Filpot

For anyone who has just got me as a swap partner and is peeping at this, my surname really is Waker, not Walker! I know it's a bit unusual, but I blame it on my husband....

An Englishwoman now living in rural France.

I've just realized I'm completely useless at describing myself, despite the fact that I can ramble on ad infinitum about almost anything else. That probably means I'm shy!

I'm an erstwhile student of literature, love Shakespeare (on the page or on the stage) and would one day like to pursue my studies further. Also interested in Elizabethan history (Elizabeth I, that is).

I'm a vegetarian - no meat, no fish. I'm not sure if swaps involve food, but for recipes, please try to find something that doesn't involve killing another living creature.

I'd like to be more creative in more areas and am trying to get over the hurdle of letting other people see what I like to make, so perhaps I need to stop rambling and sign up for a few swaps.....

My iPod contains music by Mozart, Toby Keith, Neil Diamond, Charles Trenet, MIKA, Raphael, and many more.....

....... and a LOT of talking books!

Among my favourite songs ever are

"Malaika" sung by Angelique Kidjo

"Captain Sunshine" by Neil Diamond

"When I am laid in earth..." (Dido's Lament) by Henry Purcell

"Back in the Saddle" by Matraca Berg (now there's a contrast to Purcell!!)

"Et dans 150 ans" by Raphael

Mozart's Requiem (not a "song", but you know what I mean)

... and when a Barry White song comes on the radio, I invariably squeal, "Oh, yes! It's the walrus!" and start dancing about the kitchen like a strangely possessed woman.

"Jane Eyre" - boring, I know, as it's the favourite of so many people, but it is fab!!

I also enjoy Tim Moore's travel writing, Alexander McCall Smith's Scotland Street novels, Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, and so on.

Not much of a fan of "chick lit", don't really read crime fiction (other than Lord Peter Wimsey), and have so often found "blockbuster novels" so disappointing that in future I'm just going to save time by waiting for the film!

Or films, as I call them. "A Matter of Life and Death" (with David Niven) "Pimpernel Smith" (Leslie Howard) "Charade" (Cary Grant and the divine Audrey Hepburn) "Rear Window" "Gladiator" (still can't work out why, but I love the film!!) "Indiscreet" "Random Harvest" "Breakfast at Tiffany's" "The Million Pound Note" "The Thomas Crown Affair" (the remake rather than the original) just about anything with Cary Grant or Ronald Colman. You've probably realized I like the old stuff.....

I love "Top Gear", even though I don't know how to drive!!

"Plus Belle la Vie" - France's most preposterous soap opera.

"University Challenge", my other half and I have been known to do "the granny dance" (as we call it) if we answer a difficult question correctly.

British comedy - "Green Wing", Mitchell and Webb, Armstrong and Miller.

BBC period drama ("Pride & Prejudice", "North & South", and so on).

Oh, and "Family Guy" - every episode contains something that will have me helpless with laughter. And I so want a cocktail-drinking dog like Brian!

I love scrapbooking and am just getting into other papercrafts (cardmaking, handmade books, etc.). One of these days I'm going to have a go at ATCs!

Also cross stitch, embroidery, needlepoint, knitting, crochet.

Is cooking a craft?

Religious polemic - for any religion. Please keep it secular.

Profanity - improve your vocabulary and you won't need it!

"isms" - as in sexism, racism, or any other point of view that disparages others.

The colour green.

Spiders.

Snakes.

Chocolate!

Blue is my favourite colour. I also like purples, strong pinks, and "jewel" colours.

Cats.

Playing Scrabble on my Nintendo DS.

Free downloads of Old Time Radio on iTunes.

Gardening - when the seeds I plant grow. When they don't I'm less fond of it as a hobby!

Cooking - trying out new recipes.

Photography - and making nice things with the photos.

I've just discovered that I love handmade postcards - all styles, all techniques. There are so many talented people making so many beautiful things out there.........

I've seen this on one or two other profiles and thought I'd add one to mine. These are "swappers" who have flaked on me. In all cases I PMd the person in question to find out what was happening, but got nothing in response. I have put their swap-bot name first, followed by their real name in brackets, in case they decide to sign up again under another pseudonym.

prettypoetstacy (Stacy Mar) March 2010 "Mini Journal of Randomness"

YV (Azure Ellis) March 2010 "Send a Cheerful Greeting Card"

jencrest (Jen Briasco) April 2010 "Pride and Prejudice Character ATC"

hkz1985 (Holly Zajac) April 2010 "100 ways to feel better about life"

aquila (Sandrine Vasseur) Sept 2010 "Basic Postcard Swap #2"

PepperDust (Frances Boero) October 2010 "Send Me You #2"

Blakkhawkk (Kt Sharkey) October 2010 "7 Words"

Non-raters (a minor irritant, but an irritant nonetheless!). If I'm missing a rating, I always PM the person to ask if they have received the swap and offering to re-send if it has been lost. Those listed below never replied to the PM.

melkj2 (Melissa Johns)

Mushwad (Chelsea Delmont)

movietiffany (Tiffany Robinson)

maritxp (Mari Perez) - for a swap she hosted!!!

Bats (Lauren Green)