thatzghetto

I am going through some personal things right now involving my family and my kids. For that reason I will not be as active for awhile. If you are needing a wishlist address please contact one of the other officers so you can receive them in a timely manner.

On the rare occassion I'm going to be late with a swap for any reason I WILL contact you. So if for some reason your swap hasn't arrived by the time to rate please contact me so I can figure out what is going on and/or send again.

Here's what I pledged

I'm no longer accepting private newbie swaps. There is a thread of others in the forum here of others willing to do so but for the time being I'm not able to do it. Sorry!

I'm a single mom of a beautiful 13 year old daughter and as of July 09 an 8 year old son. They are my world and I would do anything to make them happy.

I'm generally an easy-going person who avoids drama at all costs. The one exception to this is when someone hurts those that I care about, then the pitbull in me comes out.

Although I'm dedicated to my clients and my career it can be rather stressful so anything that would help me relax a bit would be great. I read anything I can get my hands on, and I also enjoy movies, penpaling, and photography. I collect shotglasses, kokapellis, Wonderwoman memorabilia, movie memorabilia, stationery, flags and magnets. I have a great love of anything from the 80's (except the fashion!). I get super nostalgic over the music (Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper and all those fabulous 1 hit wonders), the tv shows (The A-Team, Smurfs, Snorks, Growing Pains...) and even the candy (Pop Rocks, Zotz). It was a fabulous time.

I'm one of those people who like the small things in life. A surprise letter in the mailbox, just knowing someone is thinking about you, which is why I think swapbot is such a good thing. On that note, if I sign up for a swap and you're thinking, man she doesn't even like xyz why would she sign up... I often sign up for swaps thinking I can give them to a friend or family member and brighten their day. It's gotten quite a few people interested in the site and it makes me happy to be able to surprise them, and of course makes them happy to be surprised.

I'm non judgmental. I like learning about both sides of an issue, even though I may be strongly opposed to one. I consider myself to be a non-denominational Christian, but I'm extremely interested in learning about other religions.

I don't have really a favorite color, although I do tend to buy things in plum, silver, and black most often. The only color I really don't like is yellow.

I love the smell of fresh linen, and buy most of my lotions, candles, etc in that scent. I don't particularly like really flowery scents like rose, but my sister does so if that's what you have to send feel free.

I'm not into Winnie the Pooh, Disney, or overly cutesy items. However if they are altered or strange or harder to find I throughly enjoy them. For example I don't particularly like Grover from Sesame Street but I love, love, love him dressed as Super Grover. I'm odd that way,and once spent an entire afternoon taking a series of photos of Barney Gone Wild using the costume I'd rented for my daughter's 3rd birthday. We had him in bed with the SNL church lady, drinking wine while laying on the mantle place and smoking cigars among other things.

That should give you an idea into my sometimes twisted idea of fun. lol. If you think it's quirky or strange I probably will like it.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND FOOD ITEMS UNLESS I HAVE SPECIFICALLY SIGNED UP FOR A SWAP OF A CERTAIN TYPE OF FOOD OR IT IS ON MY WISHLIST (IE: JELLY BEANS). BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE SEVERAL FOOD ALLERGIES AND IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. Exceptions to this are peanut butter products and homemade strawberry jam. If you ever want to send either of those to us I'd be thrilled. It is generally the dyes in processed foods that trigger my allergies but if I'm signed up for a recipe swap or some other type of food swap I guess I should also let you know I'm allergic to pineapple.

If all else fails and you can't find something to send me, go for paper products or totebags. I am a stationary whore and receiving new stationery in the mail always brightens my day. :) I also think in another life I was a baglady. Nothing delights me more than packing up things in my bags. I'm also always interested in address labels, I haven't figured out how to make them on my own, but I love receiving them, especially when they have USA printed at the bottom so I can use them when mailing to my international pals.

I honestly will, and do, listen to every type of music except techno and screaming heavy metal. I love big band and jazz music with the singers but don't really know the names of any of the artists. I love discovering new artists so mix cd's of any sort are always welcome.

I love hip-hop music but lately everything has seemed so "jingley". I like songs with meaning to them (Kanye West "Jesus Walks" or "Hey Mama" Tupac "Keep Your Head Up", Nelly "Luven Me" and most of Eminem's b-side songs)

When it comes to rock music, R&B or country I love a good love song, especially when that love has gone wrong. (Daughtry "Over You", Matchbox 20 "Back 2 Good" Heather Headley "I Wish I Wasn't", and Garth Brooks "Shameless")

I just want music to make me dance or make me think, so good lyrics and a catchy beat are all I ask for. :)

I tend to favor independent movies like American History X, The Power of One, Undercover Brother, Everything is Illuminated, Life as a House, Napoleon Dynamite, Crash, Little Miss Sunshine, The House of Yes, Juno, and Slumdog Millionaire to name a few. However, basically I just like movies. I'm not too much into sci-fi or slapstick comedy, but there is the occassional film in those genres that I do enjoy.

Raising the Bar, Law & Order, Lost, Desperate Housewives, The Sopranos, OZ (I'm still bitter those two are off the air), Entourage, The Boondocks, Modern Family, Sons of Anarchy, Cold Case, So You Think You Can Dance and all those VH1 celeb-reality shows like Sober House, Celebrity Fit Camp, and I Love Money.

I also love a good biography or documentary, so if you have suggestions for either one send them my way. :)

I love reading period. I like and read both fiction and non-fiction with equal enthusiasm. I'm not a big fan of 19th century "classics", self-help, or most science fiction though.

My all-time favorite books are "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, "The Cider House Rules" by John Irving, and "Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons" by Lorna Landvik. I can read them over and over again and always find some new nuance or detail that I missed before.

My favorite authors include: Wally Lamb, John Irving, Lorna Landvik, Billie Letts, Fannie Flagg, Jen Lancaster, Celia Rivenbeck, Laurie Notaro (you can't read her books without laughing outloud). If you know any authors who write in a similar style please let me know.

In non-fiction I am always looking for books about the wrongfully accused, the death penalty, public defenders, the mafia and biographies.

So to sum this section up... Books are GOOD!

I am by NO means crafty or artistic enough to feel comfortable sending anything I create to someone as part of a swap. I just lack the talent. I love receiving your hand crafted items though. I've recently developed a strong addiction to knitted/croqueted goods and squeal with delight whenever someone is kind enough to send them to me.

The few crafts I do for my own particular enjoyment on a regular basis are painting, decopauge and scrapbooking. So if you want to send tools to help inspire me to create look for something in those sections of your craft store. I do have a Cricut now so I don't really use/need diecuts for scrapbooking.

Baileigh is 13 going on 30. She loves clothes and fashion (especially shoes!!!) and anything related to that. She has gotten into fixing her hair and is always looking for new ponytail holders, brushes and mirrors. She has the thickest hair I have ever seen so no child hair items for her please.

She likes Happy Bunny, and other sarcastic humor items. She is really into the Girls Rule philosophy and loves David and Goliath and similar products just for that reason.

She likes make-up and collects tourist spoons. We just got her room redone in pink and brown polkadots. She loves decorating so if you find something she "needs" in those colors she'd love to have it.

Between braces and allergies most candy and food items are out. She also does not like "baby" stuff like Hannah Montanna and High School Musical. When shopping for her think more like what you would buy a college freshman or high school senior.

Baileigh is also somewhat egocentric and LOVES to see her name on things so if you are the crafty sort and want to create something with her name on it for her you'll be her hero.

Other random things she loves: Polka dots, photo frames, school supplies in funky or unique themes, bags, necklaces, anklets, and bracelets, Burt's Bees lotion, Koi fish, photo albums and altered composition books (a member of this site has her HOOKED on thse).

I'm in the process of adopting Justin. He is 8 years old and definitely 100% boy. He's coming from really having nothing, to a home where he actually has choices about what he likes so his list of likes changes almost daily. :) I honestly haven't found much he doesn't like yet.

He definitely likes cars, sports, action figures, and legos. He LOVES Ben 10, Bakugan, Spongebob, Marvel Action heroes, Transformers (particularly Optimus Prime and Bumblebee) and GI Joe.

We are working on teaching Justin good hygenie so if you have ideas or things that make caring for youself fun he'd love them. He likes taking baths so he likes bath fizzies, and those washclothes that enlarge when you get them wet. Even smell good stuff like little boys cologne would probably impress the heck out of him.

Much like Baileigh, Justin likes seeing his own name on things. Any stickers, school supplies, or any other little thing you can think of with his name on it would make his day.

His room is decorated in Transformers that are primarily blue and red.

Justin has ADHD so please, please DO NOT send him anything with sugar. He gets too hyper when he eats it and I feel bad telling him no. Also we have a strict no gun policy in my house, this includes water guns. Unfortunately the police department in my town has tased at least two kids in the past year for playing with toy guns/water guns so I feel it's better to be safe than sorry.

Random things I like:

• shotglasses (I'm trying to collect all 50 states) I love them with the name of your town, country, state, or with national monuments, events on them.

• Anne Taintor items

• Items relating to Cartoon networks Adult Swim shows (My fave is The Boondocks and I'd love anything with Riley from that show)

• Movie figurines

• Books (especially biographies, True Crime, Hollywood, Chick-lit, anti-death penalty, the Civil Rights movement. My Amazon wishlist is almost entirely books if that would help give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. But really I just like books)

• Kokapellis

• Stationery

• Address labels that say USA on the bottom

• Magnets of state/country/towns

• Nice pens

• Silver jewelry

• Bobbleheads

• Talking/dancing action figures

• Political joke toys

• Public Defenders and the the anti-death penalty movement

• Beaded jewelery in red/black/brown/plum especially

• Slippers

• Bath salts

• tote bags

• butterflies

• Poetry

• Wonderwoman

• Baking

• Journals

• Foot care products

• Hand knitted items

• Peanut Butter

• Homemade jam (especially rasberry or strawberry)

• Swap cards

• Stand up comedy

• Interesting glassware

• The Fraggles

• Scary or horror kawaii

• soft blankets or throws

• Buddhas

• Monkeys

• watches

• Things with my kids names (Baileigh & Justin)

• Items that say Diva

• Pampering products

• Barack Obama

• Smurfs

• Co-edikit products

• David and Goliath products

• Handmade items that are useful (ie: dishclothes, pencil pouches, blankets, bags, cd covers, etc.)

• Acrylic paint in fun funky colors

• Paint brushes

• Small canvases

• Toys for little boys

• Things that say Number one Aunt, or refer to being an Aunt

• When people think of Baileigh or Justin with their swap.

• "Instant" scrapbook pages in 8X8, 8 1/2 X 11 or 12X12.

• Items related to adoption and forever families

• Cricut tools and cutting mats

• Anything from the 80's

• Housecleaning

• Orange scented candles, products (gives me flashbacks to morning sickness)

• Most food products because of allergies

• Days when no mail comes

• Feet

• Birds (I'm terrified of them)

• Being cold

• Cutesy decorative knickknacks (this might be tied into that whole I hate cleaning thing)

• Close-minded people

• Yellow

• Gardening, I love flowers but don't have the patience to maintain them

• Blueberries

• I really don't care for dirty or used items other than books.

There are a handful of things that I can't get in the USA that I absolutely love. If you are in one of the following countries and would like to trade for them I'd be forever in your debt. :)

Australia - Violet Crumbles, and Tim-Tams

England/United Kingdom - Crunchie Bars and Bounty Bars

The Netherlands - Stroopwaffels, and Lan Janges

Finland - Kaj Stenvall and Moomin products

These are things that I know are hard to find. If you manage to find or create them for me I'll probably faint from excitement. :)

• Anything Fraggle Rock (stationary, address labels with USA on the bottom, figurines, stickers, action figures, etc)

• Anything with Riley from the Boondocks (see above)

• Anything with Smurfs (see above)

• Anything ShirtTails (see above)

• Anything Wonderwoman (see above)

• Anything Napolean Dynamite (see above)

• Anything with The Sopranos (see above)

• The Sons of Anarchy (see above)

• Zotz candy

• Quilts and afghans. Thanks to VERY generous and talented swap-bot members I am, or will fulfill my dream of having both in my home soon. However, I've found that I'm addicted to them. So if you are wanting to get rid of one, know that they will hold a position of honor in my house. :)