Mixing up a Loss of Substance potion, not a Loss of Inhibition potion...
Name: John
Age: 23
AIM Screename ( if you have one ): ravenshrinkery
Who referred you here - username and house, if possible:
widars_hallen - Slytherpuff, cheshire23, Gryffinpuff, realdartagnan, Ravenpuff. Gotta be fair and spread the Hufflepuffin' love :).
1. Which of the Harry Potter books have you read? Which did you enjoy most?
My knowledge of the books is based on biased Amazon.com reviews, lots of time spent reading Fiction Alley Park, and trolling various Livejournal communities. Actually picking up a physical book? Who does that anymore? ;).
Yes, I've read the books, and I always snark that question when I apply to a sorting community :). OotP is my favorite book of the series as it shows a great deal of development of the wizarding world and the characters, especially Harry. There is a sense of reality in human nature present that brings the fantasy setting home far more so than any other book - people are doing very nasty things to each other, sometimes with what they think are good intentions, and sometimes for outright evil. This book also brought out the turning point of Harry realizing that he alone was going to have to save the wizarding world, complete with the understanding of what a burden that would be, as opposed to simply head knowledge.
2. How do you feel about Voldemort as a character? (Not as a person.)
Voldemort is somewhat classical as villains go; afraid of death, has a large number of followers, and preys on the fear of others. He is certainly powerful enough to be extremely dangerous, but in all honesty isn't the most original evil wizard. He represents in canon the sort of character that rose to power through opportunity, as there were many opportunities where he could have been crushed had the powers that be paid attention. Parallels in fiction and history are too numerous to mention. For a series as strong as HP, this is perhaps one of its most glaring weaknesses; JKR could have written a much more diabolical fiend.
3. Which Harry Potter character can you most relate to? (In the sense of personality, intelligence, character traits, etc.)
Lately I've been relating to Hermione to an excessive degree. Since the start of my semester I've been dealing with no small amount of idiots in my classes that have made me want to crack the textbooks over their heads, while at the same time I've been feeling starved for intelligent conversation. I will not gladly suffer fools and yet hold myself to extremely high standards and become disappointed when I get so much as an A- on something. It frustrates those around me to no end, especially my wife (cheshire23). This is carrying over into things such as Dance Dance Revolution, especially when I obsess over getting perfect scores on dances and insist on redoing them until I get them perfect.
4. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Least favorite?
Favorite. McGonagall. Dobby. Oh, wait. I have to choose. Well, crap. Fine. McGonagall it is. She won ever since she told Peeves "It unscrews the other way." She is another that will not gladly suffer fools, even if the fools are in charge. She epitomizes mutual respect and offers it gladly and doesn't revoke it unless it is broken first by the other person. Oh yeah, and sitting down with Neville and having a few choice words for his grandmother was priceless.
Least favorite. I'm breaking with my usual choices and going with Rufus Scrimgeour. Politicians are cut from the same cloth, one might say. Harry did a very honorable thing to stand up to him. But while Fudge was trying to preserve his own hold on power and failed miserably, this person has no excuse, and yet acted like a traditional politician anyway. Every last Auror to be spared should be on Voldemort's tail by now and those who aren't should be defending Hogwarts - but guess what's not happening by the end of HBP.
5. What thing, event, or person has had the most impact in your life? (Please don't use yourself because you can't think of someone/something else. Think hard!)
I hope my response to this is within the spirit of the question. I'm still coming to terms with this, so please bear with me.
In the fall of 2005 I had a severe emotional breakdown that landed me in the hospital. I almost threw myself into a river and down a hydroelectric dam. It cost me a semester of school and I spent several weeks in a partial hospitalization program sorting things out, determining what I needed in terms of medication, and figuring out a plan for living going forward. Not to mention the trials it put everyone around me through that worried about what I was going through. I'd never wish this upon anyone.
Nonetheless I am stronger. Coming that close makes a person realize just how much they really do have to live for. My family needs me as does everyone that I touch and will touch. Even now, by having shared this story with all of you that have now read this, I've touched all of you. If it was ever in doubt for you, hopefully now you don't have to go where I did to have this wisdom - it's really not pleasant.
6. What makes a friendship valuable to you?
The trust element is by far the most valuable component. I need friends that I can rely on and will be there when I'm in a bind, but part of being a good friend is not getting into binds. Overly testing a friendship can be dangerous. There is also a Pagan saying of Norse origin: "Give your word sparingly and adhere to it like iron." Good words to live by, especially if you would like your friendships to last. I don't seek many friends, but I want those I have to count.
7. If you had a hero (real or literary) who would it be? (Please keep in mind that we're asking IF you had one, and again please don't use yourself because you can't think of someone else. Be creative!)
My hero comes from a song - "Tom Sawyer", written by Rush. I often find myself playing the song or singing this to myself when I'm looking for inspiration. Mind you, this Tom Sawyer has nothing to do with the Mark Twain Tom Sawyer, although I do seem to find just about as much trouble *snicker*. I am simply determined, although I will keep my head about it. Soapboxes just aren't my style - it's like being the long neck when the farmer comes to pick the Thanksgiving turkey. People don't want to listen to soapbox preachers either.
Heh, I just now realized I've been writing this application in a Rush shirt!
8. What are your personal aspirations for your future?
I am approaching a fork in my education that is going to determine my exact course. I am a student of accounting and eventually hope to end up in academia in one form or another. Its priority is going to depend on the fork I choose. The paths are as follows:
Accounting as a CPA: I could see myself practicing for a few years and then focus on training accountants.
Forensic Accounting: Again, practicing for a few years, but then going on to a research university and coming up with ways to catch corporate fraud
Economic Crime: Similar to Forensic Accounting but less practice of accounting and more research.
Accounting with Philosophy and continuing onto Law School: The most ambitious route, the most debt, but perhaps the highest reward. Again, I'd rather teach and research once I've done some practical time in the field.
Beyond my professional goals, I want my family to prosper. It's quite simple and doesn't need much more elaboration than that.
9. Name 5 to 10 of your most prominent personality traits, good or bad. Explain each. Which one do you feel best defines who you are as a person?
Honor - We must honor ourselves, our friends, and that which we consider sacred. To live a life without this is to live a life without meaning. Any other pursuit, be it for knowledge, for the relief of our fellow person, or for our own gain, is pointless without this.
Dedication - Sometimes this comes across as a head full of steam. When it happens at its best, I can channel this to single-handedly change the nature of a situation through sheer determination. It's absolutely great. There's nothing like it - a force to be reckoned with.
Compassion - I hold myself to rigorous standards. However, others are absolutely free to live their lives to whatever moral codes they wish to lead their lives towards subject only to some very baseline standards. Essentially, I believe that others’ freedom ends where my freedom begins, and vice versa. This is the root of compassion because we must not restrict others to live life first before we can care about making the life of others better.
Humor - We can't always win at life. It's humor that allows us to accept what we get - to take the victories and defeats with grace. I’ve had to work a lot on giving and taking this appropriately. Humor is the spice of life that I think makes life worth living. Why have humor? I think the better question is why not?
Impatience - I have a favorite saying: “Patience belong in a hospital”. I’m sure the healers at St. Mungo’s would not approve. Also, “Patience is a virtue. I’m not virtuous.” This vice needs to disappear real soon now.
Laziness - Procrastination may always be my bane. It is also the one trait I would like to shake more than any other. Sometimes I get caught sitting on my computer not doing anything useful, even for myself. That needs to go.
Anger - I've had to learn a lot about how to manage my anger more effectively since I went in the hospital. I'm doing better, but it's still something I have to be careful about. I internalize a lot. It's not that I express it inappropriately, it's that it eats away at me. It does a lot of damage to me. I can't have this. It makes me think I feel like Harry must feel sometimes.
10. What house combination do you feel you're most like? Least like? (This is not pushing. It shows whether or not you are self-aware and may not have an influence on the voting process.)
There's no getting the Gryffinpuff out of me, is there? I aspire to be less Gryffindor and more Ravenclaw because of how much the former tends to bite me in the rear and the latter tends to direct my work into more useful endeavors. However, that Gryffindor is the fire that burns bright in me. It's my spark of character that I think makes me interesting and makes me want to seek out the best in everyone and in the world. I'm convinced that it is the spirit of Gryffindor that brings out the hero and the fool in people and I would never give that up - either way. In terms of being a Hufflepuff, I simply put my nose to the grindstone until things get done - that flame will NOT be put out. And nobody said my flame had to light the Olympic torch. I often work better lighting the torch of a wayfarer crossing an often traveled path or being a chalice candle that inspires wisdom.
I am least like a Slytherdor. I see Slytherin as a house where the ends justify the means and that absolutely contradicts my way of thinking. I also refuse to uphold traditions that are not useful and constantly question my philosophy in search of better ones. I don't see that there. As far as the Gryffindor part, see above.
11. Why should we not squib you?
I solemnly swear I am up to no good. Besides, I'm sure realdartagnan would appreciate some male company. OTP? Nah :).
"I would not like some Draco/Ron, tell them to put their clothes back on." - Minerva McTabby :).
Age: 23
AIM Screename ( if you have one ): ravenshrinkery
Who referred you here - username and house, if possible:
widars_hallen - Slytherpuff, cheshire23, Gryffinpuff, realdartagnan, Ravenpuff. Gotta be fair and spread the Hufflepuffin' love :).
1. Which of the Harry Potter books have you read? Which did you enjoy most?
My knowledge of the books is based on biased Amazon.com reviews, lots of time spent reading Fiction Alley Park, and trolling various Livejournal communities. Actually picking up a physical book? Who does that anymore? ;).
Yes, I've read the books, and I always snark that question when I apply to a sorting community :). OotP is my favorite book of the series as it shows a great deal of development of the wizarding world and the characters, especially Harry. There is a sense of reality in human nature present that brings the fantasy setting home far more so than any other book - people are doing very nasty things to each other, sometimes with what they think are good intentions, and sometimes for outright evil. This book also brought out the turning point of Harry realizing that he alone was going to have to save the wizarding world, complete with the understanding of what a burden that would be, as opposed to simply head knowledge.
2. How do you feel about Voldemort as a character? (Not as a person.)
Voldemort is somewhat classical as villains go; afraid of death, has a large number of followers, and preys on the fear of others. He is certainly powerful enough to be extremely dangerous, but in all honesty isn't the most original evil wizard. He represents in canon the sort of character that rose to power through opportunity, as there were many opportunities where he could have been crushed had the powers that be paid attention. Parallels in fiction and history are too numerous to mention. For a series as strong as HP, this is perhaps one of its most glaring weaknesses; JKR could have written a much more diabolical fiend.
3. Which Harry Potter character can you most relate to? (In the sense of personality, intelligence, character traits, etc.)
Lately I've been relating to Hermione to an excessive degree. Since the start of my semester I've been dealing with no small amount of idiots in my classes that have made me want to crack the textbooks over their heads, while at the same time I've been feeling starved for intelligent conversation. I will not gladly suffer fools and yet hold myself to extremely high standards and become disappointed when I get so much as an A- on something. It frustrates those around me to no end, especially my wife (cheshire23). This is carrying over into things such as Dance Dance Revolution, especially when I obsess over getting perfect scores on dances and insist on redoing them until I get them perfect.
4. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Least favorite?
Favorite. McGonagall. Dobby. Oh, wait. I have to choose. Well, crap. Fine. McGonagall it is. She won ever since she told Peeves "It unscrews the other way." She is another that will not gladly suffer fools, even if the fools are in charge. She epitomizes mutual respect and offers it gladly and doesn't revoke it unless it is broken first by the other person. Oh yeah, and sitting down with Neville and having a few choice words for his grandmother was priceless.
Least favorite. I'm breaking with my usual choices and going with Rufus Scrimgeour. Politicians are cut from the same cloth, one might say. Harry did a very honorable thing to stand up to him. But while Fudge was trying to preserve his own hold on power and failed miserably, this person has no excuse, and yet acted like a traditional politician anyway. Every last Auror to be spared should be on Voldemort's tail by now and those who aren't should be defending Hogwarts - but guess what's not happening by the end of HBP.
5. What thing, event, or person has had the most impact in your life? (Please don't use yourself because you can't think of someone/something else. Think hard!)
I hope my response to this is within the spirit of the question. I'm still coming to terms with this, so please bear with me.
In the fall of 2005 I had a severe emotional breakdown that landed me in the hospital. I almost threw myself into a river and down a hydroelectric dam. It cost me a semester of school and I spent several weeks in a partial hospitalization program sorting things out, determining what I needed in terms of medication, and figuring out a plan for living going forward. Not to mention the trials it put everyone around me through that worried about what I was going through. I'd never wish this upon anyone.
Nonetheless I am stronger. Coming that close makes a person realize just how much they really do have to live for. My family needs me as does everyone that I touch and will touch. Even now, by having shared this story with all of you that have now read this, I've touched all of you. If it was ever in doubt for you, hopefully now you don't have to go where I did to have this wisdom - it's really not pleasant.
6. What makes a friendship valuable to you?
The trust element is by far the most valuable component. I need friends that I can rely on and will be there when I'm in a bind, but part of being a good friend is not getting into binds. Overly testing a friendship can be dangerous. There is also a Pagan saying of Norse origin: "Give your word sparingly and adhere to it like iron." Good words to live by, especially if you would like your friendships to last. I don't seek many friends, but I want those I have to count.
7. If you had a hero (real or literary) who would it be? (Please keep in mind that we're asking IF you had one, and again please don't use yourself because you can't think of someone else. Be creative!)
My hero comes from a song - "Tom Sawyer", written by Rush. I often find myself playing the song or singing this to myself when I'm looking for inspiration. Mind you, this Tom Sawyer has nothing to do with the Mark Twain Tom Sawyer, although I do seem to find just about as much trouble *snicker*. I am simply determined, although I will keep my head about it. Soapboxes just aren't my style - it's like being the long neck when the farmer comes to pick the Thanksgiving turkey. People don't want to listen to soapbox preachers either.
Heh, I just now realized I've been writing this application in a Rush shirt!
8. What are your personal aspirations for your future?
I am approaching a fork in my education that is going to determine my exact course. I am a student of accounting and eventually hope to end up in academia in one form or another. Its priority is going to depend on the fork I choose. The paths are as follows:
Accounting as a CPA: I could see myself practicing for a few years and then focus on training accountants.
Forensic Accounting: Again, practicing for a few years, but then going on to a research university and coming up with ways to catch corporate fraud
Economic Crime: Similar to Forensic Accounting but less practice of accounting and more research.
Accounting with Philosophy and continuing onto Law School: The most ambitious route, the most debt, but perhaps the highest reward. Again, I'd rather teach and research once I've done some practical time in the field.
Beyond my professional goals, I want my family to prosper. It's quite simple and doesn't need much more elaboration than that.
9. Name 5 to 10 of your most prominent personality traits, good or bad. Explain each. Which one do you feel best defines who you are as a person?
Honor - We must honor ourselves, our friends, and that which we consider sacred. To live a life without this is to live a life without meaning. Any other pursuit, be it for knowledge, for the relief of our fellow person, or for our own gain, is pointless without this.
Dedication - Sometimes this comes across as a head full of steam. When it happens at its best, I can channel this to single-handedly change the nature of a situation through sheer determination. It's absolutely great. There's nothing like it - a force to be reckoned with.
Compassion - I hold myself to rigorous standards. However, others are absolutely free to live their lives to whatever moral codes they wish to lead their lives towards subject only to some very baseline standards. Essentially, I believe that others’ freedom ends where my freedom begins, and vice versa. This is the root of compassion because we must not restrict others to live life first before we can care about making the life of others better.
Humor - We can't always win at life. It's humor that allows us to accept what we get - to take the victories and defeats with grace. I’ve had to work a lot on giving and taking this appropriately. Humor is the spice of life that I think makes life worth living. Why have humor? I think the better question is why not?
Impatience - I have a favorite saying: “Patience belong in a hospital”. I’m sure the healers at St. Mungo’s would not approve. Also, “Patience is a virtue. I’m not virtuous.” This vice needs to disappear real soon now.
Laziness - Procrastination may always be my bane. It is also the one trait I would like to shake more than any other. Sometimes I get caught sitting on my computer not doing anything useful, even for myself. That needs to go.
Anger - I've had to learn a lot about how to manage my anger more effectively since I went in the hospital. I'm doing better, but it's still something I have to be careful about. I internalize a lot. It's not that I express it inappropriately, it's that it eats away at me. It does a lot of damage to me. I can't have this. It makes me think I feel like Harry must feel sometimes.
10. What house combination do you feel you're most like? Least like? (This is not pushing. It shows whether or not you are self-aware and may not have an influence on the voting process.)
There's no getting the Gryffinpuff out of me, is there? I aspire to be less Gryffindor and more Ravenclaw because of how much the former tends to bite me in the rear and the latter tends to direct my work into more useful endeavors. However, that Gryffindor is the fire that burns bright in me. It's my spark of character that I think makes me interesting and makes me want to seek out the best in everyone and in the world. I'm convinced that it is the spirit of Gryffindor that brings out the hero and the fool in people and I would never give that up - either way. In terms of being a Hufflepuff, I simply put my nose to the grindstone until things get done - that flame will NOT be put out. And nobody said my flame had to light the Olympic torch. I often work better lighting the torch of a wayfarer crossing an often traveled path or being a chalice candle that inspires wisdom.
I am least like a Slytherdor. I see Slytherin as a house where the ends justify the means and that absolutely contradicts my way of thinking. I also refuse to uphold traditions that are not useful and constantly question my philosophy in search of better ones. I don't see that there. As far as the Gryffindor part, see above.
11. Why should we not squib you?
I solemnly swear I am up to no good. Besides, I'm sure realdartagnan would appreciate some male company. OTP? Nah :).
"I would not like some Draco/Ron, tell them to put their clothes back on." - Minerva McTabby :).