anodyne

I am a graduate student trying to finish up my Ph.D. I like to sew as a way to do something completely unrelated to school. I also love cats (especially my two!) and keeping tropical fish. I enjoy cooking (but not cleaning up) and reading. Perhaps because of these two interests, it should be no surprise that I enjoy reading cookbooks–not just the recipes, but the often ignored text, too. I wish I had a garden, but until I have a yard to put one in, I make do with containers on my patio. If you can't tell, I love living things.

• My favorite colors are ones you can find in nature, and I seem to favor earthy shades of green, brown, and the colors of fall leaves. That said, I can't think of a color I really don't like. I'm not a giant fan of baby pastels, but I'm sure they're lovely if used just right.... like in winter, I love pale blue, white, and silver... those colors make me think of calm, chilly days.
• I'm addicted to lip balm. That's not an overstatement. When I first met my partner, he asked what 3 things I'd take with me to a desert island. Chapstick was number 1. And I was serious.
• I will treasure anything that is handmade with love.
• I don't have pierced ears, so please don't send earrings. I won't be able to enjoy them!

• journals, notebooks
• gift tags, notecards, cards, stationery
• letterpress paper items
• hot chocolate
• ornaments
• pirates
• cute animals (owls, birds, squirrels, kittens, snails and frogs... etc... ok, what animal isn't cute?)
• trees & leaves
• wood
• pottery
• tea tree oil
• aprons
• fabric headbands
• vanilla (scented or flavored)
• apple cider & hot spiced cider
• amigurumi
• nudibranchs and cephalopods
• mushrooms
• simplicity and clean lines
• crocheted and knitted things
• sandalwood
• Amy Butler fabric, Joel Dewberry fabric, Moda fabric
• Japanese fabric
• Surprises! (I know this list is long. I'm not picky. Really, it should show you that I like almost everything, and I'm easy to find something for.) :)

You can also get a sense of my taste/style by looking at My Wists, if you want.

Sewing. I wish I could knit or crochet, but I seem to lack the patience to master those skills.

I enjoy fiction, non-fiction, autobiographical fiction. Most things. Some of my favorites are:

• Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series (and I think The Eye of the World is the best book in this series.)
• Jo Ann Beard's The Boys of My Youth
• Anything by Kurt Vonnegut
• All in the Timing 14 plays by David Ives
• The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan

There will always be a place in my heart for 80s music. I don't normally listen to country or rap music, although there are a few songs for each genre that I secretly love. Some of my favorites right now (although certainly not all, and in no particular order) are: * Dar Williams * Barenaked Ladies * Of Montreal * Chicago * Tori Amos * The Police * Bran Van 3000 * Rodrigo & Gabriela If we are a music swap together, don't worry too much about my taste in music. I love discovering new music!

80s teen angst movies: Better Off Dead, Sixteen Candles, Say Anything, The Cutting Edge

Others: Lord of the Rings trilogy, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, Wayne's World, Zoolander

House, things on HGTV, Scrubs, Good Eats, Quantum Leap. I watch a lot of PBS. I particularly love Nature and Nova.

• Smoke
• Artificial cinnamon
• Religious items
• Honeysuckle scent
• Coffee