Love Potion Numer Nine! *dances*
Name: Heather Lynn
Age: 17
AIM Screename ( if you have one ): xBohemianFirex (I have it set to allow only those unblocked, though, so if you want to add me, let me know. <3)
Who referred you here - username and house, if possible: I had seen this community around, but only when I did a search for "sorting" did I find that I really liked it enough to attempt to join. :) I can't credit my knowledge of it to just one person, however. Sorry.
1. Which of the Harry Potter books have you read? Which did you enjoy most?
I've read all six of the books twice over (with the exception of the last one, which I am currently in the middle of for the second time). I knew that it had been a long time since I had read them, and I wanted to really get a feel for the world again, and to brush up on my facts. It was also good justification for my favorite book. I had said since I read OOtP that it was my favorite, but two years later, I had forgotten nearly everything, save for my favorite part (which I will list in a moment).
But, now I indeed know that OOtP is my favorite. We start off by meeting many older witches and wizards, all of which we've never met before. We get a good feel for the REAL Moody in the first few chapters, and how hilariously paranoid he is. Harry finds himself in a place that he has never before been in his life. He feels frustrated, and for the first time, we see Harry display his signature 'angsty caps' in a rage towards his friends. Shortly after this, we get to meet the members of the Order. We learn its history, and its present purpose. Harry also meets Tonks in the beginning chapters (among others), who I found to be an insanely neat character, what with her clumsiness, her punkish appearance, and her metamorphagi talents. The trial is in the beginning of the book as well, and it was here that I discovered who was really and truly my least favorite character (Fudge, by the way. I'll explain in the appropriate question).
When we get to the real meat of the book is when we begin to find what I believe to be the definitions of my favoritism towards this book. First of all, there is wretched ol' 'High Inquisitor' Umbridge. I absolutely LOVED to hate her. I remember finding the trend in the Educational Decrees, and flipping ahead in the book to see if I could find anymore (which was cheating, but hey, what can ya do). While I definitely would have despised Umbridge as a person, as a character, I found her undeniable evil nature rather delicious. Definitely a page turner. Another thing I particularly liked about the book was the hiring of Firenze. I always tend to like the centaurs in the book when I read about them, and I felt it was really special that there was a centaur actually willing to take a beating from his herd in order to help Dumbledore in his time of need. This actually brings me to my favorite theme in the book:
Unity.
In the shock of Professor Trelawney's 'sacking,' we find that, even as disliked as she may be by many of of the normal staff members, they are all willing to come together and unite against a force truly worthy of hatred- Umbridge. As shaken and perhaps even crazy as her being put out of a job makes Trelawney, everyone is willing to take her under their wings and supply housing, as well as comfort. It was really heartwarming to see the moment ended with the heads of houses taking her away with their arms around her, little Professor Flitwick bringing up the rear and dragging her trunk in midair behind him. As the book progresses, the moments like these do not cease. I particularly like the part where Harry swears to have heard Professor McGonnagal instructing Peeves on the correct way to unscrew a light fixture, so as to wreak havoc on Umbridge. The union of the considerably uptight Gryffindor head of house and a rule-breaking Poltergeist really seems to say it all.
But my favorite part in all of the Harry Potter books lays with the dramatic departure of Fred and George from Hogwarts. Their corridor-filling swamp was simply ingenious... and then when they are seemingly cornered into defeat, they call their brooms, which both leave broom-shaped holes in the door from which they emerge, and the two of them fly off into the sunset, insisting that Peeves "give her hell for them." It's just all so completely story-book and perfect. They're the two desperados. Even the aftermath carrying on into the next chapter after this is flavorful, what with the many reaccounts of the event, each tale more tall than the last. The two are Hogwarts legends, and I simply love this part.
There are other less significant reasons as to why I love this book that I could go back and look up, but these are the things that stick with me. They are what the define the book for me, and since I am sure that you are asking for my largest reasons, I'll leave it at that. :)
2. How do you feel about Voldemort as a character? (Not as a person.)
Voldemort, to me, is rather simple. He is a child born out of wedlock, and he never met his parents. His mother was a selfish dreamer, and his father was an egotistical prat, so he hardly had a thing to be proud of, even after learning of them (and knowing how much importance I personally place in knowing my parents, that's enough to overcome). Even as a young child in an orphanage, Voldemort (or Tom, as he was then) displayed his undeniable power over others by forcing children to go places they did not want to go, and taking their toys to store in his cupboard. He was feared by the other children, and alone unless he chose to approach another, which is great foreshadowing for what he became later in life. When Dumbledore comes to visit Tom for the first time, Tom's elation is almost alarming. You can feel the entire time Dumbledore's wariness of the situation. I love how you can almost see the wheels in Tom's mind turning when he finds that he is a wizard, doors opening for him. It's the same as any of us who believe we are destined for greater things than what we currently live for.
I believe that, just like anyone else, under different circumstances and a different life, Tom could have been 'saved' from such a temperament as he acquires. However, just like any Slytherin, I feel that he uses his past anger and plight to his advantage- as fuel for his ambition to gain power. All objectable actions aside, Voldemort's will and insistence to live is admirable. To obsess over life and give anything for it is what truly defines him, and I believe, to an extent, that everyone, like Voldemort, needs that one thing which they will undeniably go for at all costs. It gives them substance and reason for existence. I find it both wonderful and tragic that Voldemort's reason for living seems to be life itself (and all that it has to offer), since many are willing to die for who or what they love most, and you can't exactly die for life, can you?
3. Which Harry Potter character can you most relate to? (In the sense of personality, intelligence, character traits, etc.)
I always tend to hate these questions, because I cannot find a character enough like me to really state that I am like that person. However, I think I can most identify with Luna Lovegood (forgive me if this seems to be a rather conventional answer, but it's how I feel). Luna is both like me in some ways and, in others, who I want and try to be. Her stance on the many things she believes is similar to the way I believe in God. I've been asked many times why I believe, and while some people, when given this question, may prefer to give what they believe to be concrete evidence, my answer is simply because... I do. It can't be explained why I do. It's a gut feeling. Luna is like that with her beliefs in the afterlife. It's not proven, but it gives her sustenance.
Luna is indifferent to those that poke fun at her and never uses their rude natures as an excuse to hold grudges and become angry. She's above all of that. I have not been that way in the past, but as of late, I've been striving the hardest to be this way. I've dropped every grudge I have. I forgive, I forget. I hate drama, so I never linger on it. As far as I'm concerned, a person can belittle me and leave with a hearty "I hate you!" and then greet me the next day with a sincere smile, never mentioning their outburst the day earlier, and I'll be fine. The world would be a lot better if people spent less time worrying about petty things that 'he said, she said, they said.' The facts of life, put simply, are that, no matter who you are, you will never please everyone. Someone will always get on your nerves, and vice versa. However, Luna never displays these feelings. She's above them. And I try to be as well. I try to be just and moral to everyone. I believe there's a bit of good in everyone, really (which sounds so sickly-sweet Hufflepuff it's sickening, really, but it's true, as far as I'm concerned). I think every child is born with a clean slate. Though you have your distinct personality in day one, how you are raised determines whether or not you ultimately use the strengths of your personality to play towards what is considered good, or what is considered evil.
Anywho, getting back on track, I, like Luna, do nothing to be conventional. If something pulls attention away from me, fine. If something draws attention towards me, that's fine too. I choose not to take notice. Similar to the way that Luna wore the Lion atop her head in support for Gryffindors, I'd love more than anything to cosplay as a Hogwarts student for the release of the next movie, my favorite book, OOtP. Not because it will bring attention to me. Not because it'd prove what kind of a fan I am. Not because I WANT to be different. Simply because I think dressing the part would bring me closer to my enjoyment of the movie. It's the same as sincere furry people dressing in costume in public. It's not to get attention. It's to feel at one with something very important to you. Luna's a lot like that in everything she wears and does. She does it because she likes it. Public opinion has no effect whatsoever.
Luna is at home both with friends, and without. So am I. I am capable of being attached to people just fine, yes, but more often than not, I find that the best times are when I am alone drawing, or reading, or simply just staring off into space thinking- self defining moments where, whether I choose to believe it or not, I am getting to know myself better. A person's strength comes from within, and I think Luna is quite possibly one of the strongest characters in the entire series. She knows her strengths, she knows her weaknesses. She knows how people tend to perceive her, and she is also well aware that how they perceive her matters not, for the only person that will truly ever know her is her own self. Luna is strong to the point of being above everything that goes on around her. She is most at home with herself, just as I am. Perhaps this will sound a little self-centered, but out of the people I know, my favorite person is, in fact, myself. I prefer my mind to anyone else's, and while I am fully able to appreciate the world around me, and the differentiating opinions of those that inhabit it, I feel most at home and safe when I am alone. I can keep myself occupied. Simply because I know myself.
And I feel Luna is that way.
4. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Least favorite?
My favorite Harry Potter character is actually two- the two, of course, who are never seen separate, which is quite appropriate, seeing as they are both sorted into the same house AND identical twins. Fred and George, of course! I admire their spirit and their sense of humor. This is what got me started liking them in the earlier books, as their wise-cracks were always great comic relief in chapters that might have otherwise been a bit boring to me. They remind me of my friends, in a small way. Or, at least, before we all started withdrawing from each other. I tend to hang around with guys quite a bit, and I know that the three guys that I see the most are jokesters, with senses of humor very similar to Fred and George. Needless to say that I'm always crying from laughter.
However, my love of Fred and George has extended way beyond their simple wit. I admire their bravery in their departure from Hogwarts. I like how they decided to go out with a bang and get the revenge that the castle's other residents seemed to pine for. And the reason they were able to conjure up this bravery is perhaps my favorite reason for liking them of all- their ambition. Being inclined in the area of humor, the two would naturally, of course, take a liking to joke shop items. But what perhaps other boys and girls could only dream of making a reality actually came true for the two boys. Though told countless times that they should quit making joke-items and focus on the betterment of themselves academically for purposes of a future and a 'real job' by both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the two refused to listen. They knew their strength, and they knew exactly how to play to it. A conventional job just would not have been right for them, and that was something they probably could have told you even as early as their first year in Hogwarts, what with their constant inclination to be trouble-makers. They knew that a life of something traditional was something not worth living- give them a joke-shop, or give them death! They used the doubts of their parents and the joys of their customers (OOtP) to lead their experiments to the next level- a full joke-shop. With 100% confidence in this area, they were able to escape from Hogwarts and the wrath of Umbridge scot-free, and begin their new life almost immediately. That is incredibly admirable to me. I love their will to do something they enjoy for the rest of their life, and I embrace it. Heck, I'm rather similar. I want to be a story-board artist for movies. Not many people from this neighborhood can really say that. I won't settle for anything less.
My least favorite Harry Potter character is, undeniably, Cornelius Fudge. You can't imagine my joy when, in the beginning of HBP, we find out he was fired. He was the true definition of a two-faced politician, and I just couldn't stand it. I hated how, at one point in the series, he was completely good-natured towards Harry, only to turn around and backstab him once Voldemort had come to power by refusing to believe both Harry and Dumbledore, passing the two of them off as a crazy kid and an old man losing his mind. He was a fearful coward. A horrible leader. He knew deep down that Harry was not lying, but he willed himself not to believe it, for the sake of not having to alert the world that he governed that their greatest fear had come true. He simply did not want to have to make rash decisions in the face of Voldemort. Being of the highest power and giving into this truth that the dark lord had returned meant actually having to face the real, unfriendly world. However, he was just a complete turtle about it. He withdrew into his shell, cut all ties between the ministry and the Order, and lived in his own little world within that shell. What he did wasn't even good enough to be called ignorant. It was downright despicable, and relieving him of his duties as minister was only the first step of what I believe he deserves for keeping such an important country in the dark about the truth. He is a prime example of the corruption of the media, and I simply detest him for it.
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!)
Oh, being in highschool band, definitely (warning, this is going to develop into a long story to give you full perspective, so if you're already bored with my application, you may want to skip this, even though I personally think it'll give you a lot on who I am). You see, when I came into the band, our director was miss Ellie Cleveland. She was known city-wide (which is an accomplishment for Houston, Texas)... perhaps even statewide. Everyone knew her name, and because of her, everyone also knew the North Shore High School band. We would go to contest during marching season, and whether or not we actually deserved it, we would be granted superior ratings, though looking back at the tapes I'm not so sure that we actually performed superior, and that it was moreover ties that Ms. Cleveland had with the judges. However, though on the marching field we kind of lacked things, in concert, we were fantastic. I remember hearing the Wind Ensemble (the top band, the one she directed- I was in the second band) my Freshman year and thinking "Wow. I want to be a part of that band. That music is beautiful. I want to play things with that kind of substance." And so I practiced my butt off. I went from being a lack-luster player to a contender for first chair of the second band. However, I screwed up my tryouts at the end of the year, which ruined my hopes of making the top band second year.
But this didn't matter anyway. Without warning, a week before summer band was due to begin my Sophomore year, the retirement that Ms. Cleveland had been rumored to be considering for years finally happened. She took off to Las Vegas to be with her parents in their old age. This left the district frantically searching for a new director, hastily forced into a decision in a single week. They decided, ultimately, on a member of the staff. I remember thinking to myself that that director HAD to be Mr. Allen, the second band's director, because we had come across flawlessly at concert UIL the year previous, gaining straight superior ratings. But, it wasn't. Based purely on hours of college experience, and nothing on actual talent, the third band director was brought up to the top position- Mr. Boninsegna. Cue my nightmare. Though I was still in the second band at the beginning of the semester, rumors from the upperclassmen and the kids my own age in the top band of how horrible Mr. B was began to flood to the lower bands. I shrugged them off as growing pains, and perhaps favoritism towards Ms. Cleveland. I still wanted to be in the top band. All of my friends had moved up that year, and I was feeling left out... and almost betrayed as well, because I knew, looking at the roster of Wind Ensemble flute-players, that I deserved the spot far more than the Freshmen that had beat me out. My failure had attributed all to that one horrible try-out. I felt cheated.
But there was good news (or so I thought). One of the girls in my year (Michelle) was so fed up with Mr. B (she claimed that he had changed between being the director of the third band, and being the director of the first) that she begged Mr. Allen to be moved down. And he complied. At the semester, she was moved down. And, since I asked... I was moved up! I was so excited. I was finally going to be a member of that beautiful band I had heard the year previous... It was going to be unbelievable; I could hardly wait.
WRONG. Mr. B was undeniably the worst director I had ever had. He had a horrible temperament atop the podium. The power of his new position had gone to his head completely, and though he acted like a complete jerk, he expected us all to obey without question, simply because we were the students and he was the instructor. Hell, knowing the ignorance he displayed, he could have probably ordered us to jump from a bridge and then threw a tantrum when we looked at him questioningly. He just made that little sense. And the only thing that was worse than his temperment was his ability to teach. Something would sound horrible... On a good day, he'd actually stop to pick it out. He'd work with a section all of about a minute, giving them no tips whatsoever on what they were missing. He'd simply snap and sing the rhythm. Even, at the end of this minute, if there was no improvement whatsoever, he'd shrug it off and call it "good," and we'd move on. Our band snowballed quickly. It became so horrible, and everyone become so irritable, that the head drum major, of all people, cursed Mr. B out during one rehearsal after school. And when Mr. B attempted to get onto another kid in the ensemble (a tuba player that attempted to voice his opinion in a less-disruptive manner), Phillip (our drum major) spent 20 minutes telling Jeff (the tuba) NOT to wait out in the hall to speak with Mr. B, but to stand his ground and stay in his seat. It was complete chaos. Then, when Mr. B could do nothing but stand there dumbfounded at all of this, one of the senior clarinet players stood up, and, though with perhaps a bit more sass than he should have used, griped Phillip out for causing such a huge disruption, cursing and telling him that if he or anyone else disagreed that this whole thing was going to hell and that everyone should just suck it up and do as they're told, that they could meet him at 3:30 that afternoon out in the parking lot. It was bad. The whole escapade ended with Jeff finally succumbing to the hallway-talk with Mr. B, Maurice (the clarinet) sitting smugly back down in his seat, and Phillip storming out of the room for good with a dramatic "F*CK THIS SHIT!" on the downbeat once everything had seemingly been settled. The entire time, you could hear the senior flute players uttering "Miss [Cleveland] wouldn't have allowed this... if Miss was here..." And you just couldn't help but agree.
In the end, the hell of that one rehearsal displayed itself proudly at our UIL performance. The same band that been a beautiful display the year before just did not show up. We were in shambles; a broken shadow of what we once were. We earned a 2 (1 being the highest rating you can get in concert, 5 being the lowest) on stage with the music we already knew... and a 3 in sight-reading. I never did mention here what a horrible sight-reading instructor Mr. B was. He had a tendency to skip measures when instructing us, and the reading would always end in confusion on our part. It was a well-known fact that he did it, and not once was there ever a piece that he did not skip at least one measure with. Sight-reading at contest was no different. Mr. B was furious, and told us that the judges had mentioned something that he chalked our three up to- and that was that two flute players in the band were looking at each other during a point of instruction, as opposed to concentrating on the music. I felt it was a rather ridiculous reason to give a three, and never believed it. I think we all knew, deep down, that the only reason that two flute players might have been looking at each other was because, just like the rest of us, they were horribly lost and wondering where in the hell we were. I felt it was really immature of him, a 30-something-year-old man, to blame the 3 on the two girls, when, in fact, a sight-reading is 99.9% a test of the director's abilities as an instructor (both presently and in the year leading up to that moment) over the band's actual abilities. But you know, I guess when you're just so insecure that you have to blame your failures on children... Eh, who knows.
Oh, just in case you were wondering- the second band, the band I left? Yeah, that year, they got straight 1's in contest. Gee. I wonder who was more qualified for the job.
The next year, my junior year, things looked equally abysmal for us, as usual. Some of our best players had either graduated, or moved down a band (on insistence of not wanting to be with Mr. B), or just plain quit altogether (we lost our Bari Sax that way... he was really good too; it was a crying shame). However, yet another shock left our band in an even worse condition- Mr. Allen had been offered his dream job of directing at his old high school, and left us. This happened, once again, a week before teacher rosters were due. I was beginning to feel that screwing us over for a better life was a trend at that point in time. I loved Mr. Allen, and was really, incredibly sad when he left. But he assured us that the man taking his place was great, and that we'd forget about him in no time at all.
WRONG AGAIN. Cue the administration's second (for lack of better words) fuck-up- Rene Rodriguez. The man came into the band as the new second director, and immediately began treading all over everything like he owned the place. There was no asking about tradition. Absolutely nothing. He acted as if he was the top director, and that everyone would have to bend to his will. He began zeroing in on certain students, picking on those he felt were weak to resistance, and used their returned anger as an excuse to move them down to lower bands, despite their talent. Yes, that's right. Ruining their highschool lives and perhaps changing the direction of their entire existence just because he had CREATED reasons to dislike them. He was very unfair, and not to mention the fact that Mr. B and Mr. Rodriguez didn't get along. I admit that it was hard to figure out who I disliked more, but in the end I can just say that I believe I disliked them both equally. Where Mr. Allen would step aside to allow Mr. B to act like a child, so as to avoid unneeded conflict, Rodriguez fought back immaturely. At one point, they were going at each other through e-mails. It was clear that neither man was of sane enough mind to really be directing. Which was sad, because they held the two highest positions in the organization.
I guess it's needless to say that the year, once again, ended abysmally. At marching UIL, we got straight two's again, screwing up our last year to move on to Area competition. And during concert season, we pulled straight two's in both concert and sight reading. Oh, and the Symphonic (second) band? Straight two's as well. Things were bad for us. Real bad. It looked like the sun would never shine again for the North Shore High School 'Sound of Thunder' band.
But there was a bit of hope. Mr. B had been, at last, fired. He tried to pass it off as wanting to leave and find another job, but we all certainly knew better, and silently celebrated when the rumors that had flooded the organization were finally made true through his own admittance atop the podium. We were all elated. Finally, somebody was doing something about this atrocious situation. And on time, too. But who would replace Mr. B (or as we so affectionately referred to him, Mr. Bonaparte (he was both short and dictator-like))? Would we be screwed over again? Or would the administration use this time to their advantage?
Cue Shane Goforth. *trumpets sound, followed by a round of the hallelujah chorus* The true savior of our band. Previously the director of Holiday Highschool up near Wichita Falls, Texas. A man that brought his tiny band to state several times, and came to Houston, not because he was fired, but because he wanted to take on a big band for a change. He left his old job, which was fine and obviously prime, in search of bigger and better things. And he stumbled upon us. And good lord I cannot express to you how happy I am to have him as a director during my final year in highschool. We're currently gearing up for concert UIL. But marching UIL was a doozy. We had one final year to prove that we, the kids in the band, were not the screw-ups. And it WORKED. Mr. Goforth's hold on things- his long talks, his dedication, his discipline, his hard work... and our response to those things made it all possible. I can successfully say that sitting there on judgment day, after taking off that hot uniform and sitting as a group together in the stands, waiting for the announcement... hearing Mr. Goforth's speech... followed by a triumphant lifting of that trophy. That trophy... the one I had not seen in so many years... well, I shamelessly cried. I had poured my heart into band, and it had finally paid off. That trophy secured my hopes. It wasn't just the trophy itself that made me cry. It wasn't just the good job that we did that day... or even that year. It was my collective years as a highschool band student... literally being through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. It was knowing that the discouraging talks years previous with my peers and parents on what to do to make our band better when our director would not weren't in vain. It was knowing that I never once gave in to the crap that our band went through... I was never affected by the crowd's snide remarks, by the performance that only a parent could love, by having the opposing team's fans THROW THINGS AT US. It was watching my band go from top to shambles, to rebuilding itself back to the top of that pedestal again. It was hearing the crowd's SINCERE cheers once we were through at any performance. It was the joy that we all felt once we had finished that performance... knowing that, whether or not we got that 1, we deserved it. It was hearing no doubt in anyone when we headed back to the busses to change out of our uniforms as to what rating we had. It was the celebrating that had already begun before we even exited the field. It was the smiling, the laughter, the tears, the sweat, the blood, the fainting, the arguing, the hugs, the anger, the happiness. It was absolutely everything to me. That one moment defined my entire life. It gave me something to cling to... something that showed me that my faith in my peers was not just hogwash. It showed me that no goal is unable to be obtained. Anyone in the band could tell you that they'd reach for the stars after that. I think we all know ourselves a little better this year. And we like what we see. :)
6. What makes a friendship valuable to you?
Being able to identify with each other, I think. The more open your friend is with you, generally, the better friendship you're going to have. A nice, mature relationship just can't be duplicated. Having a true friend is knowing, no matter what's on your mind, even if it's something about that friend themselves that's annoying you, that you can still talk to them about it and expect only the most accepting of answers in return. Communication is a large part of a relationship with anyone. The perfect friendship is a balance of both caring/concern and similar interests. I've had friends that drive me crazy because they'll throw away everything I've put into a friendship at the drop of a hat, and I've also had friends who care almost too much and share absolutely nothing in common with me. Both are pretty annoying. Oh, and cliche as it may me, trust is, indeed, a very valuable asset in friendship. Sometimes, you just need that one person to confide in. It makes you feel a lot better, usually, to talk things out. That's what makes friendship valuable. When, at the end of the day, though there've been ups and downs, you'll potentially end it good-natured, after a talk. That soothing sense. That's it.
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!)
Well, he's not my hero, but he definitely IS my role model. If you've not read Tim Burton's autobiography, you really need to. He's not the most articulate man, but you can really respect him just the same. In a sense, just the fact that he isn't articulate in the book shows me right away that he doesn't feel the need to wear the mask of formalities for anyone, even those reading the book about his own life.
But enough about the book, how about the man? Well, I think I love him most for his non-conventionalism. Not because it is non-conventional (because going against the crowd just to be going against it is, in my eyes, as big a sin as going WITH the crowd, as either way, you're trying to prove something to other people, which, when you are really secure about yourself, should never find yourself doing), but simply because the way he thinks is what he puts out there for us all to see. I think we all can understand, to an extent, how cut-throat and political the movie-making business really is. Just like all other media, most prefer to spit out what sells, and not truth, because they know that the average human being is not suceptible to change and likes to see the same thing done over and over again with small differences. But Tim doesn't give a rat's ass about any of that, as he will tell you in his autobiography. Tim came into the movie business for himself. He did it because he wanted to see his thoughts on the screen. As a kid, Tim was the loner. The one kid that everyone felt was weird (quite possibly the white kid brooding to bomb the school?). Nobody even tried to understand him. But now, as an ex-animator-gone-movie-maker, he uses the thoughts that he was 'friends' with during those years to make his movies. In other words, everything you see when you watch a Tim Burton original is completely his. Even Batman. He says in his book that he didn't want to do Batman the conventional way. He didn't want there to suddenly be a guy in a suit, with no explanation behind why he was a hero and felt the need to wear the suit. He likes to get inside the head of a character, and display that character, in his movies, from the inside out. In the end, you find that you identify with his characters on a personal level, and treat them like friends. And you know, he does too. He doesn't like to have characters that he doesn't know. Therefore, every character you see has at least a bit of depth.
In the end, I guess I love Tim because he has used what he loves to become a great success. He didn't bend over backwards for Hollywood. He was able to do everything in his own way, and found his own recipe for a box office hit. Often, it's hard to tell, between movies, the artistic style of a director, since they are all trying to please the audience like I said earlier, but every time you see one of Tim's films, you automatically know it's his. It's just that flavorful stylization that I love so much. His movies really are just moving pieces of artwork. I love it.
8. What are your personal aspirations for your future?
Well, I must say that this year is going rather well in relation to what I want to do with my future, which makes me incredibly excited. Once I graduate, I want to stay in Houston for a couple of years to both earn money and nurse my artistic ability a bit more, for good measure. Hopefully, this coming summer, I'll be accepted and able to attend the California State Summer School for the Arts. They accept those in grades 8-12, and only twenty that reside outside of California are chosen for the event. I desperately want to be one, because the school I want to go to, is, in fact, the school that hosts the event. I would love to attend the California Institute of the Arts. I'm looking to become a storyboard artist. My goal is to work in the movies- to see my name in the credits. Ultimately, I think it would just be a complete honor to work for Tim Burton one day, but I can live with working with only other people, I suppose. In the far off future, I'd love to be a director, but if it never happens, that's fine with me. More than anything, just want my visions to be made into movies. Whether that's delegating the plot and what happens in the movie, or simply illustrating the shots for the camera men/animators, either way, it'll happen. I want to be able to sit in a movie theater with my family, come upon a scene in a movie I've helped with, and say "I'm responsible for that scene!" Augh, totally awesome.
9. What are your most prominent personality traits, good or bad? Which one do you feel best defines who you are as a person?
Well, I guess, for starters, I am open-minded. I whole-heartedly believe that acceptance is the key in life. Too many arguments in the world today are results of being misunderstood, whether in part or altogether. I certainly have my opinions, but unless grounds are completely safe, I do not feel the need to let everyone know them, unless I feel that it will clear up a situation. I've watched many fights, both online and off, pass me by, and I find that, even in the fights I am potentially a 'fighter' in, I pull myself away from it all. I just watch. I observe people and their tendencies. I rather like the psychological aspect of life, you see, and I like to keep a bit of a tally on everyone I know in relation to his or her behavior. And I like to compare it with the behavior of others, too. It's good to get an understanding of general human nature, and I think a great place to start this observation is during a heated moment. People tend to truly show their character in arguments, after all.
I am, if you could not already tell, passionate. I'm really into living, breathing, sleeping, and eating whatever it is that I long for. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit- there's more to me than just the one thing I'm interested in (which, in case you are wondering, is art). But I still feel that my passion for it is unmatched. I almost feel as if I could love and devote no time to a person as I do for art. It is my one true love. The mindset of an artist is a beautiful thing to have- concrete explanations are trivial. You walk on the ground, but you live in the sky. When the real world is being boring or angering you, the world inside your head will always welcome you back with open arms. And even when you are feeling particularly horrible, that artistic ability will help you to create perhaps the most beautiful things you've ever done. I find that my favorite pieces are generally done when I am extremely happy/peaceful, or extremely angry. The canvas is who I tell my secrets to when I'm feeling pretty extreme. Anger, though generally frowned upon, becomes a beautiful emotion when the paper you've confided in displays it back to you. It's kind of funny, because I do dislike extreme people, but I am in absolute love with raw, extreme emotion. Roaring anger, dripping depression, skipping elation, fluttering love... they are the beautiful part of human nature, I think. It all depends on how you look at it, I guess.
On the negative side of things, I guess I'm pretty lazy. I am, for instance, at this very moment, procrastinating out the window on several commissions, an art collaboration, practicing my flute for solo and ensemble, and sleeping (it's 5:12 am). I have a weird habit when it comes to stress. While I do not like to worry, I do tend to feel guilty if I am doing something I want to do over something I NEED to do. So what twisted solution do I find? I seek out something new to do. In a way, I'm not giving in to my desires, but at the same time, I'm not making myself miserable by forcing myself to do that which I'd rather not do. In the end, I end up creating a whole new problem for myself. But the good news is that I never allow myself to fall into a hole. Just recently, I spent and entire week of sleepless nights on an art project... that I had had for nearly two months (I didn't wanna do it, but it was required of me, heh). Yeah. I dug myself into a pretty deep hole. But I'm always sensible enough to climb out. And really, it all paid off in the end. See?
Stemming from what I just stated is what I realize to be another trait of mine- my inability to do anything over a long period of time. When I get a job, I either want to do it all right then, right there, or save it til the last minute and do it right then, right there. I'd like to say that it's me responding well under pressure, but that's not necessarily it. I think it's my inability to commit. Yeah, that's what we'll call this trait. You see, while I don't always display it, I'm rather ADD in life, in general. I can't stay interested in things for too long (with the exception of my obsessions, which are an entirely different story). A few things that fall under this list are projects, games, relationships, organization... the list goes on. I like to do things in one sitting. Coming back to something is really hard for me- I don't want to focus myself twice. While, at some times, this can play to my advantage, for the most part, it lands me in places I'd rather not be. Blah.
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.)
Well, judging both on my knowledge of myself, as well as what others seem to pass from knowing me, I'd say I'm a Gryffinpuff. Like a Gryffindor, I'm VERY passionate. Almost unhealthily so, it seems, at times. Passion and obsession go hand-in-hand, I think, and I have both of those things, which play towards the Gryffindor corner of the house square. However, unlike a Gryffindor, I don't see myself quite as stubborn (unless there's a damn good reason, in which I will then defend what I believe in til I'm blue in the face). I'm perfectly willing to listen to both sides of a story, even if I myself am one of those two sides. I'm for fairness and just general lack of dispute all together. I totally respect people's opinions, sometimes just to stay out of a fight, just like a Hufflepuff. Like a Gryffindor, when I'm angry, I'm explosive. But unlike a Gryffindor, I refuse to yell at people. Normally, I yell to a wall or something to get it all out. Like a Hufflepuff, I refuse to start things with people. And yelling at them would be a bad way to stay out of all of that. I hate drama. I like to stay in the good with all people. I find reasons to like them, not to hate them. It just gives me a general peace of mind.
Though I've been told many times I'm good for all four houses in different aspects (and that I'm incredibly difficult to sort, which I'm terribly proud of, I must say), the house combination, by logic, that I'm least like, I guess, is Slytherclaw. Slytherins are known for ambition that knows no boundaries, and while I am as ambitious as any Slytherin, I do know where not to tread. I don't quietly nurse anger like a Slytherin would. I never seek revenge or hold onto my anger. I let it go. I scream right then and there at absolutely nobody, and then I'm instantly happy. As for the Ravenclaw side, I'm just not very academic. I'm pretty lazy, unless it's art we're talking. I don't work up to my potential in other classes. I'm actually pretty smart, but I just don't see the need to waste my time worrying and fretting over things that aren't detrimental to my future. I mean, I'm at the age where I'm constantly looking ahead of myself (which is probably a bad thing to do). I don't like to worry. I'm over it before its even happened. Grades are so trivial. What's a letter got to say anything about who you are?
I don't know. I know those (the Slytherin and Ravenclaw traits) seem to very shallow in comparison to the depths of a house (entirely surface-level and stereotypical, really), but like I said, I've been known to possess qualities of all four houses, so I can't say too much without running into a conflict. I guess that's why I'm here. I want to know how you see me more than how I see myself. I know what I think. But what about you?
11. Why should we not squib you?
Well, I personally feel like I've given sufficient length for all of my questions, and I do answer honestly, as well as in depth as I can, to the point of not making myself or you go insane. But aside from what you see here, I do love sorting communities. I knew that this one was unique, and that I wanted to join. I especially love the value that you all seem to place in unity, as I think it's very important in today's world. I'd love to participate with you guys. <3 Bring it on!
Age: 17
AIM Screename ( if you have one ): xBohemianFirex (I have it set to allow only those unblocked, though, so if you want to add me, let me know. <3)
Who referred you here - username and house, if possible: I had seen this community around, but only when I did a search for "sorting" did I find that I really liked it enough to attempt to join. :) I can't credit my knowledge of it to just one person, however. Sorry.
1. Which of the Harry Potter books have you read? Which did you enjoy most?
I've read all six of the books twice over (with the exception of the last one, which I am currently in the middle of for the second time). I knew that it had been a long time since I had read them, and I wanted to really get a feel for the world again, and to brush up on my facts. It was also good justification for my favorite book. I had said since I read OOtP that it was my favorite, but two years later, I had forgotten nearly everything, save for my favorite part (which I will list in a moment).
But, now I indeed know that OOtP is my favorite. We start off by meeting many older witches and wizards, all of which we've never met before. We get a good feel for the REAL Moody in the first few chapters, and how hilariously paranoid he is. Harry finds himself in a place that he has never before been in his life. He feels frustrated, and for the first time, we see Harry display his signature 'angsty caps' in a rage towards his friends. Shortly after this, we get to meet the members of the Order. We learn its history, and its present purpose. Harry also meets Tonks in the beginning chapters (among others), who I found to be an insanely neat character, what with her clumsiness, her punkish appearance, and her metamorphagi talents. The trial is in the beginning of the book as well, and it was here that I discovered who was really and truly my least favorite character (Fudge, by the way. I'll explain in the appropriate question).
When we get to the real meat of the book is when we begin to find what I believe to be the definitions of my favoritism towards this book. First of all, there is wretched ol' 'High Inquisitor' Umbridge. I absolutely LOVED to hate her. I remember finding the trend in the Educational Decrees, and flipping ahead in the book to see if I could find anymore (which was cheating, but hey, what can ya do). While I definitely would have despised Umbridge as a person, as a character, I found her undeniable evil nature rather delicious. Definitely a page turner. Another thing I particularly liked about the book was the hiring of Firenze. I always tend to like the centaurs in the book when I read about them, and I felt it was really special that there was a centaur actually willing to take a beating from his herd in order to help Dumbledore in his time of need. This actually brings me to my favorite theme in the book:
Unity.
In the shock of Professor Trelawney's 'sacking,' we find that, even as disliked as she may be by many of of the normal staff members, they are all willing to come together and unite against a force truly worthy of hatred- Umbridge. As shaken and perhaps even crazy as her being put out of a job makes Trelawney, everyone is willing to take her under their wings and supply housing, as well as comfort. It was really heartwarming to see the moment ended with the heads of houses taking her away with their arms around her, little Professor Flitwick bringing up the rear and dragging her trunk in midair behind him. As the book progresses, the moments like these do not cease. I particularly like the part where Harry swears to have heard Professor McGonnagal instructing Peeves on the correct way to unscrew a light fixture, so as to wreak havoc on Umbridge. The union of the considerably uptight Gryffindor head of house and a rule-breaking Poltergeist really seems to say it all.
But my favorite part in all of the Harry Potter books lays with the dramatic departure of Fred and George from Hogwarts. Their corridor-filling swamp was simply ingenious... and then when they are seemingly cornered into defeat, they call their brooms, which both leave broom-shaped holes in the door from which they emerge, and the two of them fly off into the sunset, insisting that Peeves "give her hell for them." It's just all so completely story-book and perfect. They're the two desperados. Even the aftermath carrying on into the next chapter after this is flavorful, what with the many reaccounts of the event, each tale more tall than the last. The two are Hogwarts legends, and I simply love this part.
There are other less significant reasons as to why I love this book that I could go back and look up, but these are the things that stick with me. They are what the define the book for me, and since I am sure that you are asking for my largest reasons, I'll leave it at that. :)
2. How do you feel about Voldemort as a character? (Not as a person.)
Voldemort, to me, is rather simple. He is a child born out of wedlock, and he never met his parents. His mother was a selfish dreamer, and his father was an egotistical prat, so he hardly had a thing to be proud of, even after learning of them (and knowing how much importance I personally place in knowing my parents, that's enough to overcome). Even as a young child in an orphanage, Voldemort (or Tom, as he was then) displayed his undeniable power over others by forcing children to go places they did not want to go, and taking their toys to store in his cupboard. He was feared by the other children, and alone unless he chose to approach another, which is great foreshadowing for what he became later in life. When Dumbledore comes to visit Tom for the first time, Tom's elation is almost alarming. You can feel the entire time Dumbledore's wariness of the situation. I love how you can almost see the wheels in Tom's mind turning when he finds that he is a wizard, doors opening for him. It's the same as any of us who believe we are destined for greater things than what we currently live for.
I believe that, just like anyone else, under different circumstances and a different life, Tom could have been 'saved' from such a temperament as he acquires. However, just like any Slytherin, I feel that he uses his past anger and plight to his advantage- as fuel for his ambition to gain power. All objectable actions aside, Voldemort's will and insistence to live is admirable. To obsess over life and give anything for it is what truly defines him, and I believe, to an extent, that everyone, like Voldemort, needs that one thing which they will undeniably go for at all costs. It gives them substance and reason for existence. I find it both wonderful and tragic that Voldemort's reason for living seems to be life itself (and all that it has to offer), since many are willing to die for who or what they love most, and you can't exactly die for life, can you?
3. Which Harry Potter character can you most relate to? (In the sense of personality, intelligence, character traits, etc.)
I always tend to hate these questions, because I cannot find a character enough like me to really state that I am like that person. However, I think I can most identify with Luna Lovegood (forgive me if this seems to be a rather conventional answer, but it's how I feel). Luna is both like me in some ways and, in others, who I want and try to be. Her stance on the many things she believes is similar to the way I believe in God. I've been asked many times why I believe, and while some people, when given this question, may prefer to give what they believe to be concrete evidence, my answer is simply because... I do. It can't be explained why I do. It's a gut feeling. Luna is like that with her beliefs in the afterlife. It's not proven, but it gives her sustenance.
Luna is indifferent to those that poke fun at her and never uses their rude natures as an excuse to hold grudges and become angry. She's above all of that. I have not been that way in the past, but as of late, I've been striving the hardest to be this way. I've dropped every grudge I have. I forgive, I forget. I hate drama, so I never linger on it. As far as I'm concerned, a person can belittle me and leave with a hearty "I hate you!" and then greet me the next day with a sincere smile, never mentioning their outburst the day earlier, and I'll be fine. The world would be a lot better if people spent less time worrying about petty things that 'he said, she said, they said.' The facts of life, put simply, are that, no matter who you are, you will never please everyone. Someone will always get on your nerves, and vice versa. However, Luna never displays these feelings. She's above them. And I try to be as well. I try to be just and moral to everyone. I believe there's a bit of good in everyone, really (which sounds so sickly-sweet Hufflepuff it's sickening, really, but it's true, as far as I'm concerned). I think every child is born with a clean slate. Though you have your distinct personality in day one, how you are raised determines whether or not you ultimately use the strengths of your personality to play towards what is considered good, or what is considered evil.
Anywho, getting back on track, I, like Luna, do nothing to be conventional. If something pulls attention away from me, fine. If something draws attention towards me, that's fine too. I choose not to take notice. Similar to the way that Luna wore the Lion atop her head in support for Gryffindors, I'd love more than anything to cosplay as a Hogwarts student for the release of the next movie, my favorite book, OOtP. Not because it will bring attention to me. Not because it'd prove what kind of a fan I am. Not because I WANT to be different. Simply because I think dressing the part would bring me closer to my enjoyment of the movie. It's the same as sincere furry people dressing in costume in public. It's not to get attention. It's to feel at one with something very important to you. Luna's a lot like that in everything she wears and does. She does it because she likes it. Public opinion has no effect whatsoever.
Luna is at home both with friends, and without. So am I. I am capable of being attached to people just fine, yes, but more often than not, I find that the best times are when I am alone drawing, or reading, or simply just staring off into space thinking- self defining moments where, whether I choose to believe it or not, I am getting to know myself better. A person's strength comes from within, and I think Luna is quite possibly one of the strongest characters in the entire series. She knows her strengths, she knows her weaknesses. She knows how people tend to perceive her, and she is also well aware that how they perceive her matters not, for the only person that will truly ever know her is her own self. Luna is strong to the point of being above everything that goes on around her. She is most at home with herself, just as I am. Perhaps this will sound a little self-centered, but out of the people I know, my favorite person is, in fact, myself. I prefer my mind to anyone else's, and while I am fully able to appreciate the world around me, and the differentiating opinions of those that inhabit it, I feel most at home and safe when I am alone. I can keep myself occupied. Simply because I know myself.
And I feel Luna is that way.
4. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Least favorite?
My favorite Harry Potter character is actually two- the two, of course, who are never seen separate, which is quite appropriate, seeing as they are both sorted into the same house AND identical twins. Fred and George, of course! I admire their spirit and their sense of humor. This is what got me started liking them in the earlier books, as their wise-cracks were always great comic relief in chapters that might have otherwise been a bit boring to me. They remind me of my friends, in a small way. Or, at least, before we all started withdrawing from each other. I tend to hang around with guys quite a bit, and I know that the three guys that I see the most are jokesters, with senses of humor very similar to Fred and George. Needless to say that I'm always crying from laughter.
However, my love of Fred and George has extended way beyond their simple wit. I admire their bravery in their departure from Hogwarts. I like how they decided to go out with a bang and get the revenge that the castle's other residents seemed to pine for. And the reason they were able to conjure up this bravery is perhaps my favorite reason for liking them of all- their ambition. Being inclined in the area of humor, the two would naturally, of course, take a liking to joke shop items. But what perhaps other boys and girls could only dream of making a reality actually came true for the two boys. Though told countless times that they should quit making joke-items and focus on the betterment of themselves academically for purposes of a future and a 'real job' by both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the two refused to listen. They knew their strength, and they knew exactly how to play to it. A conventional job just would not have been right for them, and that was something they probably could have told you even as early as their first year in Hogwarts, what with their constant inclination to be trouble-makers. They knew that a life of something traditional was something not worth living- give them a joke-shop, or give them death! They used the doubts of their parents and the joys of their customers (OOtP) to lead their experiments to the next level- a full joke-shop. With 100% confidence in this area, they were able to escape from Hogwarts and the wrath of Umbridge scot-free, and begin their new life almost immediately. That is incredibly admirable to me. I love their will to do something they enjoy for the rest of their life, and I embrace it. Heck, I'm rather similar. I want to be a story-board artist for movies. Not many people from this neighborhood can really say that. I won't settle for anything less.
My least favorite Harry Potter character is, undeniably, Cornelius Fudge. You can't imagine my joy when, in the beginning of HBP, we find out he was fired. He was the true definition of a two-faced politician, and I just couldn't stand it. I hated how, at one point in the series, he was completely good-natured towards Harry, only to turn around and backstab him once Voldemort had come to power by refusing to believe both Harry and Dumbledore, passing the two of them off as a crazy kid and an old man losing his mind. He was a fearful coward. A horrible leader. He knew deep down that Harry was not lying, but he willed himself not to believe it, for the sake of not having to alert the world that he governed that their greatest fear had come true. He simply did not want to have to make rash decisions in the face of Voldemort. Being of the highest power and giving into this truth that the dark lord had returned meant actually having to face the real, unfriendly world. However, he was just a complete turtle about it. He withdrew into his shell, cut all ties between the ministry and the Order, and lived in his own little world within that shell. What he did wasn't even good enough to be called ignorant. It was downright despicable, and relieving him of his duties as minister was only the first step of what I believe he deserves for keeping such an important country in the dark about the truth. He is a prime example of the corruption of the media, and I simply detest him for it.
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!)
Oh, being in highschool band, definitely (warning, this is going to develop into a long story to give you full perspective, so if you're already bored with my application, you may want to skip this, even though I personally think it'll give you a lot on who I am). You see, when I came into the band, our director was miss Ellie Cleveland. She was known city-wide (which is an accomplishment for Houston, Texas)... perhaps even statewide. Everyone knew her name, and because of her, everyone also knew the North Shore High School band. We would go to contest during marching season, and whether or not we actually deserved it, we would be granted superior ratings, though looking back at the tapes I'm not so sure that we actually performed superior, and that it was moreover ties that Ms. Cleveland had with the judges. However, though on the marching field we kind of lacked things, in concert, we were fantastic. I remember hearing the Wind Ensemble (the top band, the one she directed- I was in the second band) my Freshman year and thinking "Wow. I want to be a part of that band. That music is beautiful. I want to play things with that kind of substance." And so I practiced my butt off. I went from being a lack-luster player to a contender for first chair of the second band. However, I screwed up my tryouts at the end of the year, which ruined my hopes of making the top band second year.
But this didn't matter anyway. Without warning, a week before summer band was due to begin my Sophomore year, the retirement that Ms. Cleveland had been rumored to be considering for years finally happened. She took off to Las Vegas to be with her parents in their old age. This left the district frantically searching for a new director, hastily forced into a decision in a single week. They decided, ultimately, on a member of the staff. I remember thinking to myself that that director HAD to be Mr. Allen, the second band's director, because we had come across flawlessly at concert UIL the year previous, gaining straight superior ratings. But, it wasn't. Based purely on hours of college experience, and nothing on actual talent, the third band director was brought up to the top position- Mr. Boninsegna. Cue my nightmare. Though I was still in the second band at the beginning of the semester, rumors from the upperclassmen and the kids my own age in the top band of how horrible Mr. B was began to flood to the lower bands. I shrugged them off as growing pains, and perhaps favoritism towards Ms. Cleveland. I still wanted to be in the top band. All of my friends had moved up that year, and I was feeling left out... and almost betrayed as well, because I knew, looking at the roster of Wind Ensemble flute-players, that I deserved the spot far more than the Freshmen that had beat me out. My failure had attributed all to that one horrible try-out. I felt cheated.
But there was good news (or so I thought). One of the girls in my year (Michelle) was so fed up with Mr. B (she claimed that he had changed between being the director of the third band, and being the director of the first) that she begged Mr. Allen to be moved down. And he complied. At the semester, she was moved down. And, since I asked... I was moved up! I was so excited. I was finally going to be a member of that beautiful band I had heard the year previous... It was going to be unbelievable; I could hardly wait.
WRONG. Mr. B was undeniably the worst director I had ever had. He had a horrible temperament atop the podium. The power of his new position had gone to his head completely, and though he acted like a complete jerk, he expected us all to obey without question, simply because we were the students and he was the instructor. Hell, knowing the ignorance he displayed, he could have probably ordered us to jump from a bridge and then threw a tantrum when we looked at him questioningly. He just made that little sense. And the only thing that was worse than his temperment was his ability to teach. Something would sound horrible... On a good day, he'd actually stop to pick it out. He'd work with a section all of about a minute, giving them no tips whatsoever on what they were missing. He'd simply snap and sing the rhythm. Even, at the end of this minute, if there was no improvement whatsoever, he'd shrug it off and call it "good," and we'd move on. Our band snowballed quickly. It became so horrible, and everyone become so irritable, that the head drum major, of all people, cursed Mr. B out during one rehearsal after school. And when Mr. B attempted to get onto another kid in the ensemble (a tuba player that attempted to voice his opinion in a less-disruptive manner), Phillip (our drum major) spent 20 minutes telling Jeff (the tuba) NOT to wait out in the hall to speak with Mr. B, but to stand his ground and stay in his seat. It was complete chaos. Then, when Mr. B could do nothing but stand there dumbfounded at all of this, one of the senior clarinet players stood up, and, though with perhaps a bit more sass than he should have used, griped Phillip out for causing such a huge disruption, cursing and telling him that if he or anyone else disagreed that this whole thing was going to hell and that everyone should just suck it up and do as they're told, that they could meet him at 3:30 that afternoon out in the parking lot. It was bad. The whole escapade ended with Jeff finally succumbing to the hallway-talk with Mr. B, Maurice (the clarinet) sitting smugly back down in his seat, and Phillip storming out of the room for good with a dramatic "F*CK THIS SHIT!" on the downbeat once everything had seemingly been settled. The entire time, you could hear the senior flute players uttering "Miss [Cleveland] wouldn't have allowed this... if Miss was here..." And you just couldn't help but agree.
In the end, the hell of that one rehearsal displayed itself proudly at our UIL performance. The same band that been a beautiful display the year before just did not show up. We were in shambles; a broken shadow of what we once were. We earned a 2 (1 being the highest rating you can get in concert, 5 being the lowest) on stage with the music we already knew... and a 3 in sight-reading. I never did mention here what a horrible sight-reading instructor Mr. B was. He had a tendency to skip measures when instructing us, and the reading would always end in confusion on our part. It was a well-known fact that he did it, and not once was there ever a piece that he did not skip at least one measure with. Sight-reading at contest was no different. Mr. B was furious, and told us that the judges had mentioned something that he chalked our three up to- and that was that two flute players in the band were looking at each other during a point of instruction, as opposed to concentrating on the music. I felt it was a rather ridiculous reason to give a three, and never believed it. I think we all knew, deep down, that the only reason that two flute players might have been looking at each other was because, just like the rest of us, they were horribly lost and wondering where in the hell we were. I felt it was really immature of him, a 30-something-year-old man, to blame the 3 on the two girls, when, in fact, a sight-reading is 99.9% a test of the director's abilities as an instructor (both presently and in the year leading up to that moment) over the band's actual abilities. But you know, I guess when you're just so insecure that you have to blame your failures on children... Eh, who knows.
Oh, just in case you were wondering- the second band, the band I left? Yeah, that year, they got straight 1's in contest. Gee. I wonder who was more qualified for the job.
The next year, my junior year, things looked equally abysmal for us, as usual. Some of our best players had either graduated, or moved down a band (on insistence of not wanting to be with Mr. B), or just plain quit altogether (we lost our Bari Sax that way... he was really good too; it was a crying shame). However, yet another shock left our band in an even worse condition- Mr. Allen had been offered his dream job of directing at his old high school, and left us. This happened, once again, a week before teacher rosters were due. I was beginning to feel that screwing us over for a better life was a trend at that point in time. I loved Mr. Allen, and was really, incredibly sad when he left. But he assured us that the man taking his place was great, and that we'd forget about him in no time at all.
WRONG AGAIN. Cue the administration's second (for lack of better words) fuck-up- Rene Rodriguez. The man came into the band as the new second director, and immediately began treading all over everything like he owned the place. There was no asking about tradition. Absolutely nothing. He acted as if he was the top director, and that everyone would have to bend to his will. He began zeroing in on certain students, picking on those he felt were weak to resistance, and used their returned anger as an excuse to move them down to lower bands, despite their talent. Yes, that's right. Ruining their highschool lives and perhaps changing the direction of their entire existence just because he had CREATED reasons to dislike them. He was very unfair, and not to mention the fact that Mr. B and Mr. Rodriguez didn't get along. I admit that it was hard to figure out who I disliked more, but in the end I can just say that I believe I disliked them both equally. Where Mr. Allen would step aside to allow Mr. B to act like a child, so as to avoid unneeded conflict, Rodriguez fought back immaturely. At one point, they were going at each other through e-mails. It was clear that neither man was of sane enough mind to really be directing. Which was sad, because they held the two highest positions in the organization.
I guess it's needless to say that the year, once again, ended abysmally. At marching UIL, we got straight two's again, screwing up our last year to move on to Area competition. And during concert season, we pulled straight two's in both concert and sight reading. Oh, and the Symphonic (second) band? Straight two's as well. Things were bad for us. Real bad. It looked like the sun would never shine again for the North Shore High School 'Sound of Thunder' band.
But there was a bit of hope. Mr. B had been, at last, fired. He tried to pass it off as wanting to leave and find another job, but we all certainly knew better, and silently celebrated when the rumors that had flooded the organization were finally made true through his own admittance atop the podium. We were all elated. Finally, somebody was doing something about this atrocious situation. And on time, too. But who would replace Mr. B (or as we so affectionately referred to him, Mr. Bonaparte (he was both short and dictator-like))? Would we be screwed over again? Or would the administration use this time to their advantage?
Cue Shane Goforth. *trumpets sound, followed by a round of the hallelujah chorus* The true savior of our band. Previously the director of Holiday Highschool up near Wichita Falls, Texas. A man that brought his tiny band to state several times, and came to Houston, not because he was fired, but because he wanted to take on a big band for a change. He left his old job, which was fine and obviously prime, in search of bigger and better things. And he stumbled upon us. And good lord I cannot express to you how happy I am to have him as a director during my final year in highschool. We're currently gearing up for concert UIL. But marching UIL was a doozy. We had one final year to prove that we, the kids in the band, were not the screw-ups. And it WORKED. Mr. Goforth's hold on things- his long talks, his dedication, his discipline, his hard work... and our response to those things made it all possible. I can successfully say that sitting there on judgment day, after taking off that hot uniform and sitting as a group together in the stands, waiting for the announcement... hearing Mr. Goforth's speech... followed by a triumphant lifting of that trophy. That trophy... the one I had not seen in so many years... well, I shamelessly cried. I had poured my heart into band, and it had finally paid off. That trophy secured my hopes. It wasn't just the trophy itself that made me cry. It wasn't just the good job that we did that day... or even that year. It was my collective years as a highschool band student... literally being through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. It was knowing that the discouraging talks years previous with my peers and parents on what to do to make our band better when our director would not weren't in vain. It was knowing that I never once gave in to the crap that our band went through... I was never affected by the crowd's snide remarks, by the performance that only a parent could love, by having the opposing team's fans THROW THINGS AT US. It was watching my band go from top to shambles, to rebuilding itself back to the top of that pedestal again. It was hearing the crowd's SINCERE cheers once we were through at any performance. It was the joy that we all felt once we had finished that performance... knowing that, whether or not we got that 1, we deserved it. It was hearing no doubt in anyone when we headed back to the busses to change out of our uniforms as to what rating we had. It was the celebrating that had already begun before we even exited the field. It was the smiling, the laughter, the tears, the sweat, the blood, the fainting, the arguing, the hugs, the anger, the happiness. It was absolutely everything to me. That one moment defined my entire life. It gave me something to cling to... something that showed me that my faith in my peers was not just hogwash. It showed me that no goal is unable to be obtained. Anyone in the band could tell you that they'd reach for the stars after that. I think we all know ourselves a little better this year. And we like what we see. :)
6. What makes a friendship valuable to you?
Being able to identify with each other, I think. The more open your friend is with you, generally, the better friendship you're going to have. A nice, mature relationship just can't be duplicated. Having a true friend is knowing, no matter what's on your mind, even if it's something about that friend themselves that's annoying you, that you can still talk to them about it and expect only the most accepting of answers in return. Communication is a large part of a relationship with anyone. The perfect friendship is a balance of both caring/concern and similar interests. I've had friends that drive me crazy because they'll throw away everything I've put into a friendship at the drop of a hat, and I've also had friends who care almost too much and share absolutely nothing in common with me. Both are pretty annoying. Oh, and cliche as it may me, trust is, indeed, a very valuable asset in friendship. Sometimes, you just need that one person to confide in. It makes you feel a lot better, usually, to talk things out. That's what makes friendship valuable. When, at the end of the day, though there've been ups and downs, you'll potentially end it good-natured, after a talk. That soothing sense. That's it.
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!)
Well, he's not my hero, but he definitely IS my role model. If you've not read Tim Burton's autobiography, you really need to. He's not the most articulate man, but you can really respect him just the same. In a sense, just the fact that he isn't articulate in the book shows me right away that he doesn't feel the need to wear the mask of formalities for anyone, even those reading the book about his own life.
But enough about the book, how about the man? Well, I think I love him most for his non-conventionalism. Not because it is non-conventional (because going against the crowd just to be going against it is, in my eyes, as big a sin as going WITH the crowd, as either way, you're trying to prove something to other people, which, when you are really secure about yourself, should never find yourself doing), but simply because the way he thinks is what he puts out there for us all to see. I think we all can understand, to an extent, how cut-throat and political the movie-making business really is. Just like all other media, most prefer to spit out what sells, and not truth, because they know that the average human being is not suceptible to change and likes to see the same thing done over and over again with small differences. But Tim doesn't give a rat's ass about any of that, as he will tell you in his autobiography. Tim came into the movie business for himself. He did it because he wanted to see his thoughts on the screen. As a kid, Tim was the loner. The one kid that everyone felt was weird (quite possibly the white kid brooding to bomb the school?). Nobody even tried to understand him. But now, as an ex-animator-gone-movie-maker, he uses the thoughts that he was 'friends' with during those years to make his movies. In other words, everything you see when you watch a Tim Burton original is completely his. Even Batman. He says in his book that he didn't want to do Batman the conventional way. He didn't want there to suddenly be a guy in a suit, with no explanation behind why he was a hero and felt the need to wear the suit. He likes to get inside the head of a character, and display that character, in his movies, from the inside out. In the end, you find that you identify with his characters on a personal level, and treat them like friends. And you know, he does too. He doesn't like to have characters that he doesn't know. Therefore, every character you see has at least a bit of depth.
In the end, I guess I love Tim because he has used what he loves to become a great success. He didn't bend over backwards for Hollywood. He was able to do everything in his own way, and found his own recipe for a box office hit. Often, it's hard to tell, between movies, the artistic style of a director, since they are all trying to please the audience like I said earlier, but every time you see one of Tim's films, you automatically know it's his. It's just that flavorful stylization that I love so much. His movies really are just moving pieces of artwork. I love it.
8. What are your personal aspirations for your future?
Well, I must say that this year is going rather well in relation to what I want to do with my future, which makes me incredibly excited. Once I graduate, I want to stay in Houston for a couple of years to both earn money and nurse my artistic ability a bit more, for good measure. Hopefully, this coming summer, I'll be accepted and able to attend the California State Summer School for the Arts. They accept those in grades 8-12, and only twenty that reside outside of California are chosen for the event. I desperately want to be one, because the school I want to go to, is, in fact, the school that hosts the event. I would love to attend the California Institute of the Arts. I'm looking to become a storyboard artist. My goal is to work in the movies- to see my name in the credits. Ultimately, I think it would just be a complete honor to work for Tim Burton one day, but I can live with working with only other people, I suppose. In the far off future, I'd love to be a director, but if it never happens, that's fine with me. More than anything, just want my visions to be made into movies. Whether that's delegating the plot and what happens in the movie, or simply illustrating the shots for the camera men/animators, either way, it'll happen. I want to be able to sit in a movie theater with my family, come upon a scene in a movie I've helped with, and say "I'm responsible for that scene!" Augh, totally awesome.
9. What are your most prominent personality traits, good or bad? Which one do you feel best defines who you are as a person?
Well, I guess, for starters, I am open-minded. I whole-heartedly believe that acceptance is the key in life. Too many arguments in the world today are results of being misunderstood, whether in part or altogether. I certainly have my opinions, but unless grounds are completely safe, I do not feel the need to let everyone know them, unless I feel that it will clear up a situation. I've watched many fights, both online and off, pass me by, and I find that, even in the fights I am potentially a 'fighter' in, I pull myself away from it all. I just watch. I observe people and their tendencies. I rather like the psychological aspect of life, you see, and I like to keep a bit of a tally on everyone I know in relation to his or her behavior. And I like to compare it with the behavior of others, too. It's good to get an understanding of general human nature, and I think a great place to start this observation is during a heated moment. People tend to truly show their character in arguments, after all.
I am, if you could not already tell, passionate. I'm really into living, breathing, sleeping, and eating whatever it is that I long for. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit- there's more to me than just the one thing I'm interested in (which, in case you are wondering, is art). But I still feel that my passion for it is unmatched. I almost feel as if I could love and devote no time to a person as I do for art. It is my one true love. The mindset of an artist is a beautiful thing to have- concrete explanations are trivial. You walk on the ground, but you live in the sky. When the real world is being boring or angering you, the world inside your head will always welcome you back with open arms. And even when you are feeling particularly horrible, that artistic ability will help you to create perhaps the most beautiful things you've ever done. I find that my favorite pieces are generally done when I am extremely happy/peaceful, or extremely angry. The canvas is who I tell my secrets to when I'm feeling pretty extreme. Anger, though generally frowned upon, becomes a beautiful emotion when the paper you've confided in displays it back to you. It's kind of funny, because I do dislike extreme people, but I am in absolute love with raw, extreme emotion. Roaring anger, dripping depression, skipping elation, fluttering love... they are the beautiful part of human nature, I think. It all depends on how you look at it, I guess.
On the negative side of things, I guess I'm pretty lazy. I am, for instance, at this very moment, procrastinating out the window on several commissions, an art collaboration, practicing my flute for solo and ensemble, and sleeping (it's 5:12 am). I have a weird habit when it comes to stress. While I do not like to worry, I do tend to feel guilty if I am doing something I want to do over something I NEED to do. So what twisted solution do I find? I seek out something new to do. In a way, I'm not giving in to my desires, but at the same time, I'm not making myself miserable by forcing myself to do that which I'd rather not do. In the end, I end up creating a whole new problem for myself. But the good news is that I never allow myself to fall into a hole. Just recently, I spent and entire week of sleepless nights on an art project... that I had had for nearly two months (I didn't wanna do it, but it was required of me, heh). Yeah. I dug myself into a pretty deep hole. But I'm always sensible enough to climb out. And really, it all paid off in the end. See?
Stemming from what I just stated is what I realize to be another trait of mine- my inability to do anything over a long period of time. When I get a job, I either want to do it all right then, right there, or save it til the last minute and do it right then, right there. I'd like to say that it's me responding well under pressure, but that's not necessarily it. I think it's my inability to commit. Yeah, that's what we'll call this trait. You see, while I don't always display it, I'm rather ADD in life, in general. I can't stay interested in things for too long (with the exception of my obsessions, which are an entirely different story). A few things that fall under this list are projects, games, relationships, organization... the list goes on. I like to do things in one sitting. Coming back to something is really hard for me- I don't want to focus myself twice. While, at some times, this can play to my advantage, for the most part, it lands me in places I'd rather not be. Blah.
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.)
Well, judging both on my knowledge of myself, as well as what others seem to pass from knowing me, I'd say I'm a Gryffinpuff. Like a Gryffindor, I'm VERY passionate. Almost unhealthily so, it seems, at times. Passion and obsession go hand-in-hand, I think, and I have both of those things, which play towards the Gryffindor corner of the house square. However, unlike a Gryffindor, I don't see myself quite as stubborn (unless there's a damn good reason, in which I will then defend what I believe in til I'm blue in the face). I'm perfectly willing to listen to both sides of a story, even if I myself am one of those two sides. I'm for fairness and just general lack of dispute all together. I totally respect people's opinions, sometimes just to stay out of a fight, just like a Hufflepuff. Like a Gryffindor, when I'm angry, I'm explosive. But unlike a Gryffindor, I refuse to yell at people. Normally, I yell to a wall or something to get it all out. Like a Hufflepuff, I refuse to start things with people. And yelling at them would be a bad way to stay out of all of that. I hate drama. I like to stay in the good with all people. I find reasons to like them, not to hate them. It just gives me a general peace of mind.
Though I've been told many times I'm good for all four houses in different aspects (and that I'm incredibly difficult to sort, which I'm terribly proud of, I must say), the house combination, by logic, that I'm least like, I guess, is Slytherclaw. Slytherins are known for ambition that knows no boundaries, and while I am as ambitious as any Slytherin, I do know where not to tread. I don't quietly nurse anger like a Slytherin would. I never seek revenge or hold onto my anger. I let it go. I scream right then and there at absolutely nobody, and then I'm instantly happy. As for the Ravenclaw side, I'm just not very academic. I'm pretty lazy, unless it's art we're talking. I don't work up to my potential in other classes. I'm actually pretty smart, but I just don't see the need to waste my time worrying and fretting over things that aren't detrimental to my future. I mean, I'm at the age where I'm constantly looking ahead of myself (which is probably a bad thing to do). I don't like to worry. I'm over it before its even happened. Grades are so trivial. What's a letter got to say anything about who you are?
I don't know. I know those (the Slytherin and Ravenclaw traits) seem to very shallow in comparison to the depths of a house (entirely surface-level and stereotypical, really), but like I said, I've been known to possess qualities of all four houses, so I can't say too much without running into a conflict. I guess that's why I'm here. I want to know how you see me more than how I see myself. I know what I think. But what about you?
11. Why should we not squib you?
Well, I personally feel like I've given sufficient length for all of my questions, and I do answer honestly, as well as in depth as I can, to the point of not making myself or you go insane. But aside from what you see here, I do love sorting communities. I knew that this one was unique, and that I wanted to join. I especially love the value that you all seem to place in unity, as I think it's very important in today's world. I'd love to participate with you guys. <3 Bring it on!