my own line art. This was true even when I was very little.
Do 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. I guess I should make one. Hah.
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You'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?
This depends on how broke I am at the end of the pay period. I would be inclined to just eat out, since nothing I would cook would be very good, but if I'm broke, I will suffer through my own attempts at cuisine.
If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it?
I would probably decorate my living room to look like a room that people might actually want to be in! As opposed to a room in which grad school threw up on the floor. There are SO many papers in that room.
Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for?
STEELERS, BABY.
What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.)
Domestic cats, cheetahs, cougars, domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, pine martens, otters, genets...I could go on.
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!)?
A large earthquake on the northern San Andreas Fault levels northern California. It sets off several significant aftershocks in southern California, including one on the Puente Hills Fault under Los Angeles, flattening the city (because it's not a true doomsday scenario until L.A. is destroyed). While everyone is fighting the fires that have consumed the case, static stress changes in the crust twig the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which inflicts a 9.0 earthquake on the Pacific Northwest and sends a tsunami across the Pacific, which has effects as far away as Japan. These stress changes twig several of the faults within Japan, which rupture in sequence in a southernly fashion. With all of the seismic waves bouncing around, the magma chamber under Mt. Merapi in central Java gets particularly stirred up, and the gases within react, prompting a massive Krakatau-like eruption. The amount of ash shot into the air is so vast that the climate is drastically effective. Earlier in this process, hurricanes and tornadoes turn up in unusual places as air cooled by the ash in the atmosphere. As things progress, the Earth sinks into volcanic winter. Crops, which have already been struggling due to drought, die, and people and livestock starve. The particularly snowy and icy months don't help. And for those in climates that don't get snow and ice, everything is still such a wreck that nobody can get vaccination or care for standard winter diseases, so epidemics wipe out other large groups. Eventually, survivors become so few and far between that they can't reach each other to share resources or reproduce. And once everyone has died, Yellowstone erupts for good measure, and a meteor hits where Los Angeles used to be, just because it can.
(Individually, these things might be able to happen, but they probably wouldn't be able to set each other off quite like that...)
In the year 2525... if man is still alive... what sort of future do you imagine? (apologies to anyone who gets that song stuck in their head!)
I HATE THAT SONG. AUUUGH. I suspect we will have a future that is blissfully free of that song! Unless some jerkface resurrects it for the occasion. Said jerkface might be punished by being vaporized with the push of a button.
Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you?
Nothing has happened to me to give me cause to believe in it.
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 do not know what this thing is.
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Do you like pinup art/images?
I have no particular interest in them, though I have no problem with them, either.
What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions?
I don't know whether or not I'll be able to celebrate Halloween this year, because I might be on a class trip to Hawaii at the time (the exact date isn't set yet). This is, to me, a legitimate reason to skip Halloween, but I'd still be a little sad. If I do get to celebrate it, I'm thinking I'll either go as a victim/survivor (haven't decided which yet) of the 1906 earthquake, or perhaps as the anthropomorphic personification of San Francisco.
Who are your BPAL forum buddies? You know, people I could conspire with to Witch you!
Nali and septima_pica are people I know in person, and they'd have ideas. My previous Witches, Voodoocatwoman and Lizard Queen, were amazing and clearly know the kinds of things I like, so they could also be askable.
What is your favorite color?
Blue or green. Though I've been using a lot of gray in drawings lately, too.
Any other steampunk fans/lovers?
Steampunk is awesome, though thus far, I have only observed from the sidelines.
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 would want to go somewhere with cool geology, though if you ask me to narrow this down right now, I don't know if I could. Accompanying me would be friends from the geology department, the music department, and people from back east that I almost never see anymore. It would be fun to do this as a potluck sort of picnic, with a wide variety of interesting food.
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Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG?
I used to play a lot of MU*s, but I haven't in a while.
Is anyone playing this round of SW into ABJ? (asian ball jointed dolls)
Nope.
What is your favorite Halloween icon?
Icon, in what sense?
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?
A CD containing image files of things I've drawn, a CD containing sound files of music I've written, and another CD containing sound files of all the different kinds of music I play. A nerdy t-shirt of some sort. A couple of small interesting rocks. Maybe a copy of a scientific paper I've written. A picture of my cats. Not a picture of me, however. Nobody wants to look at that.
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 just finished a big art project! It wasn't particularly long term though; if anything, it was rushed. Does a PhD count as a long-term ambitious project, because I am definitely working on that. I am also already contemplating ways that could land me permanently in San Francisco after I earn said PhD.
Favorite kind or take out kinda burger? Whats your burger preference? Veggie,meat or ????
I rarely eat burgers, but when I do, In'N'Out trumps all, at least in terms of fast food.
Whats your favorite childhood toy?
I had a plush yellow lab named Shadow, like the dog in Homeward Bound. I couldn't have a real dog, so I had to make do with a toy.
If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them?
I have two cats, Andreas and Garlock. Yes, they're named after faults. They both like catnip, particularly Andreas. They also like toys, though the appeal of a new one tends to wear off on them after a few days. Unless it's the laser pointer.
Do you Tweet? What is your Twitter name?
I tweet. My username there is the same as here: seismogenic.
Are you on Ravelry? What is your Ravelry name?
Not on Ravelry. Me knitting would turn into a disaster of epic proportions.
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What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to?
Uh. I know very few of these. Gonna have to go with The Nightmare Before Christmas, since it's the only one that immediately comes to mind.
Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what?
I love roasted pumpkin seeds so much. I actually don't know if I've had homemade chex mix, as opposed to the kind that comes in a bag.
Whats your favorite pie, my dear SW's?
Piiiie. Probably a tossup between apple and pumpkin.
What kinda socks ar you wearing tonight?
I am in southern California, and it is early September. I am not wearing socks. I have not worn socks in several weeks. Shocking, I know!
Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most?
I do, however, like socks when it is not summer! Ditto blankets. I like days when it's just chilly enough to make these things really nice. I wouldn't get much use out of things like arm warmers or shawls, both because winter here is not very potent, and also because that's rather more feminine than I choose to me.
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 know very few ghost stories, but I generally find them intriguing.
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 have read shamefully little Poe, but I have enjoyed what I did read.
Who here is LOVING Warehouse 13?
I don't know what that is.
Nother question! Coffee or Tea?
Both! I tend to drink coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon.
Interested in locally produced products? Food, skincare or both?Olive oil? Lavender oils or soaps?
Locally produced is cool! I'd be interested in seeing people's interesting and weird local stuff. I might lean more toward food, but stuff like soap is also good.
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?
Nope.
What is your favourite historical period?
Turn of the 20th century. So many different things I've been interested have ties to that period. (I mean, other than that certain big earthquake in a certain California city that I've already mentioned a zillion times in these questions.)
What other hot beverages everyone likes for fall?
Coffee, tea, spiced cider, chai. All are good. I wish the weather were already conducive to drinking these things. (But noooo, I'm going to a conference in Palm Springs this coming week, and it's going to be 107 out! I want autumn, dangit!)
Did you order anything from the most recent update?
No, though I'm kind of regretting that I didn't order Falling Leaf Moon, since I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it to Will Call in October.
Vampires or Werewolves? Or some other monster?
Werewolves.
What sort of odd or regional foods do you crave?
I love a lot of different kinds of regional foods. I think I get outright cravings for Japanese food more than for others, though. I wanted udon SO BADLY on Monday, but all the Japanese restaurants were closed for Labor Day. Woe!
Are there any single notes (likely non bpal) that anyone is dying to have/try?
Hm. I dunno. Dried grass or something? Redwood would also be pretty awesome. But yeah, I am only thinking of this because the question was posed, not because I am dying to try such things.
net flick or the likes gift subscriptions? A month of Netflicks vs a DvD?
DVDs are probably better, since I can watch them whenever I want and not worry about paying monthly fees. My available time for watching of things is pretty sporadic, and does not lend itself to any sort of monthly subscription format.
Adorable Japanese characters?
Not so much.
My fiance sent me an early dvd rip of Coraline that he was given (pretty sure it's not been released yet, but I sometimes have a hard time keeping up) and I was wondering if anyone would like a copy of it?
Coraline for the WIN. (Meaning, absolutely!)
Do you collect dolls or miniatures? What kind? Do you like to get new clothes or items for them?
I don't collect these.
If you were to make a seasonal mix CD for this summer, what would you name it?
Another title question! I suck at titles for things! It would probably be something like, "Random Crap, Summer 2009." Or possibly, "Sierras Road Trip Soundtrack." Yay road trip!
Would you like any recycle/upcycle supplies for your crafting?
Most of the crafting I do involves markers, which are not the most recyclable thing ever. Secondhand is fine, though, providing they still work or are refillable! Recycled paper also makes for very interesting drawing surfaces.
Is there a program you might have missed or show you love which is gone from the airwaves which might be found (or burned) for you by a Witch?
You know what would be awesome? "Gargoyles." Oh man did I love that show. I hope it would still seem awesome now as it did when I was twelve, though. Also, it would win to watch "Animaniacs," "Pinky and the Brain," or "Histeria" again.
Do you play any online games, like World of Warcraft? If so, what server do you play on, what's your character's name, etc.?
I have not yet been sucked into such things. I used to play a lot of online text-based RPGs, though, but I haven't had time for them lately.
Would anyone like bath bombs or bath melts scented with one of their favorite Bpal scents?
On principle, this is cool, but in practice, I only ever take showers. These things would likely not be used. Bar soap, however, would definitely be used.
Would you like homemade cinnamon buns or sticky buns?
YESSSS. Though I will remind that I live in inland southern California, where it is freaking hot. They might melt. Not that melty is a bad thing! Just saying.
Is there anyone here that likes Hello Kitty or any other Sanrio Characters?
Hello Kitty actually kind of creeps me out.
Any non NZ or Aus witchee that I get gets Tim Tams, OK?
Very much ok! I have heard much about the legendary Tim Tam, but have not yet experienced its glory for myself.
For non-US witches: is there anything from the US you'd love that you can't get where you live now?
I am in the US! Though if anyone's Witchee wants something southern California-specific, let me know. I can try to hunt it down.
How many potential witchees have an iPod, or download MP3s?
I have a 16GB iPod Touch, and I love it. It goes everywhere with me. It currently contains a weird mix of western art music, bluegrass, Javanese gamelan, Broadway soundtracks, Scandinavian folk music, Weird Al, miscellaneous '60s rock, and songs about earthquakes.
Are there any of the BPTP bath oils you adore (particularly ones that you cannot get anymore). What about the room sprays?
I'm not really interested in the bath oils, because I take showers rather than baths. My only experience with the room sprays have been goblin squirts of Revenge and Great Dismal Swamp, both of which I like.
How would you feel about an ultra-girlie shawl or wrap in summer-weight (lace)?
No thanks. No drag for me!
What would you think of hand-dyed items?
That would be super cool.
So, I hear you don't like lacy wraps! How do you feel about hand-knit socks?
Hooray socks! Though, again with the reminder that I live in inland southern California, lightweight socks would be better. My feet might implode in heavy wool socks or something.
What kinds of crafts does everyone either enjoy making or enjoy getting? Do you have a certain type of handmade item that you love to collect? Socks, boxes, jewelry, dolls etc?
My craftiness mostly focuses either on drawings (which I mostly do in marker, and sometimes with watercolor) or on decorating t-shirts. My Witchee will probably receive something handmade along these lines! As for what I'd like to receive, there is nothing in particular that I collect, but I would be totally thrilled with any craft a Witch might make with me specifically in mind.
Clearly, vegans are not into soaps with honey or milk, etc. But, if you're NOT a vegan how would you feel about soaps made with emu oil? Squicked out/concerned about animal cruelty, or willing to try them?
I am totally not squicked. In fact, I would be really amused to tell people that I had EMU SOAP, just because it sounds pretty bizarre.
Based on Prior Carnivale act prototypes...which one are you truly excited about?
I actually haven't really looked into these at all. From what I understand, many are foody, and that's not really my cup of tea.
Would it bother you if you are not the first person to receive the same gift? Imagine a Witch who always sends her favourite book, for example.
Would not bother me at all!
Pets: What do you have, and do they need/want anything?
I have two spoiled cats, Andreas and Garlock. They are, in fact, named after faults. They love toys and food.
Does anyone play video games? What platform(s)? Are there any new or vintage games you would like?
I've never been a video game person.
Twilight fans, would you be interested in any products from this Etsy seller?
I'm not a Twilight fan.
Are you in need of decanting supplies, wand caps, or other scent-related paraphernalia?
Wand caps would be cool! I've never tried decanting, though it might be a useful skill.
Does your feline like catnip?
Both of them do! Andreas in particular. My Fall Witch sent a huge bag of catnip, and Andreas figured out how to open the cabinet in which it was stored! Goodness, was he ever high! Garlock also likes it, though he's not quite as affected by it as Andreas is.
Salt soap bars (soap made with a large quantity of salt, like salt-scrub-in-a-bar)?
Never tried such a thing, but I wouldn't turn it down.
How would you feel about homemade jelly/jam from home-grown berries?
HECK YES. FOR THE WIN.
Homemade dill pickles? Made from cukes, beans, snap peas, baby zucchini?
Dill pickles are awesome. Sweet pickles, however, are nasty.
Steampunk jewelry?
I don't wear jewelry, but I do dig steampunk.
Tea. How do you feel about it?
Tea is a wondrous thing.
Posters, yes or no?
I don't have huge amounts of wallspace, but what I do have is largely undecorated. I currently have a few photos of landscapes (mostly photos I took), a huge fault map of California, and an incredible aerial photo of 1906 San Francisco. I also have a huge awesome Mt.St. Helens photo I need to hang. So maybe there is more occupied wallspace than I realized. So, uh, maybe smaller pictures instead of big posters.
What are your favorite animals? Or, what animals resonate strongly with you?
I love cats (obviously, since I have two of the little fuzzmonsters (except mine aren't really that little)), both wild and domestic. In terms of big cats, I guess I'm a particular fan of cheetahs and clouded leopards. I also love dogs, particularly the big friendly ones. I've also always loved foxes, of all species and colors. I have a particular soft spot for otters and pine martens, too.
Are there any historical figures you are particularly interested in - say, that you'd enjoy reading about, or movies, etc.?
Hrmmm. Are we allowed musicians? If so, then definitely Dmitri Shostakovich and Gustav Mahler. (Please no sending of that Ken Russel Mahler movie, though! Creepyfreakyweird.) As for non musicians, King Ludwig II of Bavaria's interesting. Also, I'm developing a definite fondness for the fit of weird that was Emperor Norton I of the United States. Stonewall Jackson's also fascinating, not because I sympathize with him, but because he was so incredibly strange.
As for historical periods, the turn of the 20th century fascinates me. Plus, a surprising number of my interests (not just earthquakes!) converge upon the year 1906, or its close neighbors.
What, if anything, are you earwormed with right now?
Amazingly, nothing. Probably because I've been sitting in conference sessions all day.
What scent are you wearing right now, if any?
This has been a BPAL-free conference, mainly because I didn't want to fly with any oils. I had a carry-on only, and didn't feel like putting odd vials in my plastic baggie-o-liquids. That said, if I had brought stuff, I probably would have brought various dirt scents. It's a geology conference, after all! Also, would have brought Coyote, since it's kind of my standby favorite.
Anyone reading an amazing book right now?
I'm currently reading Mike Davis' Ecology Of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster, which is a study of all the ways LA is environmentally screwed, and the cultural reactions to those things. It is fascinating, though a bit unsettling for someone who technically lives in the LA basin.
What socially respsonsible site would you recommend to ALL Witches?
I'll have to reiterate aspca.org. I could also link to a bunch of disaster preparedness sites, which is a cause I find important, but I don't know if that's quite what this question means.
What is your favorite anime, or if you don't like that what is your favorite animated series?
I've never really watched anime. As for general animated series, I'm a big fan of Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Histeria.
Do you like villians that are funny because they are meant to be, or are you like me and love the villian that just can't seem to get his evil schemes to work?
Both! I appreciate comic villains of all forms. Including the form where the movie is supposed to be good and the villain is supposed to be sinister, but everything is actually so bad that it's hilarious.
Chips?
I am not a big fan of regular potato chips, though I am incredibly intrigued by those Thai Kettle Chips you all keep mentioning in this thread. (Actually, Kettle Chips in general are something of an exception to the rule. Nom.)
Beer?
My first ever time drinking beer was in Munich, so I might perhaps be slightly spoiled. That said, wheat beers/hefeweizens are my favorites in general (my favorite in Munich was Franziskaner Weißbier). Drop Top and Fat Tire are also something of agreed-upon group favorites among the UCR geology department. Have generally had favorable impressions of pale ales, too.
Are you obsessed with honey? If so, is there a particular kind you like best? Spun honey, flavored honeys, certain types of honey.... etc.
Honey is awesome! I like trying different kinds of it; when I do buy it, I tend to not get the same kind twice in a row. I recently had avocado honey, and it was delicious. Local, too! (This is, actually, possibly something I could get for people, but it depends on what's going on at the farmers' market that week. The honey cart is not always there.) Those flavored honey sticks are also kind of addictive.
Book collecting?
I don't collect for the sake of having, generally, but absolutely for the sake of reading! I've lately been accumulating print material about the 1906 earthquake, some of it dating from that year. It's so interesting to see how scientific thought and social perception on that event has changed over time. I also have a good number of graphic novels, though I tend to keep up with buying the TPBs shortly after they come out.
Cue massive compilation post! This will be updated as more questions are added.
Favorite Pumpkin thing?
Pumpkin lattes/cappuccinos. Or Trader Joe's pumpkin butter.
Favorite thing about fall?
The colors, and the air temperature that is not quite warm, not quite cold, but not just in the middle either.
Favorite Office supplies?
Fineliner pens in assorted colors. Armed and ready to doodle!
Favorite Halloween Candy?
Probably Twizzlers or Whoppers.
Will you be participating NaNoWriMo?
Not this year, I don't think. I have a partial idea for a novel, but unless there is a stroke of sudden inspiration - and a gap of sudden free time - it won't be doable in/by November. I may try to do another chapter of my graphic novel in that time, though.
Any period of time that you love?
Turn of the 20th century. The year 1906 is important with so many of the different things that interest me that it's actually pretty weird.
Right or left handed?
Righty.
Favorite craft supply?
Do prismacolor markers count?
Reduce - REUSE - recycle. Do others feel the same?
Definitely!
Tattoos! Do you have em? Do you want em? Whatcha got or getting?
I don't have any, and while I don't actively want one now, I haven't ruled out the possibility if I think of a design I'd want to have on me forever and ever. Right now, I think some sort of waveform could be appropriate, to represent both seismic and sound waves, but again, I'm not sure how I would feel about that in the future.
What about the Halloween scents?
I ordered a bottle of Fearful Pleasure, but that's it. I was also intrigued by Meditation In Autumn, Pumpkins II and IV, and Ichabod Crane, but I knew I was only going to order one, and I kept thinking back to Fearful Pleasure, so that it was.
What is one item that you've wanted forever, could have afforded, but have never gotten and why (haven't you gotten it!)?
I've wanted an iPhone since they came out, but I can't justify it because my normal cell phone works fine, my iPod works fine, and my parents haven't kicked me off the family cell phone plan yet, so I'm actually not paying phone bills right now. I could afford the phone bills (and, of course, the actual phone, since the TA salary is pretty decent), but the longer I can go without having to pay them, the better.
Who here prefers stylus and ink to ballpoint? Anyone invested time and effort into calligraphy or proper Victorian writing?
I mostly have ballpoints, but I like fountain pens, too. I have this really awesome little fountain pen that I bought in Germany. I have not put in effort for fancy handwriting, though. My handwriting, when I am not trying hard, is horrid. It baffles me when people say they think it looks cool, though this has happened.
What about stationery? Need some? What styles do you like?
I have fallen out of the habit of writing actual letters, so I don't use stationery. I do, however, like blank books with nice paper in which to write/draw.
Do you decorate for Halloween?
Nothing beyond a carved pumpkin, and I haven't had time to do that for a couple of years. This is sad! Maybe this year...
Bats, cats, skeletons, monsters, vampires, witches or what other ghoulies do you prefer?
I am partial to cats, bats, werewolves, and unusual/creative monsters.
Do you dress up?
I like to! I haven't been able to for the past two years, no thanks to school and work, but Halloween is a Friday this year...
Do you like horror flicks?
Not particularly, unless they are tongue-in-cheek.
If you have a garden/planter box, what do you grow?
Don't have one. I had a tangerine bonsai tree at one point, but it croaked and I was sad. I think there is not enough light in my apartment. If I ever have a house with a yard, I so want fruit trees in it.
Incense?
I've never used it.
Bugs?
I like them on four conditions: 1)They are not in my apartment, 2)They are not in my food, 3)They are not trying to bite me, 4)They are not mosquitoes, even if they are not actively biting me
Favorite campfire ghost story?
When I was little and was in scouts, we made up a story about a haunted latrine. I can't remember the actual story, but that is probably just secondary to the fact that it's a haunted latrine.
Imp storage?
Right now, they're just on in a row on one of my desk shelves. There are only eight of them, so it is not like they're crowding anything out. (The rock collection still dominates that shelf.) I guess I could go the Altoids box route.
Candy corn?
In moderation! Once a year counts as moderation. I get in the mood for it, eat too much of it, and then don't want it again until the next October.
Are there any of y'all who are allergic/sensitive to having natural fibers on your skin?
I have never had problems with this.
What keywords do you use when searching for items for yourself on Etsy?
I've actually never poked around on Etsy. I probably should; it seems like the kind of place I could sell some of my own stuff.
Halloween. Do you like it kooky or creepy?
A good combination of both.
Reserved or Raunchy?
Deeefinitely reserved. Other people being raunchy makes me embarrassed.
Earth, Wind, Fire or Water?
All of those personality test thingies online I've done for elements - and apparently my zodiac sign as well - say I'm Wind. It fits well. But, as a geologist, I have a very strong interest in/attachment to Earth!
Tea or Coffee in the morning?
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon.
Fruity snacks or chocolate?
Depends entirely on my mood.
Would you accept art?
YES! I will also likely draw things for people.
Antiques or Brand New?
Both are cool.
Crossword puzzles? Other pencil puzzles?
Sudoku!
Favorite artist?
Hmmmm. I really like the art deco/art noveau/jugendstil style of the turn of the 20th century. Klimt is awesome. I also tend to like impressionism. Jeez, I gotta go to more art museums.
Am I allowed to say any photographers? Because Ansel Adams is awesome.
What about comics artists? P. Craig Russell!
Favorite poet?
Eichendorff is good. Goethe, too. I've set some of Stephen Vincent Benet's work to music. Should also read more poetry, really.
What is your favorite autumnal-seasonal drink?
Gonna have to go with that pumpkin latte again. Though I love hot mulled apple cider, too.
What's your favorite book?
Oh GAH. May I abstain, for the inability to narrow it down?
Meaningful symbols?
Alto clef, music notes in general, string instrument f-hole, seismograms, those half-arrows used to show the direction of fault motion on a geologic map, cat paw prints, the constellation Orion
What's your favorite type of music to hear live, rather than recorded? (I figure I should answer my own question, yeah?)
Symphonic music. I can always hear so many more details in the orchestration and texture in a live concert than on a recording. Also, the sheer volume that can come out of a full orchestra may get lost in the transfer to CD.
What size socks do you wear? How about hat size?
Small socks! A large from the boys' section fits better than a small from the men's section. I haven't a clue about my hat size, since the only pieces of headwear I currently own are an adjustable Steelers cap and a Civil War soldier cap with no size printed on it. I would say small hats, to play it safe.
Do you read comics? Which ones do you love and which can't you stand?
Heck yes! In terms of published graphic novels/comic books, some favorites are Neil Gaiman's Sandman, Bill Willingham's Fables, Alan Moore's Top Ten, Peter David's X-Factor, and Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and P. Craig Russell's adaptions of operas. I've also been meaning to pick up Hellboy.
In terms of webcomics, I follow Ozy and Milllie (SO sad this is ending soon!), Wondermark, Wapsi Square, Zebra Girl, XKCD, and Khaos Komix.
If something looks like I'm not going to stand it, I generally don't pick it up. Haven't really run into anything like that yet. I guess I'm not a huge fan of the brand of superhero comic that's just one-shot vanquishing of villains, one per issue, without any overarching plot. I like plot.
By nature are you a morning lark or a night owl?
Night owl, no question. My thesis advisor, however, is a morning lark. This could make for interesting scheduling of meetings once the school year starts.
Vanilla Creme Kisses?
If this is, in fact, candy, then yes!
BoiWitches? Question for you both.....Hath any of thou own a Kilt?
I don't have one, and it really wouldn't be practical for fieldwork. However, if I'd been a band geek instead of an orchestra dork, I would've had to wear one in undergrad. Our mascot was the Tartans, and the marching band was called the Kiltie Band. (Now I'm at a grad school where the mascot is the Highlanders, but only the actual bagpipe corps wears kilts.)
Are you a soap addict?
I use soap! (I'm sure you're all glad!) But as a practical thing, not as a thing of particular interest. If it kills germs and doesn't make my hands get all dry and cracked, we're good.
What is one (only one) object that you collect, that totally goes against your personality or beliefs?
Hahahaha, probably BPAL! I've honestly never been someone who puts a whole lot of effort into my appearance or grooming ritual. I do functional and comfortable. I actually surprised myself with how much the BPAL scent descriptions intrigued me, and was even more shocked with how much I'm enjoying the actual scents so far. (I smell like Tenochtitlan right now. It is nice. It also is a good distraction from the smell of the building being under construction.) Needless to say, this speaks quite highly of BPAL.
Some of my favorite places?
Carrizo Plain National Monument, California
Parkfield, California
San Francisco, California (Lots of people seem to think I'm from there. It's kind of weird.)
Back to the Grind, a coffeeshop in downtown Riverside, California
Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland
Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Caliban Used Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fenwick Island, Delaware (ahh, the nostalgia!)
Mary Riley Stiles Public Library, Falls Church, Virginia (more nostalgia)
The Smithsonian, Washington, DC (I was a docent in the Natural History museum for nine months)
Munich, Germany
Steinbach am Attersee, Austria
Toblach (AKA Dobbiaco), Italy
Fall birthday?
Nope. June.
If you had one minute of fame, what would you do/say in the spotlight?
Uhh. I think this would depend on the reason for the fame. Either way, I think I would not be all that articulate.
(I actually might be in some newspapers in the near future, as part of a story about laptop seismometers. The Associated Press wants to take pictures of my computer in its "setup." This means I have to CLEAN MY DESK. AHHHH!)
What would you tell yourself 6 months in the past about 2008 so far?
You are not going to explode. You are going to make it just fine. All the school things you hope will happen actually will.
Robots versus zombies: who wins?
Robots. They don't have brains, so the zombies can't eat them. Metal is good for bashing in zombie brains. Therefore, robots win. (If the robots were Wall-E and EVE, though, they would be so adorable that the zombies would just plain forget themselves.)
What would zombie say?
Uh, "Ciirrrrrrrrcuits"?
How many of mah fellow witchies play video games? Platform? Do you like used games?
I've never owned a game console.
What kind of music (genres, please) do you like?
Classical (particularly late 19th and early 20th century stuff), "Oldies," Javanese gamelan, bluegrass, mariachi, silly music
Have any of you ever received a book from a Witchy and loved it so much you ended up buying a copy for a later Witchee?
This is my first ever SW round, so this has not had a chance to happen yet! But I will often give other people copies of books I received as gifts, if I think they will like the book.
What kinds of eye shadows do we all like?
I don't wear it.
Do you like lip balm? If so, do you like tinted, glossy, sparkly, pearly or just plain lip balm?
Just plain. No colors or sparkles, please. I wear it for the purpose of not having chapped and bleeding lips.
What are some of the SW gifts/finds from past rounds (or you can just name a gift in general that you found for someone if this is your first round!) that you are the most proud of in terms of your sleuthing skills?
I guess it doesn't count as sleuthing, but I like to make things for people based on inside jokes we have. They don't expect it, and crack up immediately from both the surprise and the joke.
And, secondly, what is something you've been searching for but just can't find?
Men's jeans with inseams shorter than 30 inches.
Favorite Halloween song?
Overplayed though it is, I do love The Monster Mash.
What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you?
When I flipped my car off the freeway and rolled down an embankment. I didn't think I would make it until the car stopped moving.
Who here is a complete, over the top, Alice In Wonderland fanatic?
I'm not an over-the-top fanatic for it, but I enjoyed the book when I read it. I should reread it, though; the last time was probably ten years ago!
Are you a Trekkie? If so, which series do you prefer? Do you have a favorite character?
I've never even seen a full episode of any of the series straight through.
Do you have phobias?
Heart disease, cancer, roads that are narrow and winding and unpaved and on the edges of cliffs (never mind that the road I actually fell of of was straight and paved and only raised by 15 feet)
How do you like your mix CDs? Random? Stuff you know you'll like?
I like them to include songs I don't already have, but clearly no Witch is going to know every song I have! That said, I think a good rule of thumb for making mix CDs is to base them largely off what the recipient likes, but then throw in a few things that are further afield.
Would you rather get food or jewellery?
Food, since the only item of jewelry I own is a woven black bracelet thingie from Indonesia, and I usually don't wear it.
Do you like children's toys, such as jacks, those little things you tilt around to get the ball in the right hold (wtf are those called?), the aforementioned caplet dinosaurs, cap guns, etc?:
Caplet dinosaurs! So awesome! They would probably live on my desk and have epic battles, a la Wash from Firefly. Seriously, though, I don't really play with little kid toys anymore, and even if I did, the cats would probably steal them and hide them.
English candy/tea/marmite or other stuff that you love and can't easily get outside of England?
English tea == yes plz. Marmite scares me a little, though. The teacher of the field geology class I took this spring is from England, and he tried to get everyone in the class to eat some marmite before the quarter was over. I wasn't sure whether or not I liked it, but I was not thrilled that it overpowered the avocado.
Fanfic as a gift* - yay or nay? Your fandom? Slash preferences?*
I used to read and write Redwall fanfic, but that was ages ago. I don't really follow any fandoms seriously anymore, and have never been into slash, so it might be lost on me. Original fiction, however, is excellent.
Any beaders here? Need beading supplies?
I don't bead.
Do you like making up your SW packages around a theme, or prefer to mix it all up?
I'm not sure yet! I will see what my witchee's questionnaire inspires me to do.
Band-aids: do you like the fun and funky ones?
Fortunately, I rarely need band aids. I have a box of them that will probably last me a good few years yet. They are the boring skin colored ones, though.
Livejournal?
Username is dsch. I've been very lax about updating lately. It's friends-only, but I tend to add whoever asks.
How do people feel about receiving baked goods/kits to make said goods? Or other cooking items? I will never argue with the concept of free baked goods or food. As for kits and recipes, I am good with those, too, though the instructions will have to be kind of idiot-proof. I think my smoke detector gets secret evil glee out of going off when I cook. (I have not made actual flames in a long time, though. I am improving!)
Would you enjoy oil or vinegar flavored with herbs grown at home? Strange and exotic spices with recipes to try? Cookies made with carnation petals?
Flavored oil and vinegar are excellent. Interesting spices are good, too, though as with above, recipes will need to be idiot-proof. I have never had a carnation petal cookie, so I don't know whether or not I like them, but I certainly wouldn't refuse one if offered.
What are your pet's names, and what are they named for?
I have two one-year-old cats. Andreas is a classic tabby, black and sort of tan-gray, with a cream colored belly and amber eyes. Garlock is all black, with yellow eyes. Both are named after fault lines. The San Andreas runs through most of the length of California, marking the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates; it's responsible for, among others, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Andreas the cat is far more benign - he is my big purring furmonster. The Garlock fault intersects the San Andreas near Gorman and cuts widthwise across the state, marking the northern boundary of the Mojave Desert and the southern end of the Sierra Nevada. It is not a very active fault, which makes sense for a very vert timid (read: he is the biggest coward on four paws, afraid of everything except me and Andreas) cat. Andreas and Garlock were born in my apartment, and are only two out of a litter of six. The other four were also named after faults, though their new owners may have changed that.
How do you scent yourself? Do you layer soaps, moisturizers, etc. or do you go straight to slathering your bod with BPAL?
BPAL is pretty much the only scented stuff I use. I guess my handsoap and shampoo and stuff smell like something, but I didn't choose them for their scent, so they don't count. (Actually, the handsoap smells kind of gross, but it fades quickly.)
Do you/how do you scent your world? Candles, incense, diffusers, potpourri? None of the above?
I've never really put any scent into my living space. I spray anti-pet-odor stuff around, but that doesn't have a smell in and of itself! I have been thinking about venturing unsteadily forth into the realm of scented room spray, though, to mask any residual eau de litterbox.
BPAL is such a scent-ual experience. What are your other tactile, aural, or olfactory pleasures (I was going to say, "And let's keep it clean", but what's the use fun in that?!?)
Scent: I love the smell of coffee, though smelling it usually leads to me wanting to actually drink some. I will sometimes just sniff the bag of coffee beans, though. I also love the smell of woodsmoke, providing it is fireplace woodsmoke (or barbecue woodsmoke) and not entire-mountain-range-on-fire woodsmoke.
Sound: I love music of many kinds. Generally, listening to music of my choosing makes me feel good. There are some particular pieces, like Mahler's Third Symphony, that never fail to cheer me up. In terms of nonmusical sound, purring is such a wonderful thing, and I fortunately get to hear it pretty often!
Touch: My kitties are so soft and cuddly. I also like the sensation of using a nice pen to write (or draw) on nice paper. The fuzzy feeling of the inside of a brand new sweatshirt is also nice, even though it makes me reluctant to wash new sweatshirts. Oops!
If you drink coffee (and make it yourself) do you use a French Press, regular filter basket coffee maker, Espresso Machine, Percolator?
I grind the beans as fine as they'll go (practically to a powder), then put them straight in the cup and pour water on top. The grounds sink to the bottom when stirred if the coffee is ready. According to the gamelan teacher at school, this is how they prepare coffee in Java, and I think it gives extra flavor (and extra caffeine) when compared to filtered coffee.
What movie soundtracks (or scores) do you love?
All of the recent Pixar movie soundtracks (I thiiink Michael Gioacchino is responsible for most of those), much of Danny Elfman's work, the original Star Wars trilogy (John Williams has gone drastically downhill since then)...Funny thing is, I tend to notice bad soundtracks more than good ones, often because they stick out like a sore thumb, rather than blending in seamlessly with the overall effect of the film, like good soundtracks do.
What kind of indulgences do you really really want, but can't seem to make yourself buy? Maybe out of character, or a part of yourself you're busy denying?
I have been eyeing the iPod touch for a while. (Well, actually, the iPhone, but I just had to replace my regular cell phone today, since the old one died spectacularly. I did not get an iPhone this time. The iPod touch does almost all the same things, though, just not the phone part.) I also admire the MacBook Pro from afar. But the fact stands that I do not need either of these, since my regular iPod and my regular MacBook (both acquired in 2006) work fine. I simply could not justify spending the money when I do not need these things on account of having entirely functional alternatives.
I have also been looking at turn-of-the-20th-century/vaguely steampunky outfits online, but I'm sure I'll never add any of these things to my actual wardrobe. A lot of it is expense, but I've also never been one to focus a lot of attention on my clothes, or to spend a lot of money on them. It'd be very out of character for me to suddenly be spending a lot on such things.
My questionnaire is chock-a-block with ideas for Witching me on the cheap, and without sending "stuff for stuff's sake". And I just came up with another one--make me a Pandora, Finetune, or Last.fm station you think I might like! What manner of affordable Witchery might you covet?
Homemade things are fantastic! Baked goods and other edible things are also great. I have never used Pandora, Last.fm., or Finetune, but were I to receive a playlist, I would figure out how those sites work! Mix CDs and used books are also great.
Does your cell phone have a place to attach charms?
I just got a new cell phone. It has lots of little holes, though most of them look like places to plug things in. Of those that are not obvious plugs, I am suspecting they're speakers, since this is a music phone. So I would guess no on the place for charms.
Forum buddies?
I haven't really been active here long enough to have gotten to know anyone really well yet. This is, in my book, an excellent reason for doing Switch Witch - getting to know more people.
What is your favorite art movement and/or style? ie impressionist, surrealist, art nouveau, etc.
I really like art noveau/art deco/jugendstil, and other turn-of-the-20th-century shininess.
Do you have a case for your mp3 player/digital camera? If you would want one, what size is your digital device?
I have a case for my digital camera, but not for my iPod. It's a black 30GB from early 2006, and it's so scratched up already that it would almost seem silly to put a protective case on it now. But hey, it survived being thrown through the back windshield of my car as it was rolling down a hill, so I am not irked by the scratches it received from that incident.
For tea drinkers, do you bag it or prefer loose?
Either one is good! Though I'm currently without an infuser for loose leaf, since my cats broke the old one.
Does the weather change where you are, as in, does it get cold in the winter? Anyone need homegrown scarves, hats, mittens, etc?
I live in southern California. We have four seasons: summer, fires, rain, and mudslides! Seriously, winter here generally means 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. It usually isn't even cloudy, though the clouds that do happen bring rain rather than snow. Because I'm basically in the desert, it can get into the 40s or sometimes the 30s at night. That said, if I end up doing fieldwork in the winter, I know it gets really cold in the mountains.
Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL and/or other wishlists during the round?
Nope.
Do you wear a watch? If so, what kind/style?
I got out of the habit of doing so, since my cell phone has a clock and all.
How do you feel about having a donation made in your name to something? If you like that idea, what types of organizations/groups would you want the donation to go to?
That'd be great! Animal adoption/care/advocacy is good (I volunteer for a group called TLC of the Inland Empire), as is autism awareness. Donations to natural disaster relief groups are also good, providing the group will actually use it for what they claim it's for.
If you could have dinner/drinks/coffee with any 3 living people that are not your family/friends already, who would they be?
Hrmmmm. Michael Tilson-Thomas, Brad Bird, and John McPhee
Re: the Lilith Victoria scents . . .
Honestly, though I love the concept of scents to celebrate the baby, none of them jumped out at me as must haves. Heck, I haven't tried regular Dorian or regular Snake Oil yet!
If you could bring back any TV show, what would it be?
Firefly. Ayup.
I wonder if my witchee would like a blanket type thing. Would you?
Blankets are awesome. I can't sleep without one, even if it's stupid hot in my apartment. Even if I try to sleep without it, I wake up and it's on again. With that in mind, if my witch is inclined to send blankets, lighter weight ones are better for the climate where I live. It seldom gets actually cold.
What's your favorite "I know it's bad for me but I can't help myself" treat?
Ice cream. Though I have just discovered pumpkin spice Hershey's kisses, and they are also reeeeally dangerous.
What one (or two, if you really must) BPAL bottles are you most longing for?
Hrm. I know it's only a matter of time before I buy bottles of Tombstone and Coyote.
What's your favorite animal?
Hard question! Hm. Foxes, cats (of all sizes), pine martens, dogs (and wild canids), otters...
Funky chocolates?
Definitely good, for the most part. I don't think I could bring myself to eat chocolate with meat in it.
Tarts?
No ides.
Say, witches, I have a question about birthdays: do you expect/rely on other people to plan birthday outings and activities?
I generally don't like to make a big deal about my birthday. Other people usually end up making it a bigger deal than I ever would have.
What think you about receiving tea accessories and/or miscellany (like mugs, cups, saucers, strainers/filters, honey, natural sweeteners [like stevia])?
These are good things! Well, maybe not so much on the saucers, since I've never been in the habit of using one, but the rest of the things on this list are excellent.
Munsters or Addams Family, y'all?
Addams Family!
What's your ringtone?
An excerpt from an east Javanese gamelan piece. No chance of me confusing my ringtone with someone else's!
If you have pets, is there a SPECIFIC toy they like to play with; brand and size? Is there a treat/cookie they eat? What brand and size?
Andreas and Garlock like catnip mice, just the regular cheap ones they have at PetSmart. They also loved these 9Lives yellow and orange rubber balls with sticky out bits. In terms of treats, they are surprisingly finicky, as they are total pigs about actual food. They seem to like Pounce pretty well.
Burned CDs/ DVDs / &c.
Fine by me!
Pirates: ARR!
Dia de los Muertos:
I don't know a huge amount about it, but it seems awesome enough that I really ought to learn more.
Nightmare before Christmas:
It has been entirely too long since I last watched this, because it's awesome.
Sending melty stuff:
It is still pretty darn hot here! Chocolate might liquefy, but oh well. Do not take this as a reason to not send chocolate! Odds are that the package would sit in the apartment office if I wasn't home to accept it anyway, and it's air conditioned in there. Melty should be fine.
If candy is sent, would you prefer small amounts to a Halloween sized bag?
I...do not know how to answer this. Because if it is a big bag, I will eat all of it, which is probably not good for me, but will make me happy at the time.
Do you like floral bath soaps, shower gels, etc?
I am not really into florals.
How do you feel about trinkets?
I enjoy small silly things designed for the easily amused! Though they will probably end up getting lost on my desk sooner than later.
What do you think of Irrelevant Disturbing and Surreal Crawdad Dream? Love it? Hate it? Kicking yourself for not getting a bottle?
I never tried it. I was intrigued, based on the name alone, but not enough to cough up the cash.
How do y'all feel about honey and maple? And different flavored honey, not just the standard kind?
Excellent on all accounts!
Do you play a musical instrument?
Long answer time! I play viola, violin, piano, tenor viol, recorder, guitarron, and many of the instruments in a Javanese gamelan. I also sing badly and compose decently.
Stance on Joss Whedon and his enterprises?
Firefly and Dr. Horrible are the only Whedon things I've seen, and I like them both.
Has anyone tried ice wine before? Do/did they enjoy it?
I've never tried it.
What other perfume companies (besides bpal) have you been curious about?
I have never worn scent until finding BPAL, and haven't really looked into anything other than it. I received a freebie Possets decant in a forum order recently, so I looked at their site, and I admit to being intrigued by some of the States, but I haven't actually contemplated ordering. I plan on sticking to BPAL for now!
Does anyone here do anything with grave rubbings?
Nope.
Would you enjoy art based on original Graveyard photography?
I don't think now would be the best time for this for me. A close friend of mine died earlier this year, and I suspect it would make me think of her more, but not for the right reasons.
What's in your Netflix or Blockbuster queue, do you want any new Netflix/Blockbuster friends, if so how do we find you on there?
I don't have a Netflix account or a Blockbuster queue.
Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? Have you tried out (and if not, would you be interested in doing so) its weird little brother, RiffTrax?
I've only seen a couple of MST3Ks, but I thought they were funny. I've never even heard of RiffTrax before.
What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys?
I admittedly know very little about Singaporean products, but if my Witch happens to be over there, send something that is representative and cool? Also, I never ever object to candy.
What is everyone's "luck" item?
I don't really have one. I can't bring myself to get rid of the key to the car I totaled, but that's not for the sake of warding off bad road luck, even though I have not had bad road luck since then.
Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints?
Yes! Particular appeal points if they also relate to music somehow.
What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit?
The mere concept of expecting something in the mail is making me smile! All the more so since I don't know what or when it will be.
How do you feel about Hello Kitty?
Really not my thing.
What makes everyone stand out from the Switch Witch herd?
Uhm. I can detect the word "earthquake" from across the room? I dunno. Maybe the number of instruments I can play.
If you are into the original Nintendo system, what 3 games would you want that you don't have?
I never had a Nintendo.
What is your favorite category of the GC?
At this point, I have not tried enough things to have an overwhelming favorite, but as I peruse the catalogue, the descriptions in the Wanderlust category jump out the most. Probably because I want to travel to all kinds of places.
What would a perfume based on me smell like?
Jeez, I dunno! Rocks, coffee, books, and viola rosin.
Do you often drink take away coffee in paper mugs?
Probably about once a week, more often during finals.
Blood Moon update?
Despite the fact that the Blood Moon description uses the word "earthquake," I don't think I'll be ordering it, simply because a single word that is tangential to the meaning of the oil on the whole should not be the entire reason that I order something! Not that I didn't think about it... (Now, if it'd been an actual earthquake scent, that would've been a different story.)
How does everyone feel about really green gifties? I was thinking of giving my witchee some of my handy-dandy "paper" towels (hand-sized, washable muslin squares--kinda like ultra-cheapo cloth napkins) in a kitchen-friendly decorative box, but I didn't want to seem preachy ("Stop using paper towels, you environment destroyer!"). Would y'all use something like that?
That'd be awesome.
What craft (or crafts) have you been wanting to try but have no idea where to start?
I don't know if it really counts as crafty, but I would like to try doing some animation. I draw a lot, and I'd like to see if I could make those drawings move. I haven't the foggiest idea of how to get started with that, though.
Would you appreciate some tunes in future packages? And if so, do you care if you get any CDs or mp3s you might have all ready? Or would you be able to find a way to post a list of things you're (a) looking for, or ( b ) all ready have?
Tunes are good! I do not object to receiving things I already have, though, of course, new things are exciting. I admittedly do not have a list of things that I already have on the internet, but I will think about making one.
Polish goodies! Who wants them? Baked goods, candies, kielbasa, pirogies, magazines, you name it?
The edible goodies would be a good thing! Magazines not so much, since I don't speak/read Polish and would therefore be left confused.
How do you avoid popping an item for yourself into an order you're placing for your witchie?
I remind myself very firmly of my financial status (ie largely broke grad student). I also try to go to places or use search terms that rule out some things I would personally want.
Underpants? Do you like them? What's your style? Size?
I wear them! I would probably be a bit weirded out to receive some from someone I don't know, though.
BPTP Room Sprays...your thoughts?
I haven't tried any of them. They were all sitting there at Will Call, and I looked at them, but did not actually sniff, and I'm not sure why.
Would you like to receive baked goods from your Witch? And if so, are there things you WOULDN'T like?
Baked goods are always welcome! Though not ones with cherries, because I'm allergic to cherries.
Tea?
I have not met a flavor of tea I didn't like. Any tea would be most welcome, whether a classic flavor (I've always loved Earl Grey) or something unusual/hard to find. My current tea stash ranges from Lapsang Souchong to Darjeeling to genmaicha to peony white, among others.
I made a mess the other day trying to put ketchup on a hot dog. I could've just wiped the ketchip on the forum!
What sort of (makeup) colors do you currently wear? Do you want to branch outside that? What would you like to try?
I don't wear any.
About incense: do you like sticks or lose incense?
Incense and my allergies don't really play well together. Even if they did, I suspect my cats would cause problems with the incense anyway.
What's everyone's favorite fairytale and what are your favorite versions of it?
When I was little, there was this picture book of a Russian fairy tale called "Little Sister and the Month Brothers" that I absolutely adored. I don't know who did the illustrations, and I don't even remember the details of the story, but it involved this little girl coming upon a meeting of people who were the personifications of the twelve months of the year. Looking back now, I am sure this partly influenced my own graphic novel involving personified days of the year, even though I wasn't thinking of The Month Brothers when I started work on my project.
So how many imps/decants is officially 'you have gone overboard and your Witchee is going to expire from scent overload'?
This question is making me worry that I haven't included enough!
Who needs a recipe box?
Not I.
ANYONE ELSE want a home-made cookbook?
If it is a fairly idiot-proof cookbook geared toward someone with simple kitchen tools, that would be fantastic!
Favorite cartoons or animated films?
So far, I have adored every single Pixar film. As far as I can tell, they can do no wrong, and they are concrete proof that animation is an art in and of itself, rather than just a storytelling medium. I am soooo excited by the prospect of them possibly doing effects for that 1906 earthquake movie... I also like the Shrek trilogy, The Triplets of Belleville, and some of the older Disney movies. I was completely obsessed with Oliver and Company when I was three. As for TV shows, stuff like Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Histeria, and Freakazoid were favorites. I also liked The Magic School Bus; I was a PBS kid!
Your take on the election? In other words, would you enjoy campaign related gifts, or prefer to stay neutral?
I am absolutely without a question voting for Obama, but I think I'd like to keep politics out of fun/recreational activities for now. Maybe that's residual from growing up in DC - politics is srs bzness, but also crazy-making.
Villians you sympathise with?
I tend to not sympathize with the villain, even if I find that villain to be an interesting character. I have this gut feeling that sympathizing with the villain, no matter how fictional, makes me a less-than-good person, and then I'd feel all guilty and weird.
Your stance on the all important peanut butter issue: crunchy? creamy? allergic? chocolate? maple? go directly to nuttella, do not pass go?
Peanut butter of all types is good. Nutella is fantastic.
Who here likes to read historical fiction? If you do, what eras/people/countries intrigue you the most?
In the rare event that I have time to read fiction, I do enjoy historical fiction very much. I particularly enjoy stuff set at the turn of the 20th century in general (though, in terms of actual history, I know more about the US and Europe than I know about the rest of the world), and also American Civil War stuff.
Dried fruit?
Yes! This is a good thing, just so long as it is not cherries. I'm allergic to cherries. Apples are fantastic.
What kind of tea (or coffee) puts you in a fall/Halloween mood? And where do you get it?
In terms of coffee, I'm going to have to go with pumpkin spice lattes, though I think I'd drink these year round if they were available. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors! I just know it's fall when I start being able to get pumpkin stuff. The ones at Starbucks are good, but there are some local coffee places around here that have better ones. As for tea, hrm. I guess fall is when I start drinking tea hot instead of iced! I don't have anything explicitly autumnal, though I guess the smoky aspect of Lapsang Souchong sort of counts. But again, that's a tea I'd drink much more often if I knew where I could get a regular supply. Also, hot spiced apple cider. Haven't found any around yet, which makes me sad.
Are you interested in Tarot cards? And if so, are there particular decks you like (or don't or already have or whatever)?
I know next to nothing about this. I've never had a reading done, and certainly couldn't do one myself. If I were given a deck, I would probably admire the artwork, but have no idea what to do from there.
Betty Page?
I had to look up who this is. Aheh. That said, I'm not into pinups.
Star Trek?
I've never even seen an entire episode of any of the incarnations of this show. (Shocking, I know!)
Apple butter?
YES PLZ NOM NOM NOM.
Villainess Retrograde?
Sounds awesome, until it gets to the part about the flowers. I am wary of the flowers. But holy crud, there's a lapsang souchong soap? Whoa. Now that is tempting.
Lush?
Never tried anything of theirs.
Maple?
One of my very favorite flavors! (My cats seem to agree, when it comes to maple yogurt. They always try to steal it.)
Gold vs silver vs copper vs brass etc?
Well, I know who isn't my witch now, since I know I answered that question as "makes no difference to me, since I don't wear jewelry." For what it's worth, I've had silver glasses frames and copper-ish-brown-ish glasses frames in the past, but never gold ones.
One BPAL only forever and ever?
Even for a n00b such as myself, that's a hard question. The variety of the catalogue is one of the things that makes BPAL really cool. I'd be really hard pressed to pick between Tombstone and Coyote, but I'm leaning toward Tombstone, if only because I'm wearing that right now and I love it.
Halloween costume?
I'm going as the anthropomorphic personification of the Hayward Fault. Earlier this year, I drew a whole bunch of characters who are personified fault lines, and a few friends and I are going as a handful of them. Because we are nerds.
So after making a massive post of questions today, I realized they are not This Round questions. I'll stick the old questions here instead.
Scarves?
Southern California does not get cold enough for scarves. Or at least it hasn't since I've lived here.
If you could design your own perfume oil, which notes would it have?
Uhh, I dunno. I would loooove to see a set of oils based on Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde," though, and I've been thinking about what might go into those.
Purses?
Nope.
If you were to get earrings from your SW, what kind would you prefer?
My ears aren't pierced, and I'm not looking to get extra holes put into my body at any time in the foreseeable future.
Anyone need scent lockets?
Not really.
Strange Fondness for:
Terrible disaster movies. Like "Volcano" or "The Day after Tomorrow." I keep joking about making my own sometime.
Song on repeat?
Lately, it has been Janet Beazley's "Run Away, Sally Ann," which is creepy and awesome. This changes from week to week, though.
Anyone here like pecan brittle?
OM NOM NOM NOM MOAR PLZ.
What BPAL didn't work on you?
The Coiled Serpent gave me a wheezing and sneezing allergic reaction within 20 minutes. Schrödinger's Cat disappeared in a very short amount of time.
What chat/im capabilities do you have, or would you be able/willing to chat up your witch?
I mostly stick to AIM, and I'm on it pretty often. I'm up for chatting, though wouldn't that give the surprise of who is whose witch/witchee away?
What sorts of things--products, foods, household items--do you absolutely love and constantly try to enable people with?
There is this frozen yogurt place near where I live. There are all kinds of flavors and toppings, and you get to mix them together yourself. They are priced by weight. It is easy to rack up a $6 sundae, and it is SO tasty. I have been enabling all of my friends to this place.
What is your favorite beverage (adult bev. if you are of age)?
Proooobably tea.
Board games?
Scrabble!
And Apples to Apples, which isn't technically a board game, but is so much fun.
How do people feel about feet?
Mine are flat. They are so flat that they screw up my gait, which screws up my knees. I went to a physical therapist for the pain, and he said I had the flattest feet he'd ever seen, except for possibly my dad's feet. Curse you, genetics!
So what's everyone's favorite BPTP nail color?
I don't wear nail polish.
How do you feel about leather/leather scraps?
No objections.
Do you like spicy/Asian food?
YES! Yes, yes.
How adventurous are you when it comes to food/candies?
I have to know what's in it (not going to eat bugs or intestines or something), but within that, I am pretty adventurous. When it comes to stuff like ice cream, I will sometimes order a new flavor that I don't have a clue what it is, just to see what it's like.
What websites MUST everyone visit at least daily?
I assume we all visit the BPAL forum every day!
I personally check the Recent Earthquakes In California page daily. Also LOLcats, and Cake Wrecks.
Tarot Decks?
Never had one, nor have I had a reading done.
My Space:
Don't have one.
My appearance in general: Short, average weight, short brown hair, brown eyes, glasses, usually wearing jeans and nerdy t-shirts, often carrying some sort of musical instrument.
Dreams I have for the future:
Living in the Bay Area, with a job that allowed me to both do research and teach and paid enough that I did not have to stress out over finances all the time (and could occasionally travel), and with music to play in my spare time.
Issues that I will get on my soapbox about:
Natural disaster preparedness, how cleaning up after past disasters should be handled, arts and science education, how patriotic bandwagoning scares me...
What are the general patterns in your house / bedroom?
Light wood or white furniture (except for the black chairs), white walls, gray carpet. My bedsheets are green, tan, white, and blue.
How important is BPAL in your Switch Witch packages?
I'd be surprised if it wasn't involved, considering the venue is the BPAL forum, but it isn't vital at all. Whatever items my Witch thinks would fit will be awesome!
"Used" BPAL? Ugly BPAL? Empties?
No problem.
Deadly sin?
It has definitely been sloth this summer.
Song that when it comes on the radio, you look around guiltily, roll up the windows, and then sing along to at top volume?
I, uh. Sing along to German art songs in the car. Sometimes with the windows open.
What did you sing along to in the shower this morning?
I don't generally sing in the shower, though.
TV shows you wish hadn't been canceled:
Firefly
If you could take on an existing superhero identity...
I dunno! On an online X-Men roleplaying game, I play Rictor, who causes earthquakes. Does that count?
Did you ever attend a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Do you know the callbacks? Did you come dressed as a particular character?
It wasn't midnight, but I went to a performance of the RHPS stage play on my 18th birthday. The guy playing Frank was a friend of the person who got me the tickets to the show. I was not dressed up, but the Narrator made me get up and do the Time Warp anyway.
If you could meet anyone living and anyone dead, who would it be?
Living: Jeez. Uh. I don't know!
Dead: Gustav Mahler, my favorite composer
Webcomics: Ozy and Millie, Zebra Girl, Wapsi Square, Wondermark, Khaos Komix, XKCD
Fun fact about me:
I have studied three non-English languages (Spanish, Russian, and German, though I've pretty much forgotten the Spanish. I'm hoping to start on a fourth (Indonesian) soon.
How much personal swapping/purchasing do you plan on doing this round?
Enough to make for a good package and complement the stuff that I'm going to make.
What if your witch gets you something you've already ordered?
Cool by me!
Hard Candies:
Excellent! Unless they're grape flavored, since that reminds me of this allergy medicine I had to take daily when I was little.
Other Mailable Food Items:
Food is good.
If Your Job had no Dress Code:
The nerdy t-shirts would come to work with me. I will totally be able to get away with nerdy shirts as a TA in the Earth Sciences department, but my retail lackey job has very specific color and style guidelines.
Scent diffusers?
I've never owned one. Could be nice for obscuring the litterbox a little better, but also could be something cats could knock over.
Genetic brushes with celebrity?
None that I know of.
what is your favorite time waster?
TEH INTARWEBZ!!11!!one!
How do you feel about Gaelic Storm and other Irish folk/drinking song bands?
Fun!
How do you feel about homemade pet treats?
You'd have to ask my cats! (I suspect they'd approve.)
Gifts for SO?
I don't have one.
Lush you are lusting after?
My only experience with Lush, if you could even call it experience, is walking past the store at the mall on the way to work.
Are you lusting after any of the new limited summer releases from Villainess?
I've never looked at their site either. Though in the Summer Switch Witch thread, I think I saw something that said Villainess and Krakatoa. Javanese volcano soap?
Bubble bars or bath bombs? Both? Neither?
Never tried either one. Probably wouldn't be helpful either, since I usually shower rather than take a full bath.
How you feel about the single mug tea filters? The kind that have a mesh or ceramic filter that fit right it the mug?
I had one. It was great. And then certain cats decided it would look better in several pieces on the floor. (I suppose it could have been certain earthquakes in July, since I noticed it was broken that week, but considering the only other thing the quake knocked down in my apartment were some imps, I think the cats are the more likely culprits.)
Favorite GCs?
Tombstone!
Coyote!
Also Robin Goodfellow, Lightning, and Tenochtitlan. Yeah, my first imp pack was full of winners.
I have a question: What's your most often overlooked scent in your bpals?
Hm. Probably Tenochtitlan. It was the first one I tried, and I liked it, but I don't reach for the imp as much as with Tombstone, Coyote, and Robin. When I do reach for it, I remember why I like it.
What's your favorite theme or characters? For example, do you like gothic looking items or classical? Do you love Hello Kitty, Harry Potter, etc?
I admit to still enjoying Redwall immensely.
What's hanging on your walls? What do you want hanging on your walls?
Many of my walls are bare, but the ones that aren't contain photos I took of various places in California. There are a lot of the Carrizo Plain (So pretty! And Coyote smells like the Carrizo smells. I think this is why I love Coyote.), and also a panorama of the San Bernardino Mountains that spans a good hundred miles or so. I also have a print of a 1904-ish poster advertising Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly.
What are you? CORSET or CAMI??? And....why?
Neither! Just t-shirts. Yep.
Maple syrup: Y/N?
Yes!
Undies:
Briefs, if you must know.
Most Coveted BPAL:
Not quite sure! Still too new to narrow in on one.
Anything you really absolutely don't want to get?
No makeup, hair stuff, nail polish, earrings - I won't use these things.
How conventional/weird are you comfortable with?
Weird is good!
First concert:
A community theatre production of Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors
What sort of crafties do you do and what sort of crafty supplies do you like?
I do a lot of drawing and painting. My weapons of choice here are Prismacolor markers, Pitt pens, and watercolors. I also like to design t-shirts.
Are they up to being gifted with anime?
I've never been into anime. But if there's a story you think I'd like, I don't object to anime in the least. I guess I just don't get the whole liking it because it's anime thing, rather than liking it for a good story.
For those of you who play video games, what consoles do you own?
I've never had a video game console.
Mailbox situation:
I have a small mailbox at my building. The box from my first BPAL order, which was a single imp pack, fit in there, but that's not a huge box. If I'm not home when a package is delivered, it goes to the building manager's office, and I can pick it up the next day.
What’s your favorite genre of books to read?
Nonfiction (particularly science and history), historical fiction, some classic literature, humorous stuff, real-world-with-fantasy-elements
How much do you still enjoy playing with toys?
I don't really have toys anymore. Unless things like my laptop and iPod count!
What practical goals to you have for the upcoming season?
Work my butt off in school, to help get caught up on the geophysics/math background for my degree. Try not to let that overcome every second of free time, though. Some non-work time is required for sanity!
How would you describe your sense of humor?
Easily amused, punny, geeky.
Phobias?
Cancer, heart disease, anaphylactic shock, really narrow and badly-paved roads that are on the edges of cliffs or dropoffs of some sort
Witch remain a secret?
This is at the Witch's discretion, but I would eventually like to know who to thank!
Do you play online games?
I do a lot of text-based roleplay, though I haven't done as much lately as I used to.
Do you prefer one large package, a couple of medium packages or a handful small ones spaced out?
However my Witch wants to approach it!
Favorite Beatle?
George
Hair things/sticks/barrettes:
Nope.
Floyd or Zeppelin?
Uh. Can't decide.
New question....Beatles or Stones?
Beatles!
Platforms?
No.
Do you have pictures of your art?
http://mitya.deviantart.com
