You Win or Die
Aug. 1st, 2011 08:08 pmName:Meghan
How did you find out about the community? If it's through an LJ user, please tell us who it is (individual user if possible, not just a community name!): I was looking for ASoIaF communities and I saw it.
Age: 20
Location: Canada
Occupation: Student
All About You
1. Describe your ideal house/home. Please go into as much detail as possible, and be sure to include your ideal geographical location in the description!.
I would be fine with a medium sized apartment in Toronto. Toronto is where I’m going to university, plus, relatively speaking, there isn’t that much snow in the winter. I wouldn’t want to be in an extremely wealthy area, but I don’t want to be in a place where I’d get mugged all the time. I need space for my large collection of books/nerd. It would be messy, but since this is my fantasy I’d get someone else to clean up after me, because I’m kind of a slob. There would have to be good A/C because I am no good in the heat. It would be nice if it was next to a subway station, and if the rent was inexplicably cheap. Honestly living in a dorm has taught me the only thing I really require is my own bathroom.
2. Imagine you’re given the classic opportunity: a genie granting you three wishes. What would you wish for? Please be as elaborate as you can. Wishing for more wishes is not permitted!
1) Enough money in my bank account so I could live off the interest comfortably. I don’t want to be a millionaire, but at the same time not being worried about my finances all the time would be nice.
2) A more egalitarian society. Far too much in society today is based off whether someone is rich, their race/nationality or their gender. Removing these prejudices would strengthen the world as a whole, and make many people more prosperous.
3) The library of Alexandria to be returned prior to the state it was in when it was burnt down. The library would help scholars get a bigger picture of what life in the ancient world was like. Since I am anthropology major, this would be a dream come true for me.
3. In your life so far, what accomplishment are you the most proud of? Why? You can list more than one if you have trouble deciding. ;)
I got into my first choice of university. I get good grades. That’s about it. I’m still young so hopefully this list will get longer.
4. Which of the following is most important to you: Love, Money, Knowledge, Family, Friendship, Adventure, or Pleasure? Which is the least important to you? Please explain why for each choice.
The most important would probably be Knowledge. I am probably at my happiest when I am learning about new things. Knowledge can help destroy prejudice, as well as ensuring that it is more difficult to take advantage of someone. Knowledge of things can someone appreciate what they have in life and continuing perusal of knowledge can keep boredom at bay.
The least important is Family, for the sole reason that my family and I do not get along very well.
5. What's one quote (or passage, song lyric, etc.) that effectively describes you and your values? Explain.
The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. Thank you for using me, even though I didn't want to be used by anybody. Kurt Vonnegut
Being useful is one of the most important feelings in the world. While personal happiness is also important, everything you have done is for naught if you haven’t been useful to at least one person in the world.
6. How do you manage your money? On that note, how important is money/financial security to you? Go into as much detail as you can.
I’m pretty frugal for the most part. I grew up fairly poor and am currently a poor university student so that is to my benefit. I will buy things second hand, but since my school is full of hipsters, this is commonplace. Financial security is incredibly important as it determines whether you eat/get an education/ don’t sleep on the street. I don’t necessarily want to become a millionaire but I want to not have to scrape by every month.
7. Name (and elaborate on) some of your hobbies. What are your favorite things to do outside of school/the office?
I read a lot. I will pretty much read anything. I like my books to be in very good condition when I read them so if I usually buy them rather than borrow them from a library. I watch movies frequently. I really like cheesy horror movies, because, honestly, they are better than most comedies. I listen to music a lot, and have a fairly eclectic taste. David Bowie (especially during the 70’s) is TEH BEST though.
8. Name three things you are afraid of. Explain.
1) Wasting my life. I’m afraid of dying without having achieved anything. Whether this achievement is on a world-wide scale or just a personal one doesn’t really matter to me, I just want to have affected something.
2) Helplessness. Not having a say in or not being able to change what is happening to you or other people is an absolutely terrifying thought to me.
3) Being Stalked/watch unknowingly. The idea of someone knowing your every move just really creeps me out. I feel uncomfortable if someone looks at me for more than a few minutes, let alone an extended period of time.
9. Name (and elaborate on) your top three BEST and top three WORST qualities (personality-related, not physical). Please answer as fully as you can, as this is an important question.
Best
1) I’m very observant. I pay close attention to the things I do/view/read. I am usually the first person to point out when something is amiss, or if there is an inconsistency in something. I am good at analyzing details that others may have missed.
2) Objective. I can usually refrain from bringing personal feelings into discussions. I try to get the most information possible before taking sides in an argument. I can cast aside personal biases or binds when I have to make a decision.
3) Creativity. I am able to “think outside the box” without difficulty. If a tested answer does not solve a new problem, I can quickly think of a fresh solution.
Worst
1) I can come off as cold and unfriendly. I am not very sociably, and tend not to speak to people I do not know very well. I am introverted, and I do not emote easily. This has more to me being shy then actually being unfriendly though.
2) I tend to become depressed /morose easily. I have a hard time being optimistic, or looking at the bright side of life. These periods can last for weeks at a time and tend to restrain my abilities.
3) I accidently insult people occasionally. My close friends and I are very honest, quite frequently brutally so, with each other. I find it hard to snap out of doing this around people who I don’t know, and may have a thinner skin then my friends. I can also become sarcastic without necessarily meaning to sometimes.
A Song of Ice and Fire Related
1.Who are your favorite three characters in the series? Why?
Sansa: She gets a lot of hate, but Sansa is by far my favourite character. Sansa is a relatively passive character. Not only is she a young women in an extremely patriarchal society, but she is a hostage for the bulk of her time in the series. The situation Sansa is in is terrifying. She is almost completely isolated, constantly surrounded by people she can’t trust, yet she remains sane and safe purely by using courtesy as her armour. While Sansa can’t fight she possesses a large amount of inner strength. Her story arch and chapters are the most interesting, and I can’t wait to see how her “training” from Littlefinger pans out.
Catelyn: Much like Sansa, Cat is traditionally feminine, but unlike many authors GRRM doesn’t present this as a weakness. Cat does not want any political power of her own, but is willing to do anything to keep her family safe. She embodies the Tully’s family motto. Still she is one of the most politically savvy characters in the series, and the vast majority of her advice to Robb is correct. Despite this Robb disregards her suggestions at several points (most notably when he sends Theon to try to gain the support of the Iron Islands), and Cat’s powerlessness during these moments are affecting.
Arya: She’s a badass little girl who rejects societal restrictions put on her, what’s not to love?
2.Who are your least favorite three characters in the series? Why?
Joffrey: He’s an overly entitled little shit who killed Ned, tortured his subjects, and abused my favourite character! He doesn’t even make up for his horrible personality by being a competent leader like his grandfather, or, really, competent at anything.
Ramsay Bolton: I almost feel like GRRM took the fans collective hatred of Joffrey as a challenge.
Robert Baratheon: He’s a drunk who treats his wife and children like shit and gets no blame whatsoever for it, particularly in the fandom. It’s implied he has repeatedly beaten his wife, and committed marital rape. He only shows remorse in front of Ned Stark, because it might affect his friend’s opinion of HIM. His neglectful parenting helped turn Joffrey into a giant psychopath just as much as Cersei and being an incest baby did, and in several parts of the series you can see how Joffrey’s need to please Robert is a catalyst in him doing many of his more heinous acts (i.e. taking a hit out on Bran). While some fans seem to excuse this because Robert’s not Joffrey’s “real” father, both Robert and Joffrey were unaware that they were not biologically related, and for all intents and purposes Robert is Joffrey’s father. He’s also entitled as hell. Lyanna dodged a bullet.
3.#1 Favorite moment in all of ASOIAF so far? Why?
The chapter where Dany goes to the house of the undying is not only great foreshadowing, but extremely tense and eerie. I find myself going back to read it after every “big” even to see if it was shown.
The birth of the dragons, and when Rob becomes the King in the North are close seconds, because of how triumphant they feel. Although the latter has become very bittersweet after the Red Wedding.
4. In your dream-world, how would you like to see the series end, and why?
Dany is Azhor Azai reborn and she and the dragons die saving the realm from the others. Jaime and Cersei either die together or wander off happily together (what can I say, I ship ‘em). Tasha shouldn’t forgive Tyrion. The remaining Starks survive. Jon can go as far away from relevance as possible. The Freys and Boltons all die horribly. The society experiences a renaissance, and turns into a democracy, so no one inherits the iron throne.
Martell
Date: 2011-08-03 01:49 pm (UTC)