Re-submission
I think I'd like something creative; surely even wizards enjoy plays and novels, and someone needs to write them! (Too bad that magic interferes with the workings of TV and film.) I've always enjoyed writing, and though I'm reasonably good at a lot of things, I feel that writing is the only thing I'm truly good at, that is worth pursuing. Just for fun, I'd also consider being a wandmaker. You'd get to incorporate the analytic nature of combining the most effective elements (wood, core, etc.), with the art of making a beautiful object.
It's a tossup between History of Magic and Ancient Runes. I think I could make History of Magic more entertaining than Professor Binns does, but I also love linguistics. I hate getting dirty or smelly (so there goes Potions, Herbology, and Care of Magical Animals!); I'd rather be comfortable inside with a bunch of books.
No. I'm more of a behind-the-scenes person. I'd rather help my school's champion focus and get prepared for their tasks. Act as their manager or coach, if you will. I'm very competitive, but if I'm not the best person for the job, I'll admit it. Though I'd like the glory myself, if someone has a better chance of winning, I'd rather align myself with them. Then people would at least recognize that I was partially responsible for their win. It's better to be a part of a winning team than to lose by yourself.
I know this isn't very creative, but a cat. They're stealthy, small, and are commonplace creatures. I could see myself using my Animagus form mostly as a disguise, so those characteristics would suit my purposes. I'm not sure what I'd need a disguise for; maybe to hide if I were in danger, maybe to do a bit of spying if I needed to. I don't know if I would register with the Ministry (which is illegal, I know), and I certainly wouldn't reveal my other form to anyone except a very trusted few. A disguise wouldn't be very effective if everyone knew what to look for.
Hermione. I come off as a know-it-all myself because I correct people when they're wrong, or sometimes show off just how much I know about a subject. I don't mean it to be mean or put other people down, but I just can't stand wrongness. I hate it when I'm wrong, and I hate it when other people are wrong. I feel like I just can't let people go on citing incorrect facts or holding onto disproven theories. Some of my beliefs are very subjective (like my politics), and I know that, but that doesn't make them any less right in my mind. I feel that Hermione's a know-it-all in the same, just-trying-to-be-helpful way.
People discussing how brilliant my latest work was. Whether it was an article or essay, play or script, or a successful business venture, people would admire me for it. I don't need to be famous, or rich, but what I'd like most is to be respected.
A comfy cottage with a small, comfortable room for me to hole up and write, as well as a large, inviting kitchen and living room. I'd want the writing room to be a place where I can be alone and concentrate. The rest of the house would be warm and relaxed, so that I could invite friends over for dinner and drinks. The rest of the money would be carefully planned out so that I could get away without working for as long as I could.
I used to want to be an actress, but then I realized that A) I have no talent, and B) I'd rather be behind the scenes. I'm just not cut out for celebrity, and everyone wants to be an actress anyway. But most people don't realize that an actress needs a lot people working with her to become a star. She needs an agent, a manager, she needs to pick the right projects, go to the right events, and get nominated for the right awards. Right now I'd like to be a part of the "pick the right projects" part. I'd like to be a TV or film writer, or work in development. I'm also open to talent management.
A potion to help you concentrate. It would make you super-focused and ready to work, and it would fight off procrastination and distraction. It wouldn't do the work for you, but it would put you in a place where you could do it yourself. It'd be "Finishitium". It could be used to get your studying done, your chores, even going to the gym! Anything you've been putting off, this can help you "finish it."
A zombie. I've seen too many zombie movies, and they scare the crap out of me. It's so disturbing to so something that used to be human turned into something so unthinking and inhuman. Using "Riddikulus" would turn into Bernie from Weekend at Bernie's II: a goofy, harmless animated corpse, dancing with a ridiculous smile on its face. That movie was so cheesy, and Bernie certainly didn't want to eat anyone's brains.
A sense of humor and intelligence. They'd have to be able to not only discuss current events, but make jokes about them as well. (Basically, I want to watch The Daily Show and crack up together!) I need someone on my level; I don't want to have to stop a conversation and explain something to someone who doesn't get it. They have to be quick and able to keep up. But I'm not all serious! I like to joke around and be silly too. But I like my friends to have smart senses of humor. No Jackass fans for me.
People who are ignorant and are either proud of it or don't care. The starlets and celebutants who play up their ditzy images make me angry, because it sets the example that you can be famous and successful for the wrong reasons. It makes the people who look up to them stop thinking and instead dye their hair blond or go shopping. It dumbs-down society. Then there are the people who cling to prejudiced, small-minded beliefs solely because it's what they've always thought. Like the people who think that America is the best country in the world even though they've never left their state, or people who think that gays want to rape their children, even though they've never met a gay person. If someone's like that, but makes the effort to explore the world and meet new people to expand their views, it doesn't make me angry. But if someone's like that, and doesn't want to even try to step out of their comfy little box, that pisses me off.
- I'm always trying to learn something new. Whether it's taking one a new language or just keeping up with current events, I like to know as much as I can about the world around me. It makes me feel prepared; I feel that one day that knowledge might come in handy, no matter how trivial it seems.
- I'm a perfectionist. I like being the best I can be, in every way possible. I try to make the effort, so that even if I fail, it won't be for lack of trying. I think people are more forgiving if you at least try.
- I'm easygoing with other people. Though I'm a perfectionist with myself, I don't expect that from others. And though I like to play the part of leader, I take the "you attract more flies with honey than vinegar" approach. I hate being mean!
- I'm even-tempered. I can control my emotions. It takes a lot to get me upset or throw me off guard. I'm not very dramatic! Even if I feel a certain way about something, I try to push it down so that my brain can make the rational decision.
- I have an artistic eye. I try to appreciate beautiful things, and surround myself with them. I like doing little creative projects of my own, and I also like absorbing other people's work. I like to make my environments comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, so I try to add a personal touch anywhere I can.
- I'm shy and a little socially awkward. Sometimes I feel like I can't relate to other people, and I just can't force myself to be friendly to someone I don't like. If I can't think of something to say, I'd rather sit in silence than have to tell a white lie and say that I like your outfit. I can't bullshit or suck up to anyone. I come off as cold at first, but I really don't mean to. I warm up once I relax a little bit, but it might take a while.
- Sometimes I can't stand up for myself. If someone yells at me, I'd rather take the path of least resistance and not say anything instead of defending myself. Usually, it doesn't matter. If I screw up and someone yells at me, I take it, correct the mistake, and move on. But if the screwup wasn't my fault, my not defending myself sets the precedent that I can be abused for no reason.
- I'm too eager to please. I hate people being mad at me, so I'll go out of my way to make sure that everyone's happy. This leads to people taking advantage of me. Too often I'm asked to do a favor "just this once," and I cave in. Then of course, "just this once" turns into "twice a week from now until eternity."
- If I'm alone, I'm hopelessly lazy. With no one around to impress, I let myself go. I'll sit in my pajamas all day, let my place get dirty and messy, not go out to exercise, and not get any work done. It feels like I have no willpower at all when I'm alone.
- I'm a procrastinator. That lack of willpower means I leave off any work until the last minute. Of course, if something's due/people are coming over/I have an appointment or a meeting, that means that someone else will be present and I have to impress them. But my procrastinating has left me only a short amount of time to get ready, so it creates an immense amount of pressure on me to get it done quickly and perfectly.
- Courage: the inner strength needed to do something risky, that most people would not do
- Loyalty: the ability to stay with someone/something, even in the face of doubt or more alluring temptations
- Intelligence: the ability to absorb, retain, and use information
- Ambition: the desire to better yourself through hard work
cleolinda's journal, a long time ago.
Note: This is a re-submission of my original application. My first one had messed-up HTML and was too short (two at once, yikes!). I hope this is more satisfactory. :-)