szreader

Last updated May 18, 2009

Be cool, not lame. -- Rachel Johnson

Happily swapping on Swap-bot since February 24, 2007!

Hello there! I'm married, the mother of two fabulous daughters, 24 and 27, and two darling 'pups,' 10 and 11.

In addition to being addicted to mail, I don't seem to be able to stop buying boxes of teabags and notecards. So, swapping notecards and teabags completes the circle since it brings me MAIL!

TEAS Generally, I like herbal or decaf teas. Jasmine and chamomile are two of my favorites. I'm not too big on fruity teas, though lemon and orange notes are appreciated. I don't like green tea, though. I try to keep my caffeine intake pretty low. The occasional "caff" teabag is just fine with me. Thanks!

I don't really craft, though I did make some bookmarks early on in my swapping career. I also decorated some envelopes, but I think that was about it for the 'handy' things I've done. I do love looking and sorting through paper ephemera, bits 'n pieces, and I love sending it on to other swappers who craft (my daughter, for one!).

I've gotten into some of the postcard swaps, most notably the "I Must Be Crazy!" ones where you send out 20 postcards. Then there was the "Subversive Postcard Swap" - what a riot!

I tend to like things that are just a little odd or unusual. Tee-hee! I love to laugh and my sense of humor is a bit off kilter sometimes. For a middle-aged, married person with two dogs, two daughters and a full-time job, I don't really do normal very much . . . and I like it that way.

FAVORITES: * April/ month * 21/ number * Blue/ color * "Melissa" by the Allman Brothers/ song * "All Over But the Shoutin'" by Rick Bragg/ book * "Enchanted April"/ movie * John Cusak and Joan Cusak/ brother and sister acting duo

Likes: * stationery * rubber stamps/ink pads * wacky postcards * politicians with principles * Italy/things Italian * Jewel colors in general * Pockets in clothing * Thrift stores * Garage or yard sales * Decorating magazines (an addiction) * LOLcats * Swap-bot * Proper spelling

Dislikes: * Liver * Overly salty food * Pears * Liars * Junk mail * Whiners * Misplaced apostrophes

I work full-time in a public library, so I'm constantly surrounded by books . . . and computers, and amazing co-workers, and people with all sorts of questions. January 2009 - I started a new job (same employer), heading a department which is responsible for getting out the library's message. I do PR, publications, and oversee staff who do public programs for adults, manage an in-house art gallery, and schedule 4 public meeting rooms. We keep busy! This is a new department, so we're inventing it from the ground up. Fun (and lots of work)!

I enjoy the (natural) scents of lavender, jasmine and lilac. My favorite colors are jewel tones. One of my favorite pastimes is going on home tours . . . or even just to Real Estate open houses!

I'm addicted to magazines in general, but especially decorating magazines, and the NYT Thursday 'Home' section is my favorite read every week.

I'm very excited about the Presidential election! [Note on 11/5/2008: I'm even **more excited at the outcome, now that it's over!] Take a look at the amazing video of American Prayer.** I love it!

Check out this cool site: FREE HUGS

(Be sure to watch the video! It's so fun.)

Where is Matt?

(Another very fun video I recommend!)

If you want more fun and love puppies, please take a look. My thanks to babysingsing, as I found this in her profile!

I like many kinds of music: classical, folk, jazz, some country, oldies, alternative and certainly bluegrass! My brother once said he thought I'd like a certain group's music because "it's fairly melodic." (I think he knows me pretty well.) Aaron Neville, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Carrie Newcomer, Jennie Devoe, The Pretenders, Everything But the Girl, Allman Brothers, Creedence Clearwater Revival are some of the artists on my iPod, plus lots, lots more.

11/28/08: Just discovered the Tonos Triad this fall and I love their music.

I saw a great documentary, "A Man Called Pearl," which I highly recommend to you! It's about an amazing, retired gentleman from the Carolinas who has turned his yard into a topiary museum. You can see the TRAILER. If it comes to a theater anywhere near you, go see it! Someday it'll be out on video and you can at least see it then. I was inspired!

Some old favorites are: Moonstruck (Cher! Nicholas Cage!), Enchanted April (Joan Plowright! Polly Walker! Alfred Molina! Jim Broadbent!), Mike Lee's "High Hopes," Hitchcock's "Rear Window," "Amelie," "Jackie Brown." I'm all over the map. Documentaries are special favorites -- one I love is "The Gleaners and I," which is French. Another movie I've seen this year and loved: Michael Moore's SICKO. I want to see it again.

I don't watch much tv. I enjoy Antiques Roadshow, Jeopardy! and, every once in a while, Ellen -- I'm a big Ellen fan!

I love the old Perry Mason show and my favorite cartoon character is Mr. Magoo.

I'm not really crafty - I don't sew, knit, crochet, scrapbook or dotee -- but I do love pretty notecards, cool stickers, using commemorative U.S. postage stamps scraps of fun papers, canceled postage stamps, ,interesting artsy rubber stamps & stamp pads.

I love pretty canceled stamps, international, too. If you can send my envie or package with stamps rather than a printed label, that would be great.

SAMBOB, HERE'S THE PART ABOUT THE BUTTONS!

A couple of years ago I bought a metal tin to make a sewing box for my daughter. The tin was full (FULL!) of great, old buttons. I had more fun sorting them than was reasonable: woo-hoo! I was just like a kindergartener (embarrassing to say, but oh-so-true . . .).

I am a reader! I read mainly non-fiction.

4/21/09 - I just finished reading I Love You, Miss Huddleston (and other inappropriate longings of my Indiana childhood) by Philip Gulley and it is fabulous. Take a look at it on Amazon and if it seems like the kind of book you'd like, give it a try!

My screen name comes from my love of reading and is a take-off on Easy Rider. My sister and brothers call me Suze (or is it Sooze?), always abbreviated in writing as sz. The most recent wonderful read was Rick Bragg's Prince of Frogtown. THAT MAN CAN WRITE!! Some of my all-time favorite books are: All Over But the Shoutin' (Rick Bragg), Mama Makes Up Her Mind (Bailey White), A Girl Named Zippy (Haven Kimmel), and She Got Up Off the Couch (Haven Kimmel).

I love Swap-bot most because it reminds me that there are so, so, so many good people out there in the world and that, sure, we're all different and yet, in ways, all the same. It makes me realize how wonderful it feels to give, to share, to communicate with people -- just for the sheer joy of giving, sharing and communicating. To see people continuously coming up with brilliant, creative, positive ideas such as The Birthday Club and You've Got Mail is a very good thing. Through Swap-bot I can share souvenirs from New Orleans with a fellow NOLA-lover in Brazil now on her way to England or talk about bleak no-mail days or jubiliant swap-stuffed mailbox days with my amazing daughter, who originally told me about Swap-bot! I cannot thank Rachel and Travis enough for giving me -- giving us -- this big ol' bus to a happy mailbox . . . called Swap-bot! WOO-HOO!

I believe in doing my best, every day; the power of love; random acts of kindness; sharing; recycling; thinking & questioning; and being grateful, as my Dad used to say, "for small favors."