Queer Mail

Name: Kate

Age: 18

Location: England

How do you identify?: Bisexual; strictly speaking I'm female, but I'm very androgynous.  That goes for both characteristics and looks; I'm frequently mistaken for a boy at work despite my nametag!  I don't mind, though.  I think I'd make an alright boy.

Interests/hobbies: Writing.  Writing, writing, writing.  Writing.  Did I mention writing?  I think reading naturally comes alongside that, but for introduction's sake, I'll also openly save that I love reading, too.  I'm starting university for the first time in September - terrified but very excited - and I'll be studying English Literature and Creative Writing against the original wishes of my parents; for saying I'm fairly meek, that says a lot about how much I wanted to do it!  At the risk of sounding boring, I also love roleplaying - both forum-based and over IM.  What else can I say?  I'm a casual gamer and Photoshopper, and I love, love, love films.  This also means I have hefty prejudices against rom-coms.

Favourite books: There are far too many to list them all, so I'll stick to my current top six.  In no particular order, I'll say The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, The Beach by Alex Garland, the unexpectedly brilliant The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, even if it does star a character called 'Katniss', the wonderfully original The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist - the Hollywood adaption of which I am quite honestly dreading, seeing as the Swedish version was so beautiful - and the Harry Potter series - alright, so sue me.  If it's not your cup of tea, don't worry; I promise I won't shove it down your throat.  Similarly, I can't stand Twilight or any related thing, but so long as you're not intending on trying to convert me I won't hold it against you.  Everyone's happy!  I'm currently reading The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst and Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, and am always looking for recommendations.  I've just realised I left out the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I am very aware that I deserve some sort of great pain to make up for this.

Favourite films: Again, this is really hard to condense.  I'll give you another top six - again, it's definitely not comprehensive, and I've probably forgotten something I absolutely adore.  Actually, can I give you a top seven instead?  Fight Club, Milk, Kill Bill, V for Vendetta, Edward Scissorhands, the Matrix trilogy and Loving Annabelle.  My top three recent disappointments have been the Harry Potter films - to which I blow a hideously childish raspberry - Burton's Alice in Wonderland and Slumdog Millionaire, which I still believe is completely overrated compared to the book, which I think is a masterpiece.  I think Danny Boyle swings between genius and madness; I thought 28 Days Later was predictable, uninteresting and tired claptrap and he wasted such a great opportunity with his adaption of The Beach, but then again Trainspotting was so good despite some deviance from the book.

I'm really looking forward to Inception.  Chris Nolan is amazing, and Leonardo di Caprio is one of my favourite actors; if he's pulled this concept off right, I think Inception could be as good as The Matrix.  I don't think I'm alone in allowing my inner child to gleefully anticipate Toy Story 3 and Shrek.  Finally, am I allowed two Do-Not-Wants?  Avatar 2 and Eclipse.  The former should remain as a stand-alone film and forget about profit; the latter just needs to be burned.  Now.

Favourite music: I used to love music a lot more than I do now.  I'm not going to pretend my tastes are indie, because they're obviously not - I worship Gaga - but I don't like most of the stuff I hear on the charts.  I'm at least a little bit more selective than that.  Most of my favourites start with K - Kasabian, the Killers, Katy Perry.  One of my pet hates is when people just say they like The Beatles because they think they have to or because they think it's kitsch to, because I genuinely adore their music - especially the earlier stuff, but I'm not fussy.  What else can I say?  I often use music to inspire my writing, so I also quite like classical music because it's interpretable.  That said, I'm also inspired by Gaga.  Go figure.  I think I should probably have been born in the late forties or late sixties so I could have properly lived through the sixties or the eighties respectively.  My lovely mum tells me my dress sense is very Mary Quant, and I know I'd love the androgyny of the eighties - seeing as music and image are so closely linked, I think I'm allowed to mention that in this section.  Right?

Favourite TV: I'm adding this section because I think it's important for me to be able to mention Doctor Who.  I love it.  The season finale will be airing over here in Blightly very soon, and I'm pretty excited.  I'd call Big Brother a guilty pleasure if I was at all guilty about it - I know most people think it's poppycock now, but I genuinely love it.  I'll take the opportunity to complain about how heartbreaking Shabby/Caoimhe and Mario/Ben are and wave the Mario-shaped winner flag at you just in case you know what I'm talking about.  When Ashes to Ashes finished I cried shamelessly for a very long time - actually, that's one thing you definitely need to know about me.  I'm a crier.  It's not that I'm oversensitive where I'm concerned; it's just that lots of things just seem to break my heart.  You'd be pretty hard-pressed to make me cry by insulting me, but put that picture of the puppy sitting on the road in the rain in front of me and I'll howl.  OK, back on track now.  I love Bones and I'm absolutely obsessed with Miami Ink, though personally I doubt if I'd ever get a tattoo.  They're beautiful and I'm not!  Last but most certainly not least - GLEE.  GLEE.  GLEE.

What would you like to send/receive?: I love snail mail.  It absolutely makes my day getting anything through the post.  If you'd like to get to know each other over IM or e-mail before we swap addresses first, though, that's absolutely fine with me.  I would like it to lead to phsyical letters, though, if at all possible.  I'd love to swap presents - homemade, bought, drawings, love.  Anything.

Who would you like to send and receive mail from?: Anybody!  In the words of Evie from V for Vendetta - I don't know who you are, but I love you.  People who share my interests, of course - I'd love a writing writing buddy.  I'm really not fussy, though; if I sound like the kind of person you wouldn't hate and you're into snail mail too, then I'd love to write to you.  I'd like at least one person to write to very frequently; hopefully even weekly.  Is that too much?  Sorry.  Actually, thinking about it, it'd probably be easiest for both of us to talk if we're similar ages; within a five year radius each side, maybe?  Obviously that's flexible.

What countries would you like to receive mail from and send to?: My first language is English, but I do speak and write German.  I won't say fluently, but I have just finished my A-Level in it - actually, I'd love to be able to keep up the language, so writing to someone in German would be lovely.  I probably wouldn't be able to write back as quickly, though; I'd want to check my grammar!  Anywhere, though, really.  The UK, America, Australia?  I don't mind.  Where do you live?

Anything that you would particularly NOT like to receive?: Nothing, really.  I don't like cheese.

What would be in your dream letter or package?: Love!  Hm.  Actually, I do have an idea - I'd love a little charm for my keyring to remind me of you, especially if we don't live close so we can't meet up.  I'm so easily pleased.  OK, let me think bigger - dream letter.  OK.  Lady Gaga.  Put Lady Gaga in there for me.  Why not?

Anything else you'd like to add?: I always find it hard to describe myself, so I probably haven't come across very well in this, but I hope you're interested in talking to me anyway.  I'm really looking forward to browsing through everybody else to find people to bother!

Picture (optional): There are plenty of pictures on my Facebook page if you're interested, but here's one to give you the basic idea.  I'm pretty baby-faced, I know; I get IDed all the time. ¬¬