Win or Die.

[katietorresm.livejournal.com]

Name: Katie
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 found out about the community because of a comment I saw on hh_flourish
Age: 23
Location: Philippines
Occupation: Project Clerk in the PR Department of a company




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 have to say that I’m a little bit influenced by the style that my dad uses when he designs houses. (He’s an architect.) I used to like American colonial houses, but my ideal home as of now would be a modern house, nestled somewhere in a village. I prefer living in the suburbs compared to living in the city. It's much more laid back, the community is small, and there is fresh air all around. I like going home from work to a place where I can relax in. City life is too hectic, too busy and too stressful for me.
I would like to have a garden so that my pets could run around and exercise in. I think the color of my house would either be white or a peach-sandy kind of color
For the first floor, I would have a den that opens into the living room, a big kitchen, a medium sized dining room and one room dedicated to music and books. I would like the den to have sliding doors so that it can open up to the den. This way, when friends or family come over, there will be more space to mingle with each other. The TV would probably be in the den, with a stereo and a home theater system so that I can watch concerts (DVD), movies, or marathon TV shows in style. It would have a comfortable sofa (not leather) and some Chinese or Japanese paintings and decor around.
(I think the decor inside my house will be a little bit of a East meets West kind of style. It kind of shows also who I am. I was born in the West, but I am Asian, I live in Asia and I love Asian culture.) The living room would have one sofa and maybe one or two chairs. The chairs would most likely be made of traditional material, like rattan or something. Of course, the sofa would have to match it.
The dining table in the dining room will be wooden, maybe made out of Narra or Molave, as they are known to be sturdy and good. The chairs will be wooden, with nice seat covers and intricate carvings on the back of the chair. Also, there has to be a portrait of the Last Supper in the dining room. The kitchen HAS to big, since I would want to have enough elbow room when I cook or bake.
The second floor would be spacious, with a long corridor. If I am married, I would want to have two rooms, one for the girls, one for the boys, and a master’s bedroom. The bathrooms in the boy’s and girl’s rooms will be medium sized. The master’s bathroom, however would have a walk-in closet, a dressing table with a mirror installed, and a bathtub. While I don’t have kids yet, or if I’m still single (like I am now), I’ll probably convert the two extra rooms into guest rooms
The master’s bedroom would be spacious, and have a bookshelf in the room. I will place my favorite books of all time there, as well as several DVDs and CDs that I’ve collected...like Harry Potter DVDs or concert DVDs of my favorite Japanese band. I’d also place other stuff related to my fandoms there. When I have a husband, I’m pretty sure that he will also place books and stuff that he likes there. I wouldn’t mind. There would be a table for my laptop, and a bedside table on either side of the bed, so that we can easily place stuff there, like the book that I read before falling asleep. Pictures of my family and friends will be placed either on the bedside table or on the table for my laptop.
I’d also want big windows for my house, so that the air can flow in easily. I’d also like my house to be situated or designed in a way that I really can rely on the sun as natural lighting, so that I don’t have to use up a lot of electricity.
Also, there would be a veranda leading to the backyard, where I have a small pool. It won’t be as big as an olympic pool, but big enough so that I can do laps when I want to exercise and swim. That would be at the back, right outside the living room, which will have sliding doors that lead out to the veranda and the pool--ideal for throwing small parties now and then.

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!

If I were given three wishes, I would first wish for money enough for a big house for my family , and enough to pay for the tuition of my younger siblings until college, and enough to pay back all our credit card debts. This way, my parents can relax for a while and not worry all the time where we are going to live next (we don’t have a house, we rent.), or where they will get enough money for the tuition of my younger siblings. They deserve to rest after all the hard work they go through every day. It’s not easy for them to raise all of us five kids (plus the household help and our dog.) I want them to be worry free, and also, with those worries gone, they can really go and have their annual check- ups (they don’t becausethey say the money is for us.) My second wish would be for the future business that I will have never to fail or go bankrupt, so that I would have a steady income, and because in doing that (I want to have an Asian cuisine restaurant), I can work, and enjoy, since Asian culture is my passion. My third wish is cliche, but I would wish for it. I would wish for world peace- for no more fighting, for no more violence, discrimination and crime. No one would have to worry whether World War III is coming, andless innocent people would be killed.

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. ;)

So far, I think my greatest accomplishment was graduating from college on time and deciding on not being active in my theatre org, where I was an officer. I was in danger of not graduating on time because I was very active with my org (a theater org), and because I placed that as a priority over my studies, my grades suffered.
In my senior year, I was given the opportunity to be an officer for that org, and thus, I had to try my best to balance that, my studies, and my thesis. I was also starting to overload my subjects because there were some subjects that I dropped or failed because I either overcut, or simply because I wasn’t able to study enough because I wasn’t focusing on it. By the time our sembreak came around during my senior year, I began to start thinking about my priorities...whether I should continue fully giving myself to my org, or if I should really concentrate on graduating. I chose the latter over the former, and I quit being an officer for that organization. Thus, I had more time to devote to my studies, to completing my thesis, and I actually got to know more people because I stepped out of my comfort zone
I am proud of that because I proved to everyone that I could do it. I am proud of that because it is one of the few decisions that I made that I don’t regret making. Also, I was able to recognize my limits, and I learned how to tell myself to quit as I really couldn’t take all the stress anymore. Because I let go, I was able to be a better person, and I gained more than I would have if I hadn’t quit, and ultimately, I probably wouldn’t have been able to graduate on time if I didn’t make that decision.

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 thing to me is love. When I talk about love, it isn’t just the romantic kind of love, but REAL LOVE. Love is the ability to care about someone so much that you both enable each other to grow because of each other. This is the root of everything. This kind of love is present in families. Each member helps each other grow. Love helps couples and husbands and wives to grow. Without love, change cannot be affected. It's because of love that motivates people to change, and to help other people to change for the better. Therefore, I think that is the most important thing.
The least important thing for me is pleasure. I actually had a hard time deciding between pleasure and adventure, but I realize that without adventure, you can’t experience new things. For me, pleasure is almost synonymous to self-satisfaction and self-gratification. I’m not saying that it’s not important to be happy. Happiness and pleasure are entirely different things. I think that it’s more important to achieve true happiness, which will last forever rather than pleasure which is fleeting and temporary. You can feel pleasure because something tastes good, or something feels good, but once that is gone, the pleasure ends there. I wouldn’t want to go for something that will make me feel happy just for a minute.

5. What's one quote (or passage, song lyric, etc.) that effectively describes you and your values? Explain.

Ano hi no bokura no koe ga suru
To the top mirai ga ugokidasu
Kimi mo kidzuiteiru darou　Riyuu wa iranai
Kono te ni tashika na mono ga aru
Itsuka tadoritsuku basho ga aru
Mayoi wa kiete yuku kara　Hashiridase
Mada minu sekai e

(Our voices from those days are calling
To the top, the future starts moving
You've realized it too, right?　We don't need a reason
In these hands is something that's definite
There's a place we'll get to someday
My hesitation will disappear, so start running
I'll go to a world I haven't seen yet)

- Made Minu Sekai E, Arashi

I think these lyrics can describe me. I've always been the type of person who doesn't really think, but uses my heart when it comes to decisions. I'm the type of person who has many dreams that I want to achieve. However, I need reassurance sometimes that I'm doing is correct. When I do, however realized that I'm doing what I can, in my own way to achieve my goals, I just keep on going. I'm the type of person that prefers to think more about what future dreams I can fulfill. So in a way,I can relate to this song, that there is something definite that I'm always aiming for, and sooner or later, I will make those unseen dreams into realities. Also, conversely, I am always dreaming, and imagining things, so I also easily get lost in my own little 'worlds'. I guess in a way, it shows that I put a lot of value on my dreams, and my passions, and that I use my heart to guide me towards the right path. I believe that every little thing I do will help move me forward towards that 'new world' someday.

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 don’t manage my money as well as I should be. I usually know my balance in my ATM, so I know how much I can budget for things that I need, or for extra stuff that I’m saving up for. I usually base that on the remaining balance in my account, and whatever I get for payday. Then I try to make sure that I have some money left in my account that I hopefully won’t spend until my next payday. I can only save a really small amount as I only get paid minimum wage, which is barely enough for me to scrape by. My number one fault before was that I had a tendency to spend and impulse buy a lot, which depleted my money resources. As of now, I aim to be practical, and try to save. For example, instead of paying for a tricycle to take me somewhere, if I can walk the distance, I walk instead, to save on money.
Financial security is very important, because if you aren’t able to manage your money well, then you willl find yourself short in instances when you really need the money. It’s important because it’ll allow you have some money left when you really, really need it, especially in times of emergencies, like if you get hospitalized and need to buy medical bills.

7. Name (and elaborate on) some of your hobbies. What are your favorite things to do outside of school/the office?

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, after work, I take yoga. Before, I was really skeptical about it, but when I started, I found that it really relaxed and helps me keep healthy. It's pretty grerat to be able to empty your mind and relax after a very stressful day at the office.
It also helped balance my metabolism, and I had less cravings when it comes to food. There are some poses that really stretch and work on some muscles that ordinarily, I wouldn't be able to move to exercise. It actually became one of the stepping stones that led me to changing my lifestyle to a more healthy lifestyle, and it's really paying off. I am less tired and I am more relaxed now.
One of my biggest hobbies is that I read a lot of books, to the point that there was a time when my parents told me to stop reading. I read a wide variety of genres, from the classics, like Shakespeare and Jane Austen, to Young Adult fiction and fantasy books. My favorite genre is the fantasy genre. I love reading fantasy books because it transports me to different worlds, and lets my mind explore. Because of this, I was able to gain a very good vocabulary, and it also honed my thinking skills.
Another hobby of mine which I really don't get to do that much anymore is singing. As I have mentioned earlier, I was part of a theater org. That theater org was not just any other theater org. It was a musical theater org.I love Broadway as well, and I am a lyric soprano, meaning that my voice is really more suited for Broadway songs. Singing and music have been a part of my life ever since I was a little girl, as my mother loves to sing.
After I watched Disney's Allading, I became inspired by Lea Salonga, who was the singing voice of Princess Jasmine. I wanted to sing like her. I've taken voice lessons, and I sing once in a while with my sisters (I'm a soprano, my sisters are soprano and alto). I like singing because it is a way for me to express myself and my feelings.

8. Name three things you are afraid of. Explain.

I am afraid of a lot of things. I am afraid of really fast vehichels. This is because when I was younger, whenever my mom got mad at me, she would make the car go really fast. I think my subconcious linked driving fast to people who are angry. When that happens, when I am in a vehichle that is moving really fast, I get scared that it would be really easy to lose control of the wheel, and that the car would crash. There was a time when I rode a roller coaster and it went super fast, all I did during the ride was cling on to the bar/railing in fear that I would fly out or that it would crash.
I am afraid of fire. I can not even light a match, or hold a lighter. I think this is because when I was younger, there was a fire in the field really near my school...so near that the air around us was a little bit watery. I get scared that the match would fall down or the candle will turn over and the entire place will burn down.
I am also afaid of heights, even if we are in the mall, and I am looking down at the other floors down there, and I know that I am safe. I feel so unstable, that just one wrong move can cause me to fall down and die or get severely injured. I actually have no idea why I am afraid of heights. Maybe it is because everything is unstable and unsure, but I can not think of any incidentthat would make me so.

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.

My best qualities:
a. Loyal- I am the type of person that moves heaven and earth for their friends and loved ones, and the type that will stand up for them and defend them even until death. I never lose my faith in them, and I would never betray someone, unless it’s for the betterment of the other person.I am the type of person that will always back up the other person, and I will always be there for the other person no matter what.
b. Just- I like to play fair. I hate it when one person gets more than he deserves compared to another person. I am the type that gets really moved and affected whenever I hear or see stories of injustices being committed. This was a problem when I was younger because I used to get really mad at the TV or the book I am reading if something like that pops up.
c. Compassionate- I am fair, but I am also a very caring person. Whenever my parents say that a younger sibling of mine is grounded for something, I am the type of person that tries to defend and lessen the grounding. I am easily moved by people and I sympathize a lot with them, especially if they are going through tough times. I am the type that will cry just because of a story or a movie that was told. In my country, there are many stories about the poor, since poverty is a big problem in my country. Whenever I see their plight, I am easily moved to stand up and do something for them.

My worst qualities:
a. Lazy- If I don’t want to do something that I don’t want to do, I won’t do it. If I feel like not doing something I don’t want to do, I won’t do it. This is bad because I am capable of a lot of things, but because this gets in the way, I end up accomplishing nothing.
b. Indecisiveness- It takes me a very long time to decide things, like what to wear or what to eat or what action to act upon. I end up worrying about whether I would regret the decision or not. Because of this, it doesn’t allow me to progress,most of the time.
c. Worrier- I am a big worrier. I worry about many things, from my decisions to stuff that I’ve done in the past. I constantly need assurance that what I’m doing is correct, or else I will never be able to move forward





A Song of Ice and Fire Related

1.Who are your favorite three characters in the series? Why?

My favorite characters in the series are Jon Snow, Ned Stark, and Bran Stark. Ned is one of my favorite characters because he is, for me, one of the most noble, honorable and just characters in the series. He places his faith in his friends and his loved ones and he continues to believe in them until the end. He embodies all the qualities that I look for and that I admire. He is also not afraid to die for his beliefs,but he will also do everything and anything to protect his children.
Jon is one of my favorites because he is able to show everyone that even if he is a bastard, he can be someone. He doesn’t let the fact that he is a bastard child stop him for paving his own path and his own destiny. He is able to move out of the shadow of that title. I also like the journey that he goes through, especially how he became more mature by being more accepting and more humble.
Bran is also one of my favorite characters because he is for me, one of the strongest characters. He is so young, and many misfortunes have happened to him, but he still is able to keep his head up high and survive.

2.Who are your least favorite three characters in the series? Why?

Ser Alliser Thorne is probably my least favorite character in the series. I don’t like him because I don’t approve of the methods he uses in training the boys of the Night’s Watch. I don’t approve of teachers insulting students in order to get them to improve. I also find that he is very rude and untactful.
Prince Joffrey is another character that I don’t like. He behaves like a spoilt child all the time, and doesn’t use his head to think of what to do. He acts upon his feelings, which make his subjects dislike him. He also likes to inflict pain on other people, but is afraid of getting hurt himself. He is a hypocrite.
Another character in the series that I don’t like is Littlefinger. Actually, I both admire him, and I don’t like him at the same time. I don’t like him because he represents people who are always looking after themselves. They only look for where and what they can profit in. Characters like Littlefinger only care about themselves. But, I admire him because all of his plots are carefully calculated.

3.#1 Favorite moment in all of ASOIAF so far? Why?

My favorite moment in all of ASOIF so far would be the ending scene of A Game of Thrones, when Dany entered the funeral pyre of Khal Drogo and came out unburnt. It’s my favorite scene, because it’s such a strong and powerful scene, and it would really make you say, wow this girl is amazing. She is so brave to be able to actually do that, and it strengthens the fact that she IS A QUEEN. There was something magical, regal and majestic about what she did.
It’s also admirable that she had so much courage and belief in herself that she would be able to escape unburnt. Also, it’s in this particular part where I could really see that the series does have magical undertones to it.

4. In your dream-world, how would you like to see the series end, and why?

In my dream world, this is how the series would end. Cersei gets what is due to her and dies. Jaime redeems himself and still is Lord Commander of the King’s Guard. Tyrion meets Dany and becomes her hand, and she crosses the Narrow Sea and joins forces with Stannis to defeat the others along with Jon and Bran. Bran, who is now a full fledged greenseer reaches out to Jon and Arya through dreams and gives them information on how they can defeat The Others. Arya joins Dany and becomes a warrior for her. Sansa annulls her marriage with Tyrion and DOES become Lady of Winterfell. In the end, Dany is the Queen, Winterfell is restored, and Littlefinger will probably die.

Comments

Tully

[just-a-dram.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think you'd make a good fellow Tully.