psst! mollycoddling!
NAME: Roo
AGE: 20 (The big 2-1 in 28 days!)
TIMEZONE: Central
01. Have you ever been sorted into a Harry Potter sorting community on LiveJournal?
Indeed. I’m a Slytherin on over at hogwarts_elite. I also posted an app at hat_sorting a couple days ago for kicks. Voting is still going on there, but it looks like I'm either going to Slytherin or Ravenclaw.
02. If you answered "yes" to number one, which Hogwarts house were you sorted into? Also, if you can, please provide a link to your application.
Pure snake. Or a snake with talons.
03. How did you find this community? If you were referred by someone else, please state their LJ name (and, if possible, their camp).
I saw a promo on nerd_sexy’s lj. She is, I believe, a member of the Order.
04. Why would you be an addition to either the Order of the Phoenix or the Death Eaters? In which subcommunities could you be a valuable asset? (consider your strengths and weaknesses in graphics, roleplaying and discussion, sorting, your interests, and your availability)
I’m a writer - about to finish my degree and everything! - which is about the best thing I’ve got to offer. Want someone to talk your way out of disaster? I’m your girl. Pros: Discussions and sorting are my bag. Cons: I have graphical skills approaching negative at the speed of sound and a full load of classes about to kick my ass. Pro/Con (Pr0n…coincidence? I think not): I’ve never roleplayed before, although I’d like to try it. You never know, I might be awesome at it.
05. Make a paragraph-long highlight summary of both the Order’s and the Death Eaters’ characteristics and doctrine. Each paragraph should be no longer than ten lines.
Order of the Phoenix: “With liberty and justice for all.” They want the world to be ruled for the good of everyone - wizards of all bloodlines and muggles alike. Aims: Stopping Voldemort, keeping Harry alive as long as they need him, instilling peace in a world of chaos. Gratuitous killing frowned upon. Killing of innocents scowled at. Noble self-sacrifice okay, as long as it is suitably dramatic and in the line of duty. MO consists mainly of trying to figure out what the Death Eaters are up to in order to stop them.
Death Eaters: “There is no good or evil, only power, and those too weak to seek it.” They want to rule the world, no matter who gets stepped on in the process. Aims: Killing or sufficiently oppressing anyone beneath them, anyone who stands in their way, anyone who looks at them funny, and that meddling Harry Potter. Gratuitous killing applauded. Killing of innocents shrugged at. Noble self-sacrifice good, unless Voldemort isn’t watching. MO consists mainly of trying to figure out what the Order is up to in order to stop them.
06. Identify yourself with one (ex)-Order Member and one Death Eater, and explain your choices.
Order: Sirius Black, because was completely committed to the cause. Neither his pureblood, pseudo-Death Eater family nor twelve years in Azkaban rattled his faith in the light side. Although he was far safer than any other Order member by remaining holed up where no one could get to him, he was anxious to do his part and rejoin the fight, and he eventually went down fighting for the Order, the way I believe he would have wanted to go - after all, it was he who said, “There are some things worth dying for.”
Death Eater: Bellatrix Lestrange, for exactly the same reason. When others were claiming to have been tricked or cursed into joining the dark side, she proudly wore her Death Eater status on her sleeve. She willingly went to Azkaban for her beliefs, and she, nearly alone, believed he’d be back. I believe she would be just as willing to die for Voldemort, since she is his prized right-hand woman.
Clearly, I most admire loyalty to your side, whichever side it might be.
07. Which emotion are you least able to control? Please explain. (This can be a "positive" or "negative" emotion.)
Jealousy. I have a raging jealous streak, and it’s the one emotion of mine that I have never been able to squash. Anger and sadness I have no problem disappating with some meditation or the right music, but my boyfriend’s gorgeous friend or my sister’s cool car? Causes me to see green. It’s terrible, I know, but I’m used to getting my way and I get tetchy when I don’t.
08. What are three of your best talents? (You are encouraged to think beyond the physical for at least two of your answers.)
Intelligence: Self-explanatory, I believe. I’ll come up with a kooky plan and I’ll execute it with style. If I don’t come up with a plan, I’ll give you forty seven good reasons why I didn’t, why your plan is riddled with flaws, and why no plan is the best plan. This may or may not be stylish.
Sense of humor: War should be fun. MASH exists to tell us this. I hope to bring the same sort of snarky delight to this climactic battle between good and evil, mainly because the comic relief never gets killed.
Tongue tricks: This probably isn’t so much an asset here, but seriously - they’re awesome. Sometime I’ll post a video.
09. What are three qualities of an ideal leader, and why? Please describe a person (literary, historical, etc.) who exemplifies these characteristics.
Charisma: Leaders absolutely MUST have that je ne sais quoi. Alan Rickman’s voice, a mesmerizing mustache, something that causes people to take notice. If people aren’t compelled to listen when you speak, it doesn’t matter how good (or, you know, satisfyingly evil) your ideas are. A snappy outfit qualifies under “charisma” as well.
Decisiveness/Willingness to Execute a Plan: People who shuffle their feet, mumbling, “You know, whatever you want”? Not good leaders. Leaders come up with a plan, and they make it happen. They recognize what needs to be done and they do it, even if that plan is difficult or dangerous. They incorporate the ideas of their team, but they make the final judgement because they must be willing to take the consequences on themselves.
Intelligence: Leaders must either be smart, or they must be self-aware enough to get someone smart to help them. They must be able to see the big picture and understand consequences. They are often natural leaders because people automatically look to those smarter than them to lead the way.
I think Dumbledore and Voldemort both actually fulfill all of these characteristics nicely. They are the two most powerful wizards on earth and therefore logical leaders of opposing camps. They alone often know what is happening when no one else does, they are both quick to put plans in motion, and they both possess a certain quiet charisma that causes people to take notice (eerily similar inside my head, as Voldemort frequently speaks “softly” and Dumbledore frequently speaks “calmly”). Snappy outfit edge goes to: Dumbledore.
10. Would you ever "switch sides" in a situation? If so, under which conditions? Examples/hypothetical scenarios will be helpful!
Erm…yes. That probably sounds contradictory in light of number 6, but I admire loyalty more in spirit more than practice. I’m staunchly loyal to things that aren’t too serious, for example - put me on any sort of team or club and I am there, in team colors with a giant foam finger. Obviously I applaud loyalty to the death (or to the Azkaban) in literature as well, but to be totally frank, in real life I would be unlikely to stick with a side that I thought was more likely to lose or get me killed. In terms of Real Serious Business, I’m more into self-preservation.
11. If placed on a mission, would you rather operate alone, with a friend, with a small group of friends or with a large force, and why?
With a small trusted group. You can really never go wrong with a bit of backup - people to look out for you, to point out flaws in the plan, to provide a diversion or a rescue mission. Big groups, however, tend to be bumbling and impotent, not to mention inelegant. It’d take forever to vote on anything and there’d always be someone needing to stop for the bathroom.
12. Would you rather be convicted of betrayal of your peers, or betrayal of your family, and why?
Tough, but I would say family. You can’t choose the family you’re born into, so if you don’t agree with their views, or if they outright suck, there’s no reason you should have to remain loyal to them. “Well, they kick puppies and they listen to country music, but they’re blood and so I’ll go along with it”? Nuh-uh. Your friends, on the other hand, are people you choose for a reason. You’re in sync somehow, and so there should be no reason to betray them. If you betray them, they’re not your friends anyway.
13. Write a short call to action for a modern social or political cause you support. (Please refrain from using Harry Potter situations!)
Okay, those email forwards about missing children, how your nail polish remover can kill you, and cutesy stories about the mentally handicapped? Those need to stop. They really, really, need to stop. Mainly because anybody who reads Snopes knows that every email forward, ever, has been empirically proved false, and the spread of misinformation is not okay. It encourages gullibility and laziness, and it tells us to accept anything at face value no matter how outrageous and poorly presented. My call to action is thus: next time someone sends you a email (Subject line: THIS COULD HAPPEN TO U!!!) informing you that gang members are posing as nuns and murdering churchgoers across the country, don’t roll your eyes and delete it. Send them a link to Snopes. Point out exactly why this stuff is stupid and untrue.
Also, those email forwards that get sent to every female on the contact list with how not to get raped? You ladies know what I’m talking about, all, “Women, don’t be a victim!” For every one of those you get, send an email to all the men on your contact list says, “Hey, Guys? DON’T RAPE WOMEN!”
Or just set this stuff to Spam Filter, because really, at the end of the Armageddon there will be cockroaches, Dick Clark, and email forwards about plucky disabled children.
AGE: 20 (The big 2-1 in 28 days!)
TIMEZONE: Central
01. Have you ever been sorted into a Harry Potter sorting community on LiveJournal?
Indeed. I’m a Slytherin on over at hogwarts_elite. I also posted an app at hat_sorting a couple days ago for kicks. Voting is still going on there, but it looks like I'm either going to Slytherin or Ravenclaw.
02. If you answered "yes" to number one, which Hogwarts house were you sorted into? Also, if you can, please provide a link to your application.
Pure snake. Or a snake with talons.
03. How did you find this community? If you were referred by someone else, please state their LJ name (and, if possible, their camp).
I saw a promo on nerd_sexy’s lj. She is, I believe, a member of the Order.
04. Why would you be an addition to either the Order of the Phoenix or the Death Eaters? In which subcommunities could you be a valuable asset? (consider your strengths and weaknesses in graphics, roleplaying and discussion, sorting, your interests, and your availability)
I’m a writer - about to finish my degree and everything! - which is about the best thing I’ve got to offer. Want someone to talk your way out of disaster? I’m your girl. Pros: Discussions and sorting are my bag. Cons: I have graphical skills approaching negative at the speed of sound and a full load of classes about to kick my ass. Pro/Con (Pr0n…coincidence? I think not): I’ve never roleplayed before, although I’d like to try it. You never know, I might be awesome at it.
05. Make a paragraph-long highlight summary of both the Order’s and the Death Eaters’ characteristics and doctrine. Each paragraph should be no longer than ten lines.
Order of the Phoenix: “With liberty and justice for all.” They want the world to be ruled for the good of everyone - wizards of all bloodlines and muggles alike. Aims: Stopping Voldemort, keeping Harry alive as long as they need him, instilling peace in a world of chaos. Gratuitous killing frowned upon. Killing of innocents scowled at. Noble self-sacrifice okay, as long as it is suitably dramatic and in the line of duty. MO consists mainly of trying to figure out what the Death Eaters are up to in order to stop them.
Death Eaters: “There is no good or evil, only power, and those too weak to seek it.” They want to rule the world, no matter who gets stepped on in the process. Aims: Killing or sufficiently oppressing anyone beneath them, anyone who stands in their way, anyone who looks at them funny, and that meddling Harry Potter. Gratuitous killing applauded. Killing of innocents shrugged at. Noble self-sacrifice good, unless Voldemort isn’t watching. MO consists mainly of trying to figure out what the Order is up to in order to stop them.
06. Identify yourself with one (ex)-Order Member and one Death Eater, and explain your choices.
Order: Sirius Black, because was completely committed to the cause. Neither his pureblood, pseudo-Death Eater family nor twelve years in Azkaban rattled his faith in the light side. Although he was far safer than any other Order member by remaining holed up where no one could get to him, he was anxious to do his part and rejoin the fight, and he eventually went down fighting for the Order, the way I believe he would have wanted to go - after all, it was he who said, “There are some things worth dying for.”
Death Eater: Bellatrix Lestrange, for exactly the same reason. When others were claiming to have been tricked or cursed into joining the dark side, she proudly wore her Death Eater status on her sleeve. She willingly went to Azkaban for her beliefs, and she, nearly alone, believed he’d be back. I believe she would be just as willing to die for Voldemort, since she is his prized right-hand woman.
Clearly, I most admire loyalty to your side, whichever side it might be.
07. Which emotion are you least able to control? Please explain. (This can be a "positive" or "negative" emotion.)
Jealousy. I have a raging jealous streak, and it’s the one emotion of mine that I have never been able to squash. Anger and sadness I have no problem disappating with some meditation or the right music, but my boyfriend’s gorgeous friend or my sister’s cool car? Causes me to see green. It’s terrible, I know, but I’m used to getting my way and I get tetchy when I don’t.
08. What are three of your best talents? (You are encouraged to think beyond the physical for at least two of your answers.)
Intelligence: Self-explanatory, I believe. I’ll come up with a kooky plan and I’ll execute it with style. If I don’t come up with a plan, I’ll give you forty seven good reasons why I didn’t, why your plan is riddled with flaws, and why no plan is the best plan. This may or may not be stylish.
Sense of humor: War should be fun. MASH exists to tell us this. I hope to bring the same sort of snarky delight to this climactic battle between good and evil, mainly because the comic relief never gets killed.
Tongue tricks: This probably isn’t so much an asset here, but seriously - they’re awesome. Sometime I’ll post a video.
09. What are three qualities of an ideal leader, and why? Please describe a person (literary, historical, etc.) who exemplifies these characteristics.
Charisma: Leaders absolutely MUST have that je ne sais quoi. Alan Rickman’s voice, a mesmerizing mustache, something that causes people to take notice. If people aren’t compelled to listen when you speak, it doesn’t matter how good (or, you know, satisfyingly evil) your ideas are. A snappy outfit qualifies under “charisma” as well.
Decisiveness/Willingness to Execute a Plan: People who shuffle their feet, mumbling, “You know, whatever you want”? Not good leaders. Leaders come up with a plan, and they make it happen. They recognize what needs to be done and they do it, even if that plan is difficult or dangerous. They incorporate the ideas of their team, but they make the final judgement because they must be willing to take the consequences on themselves.
Intelligence: Leaders must either be smart, or they must be self-aware enough to get someone smart to help them. They must be able to see the big picture and understand consequences. They are often natural leaders because people automatically look to those smarter than them to lead the way.
I think Dumbledore and Voldemort both actually fulfill all of these characteristics nicely. They are the two most powerful wizards on earth and therefore logical leaders of opposing camps. They alone often know what is happening when no one else does, they are both quick to put plans in motion, and they both possess a certain quiet charisma that causes people to take notice (eerily similar inside my head, as Voldemort frequently speaks “softly” and Dumbledore frequently speaks “calmly”). Snappy outfit edge goes to: Dumbledore.
10. Would you ever "switch sides" in a situation? If so, under which conditions? Examples/hypothetical scenarios will be helpful!
Erm…yes. That probably sounds contradictory in light of number 6, but I admire loyalty more in spirit more than practice. I’m staunchly loyal to things that aren’t too serious, for example - put me on any sort of team or club and I am there, in team colors with a giant foam finger. Obviously I applaud loyalty to the death (or to the Azkaban) in literature as well, but to be totally frank, in real life I would be unlikely to stick with a side that I thought was more likely to lose or get me killed. In terms of Real Serious Business, I’m more into self-preservation.
11. If placed on a mission, would you rather operate alone, with a friend, with a small group of friends or with a large force, and why?
With a small trusted group. You can really never go wrong with a bit of backup - people to look out for you, to point out flaws in the plan, to provide a diversion or a rescue mission. Big groups, however, tend to be bumbling and impotent, not to mention inelegant. It’d take forever to vote on anything and there’d always be someone needing to stop for the bathroom.
12. Would you rather be convicted of betrayal of your peers, or betrayal of your family, and why?
Tough, but I would say family. You can’t choose the family you’re born into, so if you don’t agree with their views, or if they outright suck, there’s no reason you should have to remain loyal to them. “Well, they kick puppies and they listen to country music, but they’re blood and so I’ll go along with it”? Nuh-uh. Your friends, on the other hand, are people you choose for a reason. You’re in sync somehow, and so there should be no reason to betray them. If you betray them, they’re not your friends anyway.
13. Write a short call to action for a modern social or political cause you support. (Please refrain from using Harry Potter situations!)
Okay, those email forwards about missing children, how your nail polish remover can kill you, and cutesy stories about the mentally handicapped? Those need to stop. They really, really, need to stop. Mainly because anybody who reads Snopes knows that every email forward, ever, has been empirically proved false, and the spread of misinformation is not okay. It encourages gullibility and laziness, and it tells us to accept anything at face value no matter how outrageous and poorly presented. My call to action is thus: next time someone sends you a email (Subject line: THIS COULD HAPPEN TO U!!!) informing you that gang members are posing as nuns and murdering churchgoers across the country, don’t roll your eyes and delete it. Send them a link to Snopes. Point out exactly why this stuff is stupid and untrue.
Also, those email forwards that get sent to every female on the contact list with how not to get raped? You ladies know what I’m talking about, all, “Women, don’t be a victim!” For every one of those you get, send an email to all the men on your contact list says, “Hey, Guys? DON’T RAPE WOMEN!”
Or just set this stuff to Spam Filter, because really, at the end of the Armageddon there will be cockroaches, Dick Clark, and email forwards about plucky disabled children.