dear sorting hat
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
This is a tough one. I think the thing I would change is people's inability to connect properly. Something along the lines of giving everyone instant empathy/telepathy. A lot of problems are caused by misunderstandings, miscommunications, mistranslations -- language and meaning-based problems. If there was a way to talk to each other without language / ego / translation barriers, I hope to think a lot of things would change. Yeah, it could be really scary. I'm not saying it would be a total solution, but that's the thing I would want to change. (That sounds pretty altruistic, doesn't it? Truth, I want to change that so I don't feel so alone and make so many mistakes!)
What makes a person respectable?
I suppose that depends on your definition of respectable, doesn't it? I personally tend to respect people who are honest, even to the point of bluntness; people who would rather be right than popular. I admire the ability to stick up for oneself in the face of adversity and negativity. Corrollary, though, is that it's awfully easy to make an ass out of oneself doing that, so I suppose it would be better to say I respect strong people who know when to speak up and when to draw the line. I admire balance in all forms.
What do you look for in a friend?
First thing I look for is a shared interest. You really need something to talk about in order to have a lasting friendship. That interest may wane, or change, or grow, as time goes on, but you need to start with that. I want a friend who is loyal, who will tell me when I'm being stupid, and who will be honest to me at all times. Someone who is okay "coming in after me" when I have a really bad day (I'm clinically depressive, so those can get /bad/). I think of myself as a fighter, so what I often need in a friend is a shield.
What are your hobbies?
Reading, writing, many creative things including web design, jewellery making, icon making, singing, dancing; I like water sports such as swimming and jetskiing; and if good conversation is a hobby then that's high on the list.
Have or would you give time and money to a charity?
I've been known to make a few small donations in my time, and if I had more money I'd make more. Part of the problem is that there are so very many charities out there, so many good causes, and if you donated to all of them you'd be flat broke. So I prefer to pick and choose my causes, and being as there's not much of a reasonable way to do so, I tend to choose those that have meaning to me -- for example, equal rights in all forms.
What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?
I have a selfish, mundane lifeswish, which is to write at least one good, thought-provoking, well-selling book (preferably fantasy); and I have an idealistic lifeswish, which is to know that I have made a difference in someone's life, a good, strong, important difference. I want to help individual people.
Who is your role model?
I don't have a single, specific role model as such. There's no single person in my life that I look up to and strongly desire to emulate. The closest to that would be, surprisingly, my mother. I've grown to respect her a great deal over the last few years.
What trait most annoys you about other people?
This is hard to answer -- many of the things that bother me in other people are things I'm very guilty of; for example, it annoys me when other people can't admit they're wrong. The thing that should go here, though, is that it bothers me when people won't fight for what they want and what they perceive as right. For example, I had to choose between two guys, and both of them were going "I think I should let you go so you can be happy with the other guy," and I just wanted to scream at them, "Don't you even want me?" (@.@ TMI.)
What do you want to do for a living?
What I am doing is working as a secretary, which is not a /bad/ job, just dull. I want something with some mental challenge. Hopefully creative. Which is why I'd like to be a writer, see above.
If your friend was attacked (by a person, animal, or (in the magic world) beast), what would you do?
Oh, goddess. Um. I think my helper instincts would probably kick in hurriedly -- I'd be doing the medical thing, checking for injuries and general stuff like that, and giving orders over my shoulder to anybody else who happened to be there about getting me supplies and getting more help and fighting the whatever. iRL, I might be more paralyzed than that, I don't know. But when a friend is injured, my immediate reaction is to help as fast as possible.
Would you ever use an Unforgivable Curse for any reason?
This is a trick question, isn't it? I want to say no. I want to say that I would be above that, that no reason could ever be strong enough for that. But I can't honestly say that; I've had ethics classes and I learnt that it's unfair to oneself to be that positive about something so murky. The Unforgivables are like the wizarding world's equivalent of guns, aren't they? So I can't honestly say what I would do, if I was put into a situation where I had to choose.
What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
I am strongwilled, openhearted/empathetic, forgiving, intelligent, and self-sacrificing.
What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities?
I'm proud, sarcastic, hot-tempered, stubborn, and I think too much for my own good.
Define in your own words the following key traits:
Courage: the ability to act through one's fears
Loyalty: the ability to see a person's flaws and merits and stick with them anyway
Intelligence: the ability to learn and put things together; also, creativity
Ambition: the ability to reach for situations and things currently beyond one's reach
Name: Panya
Age: 25
What house do you think DOESN'T fit you? N/A
Where did you find out about us?
cleolinda