vahiggs

I am a musician in the DC Metro area who likes everything artistic. Music, art, dancing, writing, you name it. I'm an introvert, so this kind of thing (Swap-bot) is right down my alley. I did this years ago and LOVED IT - especially ATCs and the CD swaps. Looking forward to being involved in this community again, because it's so fun!!!

As a musician, I'm pretty open, but I stop short of gangster rap and contemporary country. Genres, groups and performers I adore include: Pink Martini, Marc Anthony, Annie Lennox, Led Zeppelin, LL Cool J, Foo Fighters, Frank Sinatra, Brandi Carlile, Bajofondo, Boz Scaggs, Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel, Lizz Wright, Alison Krauss, and the list goes on and on. I'm into musical theater, classical music (pre 20th century), neo tango, classic rock and jazz.

I read constantly. The last book I read was Left Neglected (which was for book club, and was really great). Also, Gone Girl (awesome). My favorite books and authors include: Peter Straub, Anne Rice, Shadow of the Wind (if you haven't read, drop everything and pick it up!! NOW!!), The Kite Runner, Outliers and anything by Malcolm Gladwell.

I enjoy movies that make you think, not mindless and predictable plots, sorry - I know it's not a popular opinion. The only romantic comedies that I love include these very few: You've Got Mail, Kate & Leopold (though I'm not a big Meg Ryan fan), Notting Hill, and maybe one or two others. Otherwise, I kind of avoid them.

Otherwise, I'm all about Inception, Memento, The Usual Suspects, horror (of the supernatural rather than the slasher variety), The Godfather (except III). Also fantasy, science fiction, musicals. I'm over Superman (I've paid for enough of those movies), Spiderman, and anything that was a remake from a movie made in the past 25 years...for the most part.

Game of Thrones, Scandal, True Blood, Doctor Who (especially NINE), Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, Will and Grace, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey (swooooooon!).

My favorite craft above all others is the ATC. I don't know what I latched onto that concept, but I love those little pieces of art that we send to each other. I am not concerned with specific materials, either. Doesn't matter. I'm used to paper and stickers, but I've started adding buttons and charms, and have even stuck to freehand drawing with pen or colored pencil.

I usually don't have time to do anything else crafty, but I really enjoy the penpal swaps, the music swaps, and really liked the recent drawing swap.

I'm going to branch out into other areas, but probably not until the spring when I'm not as crazy busy.

Things I love:

Movies (especially old movies - pre-1959)

Doctor Who

Westerns

Science Fiction (Star Wars, Star Trek, you name it)

The color purple, black, red, deep midnight blue

Coffee

France

San Francisco

Latin music (salsa, tango, you name it)

Belly dancing

The mountains

Horror movies

Musicals (stage and film)

Photographs (b/w)

Scrapbooking

Red toe polish

Anything with a "V" in it (since it's so hard to find)

Sleeping

Opera

Started a Smash book - we'll see how that works.