I like to wander about Uptown and notice fascinating things. I'm a fan of libraries and bookstores, most vegetables, dancing, swingsets, cooking supply stores, bodies of water both large and small, and thought-provoking books. I grew up doing a lot of travelling, and I've lived in 2 countries. I'd like to live in a couple more sometime in the future. One of my dreams is to travel around the world volunteering at different places in each country. I think it would probably take me a couple years, and I'd have this website where I blogged about it. Then I would a write book about my experience later, like Michael Palin who got to meet the Dalai Lama and walk the Pacific Rim. I don't know if I'd like to do the latter, but the I think the Dalai Lama would be an wonderful conversationalist.

I am quirky, curvy, and fabulous

I live a comfy life of daydreaming and spontaneous creativity in Uptown. When I'm not at my day job as an Office Person at the U of MN, I try to get a wander in around town (on my mixte or just walking) or a walk/ run around the Lakes (when it's not winter). I love to soak up inspiration. In the winter I make stuff.

Telling stories, laughing, visualizing projects, dancing like a fool... I'm also really good at cooking, which is something I think people need to do more, instead of going out to eat all the time. I learned how to cook at a very young age, so it's something that has always been a part of my life.

I'm not really sure. Sometimes people will exclaim "Your hair is so long!" when they see me, but that may be because they haven't seen me in a long time. My smile and my eyes, I think. And my Italian-like wild gestures when I'm talking in an animated fashion. People have also told me that when I'm walking they can tell it's me from far away because I have such an individualistic walk. This is especially true in Europe (I "walk like an American", apparently).

Oh crap. This is a very small representation of my likes and loves, since I'm discovering new things all the time while I also go through phases in what I'm reading/eating/listening to:

Books-- Neil Gaiman, Madeleine L'Engle, JRR Tolkien are of course big ones. Philip Pullman! Lloyd Alexander! George Eliot! I have too many favorite books to list in this ridiculous little box. Just talk to me about it.

(B) Howl's Moving Castle (anything by Miyazaki), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, LOTR, Roman Holiday, Shadowlands, Princess Bride, Amelie (but mostly for the cinematography and her apartment), The Best of Youth. I really loved the movie "Once".

I just saw The King's Speech and it is AWESOME. I had a speech impediment as a kid, and I got into speech in HS to get over my impediment and my debilitating fear of speaking in front of people, so I was totally picking up what that movie was putting down. It instantly became one of my favorite movies.

C)Anything that's not obnoxious pop or obnoxious country. I listen to the radio (NPR) in the morning and the Current at work. I get a lot of new music from other people. Music I'm liking right now off the top of my head: Bright Eyes / Conor Oberst, Rogue Valley / Chris Koza, Beirut, She & Him, Adele, BEN FOLDS, TORI AMOS (I'm a forever fan-- she's friends with Neil Gaiman, and they are both guests at my fantasy dinner party), Imogen Heap, the Once Soundtrack, Stars (sometimes)...I like me some folky acoustic guitar. And people who can play piano. I actually wish I could get a piano, just to lure pianists over to my house to play for me. Alas, I don't have a spacious mansion. :(

D) I was a vegetarian for 4 years, but I now I am a meat eater once more. I don't eat meat that often, though, but that's mostly because I'm poor. I roast a pretty fantastic chicken (the key is putting butter and herbs under the skin and a cut-up lemon in the cavity). My cooking is very homey Italian/French comfort food. I also like to bake pies, and I'd like to make my own bread. For eating out I REALLY LOVE sushi.

UPDATE: I can bake my own bread now, and I do, every month or so! It's not as hard as everyone makes it out to be.

Basically, I like everything. Now that I'm not a vegetarian anymore, I will pretty much eat anything once. yay Adventure!

My sisters, my friends, select books I love, laughter (with people I love especially), physical movement of some kind (yoga, walks, swimming, biking etc.) and my spice drawer. I used to include my computer and my iPod in this list, but my iPod broke (Apple Grrrrrr) and I don't actually like spending time on my computer.

....I did get another iPod though (grrr).

UPDATE: And I got another computer. (sigh)

Update the Second: And now I have an iPhone! My word.

My plan to takeover the world with charm and get-go. And saving the world from evil.

I also spend a lot of time thinking of snippets of story and dreamy things like that. Then I have to make something out of them. But sometimes I don't, and they go away. This makes me sad. :(

Right now also I'm thinking about when to start taking bellydancing lessons.

With my friends out and about or home having a dinner party. I always need people to experiment on with new recipes. I'm really not about big parties and excessive bar-hopping, though--I'm not 20 anymore!

I dance to music by myself at home a lot. And, ocassionally, the music is pretty ridiculous. Not to mention the dancing.

If you read in this day in age! If you like adventures! I also like geeking out with people.