Application
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I would make it impossible for humans to refer to other humans as evil. First, if that statement is inaccurate and is believed, the amount of damage caused would be nothing short of catastrophic. Period. I also find it hard to believe that any human could MAKE that judgment on another, seeing as how none of us is omniscient. And I know people can do awful, horrible, INEXCUSABLE things, but I'm not sure if a person can be evil. This is not based on a religious idea of "I think Man is essentially good", I just know true evil is something I have trouble wrapping my head around, especially when trying to attribute it to a human being. If you want, look at it like this: there have been a few times I have heard a person or a group of people (gah! worse!) referred to as evil, and it disturbed me as few other things in my life have.
What makes a person respectable?
A respectable person is one who lives their life to the fullest, meaning they recognize all the potential they have and go after whatever it may be with passion and adherence to their own moral code. People I find respectable very rarely do things they are later ashamed of, but stand up and take responsibility for and fix their mistakes as best they can. I worded this answer very carefully. I hope it's clear. :-\
What do you look for in a friend?
My closest friends are people I respect and admire. They are all extremely talented in some form or fashion that impresses me, and they are all people that I know, without a doubt, would drop everything and help me if I needed them to. I expect a lot out of my friends, honestly, because I give a lot in return. I don't really look for people whose lives I "approve" of though; I am not judgmental, and if I don't feel I can be open with someone and still be accepted, they will remain an acquaintance. I appreciate and love goofiness in others and when they can appreciate it in me. I pretty much like and enjoy people as long as they aren't huge jerks (and I can even appreciate things about the huge jerks, if they're smart), but I've always had only small groups of close friends. I'm only friends with people I can love.
What are your hobbies?
Reading. I love reading. In elementary school I read so much my mom would actually get frustrated at me. Books seemed magical to me. Wait. Books seem magical to me. Wait. I guess technically that means the human brain seems magical to me. I also really like to learn, play the clarinet and piano, listen to music, cook, camp, and annoy my siblings (that's right, I'm five. Shut up). I would like sports if I were better at them, I think; they always seem like fun but I'm starting out so far behind it's ridiculous (hand/eye coordination what?). I do like physical activity, I've always taken some sort of dance class and am not too bad at that. Right now I run enough that I guess I should list it as a hobby. Oh yeah, skiing! Yay skiing!
Have or would you give time and money to a charity?
I've given time to charity since junior high, though not really one organization over others. (Once I moved away from my home town, there it was all about Helping Hands, baby. The town is small.) Money is a bit trickier to talk about to complete strangers. I don't like this question. :-P First of all, I've never had any (money), but I know I will since we've just recently stopped being students. Except for the tsunami and hurricane Katrina, there has never been anything to make me feel like I should give my money to a charity. I am more likely to give money to charity, not a charitable organization. For instance, funds set up at local banks for a specific person with a specific goal in mind (i.e. an operation). When I have felt I should, I did what I could, and I will continue that. I will never use it as a tax deduction and so will probably never give vast amounts. As a general rule, we're going to save like crazy. Now butt out.
What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?
I want my marriage to be the most successful marriage in the history of the world. And why? Hmmmm. I think that it is the main thing that will make life pleasant on a day to day basis, and I think it is absolutely worthy of the time and effort it will take. Also, my husband is real cute.
Who is your role model?
I do not have a role model. There are certainly people I admire, respect, love, and hope to do as well in certain areas as they have. But I do not have any one role model. Oops.
What trait most annoys you about other people?
Impatience. It causes rudeness and accomplishes NOTHING. If I were a crazy I would start a religion/cult based on the idea that impatience is the root of most of our problems. Would you join? (PS It would in no way involve worship of ME, okay? I AM NOT A CRAZY.)
What do you want to do for a living?
Teach music at a school I love and use my summers to travel and do big, fancy, shiny projects. It makes me fulfilled and happy. I like this question, ya'll. It makes me feel lucky. (Oh wait, here's a bit more elaboration since this is something I feel strongly about. I think music is a vital part of a well rounded education. I get so much pleasure out of it myself that I want to help others understand it and get pleasure out of it as well. If taught correctly, involving pointing out processes you go through to learn in general and really doing the higher level thinking it can involve, music can help enormous amounts with any number of other academic subjects. It gives kiddos one more area in which they can succeed. Rock on.)
If your friend was attacked (by a person, animal, or (in the magic world) beast), what would you do?
Whatever it took to protect or help them. My friends are people I'm willing to risk everything for. If you want a more elaborate or situation specific answer, then I don't know how to give it based on this question. If I'm missing something, PLEASE let me know and I'll elaborate.
Would you ever use an Unforgivable Curse for any reason?
No, I would not. The thought of being responsible for making someone experience the worst pain imaginable, putting someone under my absolute control, or ending the life of another human is just not acceptable. Hopefully the people I love understand that if someone murders them I will not avenge their death by committing the same crime. This does not mean I think you should never retaliate. It means I think the curses are unforgivable for a reason and there has to be a better way. (*is extremely nervous about this answer as it seems most people do not agree*)
What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
*Kindness. I feel weird listing this because it's basically in my nature and not under my control. And there are times when I thought if one more person called me "nice", as if it were something trite, I would scream. But I'm glad I have this little trick in my bag, as it were.
*Wisdom. Or maybe more that I think I know how to garner wisdom than "right now I have vast amounts of wisdom at my disposal and ready to dispense". I think wisdom involves both empathy and experience and I do not think you simply acquire it as you age.
*Goofiness. I'm decently fun to be around. Did doing this make anyone else feel conceited? :(
*My decision making skills. I can weigh all sides of an issue with equal understanding and yet not let that make me incapable of making a decision.
*The ability to see good in almost anything or anyone.
What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities?
*My ability to see the good in almost anything or anyone. It can be annoying and dangerous.
*The fact that I cry so easily. It makes you seem weak.
*I am anal retentive, or hypocritical, or something. Which I use to mean I'm sort of a perfectionist, but sometimes it only bothers me when something I contributed to is inperfect because of someone else, or something that was beyond my control. (So sometimes I'm not a perfectionist and that's okay, but only when it's my choice. Not feeling so conceited anymore.)
*Daydreaming. I can get wrapped up in thinking about things, which is not necessarily bad, but is not productive.
*I'm more shy and awkward in person than I would like. There comes a point when letting your insecurities about your appearance affect your behavior is just silly. It's a habit that's really proven hard for me to break. I'm five. Shut up.
Define in your own words the following key traits:
Courage: Courage is being able to do exactly what you want in the face of a difficult situation or crisis. It means using the panic, nervousness, or fear you feel in a productive way (adrenaline, I guess) and not letting it cloud your judgment.
Loyalty: Loyalty is devotion to a person, cause, or ideal. I hate the connotation that loyalty is blind. I don't think it is, but I do think it can be, and I do not think loyalty is an excuse for blindness.
Intelligence: Intelligence is how smart a person is. (Somehow that sentence sounds really stupid but I don't know how else to word it.) To be considered intelligent you must not only have the IQ but the ability to learn quickly, communicate, and function on some social level. Intelligence to me implies a balance and wisdom, not just an extreme talent for say, math or writing. Sorry.
Ambition: Ambition is the drive or desire to go after what you want. Ambition can work around or within parameters; it can accomplish without sacrificing everything else. When you don't or can't, that is tunnelvision and destructiveness.
Name:
Stephanie
Age:
23
What house do you think DOESN'T fit you? (This question is optional for those who feel they just DO NOT fit in a house. Please explain WHY.)
Where did you find out about us?
The always fabulous cleolinda