For Your Consideration ...
1. Name: Teresa
2. Age: 29
3. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? This is actually quite difficult to answer. First off, I'd definitely want to get the heck out of where I currently am (Kansas). Where would I enjoy spending the rest of my life, if given the choice? I don't know. I would find it interesting to live in Japan, as the culture has become a new focal point in my life. Or maybe Germany, because it's an absolutely gorgeous country, my strongest family links go there and, despite its history, they're rather welcoming of all types of people. Then, I'd consider Ireland. Again, a beautiful country and I have familial ties. Maybe I wouldn't live in just one spot, I'd spend my life traveling!
4. What would your Room of Requirement look like? Quite simple, really. Whenever I would go there, I'd only need a comfortable chair - to either read, write fic or simply be alone. I'd bring my music with me. :)
5. Who is your least favorite Harry Potter character? Draco Malfoy. He has no redeeming qualities (this is going by CANON, not FANON), and has always been terribly one dimensional. What can you say about him? He's blonde, he's a coward, he was bitch-slapped by Hermione. (Please, don't try to convince me otherwise. Many have tried over the last three years without any avail.)
6. Is the glass half empty or half full? I'm one of the "glass is half-empty" people. I definitely pick out what's wrong about a situation rather than what's right about it. I tend to refer to it as "realism" instead of being "pessimistic", however.
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. The entire song "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. That perfectly sums up my life and personality.
8. In your life, who comes first: family or friends? Always my family. It's not because I don't have a lot of friends - which I don't, only two close ones - it's that we've always been a close-knit family unit. I will do whatever I can to help my friends when they need help, but if something comes up with my family, I'm right there for them before anyone.
9. What is your favorite childhood memory? I can't pin down one childhood memory that stands out more than any other, therefore making it a favorite. The ones I can are bad experiences. Not to say my whole life was full of bad experiences, because it wasn't. Instead, I'll give you the one time when I felt rather proud of myself and it sticks with me more than anything. When I was 17, I was given an application to a writing school. A person had to write a few sample pieces, in different 'voices' which spoke to a different age group. Say, if I were writing a book for a 10 year old, I had to put myself in that mindset and write from there. They accepted me, saying that I had what it took to become a great young adult author. Which is what I've wanted to do ever since I was 15 and began reading R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike novels. Alas, I didn't quite believe I could do it, so I never enrolled in the courses. If there is one regret I have, it's not doing that. It's also one of the best memories in my life, since someone who wasn't obligated to compliment me on my ability did.
10. What would you say is your biggest flaw? I have two that seem odd to be a part of one person - low-self esteem and the inability to keep my comments to myself. My self-esteem is pretty low. I don't think I'm going to succeed at much, so I rarely try, even if I'm pushed into it. Like I mentioned, I was accepted to a writing school when I was 17, and I never sent in the money to take the courses. I just didn't think I was good enough, that maybe they'd made a mistake in accepting me. I need to work on this problem. I do. The other affects the way other people see me. I have this low self-esteem, but people see me as the person who doesn't take crap from anyone. Which I don't. Some times, I'll say something when I probably shouldn't have. That's definitely NOT a good thing when you're dealing with a boss.
11. If you had been at Hogwarts during Harry’s fifth year, do you think that you would have joined the D.A.? I would like to say yes, but honestly, I don't know. If I would have to live in that world, be involved in its politics on a personal and real level, before I could truthfully respond on whether or not I'd have done it. Seems like a weird answer to the question, but that's like asking me, "If you were in Battle Royale, would you play the game or try to team up with others and escape?" I wouldn't know for certain until I was faced with that decision. As it stands, I would lean towards yes. If not for the honor of good witches and wizards everywhere, but to stick it to that old hag, Umbridge.
12. Describe how you react to difficult or stressful situations. I'm almost always under stress. Usually, I'm able to keep my wits about me and give directions to others, if that's what's required. If it's a situation where I'm not in charge, but is still difficult/stressful, it doesn't bother me. I've been in and out of management jobs for the past 8 years, so I've learned to handle myself when a problem - big or small - presents itself.
13. Which do you value more: compassion or justice? I'm not quite sure how to answer the question. Whichever I value more is based largely on the context. If you're asking, "Do you support the death penalty? Is it justice to allow the state to kill someone?", I would have to say I'd value 'compassion'. Even then, it's really compassion that drives me to be anti-death penalty, it's a desire for justice. Justice is when someone is punished for a crime. To me, capital punishment is letting a criminal off the hook. When death is the only way out and the State is opening the door? Um, no. Then, back to the compassion side of it, I don't feel anyone has the right to kill another person - state sanctioned or not. That's one context of how I would reply. Basically, I could've said, "It depends on the situation" and saved everyone the trouble of reading my anti-death penalty stance.
14. Would you say that you’re a child at heart, or that you have an old soul? Hmm. Well, the definition of an 'old soul' doesn't necessarily cancel out the ability to be a child at heart. I'd consider myself a person who is enlightened, someone on a quest to discover more about life than what a larger portion of the beings on this planet even consider. Yet, I have absolutely no problem sitting down with a video game or a comic book thus allowing myself a couple of hours to just let the stress of life leave me alone.
15. Which Hogwarts House do you think that the Sorting Hat would place you in? Me? I'd probably guess Ravenclaw. The "saying things when I probably shouldn't" 'flaw' usually has biting wit attached to it. My mind's always working when in a situation dealing with words, so the quips just keep on coming. Also, I'm more educated than most of the people I'm around, and a lot of my references go over people head's. I enjoy learning. Not SCHOOL, per se, but actual learning. I get stuck on a topic of interest and research it to DEATH until I either know everything about it or find another subject to obsess over.
16. If you have a picture of yourself and feel comfortable posting it, please do so! Pictures are fun!
(I hope a cosplay picture isn't against the rules)
Here's me being stupid with my webcam about two months ago: http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7888/picture44wp.jpg
And this is me a month and a half ago, at a cosplay gathering at Walden Books. (I'm Edward Elric, from Fullmetal Alchemist, for the non-otaku) Nevermind the goofy look on my face, I was trying not to laugh when the pic was taken: http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/1460/teresa15hz.png
Thank you for your time!