pansygirl

Hello, hello!!

About Me: I'm brand-new to SB but I have been penpalling for years! I'm a teacher and a parent educator, and writing and making beaded jewelry are my therapies. I love doing quiet things at home like writing letters and preparing cute swap packages that will brighten someone's day. I live with my husband and two kids. They're 18 and 23 and I miss those little-kid years! And we have one big dog, who I adore. She's my baby. :-)

I tend to be a quiet person because I'm so "on" during the day and writing is a quiet, calming activity for me. I tend to write medium-to-long letters and am always looking for new penpals, both in the USA or international. Right now my reply times are fairly quick, but that can vary. I love hearing about others' cultures, lives, experiences, perspectives, and opinions. The older I get, the more liberal I am, but I'm always okay with corresponding with someone who doesn't share my views. If we can have a respectful conversation by mail, I'm okay if we don't agree with each others' opinions. And the same goes for religion. I'm not a religious person, but if you're a nice person, I respect your views. My letters tend to be chatty and casual, and while I love washi tape and all the other awesome things we can do to pretty up our mail, I'm not always great at the whole mail art thing.

I tend to like crafts (and envelope decorating!) that are quick and easy. I don't have the patience for things like pocket letters and other things that look super-elaborate, but I love watching others create them on YouTube!

I like cooking, and I am learning Spanish, so I watch a lot of YouTube for both those things. My new favorite thing to watch is cooking channels by Mexicans, because I can learn new recipes AND practice my Spanish at the same time.

Things I love: I like to read, mostly contemporary fiction. Sci-fi/fantasy stuff doesn't grab me, I have no patience for romance novels, and horror/crime novels creep me out. Can't think of any favorite authors at the moment, but the most recent books I loved were Americanah and Dear Edward.

I love anything vintage. I love thrifting and animals, and I'm passionate about social justice. Thrift stores/antique stores/estate sales make me happy because I can find things to decorate letters: rubber stamps, old books, vintage stationery, etc. And I have a thing for old cookbooks for some reason. The older and more-loved, the better! I also love writing letters, cooking, and anything related to stationery. Asian and/or kawaii stuff makes me especially happy, but I love it all!

Here are some random things I really, really enjoy:

Fountain pens (broad or stub nib), ink samples

Handmade things!

Gel pens

Animals (anything with fur or feathers)...favorites are bunnies, dogs, and cats

Octopuses (yes, I know they have no fur or feathers but I still love them!)

Stationery supplies (kawaii, vintage, or otherwise!) Gudetama is my favorite Sanrio character. I don't know why. He's just cute!

Books,especially fiction, no romance or horror.

Tea bags in any flavor but especially caffeinated! My favorite tea is Lapsang Souchong. The only tea I don't like is hibiscus. I don't have any allergies.

Pansies and other flowers always make me happy!

Washi tape, stickers, or other things I can use to decorate mail. Sparkly stuff makes me happy. I love glitter in small doses!

Bad puns!

Anything vintage, rustic, antique-themed always makes me smile.

My favorite color is green.

Dislikes: not much! Not a fan of insects (including butterflies!), fairy stuff, sci-fi, Harry Potter, or fine-point pens. And yes, I know I'm one of the only people on earth who's not a Harry Potter person. I don't know why; it's just not my thing.