Password: mollycoddling
NAME: Liz
AGE: 21
TIMEZONE: Central
01. Have you ever been sorted into a Harry Potter sorting community on LiveJournal?
No but I may be applying at hogwarts_elite soon
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.
N/A
03. How did you find this community? If you were referred by someone else, please state their LJ name (and, if possible, their camp).
Many thanks to Order of the Phoenix member nerd_sexy for bringing this community to my attention.
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 love to interact with people. Whether I'm in the Order of the Phoenix or the Death Eaters. I plan to be active and meet new people. I want to go to school for web design and graphic art. Right now my skills are minimal in that department, but I have found ways to work with the talents I have. My internet time is spoaratic. I'm usually on everyday but the amount of time varies. So during the time I have I usually flock to whereever the most action is. Namely, Livejournal and my TCGs. I've been looking for a Harry Potter community where I can discuss aspects of the story and characters, and a roleplay game where I could explore the story further. So I suppose I would be a valuable asset in the roleplay and discussion communities. I am hoping to participate in all the subcommunities but these two would probably be where I would be strongest. Ive never been apart of sorting communities before, but I love reading how people answer questions about themselves, so there is a strong interest in that aswell.
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.
The Order of the Phoenix are a group of people who believe in the advancement of magic through all mediums. They believe that magic should be shared among all who are capable of casting it. They are commited to fighting for and keeping safe those who agree and those who may be caught in the crossfire.
The Death Eaters are a group of people who believe that magic should be kept within pure wizard circles. They are followers of Voldimort who is actively persueing the "purification" of magic in the wizarding world. They are willing to do what they can to reach their goal and they hold strong to their beliefs.
06. Identify yourself with one (ex)-Order Member and one Death Eater, and explain your choices.
The Order member I most identify with would be Nymphadora Tonks. Although she comes off as silly and slightly clutzy she does have a serious side. She is loyal and stands up for what she believes in. I really see a lot of myself in her. She tries to lighten things for the people she cares about, and she watches out for them. She is proud of who she is and what she believes in, and she encourages others to feel the same. I think that is her most endearing attribute. No one knows better that outside appearances can change and dont reflect the real person beneath. She doesnt worry about outward appearances, it's whats inside that she cares about.
The Death Eater that I identify with the most would be Severus Snape. He's kind of like my side (which may be why I dont like him that much). He allows his personal biases to cloud his opinions. He isn't afraid to show his distain for certain people, and he certainly doesn't hesitate to make things hard for them. But the fact that he can recognize when to let his personal biases go makes me respect him. He may not like some of his students, but he knows that as their teacher it is his duty to protect them. I don't like Snape, but his sense of duty (even at the sacrifice of his own opinion) has made me have a soft spot for him. I can understand why he is the way he is because I have been in his shoes before.
My basic philosophy is "I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. You choose." And both of these characters reflect the respective sides of that statement. I am extremely loyal, in both friendship and war. I'm not afraid to state an opinion, and if you wrong me or a friend, I can hold a grudge like no other. I give everyone a chance. I want to meet people and make friends. Shutting people out won't help me accomplish that. But one chance is all you get. If I lose respect for you then you have to go. If you don't like that, oh well.
07. Which emotion are you least able to control? Please explain. (This can be a "positive" or "negative" emotion.)
The emotion I am least able to control would be my anger. By anger, I mean, ANGRY. It takes a lot to get my angry. Generally, I can be pissed about something or dislike something, but not angered about it. I don't like not having control, so it takes a lot of pushing to tip me over the edge. But if I do get to that point, it isn't pretty. I throw things, kick holes into things, scream and yell, overall make tons of noise so the world knows I'm angry. And when I calm down (which is usually a short time after whatever has pushed me is gone) I usualyl regret most of what I've done, or I brood over whatever it was for the res of the day. It isn't pretty and I'm not proud of it, but I honestly dont have any control over it.
08. What are three of your best talents? (You are encouraged to think beyond the physical for at least two of your answers.)
I would say my three best talents would be making people laugh, helping people, and starting projects/planning. I love to laugh, and in turn, I love to make people laugh. I'm willing to do pretty much anything to make someone smile. I may look like an idiot but if they find it amusing then it's worth it. Its very rare that my antics don't get some kind of reaction so I would consider it a talent. I also like to help people. Whether it's offering advice, just listening, or physically helping them. It doesnt take a lot of talent to help people, but I try to do it when and where I can. In a sense, you could say that I'm experienced at it. And, if I can't help them, I help them find someone who can. A more physical talent I have is the ability to create an idea and plan out how the idea can be accomplished. Actually following the plan is a different story. I start many things but rarely do I finish them. I'll come up with something make all the preparations, and then come up with another idea and start with that before finishing the first one. I have figured out though, that if I involve other people, they generally can take over when my interests turn elsewhere. And I always come back. I can never stay away from a good thing for long.
09. What are three qualities of an ideal leader, and why? Please describe a person (literary, historical, etc.) who exemplifies these characteristics.
An ideal leader is someone who is willing to get down and help the people they are leading. They are understanding and unbiases in their decision making. They know when it's time to be professional and when it's time to be silly. They are also strict when it come to rules and discipline. They aren't a pushover when it comes to making decisions. They listen and consider the ideas of the people around them, working to find the best solution.
A fictional leader that displays these talents well, as silly as it is, would be Willy Wonka for Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He knows what can and cannot be done in regards to his business and he follows these guidlines unwaveringly. Sure he's strange, but that's the fun aspect of him, underneath it all he is still a professional and demands respect as a leader. It's hard to maintain a balance, because many of the mentioned traits have a fine line between their extremes. And most leaders don't meet all of them. But as long as they attain most of them, they're fine.
10. Would you ever "switch sides" in a situation? If so, under which conditions? Examples/hypothetical scenarios will be helpful!
For me to truely "switch sides" my opinion would have to change. I'm a very opinionated person, and I stand strong on what I believe in, no matter how minor the topic may seem. I'm open to discussing things, and I'm willing to see things from other people's perspective. But in the end my opinion is the only one that really matters to me. For instance, with the argument of abortion. For a long time, I was strongly against it. But after having several discussions in school I am now pro-choice. I have in a sense "switched sides" on this topic. But the only reason for the change is my personal feeling for it. I wouldn't switch sides for personal gain, or to make things easier for myself. I'm a strong believer that you tak the road given to you even if it's hard, and you follow it, even if you are following it for someone else other than yourself.
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?
I suppose it would depend on the mission. But assuming it was one that could be accomplished with any of those options I would choose a small group of friends. But I would want it to be friends who were honest with each other and knew when it was time to work and time to play. Having a mission, or somtehing that needs to be worked through, could be fun. But when it comes down to it , there is something that needs to be done and you have to finish it. It would have to be a group that could speak freely with each other. If you can't say whether or not you think a plan/idea will or won't work, then you might as well be working alone or with one other person. I would want a small group of friends because you can get more ideas going that you could with one of two people. You could then decide the best course of action to take. With a large group of people you would not only have to worry about your mission, but also the organization of the people involved. I fell that just creates more hassle and work than you really need. So for me, a small group would work.
12. Would you rather be convicted of betrayal of your peers, or betrayal of your family, and why?
I would rather be convicted of betrayal to my family. It comes down to what you feel is right or wrong. Your peers are people who are like you. Who stuggle with problems similar to your own. Your family on the other hand, is only bound to you through blood. Denying/betraying your family's opinion is denying what they have taught you is right or wrong. Denying your peers, in my opinion, who you are and what you have experienced. Does this mean I would always choose a peer over family? No. It all depends on the situation and what is at stake. In the end, I would rather be convicted of betraying either of those, then betraying myself.
13. Write a short call to action for a modern social or political cause you support. (Please refrain from using Harry Potter situations!)
Parents today are overprotecting their youth. Everything has to be politically correct, to the point that its maddening. Starting lawsuits about what color your child's teacher uses to grade a paper is not only a waste of time, but a waste of money. An F is an F, no matter what color it is. Changing classic children shows, like Seasame Street, so that children can only learn specific things that you deem worthy for them to know is just another form of over protection. I've heard that the Cookie Monster isn't the Cookie Monster anymore. He's now more of a Vegtable Monster. Why are we picking apart anything that may make our children unhappy? The world isnt all peaches and cream. By sugar coating EVERYTHING your doing more harm to your child than good. Obviously there are some things that children shouldn't be exposed to. But having a fit about a Pokemon that reminds you of black face is not one of them. And your child probably doesn't know there is anything wrong until you make a huge hype about it. We need to stop cushioning our children's lives and teach them about how the world is, prepare them so they can deal with the hard times in life on their own. It's better to teach a man to fish than to just hand him a free meal.