Hi there!

I've taken about a year break from swapping, but I'm ready to get back into it again :)

I'm a mom to a 10 year old boy and two lovely cats. I have taught Physical Anthropology classes at local community colleges (bones, genetics, fossils, that sort of thing). I'm a pretty science-y person, and I find wonder and beauty in scientific knowledge about the universe. I have eclectic tastes, and few dislikes. I love gardening, though sometimes I'm just as fascinated by the "weeds" that sprout up as I am by what I planted, so my plots never look very neat! My son loves Minecraft - a lot! Also we both love Adventure Time. His favorite TV show is The Munsters, while mine are anything Star Trek, Dr Who (old and new), and Brit-Com.
I am a giant nerd, and proud of it :) I love to read and I read a great deal to keep pace with my many and varied interests. I also enjoy hiking in the wilderness and traveling and teaching my son to identify the bones in owl pellets. I also love fencing and dancing, though I don't have the opportunity to either much since I've been out of college. I'm seated in the upper left in this pic of my college fencing team, ca. 1995 :)

Favorite Music: I have pretty eclectic tastes. I adore early (Renaissance, Medieval) music and Baroque music and Classical. My new favorite singer/songwriter is Marian Call. I love Janelle Monae, Florence and the Machine, Sarah McLaughlan, They Might Be Giants, B-52's, Basia Bulat, Sia, Cyndi Lauper, Heartless Bastards, to name a few.

I love sci-fi and fantasy when it's well written (or at least well plotted with good characterization). I'm currently reading anything and everything by Iain M. Banks, who is brilliant. I love Ursula K. Le Guin and JRR Tolkein and Isaac Asimov and Jasper Fforde. I also read a lot of non-fiction, including books on math (Ian Stewart is a fantastic writer), astronomy, green living, and homesteading.

In no particular order: Dr Who (old and new), Star Trek, Sherlock, Nova, Farscape, Adventure Time, Catherine Tate show, Vicar of Dibley, Monty Python, How the Universe Works, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mythbusters, MST3K

I've been known to make stuff in crochet (dishcloths are a perennial fave of mine - so easy and useful!), I can do an eensy bit of knitting (I can make a scarf!). I'm a boss at origami and beadwork. I have dabbled in sewing, but my machine broke and hand sewing drives me bonkers.

Just started (Jan 2015) making ATCs and am loving it!

Just recently (Jan 2015) my boyfriend started teaching me how to use his big metal mill and lathe, so I'm learning the new craft of metalwork and feeling very much like A BOSS!

Z is currently 10 years old and in the 5th grade. My son loves MINECRAFT. A lot. We both love Adventure Time and Lord of the Rings. His current favorite TV show is The Munsters. Yes, the black and white TV show from the 1960's! He likes Dr Who, Red Dwarf, and Star Wars and Star Trek as well. He's really into the Hobbit.
He's very good at building stuff out of cardboard and tape as well as legos.

He started taking Karate last summer, and loves it! Also he loves Jackie Chan movies :)

In no particular order:
bright colors, muted colors, well, all colors really! Steampunk, rainbows, stickers, Hello Kitty, fantasy, sci-fi, dragons, Harry Potter, astronomy, nature, farming/gardening, herbs

All kinds of postcards

Buddhist quotes/themes (love me some lotuses!)

Hand fans

cats, owls, foxes, hawks, butterflies, wilderness, mountains, oceans, whales, dolphins, porpoises

Studio Ghibli films like Totoro and Kiki

Science. I teach human evolution, so anything having to do with bones, fossils, and archaeology (including Indiana Jones). Old stuff, Victoriana, old pictures and postcards

Fountain pens, old typewriters (I have 2 working ones, a 1930's Royal and a 1950's Smith-Corona) Fencing, swords, Shakespeare

Tea: Love all kinds of tea! All flavors!

Yarn: All kinds! All colors! All flavors!

Moomins!

I'm a really easygoing person, and there are few things I dislike, but I do have a few:

~overly religious themed stuff

~Not that into sports (except I like fencing, obviously wink).

~I have allergies to dairy and gluten

Honestly, though, I will most likely enjoy anything you send. If it is meaningful to you, then I'll appreciate it :)

Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, Curse of the Wererabbit, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Blade Runner, Harold and Maude, The Yes Men, Bowling for Columbine, Life of Brian, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Singing in the Rain (yes, the Gene Kelly movie! I love classic movie musicals!), City of Lost Children, Time Bandits, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service

Since my son started Karate, we've been watching lots of kung fu movies, and I especially love old Jackie Chan films. Sammo Hung is also awesome (Magnificent Butcher has amazing fight scenes!)