Remember Platform 9 3/4????
so two things motivated this post
A. cammie and i recently went to see Mortified a show that is made up of people reading from their old diaries etc. it was hilarious and it made me want to look back at my old LJ entries. i learned that i wasnt funny at all, oh well. in fact it wasnt really that pleasant to re read all of those thing. i really dont remember being that emo or stressed or thinking that i was that cool. it was seriously weird.
but then that made me want to look through other people's posts. so i was looking at cammie's. and i ran across a comment that she made about platform 9 3/4
sooooo i decided to look up my old sorting application.
it took a while but i found it. and reading it was even more weird then reading through my old posts. because those posts where made when i was upset or stressed, part of me knows that they werent a representation of who i really was or what i though all the time. but this questionnaire was supposed to show who i was to strangers so they could sort me.
so i thought that if these questions were was supposed to represent the 17 year old me, then how would the 22 year old me answer then. and how would it be differnet. how have i changed?
sooooo i decided to answer the questions and compare them.
kind of a strange exercise.
The Questions
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
NOW
people need to think about things much more critically. i feel that a lot of people get caught up in fanatical ideas and fear-mongering because they do not critically consider the ideas being presented to them. i think that is people honestly sat down and examined their motivations behind things like racism, homophobia and even war that a lot of people would come to the realization that these are stupid, terrible and destructive ways of thought and action.
THEN
I would defiantly choose to have people take responsibility for their actions and decisions. It is not anyone's fault but your own if you make a bad choice and people need to realize that. If-and-when people accept that the world will be a better place because the people who are screwing up will realize that its their fault and not do it anymore (or at least hypothetically)
What makes a person respectable?
NOW
people that i really respect are the people who are successful at finding balance in their life. people who are able to balance success at work and success at home/social life. i also think that a respectable person is someone who is compassion and thoughtful because i think empathy is essential
THEN
If they stay true to their ideals and the persona they project. I understand absorbing and excepting other peoples ideas and ideals and modifying your ideals with the things you have learned, that is respectable. But when people are unable to makeup their own mind and just listen and agree mindlessly and change themselves according to what other people want, thats when I no longer respect them. There is a difference between being open minded and being a mindless conformist.
What do you look for in a friend?
NOW
the same thing as what makes a person respectable. i think its important to surround yourself with people who you respect. but i think a good friend is someone who can roll with the punches that life gives you and just laugh at the ridiculous things that happen. but also someone who can have a good, deep, meaningful conversation with you. can balance between giving you the tough love you need and a shoulder to cry on.
but these are all ideals. i think a good friend is a kind, fun person who i enjoy being around, they dont have to be perfect they just need to be kind and fun.
THEN
I have problems trusting people so I need someone who is easy to trust, otherwise I will always be reading into their actions and second guessing them. To be a friend you have to be loyal stick by your friends, if someone is unable to do that they are not worthy of being a friend. I need someone who can communicate, have opinions of their own and be able to at least hold a decent conversation, so intelligence is very important I am great at acting like an idiot so in a friend I need someone who can laugh at me (nicely of course) and be an idiot with me and let me laugh at them. Like I said I can be an idiot, sometime I am very stubborn to the point of cruelty, a friend has to be able to forgive my mean-spiritedness, and know that I still love them
What are your hobbies?
NOW
being with friends, listening to music, art, audiobooks. i fell like i am actually really boring
THEN
Reading, mostly works of literary merit but I do enjoy fodder everyone and a while. Drawing, painting, pastels etc. I love art but, I suck at computer art I expect instant gratification with computers and graphic dont do that for me. Having lively discussion and broadening my horizons, like in English it may not be my best subject but I love it for its openness to interpretations and multiple meanings
Have or would you give time and money to a charity?
NOW
yes and yes, to small degrees. giving in the future for me depends on the charity. i think that whichever is most useful is what i would give. i dont feel reticent about giving either money or time as long as those services are truly needed and well used
THEN
I would defiantly give time, I already have (colleges love it), its rewarding and it makes you really think about life and what you have. But I dont know about money I feel like I work really hard to get my money and I dont really like the idea of giving money to people who don't deserve it.
What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?
NOW
i want to be happy and successful. and at this point i think that means getting a good job at a place i like, having good friends and successful relationships all around me
THEN
Well I want to be rich or at least very comfortable, I.e. I want to go to Nordstrums and buy all the pretty shoes I want
Who is your role model?
NOW
i guess my mom. i wouldnt want to be exactly like her because she is very flawed, like all of use. but i admire her introspection and her passion for the people in her life and her work.
THEN
I don't really know, but I have to say I would have to choose my art teacher. She is very intelligent, witty, and extremely good at art. She may not have achieved all I want to monetarily but she handles herself very well and I think she is a good person, if I were to become an art teacher I would like to be like her.
What trait most annoys you about other people?
NOW
cruelty, apathy, thoughtlessness or lack of self reflection. i guess i have a lot of things that i dont like about people.
if i have to choose just one. i would say thoughtlessness, because i think the other ones can be boiled down to simple thoughtlessness
THEN
Just like what I would want to change in the world it really makes me mad when people blame other people for their problems or wont take responsibility for their part in a fight. I am a firm believer in the cliche that It Take Two To Tango and if someone wont take their part in an argument because it will never be solved unless both parties try to solve it.
What do you want to do for a living?
NOW
be a lawyer, probably family law or something where i get to work with people on a similar level. i am also interested in property law or personal injury.
i know that these are types of law that entail dealing with people at their worst but i think its also the most helpful and humane types of law. and also interesting. i hope
THEN
A lawyer, I find the concepts behind law, government, politics, and history extremely interesting, my brain just works with it. And I love to discuss things and make my case, or argue, whichever one come up first.
If your friend was attacked (by a person, animal, or (in the magic world) beast), what would you do?
NOW
i think i would try to find something to hit the animal with, or try to kick the animal. i also think i would scream.
THEN
I would like to think I would kick the animal and scream, but I think in reality, I would probably stand there in shock for a couple of seconds then throw stuff and call for help. Sadly, I am really not very brave so I dont really know how the adrenaline of that situation would affect me.
Would you ever use an Unforgivable Curse for any reason?
NOW
In my opinion i thin "using an unforgivable curse" is a lot like asking me how i feel about the death penalty or murder. and i am very conflicted about this. i dont really believe that people have the right to decide when another human being lives or dies. but i also believe that there are some people who are truly terrible and do not deserve to live or truly deserve to be punished
but i dont think that I could ever kill someone. i think a product of my ambivalence on the whole issue of killing someone means that it is something that i could ever do
THEN
I think so, people really suck sometimes and need to be punished or gotten ride of, some things are just not fixable and the world needs to be ride of them. I know its harsh but, thats life, not all people are good.
What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
NOW
(1) compassion (2) thoughtfulness (3) intelligence (4) creativity (5) friendliness
THEN
My intelligence, I take pride in the fact I can understand most things and hold an intelligent conversation. I am pretty open minded, I like to listen to other people's opinion and I know I can learn things from other people even if I dont agree or don't really understand their motives. My artistic ability, I can render almost anything from a picture and I am learning more and more about art and advancing my talents. I am articulate, I love to talk and I am usually able to communicate my ideas pretty well (mostly in real life, sometime I have problems typing them out). I am ambitious, I want to be the best I can be and I know that I can do almost anything as long as I put my mind to it.
What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities?
NOW
(1) social anxiety (2) procrastination (3) self control (4) jealousy (5) self esteem problems
THEN
I am very stubborn, once I get something stuck in my mind I hate having someone tell my that I am wrong and I fight being wrong as much as possible. I expect people to read my mind, and I get frustrated easily when, obviously, people do not. I am not very trusting, I always second guess people and have a hard time believing people when they tell me things that affect me directly. I have a very short temper, when something annoys me a little I am liable to blow up, even if it a very inconsequential thing. Intolerance for certain things, especially people who dont use their potential or are just plain dont think.
Define in your own words the following key traits:
Courage:
NOW
the ability know what the right thing to do is and to do it, even when its hard
THEN
To strength of mind to not be swayed in your goals and beliefs
Loyalty:
NOW
standing by someone or something when its difficult, frustrating or not in your own best interest
THEN
The caring and strength to stay by people and ideas you care about no matter what
Intelligence:
NOW
the ability to use your brain, whether that be to think through problems, to make the right decision, to be introspective, or to do well in classes
THEN
The ability to take in information and process it correctly.
Ambition:
NOW
the desire to do well and the passion to do what it takes to do that thing
THEN
The drive to achieve your goals
A. cammie and i recently went to see Mortified a show that is made up of people reading from their old diaries etc. it was hilarious and it made me want to look back at my old LJ entries. i learned that i wasnt funny at all, oh well. in fact it wasnt really that pleasant to re read all of those thing. i really dont remember being that emo or stressed or thinking that i was that cool. it was seriously weird.
but then that made me want to look through other people's posts. so i was looking at cammie's. and i ran across a comment that she made about platform 9 3/4
sooooo i decided to look up my old sorting application.
it took a while but i found it. and reading it was even more weird then reading through my old posts. because those posts where made when i was upset or stressed, part of me knows that they werent a representation of who i really was or what i though all the time. but this questionnaire was supposed to show who i was to strangers so they could sort me.
so i thought that if these questions were was supposed to represent the 17 year old me, then how would the 22 year old me answer then. and how would it be differnet. how have i changed?
sooooo i decided to answer the questions and compare them.
kind of a strange exercise.
The Questions
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
NOW
people need to think about things much more critically. i feel that a lot of people get caught up in fanatical ideas and fear-mongering because they do not critically consider the ideas being presented to them. i think that is people honestly sat down and examined their motivations behind things like racism, homophobia and even war that a lot of people would come to the realization that these are stupid, terrible and destructive ways of thought and action.
THEN
I would defiantly choose to have people take responsibility for their actions and decisions. It is not anyone's fault but your own if you make a bad choice and people need to realize that. If-and-when people accept that the world will be a better place because the people who are screwing up will realize that its their fault and not do it anymore (or at least hypothetically)
What makes a person respectable?
NOW
people that i really respect are the people who are successful at finding balance in their life. people who are able to balance success at work and success at home/social life. i also think that a respectable person is someone who is compassion and thoughtful because i think empathy is essential
THEN
If they stay true to their ideals and the persona they project. I understand absorbing and excepting other peoples ideas and ideals and modifying your ideals with the things you have learned, that is respectable. But when people are unable to makeup their own mind and just listen and agree mindlessly and change themselves according to what other people want, thats when I no longer respect them. There is a difference between being open minded and being a mindless conformist.
What do you look for in a friend?
NOW
the same thing as what makes a person respectable. i think its important to surround yourself with people who you respect. but i think a good friend is someone who can roll with the punches that life gives you and just laugh at the ridiculous things that happen. but also someone who can have a good, deep, meaningful conversation with you. can balance between giving you the tough love you need and a shoulder to cry on.
but these are all ideals. i think a good friend is a kind, fun person who i enjoy being around, they dont have to be perfect they just need to be kind and fun.
THEN
I have problems trusting people so I need someone who is easy to trust, otherwise I will always be reading into their actions and second guessing them. To be a friend you have to be loyal stick by your friends, if someone is unable to do that they are not worthy of being a friend. I need someone who can communicate, have opinions of their own and be able to at least hold a decent conversation, so intelligence is very important I am great at acting like an idiot so in a friend I need someone who can laugh at me (nicely of course) and be an idiot with me and let me laugh at them. Like I said I can be an idiot, sometime I am very stubborn to the point of cruelty, a friend has to be able to forgive my mean-spiritedness, and know that I still love them
What are your hobbies?
NOW
being with friends, listening to music, art, audiobooks. i fell like i am actually really boring
THEN
Reading, mostly works of literary merit but I do enjoy fodder everyone and a while. Drawing, painting, pastels etc. I love art but, I suck at computer art I expect instant gratification with computers and graphic dont do that for me. Having lively discussion and broadening my horizons, like in English it may not be my best subject but I love it for its openness to interpretations and multiple meanings
Have or would you give time and money to a charity?
NOW
yes and yes, to small degrees. giving in the future for me depends on the charity. i think that whichever is most useful is what i would give. i dont feel reticent about giving either money or time as long as those services are truly needed and well used
THEN
I would defiantly give time, I already have (colleges love it), its rewarding and it makes you really think about life and what you have. But I dont know about money I feel like I work really hard to get my money and I dont really like the idea of giving money to people who don't deserve it.
What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?
NOW
i want to be happy and successful. and at this point i think that means getting a good job at a place i like, having good friends and successful relationships all around me
THEN
Well I want to be rich or at least very comfortable, I.e. I want to go to Nordstrums and buy all the pretty shoes I want
Who is your role model?
NOW
i guess my mom. i wouldnt want to be exactly like her because she is very flawed, like all of use. but i admire her introspection and her passion for the people in her life and her work.
THEN
I don't really know, but I have to say I would have to choose my art teacher. She is very intelligent, witty, and extremely good at art. She may not have achieved all I want to monetarily but she handles herself very well and I think she is a good person, if I were to become an art teacher I would like to be like her.
What trait most annoys you about other people?
NOW
cruelty, apathy, thoughtlessness or lack of self reflection. i guess i have a lot of things that i dont like about people.
if i have to choose just one. i would say thoughtlessness, because i think the other ones can be boiled down to simple thoughtlessness
THEN
Just like what I would want to change in the world it really makes me mad when people blame other people for their problems or wont take responsibility for their part in a fight. I am a firm believer in the cliche that It Take Two To Tango and if someone wont take their part in an argument because it will never be solved unless both parties try to solve it.
What do you want to do for a living?
NOW
be a lawyer, probably family law or something where i get to work with people on a similar level. i am also interested in property law or personal injury.
i know that these are types of law that entail dealing with people at their worst but i think its also the most helpful and humane types of law. and also interesting. i hope
THEN
A lawyer, I find the concepts behind law, government, politics, and history extremely interesting, my brain just works with it. And I love to discuss things and make my case, or argue, whichever one come up first.
If your friend was attacked (by a person, animal, or (in the magic world) beast), what would you do?
NOW
i think i would try to find something to hit the animal with, or try to kick the animal. i also think i would scream.
THEN
I would like to think I would kick the animal and scream, but I think in reality, I would probably stand there in shock for a couple of seconds then throw stuff and call for help. Sadly, I am really not very brave so I dont really know how the adrenaline of that situation would affect me.
Would you ever use an Unforgivable Curse for any reason?
NOW
In my opinion i thin "using an unforgivable curse" is a lot like asking me how i feel about the death penalty or murder. and i am very conflicted about this. i dont really believe that people have the right to decide when another human being lives or dies. but i also believe that there are some people who are truly terrible and do not deserve to live or truly deserve to be punished
but i dont think that I could ever kill someone. i think a product of my ambivalence on the whole issue of killing someone means that it is something that i could ever do
THEN
I think so, people really suck sometimes and need to be punished or gotten ride of, some things are just not fixable and the world needs to be ride of them. I know its harsh but, thats life, not all people are good.
What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
NOW
(1) compassion (2) thoughtfulness (3) intelligence (4) creativity (5) friendliness
THEN
My intelligence, I take pride in the fact I can understand most things and hold an intelligent conversation. I am pretty open minded, I like to listen to other people's opinion and I know I can learn things from other people even if I dont agree or don't really understand their motives. My artistic ability, I can render almost anything from a picture and I am learning more and more about art and advancing my talents. I am articulate, I love to talk and I am usually able to communicate my ideas pretty well (mostly in real life, sometime I have problems typing them out). I am ambitious, I want to be the best I can be and I know that I can do almost anything as long as I put my mind to it.
What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities?
NOW
(1) social anxiety (2) procrastination (3) self control (4) jealousy (5) self esteem problems
THEN
I am very stubborn, once I get something stuck in my mind I hate having someone tell my that I am wrong and I fight being wrong as much as possible. I expect people to read my mind, and I get frustrated easily when, obviously, people do not. I am not very trusting, I always second guess people and have a hard time believing people when they tell me things that affect me directly. I have a very short temper, when something annoys me a little I am liable to blow up, even if it a very inconsequential thing. Intolerance for certain things, especially people who dont use their potential or are just plain dont think.
Define in your own words the following key traits:
Courage:
NOW
the ability know what the right thing to do is and to do it, even when its hard
THEN
To strength of mind to not be swayed in your goals and beliefs
Loyalty:
NOW
standing by someone or something when its difficult, frustrating or not in your own best interest
THEN
The caring and strength to stay by people and ideas you care about no matter what
Intelligence:
NOW
the ability to use your brain, whether that be to think through problems, to make the right decision, to be introspective, or to do well in classes
THEN
The ability to take in information and process it correctly.
Ambition:
NOW
the desire to do well and the passion to do what it takes to do that thing
THEN
The drive to achieve your goals