Who am I?
1. Name: 20faces
2. Age: 28
3. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Any major city with a population greater than 8 million people in the US.
I like cities like NYC (8M just on Manhattan Island alone) and DC (10M, in DC proper and with the surrounding sprawl in MD and VA). I prefer to live in places where in/out-city communication and access to basics/luxuries are easy. It must also have a social/nightlife... I loathe places with boring clubs, and I like knowing I have several options within walking distance of each other. I also dislike being dependent on any one type of transportation... and I like having the option to leave it when I please. I like having a metro system, car (taxi, zip, private auto), bus, train, plane, you name it. So that said.. A large city affords all of these.
I'd also like a house just outside of the city limits, so that I can keep my sanity and de-stress. I do need to see something green from time-to-time as opposed to towers of concrete and steel. I also have a strong need to not be around people and be completely alone. Not that that isn't possible when you are gettin' your groove on in a really busy club.
So really, where I live is predicated on my income!!!
4. What would your Room of Requirement look like?
An ATM machine.
Haha.. No, seriously, I don't know. Nothing as (actually) tacky and middleclass as *that*.
*thinks* It would probably end up being a costuming area or walk-in closet. I always make sure that I'm well-fed, and I can come up with ways to calm down.. but one is always stuck with whatever they left the house in. And I hate that. I like having options. I'd probably make sure to be able to change into something different if I could. Be it for comfort or style... Nothing worse than wearing the cutest heels and you find out half-way through the day that they're extremely painful. It's hard to make an impression with a client and you realise you are acting like a jackass because your clothing isn't working for you (or them). I can't be bothered with that.
5. Who is your least favorite Harry Potter character?
This is a cut/paste from my sorting application, with an important deletion.
I probably would have slapped Gilderoy Lockhart. If you're going to be a fraud, at least be good at it and have a passion for artifice and subjectivity, like Quentin Crisp, Oscar Wilde, Beau Brummel, or the other great Dandies of the world. There was subtle heroism in their idleness and appreciation for beauty - they were intellectual knights in service of the ineffable. He could have benefitted greatly from reading the book "How to be a Complete Dandy", because he broke the most important rule - style as substance.
6. Is the glass half empty or half full?
Logically, unless the glass was filled to the middle to begin with, the glass is technically half-empty.. since one must remove substance to create space. Which to me is additionally spiritually important.. I don't see "no-thing-ness" as a negative.
7. Give us a quotation (Can be from a famous person, a song, or even a poem-whatever you want) you feel represents your life or personality.
From a fortune cookie:
"Be yourself, and you will always be in fashion."
Andy Warhol:
"If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface: of any of my painting and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it."
8. In your life, who comes first: family or friends?
Honestly, both are thorns in my side. I hate to admit it, but family wins. As much as I cannot be bothered with their competition and self-destructive behaviour and immature antics, ugh, I'm stuck with them. Friends will come and go, but family is with you until they dance on your grave, for good or ill.
9. What is your favorite childhood memory?
It's a tie.. and they're both fleeting/sensory.
- Riding in a wagon on a summer day.. down a sloping hill.
- Playing in the snow, building snowmen, snowflakes falling on my face.
10. What would you say is your biggest flaw?
I don't respect boundaries (that I deem are arbitrary). If they seem useful, then I'll adhere to them.. Otherwise, all bets are off. I have my own rules (about conducting business, personal affairs, relationships, etc) that are based on years of thinking as well as observation of other people... I attempt to not pre-judge, but that said, I also come to conversations or interactions with people armed with opinions. It's definitely a protection mechanism, but it's served me better than not. I try to counter this by surrounding myself with people that I've got strong bonds with, who I've asked in all seriousness to give me reality checks if ever needed. I can't deal with other people's BS, let alone my own.
11. If you had been at Hogwarts during Harry’s fifth year, do you think that you would have joined the D.A.?
Yes, but not out of loyalty. I can't pass up an opportunity to learn something new or test out new skills. Let me add that I do not use the word "friend" lightly, so those who I would become friends with would be those to whom I am loyal and would defend. And that's worth something to me. Additionally, I like knowing my surroundings, so I would just be as likely to be in on any of Draco's dealings as the DA's. I hesitate to frame it this way, but there's more power in knowing both sides... and it's strictly personal.
12. Describe how you react to difficult or stressful situations.
If I look at how I deal with them *now*.... with a lot of patience and discipline than I would have about 4-5 years ago. At present, I can talk my ways in and out of situations... which is to not suggest that I weasel out of them. The problems that present themselves WILL get resolved. I don't have time anymore to deal with people and their baggage. I won't tolerate it of myself and I won't take it from someone else. It's beneath me. The only time that I just said, "RETREAT!" was when dealing with my stalker. Graveyards are filled with people who cannot speak for themselves... so I moved away to a new city.
At university, I was panic ridden.. I had anxiety attacks. But I still managed to deal with what needed to be done... on time, with honours, and done well.
In high school and before, I was taken to being absurdly disciplined.. or just brushing people off, busying myself my music or studies. Listening to people's boring relationship problems was not something with which I willingly concerned myself, especially when I being a good student on campus was my one-way ticket out of a nightmarish home situation involving a controlling and abusive parent.
13. Which do you value more: compassion or justice?
Justice. I've given too much of myself to people who didn't deserve it.
14. Would you say that you’re a child at heart, or that you have an old soul?
It's hard to relax... my first response would be "old soul"... I'd like to believe there might be some glimmer child still in there that can go back and feel the pleasure associated with snowflakes falling on their face. I'll never be a child (again), and I'll never get my childhood back from those who robbed it from me... but that said, I'm learning to be an adult.. and I'm discovering that there are child-like joys in being an adult.
15. Which Hogwarts House do you think that the Sorting Hat would place you in?
See.. I always thought I was a Gryffindor.. and when I was sorted at hogwartssorting, I got sorted into Gryffindor, but one vote. Yet at Hogwarts_Elite, I got sorted into Slytherin.. which took me by surprise. I'm getting used to the idea that I might be more Slytherin than any other house. *shrugs*
Sidenote.. if you want an idea of what I am like outside of HP-fandom.. go here.
16. If you have a picture of yourself and feel comfortable posting it, please do so! Pictures are fun!
Please note.. I'm NOT Tonks.
this one is kinda funny.. because i've quit smoking (successfully):
2. Age: 28
3. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Any major city with a population greater than 8 million people in the US.
I like cities like NYC (8M just on Manhattan Island alone) and DC (10M, in DC proper and with the surrounding sprawl in MD and VA). I prefer to live in places where in/out-city communication and access to basics/luxuries are easy. It must also have a social/nightlife... I loathe places with boring clubs, and I like knowing I have several options within walking distance of each other. I also dislike being dependent on any one type of transportation... and I like having the option to leave it when I please. I like having a metro system, car (taxi, zip, private auto), bus, train, plane, you name it. So that said.. A large city affords all of these.
I'd also like a house just outside of the city limits, so that I can keep my sanity and de-stress. I do need to see something green from time-to-time as opposed to towers of concrete and steel. I also have a strong need to not be around people and be completely alone. Not that that isn't possible when you are gettin' your groove on in a really busy club.
So really, where I live is predicated on my income!!!
4. What would your Room of Requirement look like?
An ATM machine.
Haha.. No, seriously, I don't know. Nothing as (actually) tacky and middleclass as *that*.
*thinks* It would probably end up being a costuming area or walk-in closet. I always make sure that I'm well-fed, and I can come up with ways to calm down.. but one is always stuck with whatever they left the house in. And I hate that. I like having options. I'd probably make sure to be able to change into something different if I could. Be it for comfort or style... Nothing worse than wearing the cutest heels and you find out half-way through the day that they're extremely painful. It's hard to make an impression with a client and you realise you are acting like a jackass because your clothing isn't working for you (or them). I can't be bothered with that.
5. Who is your least favorite Harry Potter character?
This is a cut/paste from my sorting application, with an important deletion.
I probably would have slapped Gilderoy Lockhart. If you're going to be a fraud, at least be good at it and have a passion for artifice and subjectivity, like Quentin Crisp, Oscar Wilde, Beau Brummel, or the other great Dandies of the world. There was subtle heroism in their idleness and appreciation for beauty - they were intellectual knights in service of the ineffable. He could have benefitted greatly from reading the book "How to be a Complete Dandy", because he broke the most important rule - style as substance.
6. Is the glass half empty or half full?
Logically, unless the glass was filled to the middle to begin with, the glass is technically half-empty.. since one must remove substance to create space. Which to me is additionally spiritually important.. I don't see "no-thing-ness" as a negative.
7. Give us a quotation (Can be from a famous person, a song, or even a poem-whatever you want) you feel represents your life or personality.
From a fortune cookie:
"Be yourself, and you will always be in fashion."
Andy Warhol:
"If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface: of any of my painting and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it."
8. In your life, who comes first: family or friends?
Honestly, both are thorns in my side. I hate to admit it, but family wins. As much as I cannot be bothered with their competition and self-destructive behaviour and immature antics, ugh, I'm stuck with them. Friends will come and go, but family is with you until they dance on your grave, for good or ill.
9. What is your favorite childhood memory?
It's a tie.. and they're both fleeting/sensory.
- Riding in a wagon on a summer day.. down a sloping hill.
- Playing in the snow, building snowmen, snowflakes falling on my face.
10. What would you say is your biggest flaw?
I don't respect boundaries (that I deem are arbitrary). If they seem useful, then I'll adhere to them.. Otherwise, all bets are off. I have my own rules (about conducting business, personal affairs, relationships, etc) that are based on years of thinking as well as observation of other people... I attempt to not pre-judge, but that said, I also come to conversations or interactions with people armed with opinions. It's definitely a protection mechanism, but it's served me better than not. I try to counter this by surrounding myself with people that I've got strong bonds with, who I've asked in all seriousness to give me reality checks if ever needed. I can't deal with other people's BS, let alone my own.
11. If you had been at Hogwarts during Harry’s fifth year, do you think that you would have joined the D.A.?
Yes, but not out of loyalty. I can't pass up an opportunity to learn something new or test out new skills. Let me add that I do not use the word "friend" lightly, so those who I would become friends with would be those to whom I am loyal and would defend. And that's worth something to me. Additionally, I like knowing my surroundings, so I would just be as likely to be in on any of Draco's dealings as the DA's. I hesitate to frame it this way, but there's more power in knowing both sides... and it's strictly personal.
12. Describe how you react to difficult or stressful situations.
If I look at how I deal with them *now*.... with a lot of patience and discipline than I would have about 4-5 years ago. At present, I can talk my ways in and out of situations... which is to not suggest that I weasel out of them. The problems that present themselves WILL get resolved. I don't have time anymore to deal with people and their baggage. I won't tolerate it of myself and I won't take it from someone else. It's beneath me. The only time that I just said, "RETREAT!" was when dealing with my stalker. Graveyards are filled with people who cannot speak for themselves... so I moved away to a new city.
At university, I was panic ridden.. I had anxiety attacks. But I still managed to deal with what needed to be done... on time, with honours, and done well.
In high school and before, I was taken to being absurdly disciplined.. or just brushing people off, busying myself my music or studies. Listening to people's boring relationship problems was not something with which I willingly concerned myself, especially when I being a good student on campus was my one-way ticket out of a nightmarish home situation involving a controlling and abusive parent.
13. Which do you value more: compassion or justice?
Justice. I've given too much of myself to people who didn't deserve it.
14. Would you say that you’re a child at heart, or that you have an old soul?
It's hard to relax... my first response would be "old soul"... I'd like to believe there might be some glimmer child still in there that can go back and feel the pleasure associated with snowflakes falling on their face. I'll never be a child (again), and I'll never get my childhood back from those who robbed it from me... but that said, I'm learning to be an adult.. and I'm discovering that there are child-like joys in being an adult.
15. Which Hogwarts House do you think that the Sorting Hat would place you in?
See.. I always thought I was a Gryffindor.. and when I was sorted at hogwartssorting, I got sorted into Gryffindor, but one vote. Yet at Hogwarts_Elite, I got sorted into Slytherin.. which took me by surprise. I'm getting used to the idea that I might be more Slytherin than any other house. *shrugs*
Sidenote.. if you want an idea of what I am like outside of HP-fandom.. go here.
16. If you have a picture of yourself and feel comfortable posting it, please do so! Pictures are fun!
Please note.. I'm NOT Tonks.
this one is kinda funny.. because i've quit smoking (successfully):