Knitty SP4!

I am so excited that the SP4 on Knitty has started. Some people were mentioning that they zipped off their questionnaire at warp speed, and couldn't remember what they wrote. I, on the other hand, noting how long it would be until we were assigned SP's and being ridiculously impatient, had to savor mine. The unfortunate side effect is that I have written a novella. :) Which I have included below, for your edification:

FACTS:
Knittyboard user name: in stitches
Real name: Carolyn
Webpage/blog URL if applicable: http://throughbackloop.blogspot.com
Shipping Preference: (Int'l/US/CAN/UK please specify): US, then Int’l.

KNITTING & FIBERS:
1. What is your current skill level (beginner/adv. beginner/intermediate etc.
etc): intermediate
2. What are your favorite fiber colors? Earth tones, greens, blues, browns. Warm things. Also greys, all shades of grey. I typically really like grey tweedy yarns. I am also a kureyon & silk garden fiend (paradoxically given my feelings about color. I do tend to choose the more… toned down colors.)
3. Are there any fiber colors you absolutely do NOT like? If so which? PINK. Not a big jewel color person. In certain yarns (kureyon, etc.) they are ok, but I /never/ wear them, and prefer earth tones. I also don’t do girly pastels. For instance, Elsebeth Lavold’s Cotton Patine colors are ok- they are not “girly” pastels.
4. What are your favorite fibers? Softer wool. Blends are ok, not a big mohair fan. Anything fluffy makes me sneeze. I do love alpaca as well. I love Lamb’s Pride Worsted & Bulky (single ply wool/mohair blends).
5. Do you have any unwelcome fibers (stuff you just don't need more of or like?) not so crazy about cotton, or cotton blends. The lack of elasticity hurts my hands. I also am not a novelty fiber (eyelash etc.) kind of person.
6. What is your Dream Yarn? Worsted weight, Tweedy wool, soft. Beautiful warm colors. I also really like single plys like Lamb’s Pride, etc.
7. How do you feel about novelty fibers (both the yarns and the items made with them)? Ick. Not a big fan of novelty fibers. Not my style at all. The items made with them are usually /way/ to loud for my sense of style (or lack thereof). (By this I am referring to novelty fibers from the perspective of strange scarf yarns that look like they sprouted something. I am actually intrigued by novelty fibers like soy, banana husk, llama, that sort of thing.)
8. What is the next thing you want to learn (techniques etc.) on the needles? More design stuff. I’d love to do an Aran from scratch of my own design, or spend more time with Elsebeth Lavold-style closed cables, using them in designs in a cool sort of way.
9. What item(s) do you knit the most? Hrm…sweaters I guess. I like hats but look terrible in them. Anything with cables. I love cables & texture pattens.

WANTS & NOTS:
10. Allergies: Do you have any food, fiber, smoke, pet allergies your SP should be aware of? Nothing to speak of…
11. Do you have an Amazon.com or knitpicks.com wishlist you'd like to share with your SP? If so please add the URL:
12. What is on your Cool Stuff Wishlist (knitting or not): Knitting: Debbie Bliss Noro books, Elsebeth Lavold Viking Knitting, a drop spindle & bits of roving to try spinning with, bamboo circs in worsted weight sweater type lengths, cute stitch markers. Non-Knitting: Anything with Lizards on it, travel size toiletries (I travel for work),
13. What about stuff you don't need at all?
14. Do you have hobbies other than knitting (tv, sports, collectibles, fave
things)? Music!! I play bass, clarinet, flute, tenor sax, piano & a bit of guitar. (Ok “playing piano” is being generous. Why oh why didn’t I take lessons at 6 when my parents could have forced me to stick to it? We have a piano, we both pick at it. I can play simple stuff- Fur Elise, etc.) My husband plays guitar, so obviously, we listen to a lot of music (Mostly old school punk & classic rock, but really, all over the map. Favorite Bands: Social Distortion, Mike Ness’ solo stuff, Brian Setzer, The Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, 50s & early 60s stuff like Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, etc. Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, The Clash, many others…Also jazz…I am a big Miles Davis fan, and I love Dave Brubeck. Ella Fitzgerald & Billy Holiday are other good things. Only things I’m not big on are pop type stuff, dance music, rap, etc.) I read a lot. All sorts of stuff. I am a Tolkien freak (have been for many years…still forming an opinion about the movies but they have not been the “reason” for reading the books). I have a fresh-water aquarium. I have an English Bulldog named Jersey who is extremely spoiled. I love all things reptile, and used to do reptile rescue. My DH (who is a big tough former Marine LOL) is terrified of snakes... so no more reptiles for me. I love animals, especially the weird non-cuddly ones!
15. Books you would like (knitting or not): Non-knitting: Psychotic Reactions & Carburetor Dung, by Lester Bangs; On the Road with the Ramones, by Monte Melnick. (I have pretty much all the other books in the vein of these two.) Knitting: Viking Knits, by Elsebeth Lavold. I’m a big Debbie Bliss fan, but don’t have any of her pattern books (not interested in anything concentrating on the cotton blends- I just traded 13 balls of cotton cashmere I bought in an attempt to learn to love cotton.) Any of Alice Starmore’s fisherman stuff. I don’t own any EZ, either, although I’d say I subscribe mostly to her philosophy. The Debbie Bliss Noro books are high on my wish list at the moment as well.
16. For those of you who live outside the US, is there anything you'd like that you can't get your hands on? n/a, but if my SP is international, I’d love to have some things that they feel are emblematic of their home—little bits of foods that would travel & they could send, for example; or recipes, especially. When I moved away from home, it was the food I missed the most!
17. In the event your SP lives outside the US, is there a particular yarn,
etc. you can't find in the US? Nothing I am aware of that I am dying to have…

FAVORITES: Who/What is your favorite...
Chocolate: This is hard! Plain-ish chocolates...Just a good hunk o’quality chocolate. I love chocolate, a lot, so I try not to eat it unless it is the “good stuff.” Not a big hazelnut person. Also not a fan of filled chocolates.
Muppet: Beaker or Animal. Or Janice.
Flower: I have seasonal allergies. Most flowers make me sneeze. Not really a flower person. More a potted plant/herb garden type of person.
Ice Cream flavor: chocolate with peanut butter swirls. There used to be this limited edition Edie’s that was chocolate w/pb swirls & chocolate peanut butter cups. Mmm….
Fragrance: Something greenish, non-flowery, and that doesn’t make me sneeze (most perfumes do).
Shoes to wear: sneakers. Chuck Taylors, specifically. The old ones.
Type of garden: An herb garden, with basil & rosemary, among other treats. I love to eat, and fresh herbs are incredible in any recipe.
Animal: I love animals, so this is almost impossible to answer. The list, in no particular order:
Aldabra Tortise (like a Galapagos Tortise, really big)
My English Bulldog, named Jersey
Naked Mole Rats (I am not making this up, I have an MS in bio & studied under an animal behavior guy. Social Mammals are too cool for words.)
Any Cephalopod (octopus or squid)
Beverage: Pepsi, Beer. The beer list could go one, but includes many micro-brew & import type things. Anchor is a favorite brewery, as is Brooklyn.

RORSCHACH ETC:
19. If you were candy would you be sweet, sour, or cinnamon? Sour. Just to be difficult...
20. If you were a fruit which would you be? A Kiwi. The color is pretty, and no one thinks they will like them the first time they see them, but almost everyone does once they try them.
21. Are you a Java Junkie? No, but I’m a caffeinated soda junkie…
22. Your birthday, in case it falls during the swap and your SP wants to send
you a card: March 29.
23. Do you have a personal mantra?
24. How do you really feel about socks? How do I feel about Wearing them- always important. I am not a sandal person. Feet kind of gross me out. Knitting- I have three socks done. Problem is, all three are from a different pair LOL. Not my favorite project. Not the biggest fan of tiny gauges, dpns or magic loop/two circs, etc. I think it’s mostly the gauge that bugs me though. It seems like they /never/ get done.
25. What is your shoe size? US 9.
26. What kind of music (and/or which artists) do you listen to when you are
happy? Music is definitely not relegated to “happy only” in our house, but see list above. Probably the more up tempo stuff.
27. Rate yourself on a girly/fruh fruh factor from 1 - 10: 2. As in, not girly.
28. What languages do you speak (besides English)? A bit of Spanish, even less Italian.
29. If you could have any "super power" which would it be? The finishing things superpower. The extra patience super power. The always social adept super power.
30. You're given $10,000 for travelling. Where do you go and why?
That’s really hard. I might not go far- maybe do NYC in style! All the restaurants we can’t even dream of affording, etc. I love home, and when you’re from north Jersey, NYC is basically home. Otherwise, South Africa on Safari, or Galapagos? (The animal thing) Or maybe Italy (the food).