melissanh

Hi! Swapping is a new and exciting hobby for me. I'll be updating my profile periodically.

I am an Xennial single mom with two teens. I enjoy being reminded of the things I played with as an 80s "latchkey kid" - Hello Kitty*, Rainbow Brite, My Little Pony (the OG version), Cabbage Patch Dolls, Play-Doh, etc. I still listen to CDs and even the occasional cassette tape.

*Sanrio faves are Hello Kitty, My Melody, Little Twin Stars, and Keroppi.

Currently I live in Rochester, NY, about 90 minutes from Niagara Falls. I've previously lived in five other cities that include four other states.

I'm a psychotherapist so between my clients and my kids I take care of a lot of people each week. I love my work but would go part-time if that were financially feasible.

I'm Jewish and my family is observant. (For folks who may not be familiar: that means, among other things, that I do not celebrate Xmas or Easter in any way.)

• Stickers
• Crocheting
• Sketching
• Cross-stitch
• Polymer clay
• Beads

• Stickers
• Unused postage stamps
• Used postage stamps that match one of my specific interests such as dragons
• Post-it notes
• Post-it flags
• Bookmarks
• Address labels (I'd be psyched if someone printed some up for me!)
• Herbal tea
• Temporary tattoos
• Cartoons

A... apricots, autumn, artichokes, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (the book), Asimov
B... berries, beads, blue, beaches, babies, Boston MA, books
C... clouds, contemporary art, crocheting, cross-stitch, collaging, choral singing, clouds, chocolate
D... dragons, dreams, drawing, donuts, daffodils
E... eggs, earrings
F... fruit, fake flowers, feminism
G... giraffes, Good Omens, Game Changer, gum
H... hammocks, hugs, Hebrew, herbal tea
I... ice cream, icicles
J... journaling, John Oliver, John Williams
K... karaoke, keys, kayaks
L... licorice tea, language, laughter, long hair
M... mixed media, museums, musicals, Maplewood NJ, mornings, mail
N... novels, nonfiction, November, napping
O... oceans
P... play-doh, peaches, plums, presents, plants, people, pink, Pink, purple, Purim, pop music, polyvagal theory, pianos, pizza, Pern
Q... quilts, questions
R... rainbows, rivers, Rochester NY, rain, Robin Hobb
S... stickers, smiles, sunshine, stand-up comedy, sculptures, speculative fiction, singing, SNL, soy candles
T... teal, Tchaikovsky, therapy, thrifting, Thor of Pirate Software, tulips
U... umbrellas
V... vegetables
W... Weird Al, water, weighted blankets
X... Xennials
Y... yarn, Yale
Z... zucchini

I've always been a huge reader. Here are some of the genres I particularly enjoy.

Realistic fiction with good characters and it doesn't center on someone dying: Olive Kitteridge, Three Junes, The Bean Trees.

Fantasy involving women and dragons.

Short stories by Ted Chiang..

Nonfiction about how we communicate and build community, and what interferes with those.

I saw Cats for the first time when I was 12. My tastes still reflect the shows of my childhood (both stage and film): Cats, Les Mis, Phantom, Guys and Dolls, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Thoroughly Modern Millie, 1776, Oklahoma, The King and I, Rent (okay, that was in college).

It's hard for me to start listening to new ones but I have seen Six: The Musical twice. I've had Wicked and others recommended to me but I haven't listened to them yet.

Please don't send me images of:

• skulls, death, horror, gore, blood, poop, weapons, injuries (because I'm squeamish)

• Xmas, Easter, crosses (because I'm Jewish)

• Star Wars (because it reminds me of an ex)