I distilled everything to one wonderfully simple principle: win or die

[girloficenfire.livejournal.com]

Name: Grace
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!): Uhh....someone randomly mentioned it on Fanfiction.net, I think...
Age: 28
Location: US. sorry...I like to keep my exact location on the DL due to issues I've had online in the past.
Occupation: Aspiring writer. Seriously, I have a day job but it's boring and all it does is put money in the bank so that I can spend my free time writing/blogging :)




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!.
Honestly...it is my absolute dream to run a Bed & Breakfast in Charleston, SC. I love everything about the city...the history, the architecture, the food, the shopping, the crazy fun little bars that open up all of the time, the friendliness of its people. I would love to buy a huge old Southern home right in the historic district and have it kind of be a "one stop shop" for tourists who truly want to experience the city...big Southern breakfasts every morning, brunches with bloody mary's and mimosas on Sundays, horse-drawn carriage tours that leave right from the premises, and a combo business with some friends who run pub/brewery tours in the area for a fun night out option :) I just love meeting new people and playing hostess and I feel that Charleston would be the perfect place to do it.

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!
Wish #1...To be a published author. Or maybe rather, to have the opportunity to finish something worthwhile and know that I could send it to a publisher and have them agree to print it, because I don't want to avoid the WORK of writing a novel...just the hassle of finding someone to publish it ;)
Wish #2...The ability to spend at least a year traveling the globe. I suppose money itself could do that, but knowing that I had the time as well would be preferable. I want to visit every continent, see the dozens of places that have always been on my bucket list, take a million pictures and make a thousand amazing memories and then be able to write it all down and have people listen to my hints and tips. Sort of Eat Pray Love without the whiny preaching, maybe? haha.
Wish #3...I would wish for happy, healthy, SAFE lives for my nieces and nephew. They were all born into broken...situations, shall we say, and I fear for them constantly. I would wish for them all to understand, just UNDERSTAND, how much they are loved, and how they are all beautiful and intelligent and special. I had a relatively great childhood and the negative things that have happened to me and the mistakes I have made are all of my own making, which makes me so concerned for them - with the crappy situations they were born into - that it hurts.

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'm not sure if this is really an accomplishment per se, but some years ago I left an abusive and sad marriage. It was something I jumped into far too quickly at a very young age, ignoring the protests of my friends and family who said we should wait. We were together for a year and nine months (no children involved, though to be honest that first year or so was very on-and-off) before getting married, and then we were married for about five years before I left him. I say it was abusive because he put me down, refused affection, and eventually did hit me - once. That was the last straw. But I have to be honest and say that it was also comfortable, and stable in its own way, which made it difficult to leave. In the end I decided that I would rather give up the 40% good because of the 60% bad, that I wanted the type of passionate relationship that he and I had never had in the first place...so I finally told him it was over and I never looked back. I think that - the fact that I never looked back - was the best and biggest part of this accomplishment.

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.
Wow. This one is actually SUPER difficult for me to answer. To be completely honest my most important is probably a tie between Friendship and Adventure...though if I had to choose one I suppose I'd say that Friendship is just *slightly* more important. I love my family and I am in a relationship with an amazing man, but if I didn't feel the bonds of FRIENDSHIP with my mother and sisters or my significant other, my relationships with them would be far less important, you know? When I was younger I probably put stock in my friends for the wrong reasons, but now that I'm in my late 20s I have kept around the friends who have been true to me and gotten rid of the ones who weren't. I'm always open to making new friends and I open up to people fairly quickly; I really do believe that a solid trusting friendship is the best basis for any relationship.

As for least important...gosh...I think I have to say love. Not to sound cliche but love is a seriously fickle thing and knowing myself the way I do, it's something that I have always kind of given and taken away as I please. That sounds super bitchy, I know (excuse my language) but I don't mean it to. When it comes to my family and friends I am fiercely loyal and love those who give me no reason NOT to love them...but when it comes to relationships I can be very guarded and have been known to throw away good ones at the drop of a hat. I just don't feel that I need romantic love in order to live a full life, which is why I don't put much stock in it.

5. What's one quote (or passage, song lyric, etc.) that effectively describes you and your values? Explain.
Oh man...can I please choose more than one? Pretty please?
The longest standing would be this: "Having come to the end of other people's desires, or at least of my ability to meet them, I began to wonder, for the first time in a long time, what my own desires might be--might have been--underneath. They might not always have been pretty, but at least they were my own."-Stephen Glass, The Fabulist

Mainly because I spent the entire time I was growing up and in college and even my first couple of years out of college feeling that I had to please everyone else. I made decisions for myself, of course, but when people disagreed with them (i.e. my parents not liking my college major; my wanting to leave my ex just two years into our marriage) I immediately backtracked and chose what I was "supposed" to choose according to what everyone else wanted. Finally something broke and I realized that despite the good things in my life (amazing friends, my good health, a college education, loving where I lived, etc.) I was freaking miserable. To be honest it was rough realizing that my own wants and desires were different and not what most people would want to hear, but I started following them anyway and I'm far happier for it. And funny, the people who disagreed with my decisions now respect me far more for taking my own path because they see that I'm better off.

Honorable mention quotes that I won't explain for fear of being far too wordy (which is something I am. a lot.):

"You're born, you live and you die. There are no do-overs, no second chances to make things right if you frak 'em up the first time. Not in this life anyway. Like I said, you make your choices and you live with them. And in end you are those choices." - Kendra Shaw, Battlestar Galactica
"Never forget who you are, for surely the world won’t. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you."
- Tyrion Lannister, the Song of Ice & Fire series

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.
Money and financial security are definitely very important to me. I grew up in a family that could probably be considered lower middle class and watched my parents struggle for many years. I remember them bringing me with them when I was sick from school or in the evenings when they cleaned other people's houses and doctor's offices just to earn money to make ends meet. They started their own business when I was in middle school and within a few years they became successful, and after that we didn't want for anything - though they were never extremely rich. I don't feel the need to be some sort of millionaire; in fact I live a perfectly comfortable life - a nice home, not huge or perfect or amazing but a good roof over my head; I budget but I can splurge once in a while, etc. - right now with little useless debt (i.e. credit cards) and though a little extra spending money or extra money to put away for the far future would be nice I am also perfectly happy to just not be constantly struggling/having to work 2 or 3 jobs (I've done 3 at a time before and would love to never have to do that again, heh)

7. Name (and elaborate on) some of your hobbies. What are your favorite things to do outside of school/the office?
Writing/blogging is probably the biggest one. I recently started my LJ as a sort of fanfic blog; right now it's mainly ASOIAF but eventually I'm sure I'll wax on and on about my other fandom obsessions...Harry Potter, X files, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, Lord of the RIngs, etc. I also have a blogger blog where I write about my struggle with sever ADHD and being diagnosed and medicated as an adult.
Reading. My parents used to joke that I was born with my nose in a book; I could read at age 4 and by the time I was in 3rd grade I was reading classics that most of my schoolmates couldn't wrap their heads around. When I finally read the ASOIAF series I read all five books in about a month!
I'm also very active, I love to run - both for exercise and pleasure. Running clears my head and honestly makes me feel...sort of invincible :)
And travel, travel, always travel! I've been hooked on it...I guess since I was in high school. I loved going away before that but I would have been happy with returning to Disney World every year had my parents not "dragged" me to Colorado one summer...nowadays I still love returning to my favorite places but it's the opportunity to visit NEW places that truly excites me. I love experiencing different cultures, trying new foods, etc.
I used to sing and act in high school/college but I don't have the heart or the competitive spirit to deal with the BS that comes with community theater now that I'm an adult :-/ I really do miss that rush that I would get when performing in front of an audience, though...but apparently not enough to try too too hard to pursue it nowadays.

8. Name three things you are afraid of. Explain.
heights! especially if they are over water. I can't say why; nothing has ever happened to me to make me afraid of them. I just can't stand being on the edge of precipices or driving over bridges.

swimming in water where I can't see what's below me. though a bit irrational this does stem from the fact that when I was young my family was visiting with my aunt and uncle and cousins and the adults were watching some movie about piranhas attacking these people on the amazon river. we kids weren't supposed to watch it but my cousin and i sat at the top of the stairs and did and I've been scarred ever since!

being tied down. I don't mean...physically. I own a house and have pets and am in a serious relationship and I do love the city that I live in. but I have to have my freedom. I have to be able to travel...at least every couple months, or I will seriously go nuts. and as much as I love my significant other, I need my own time, my time alone, and this includes being able to get away without him once in a while. recently he pitched a fit about my going away for 3 nights without him and it was a HUGE turn off/issue with me.

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.
three best:
1. I’m honest and straightforward. If someone wants advice from me I’ll give them my actual opinion, not just what they want to hear.
2. I’m confident, which makes me outgoing and willing to try new things.
3. I'm a good friend - I am open-minded/non-judgmental. I’ve heard this from a lot of my friends and tend to be the person that they come to when they have a dirty little secret. I also KEEP people’s secrets…which is another reason why people tend to tell me theirs. I never repeat something I’ve been told in confidence.

three worst:
1. I’m honest to a fault, which means I’m often a little bit too blunt or harsh - kind of the negative side of my positive quality of being honest and straightforward, I guess :-/
2. I spread myself way too thin when it comes to commitments and activities. I listed my hobbies above but those are merely the longest-lasting hobbies. I tend to pick things up and obsess about them for months, then drop them like nobody's business and never bother with them again. It's the ADHD in me.
3. I'm super stubborn and have a terrible temper. Though as I’ve gotten older I’ve been much better about controlling it, it’s still there and shows itself faster than it should more often than not. Part of this is that I rarely forgive those who wrong me. Even when they ask for it and truly are sorry.




A Song of Ice and Fire Related

1.How many books from the series have you completed?
the 5 main ones and though I had to break to read something else (that needs to be finished by January 13th, ugh) I will soon read the little Hedge Knight novellas as well! I already have them on my Kindle :)

2.Who are your favorite three characters in the series? Why?
#1 by far, and this is going to be LONG: Sandor Clegane/the Hound. He utterly fascinates me. Why? He is a rude and angry man who kills an innocent boy simply because he is ordered to do so. He lusts after Sansa Stark though he is over twice her age, and he longs to kill his own brother. Yet this series is fantasy and above all loosely based on medieval times; it was completely normal in those days for a man in his 20s (or older, mind you) to wed and bed a woman of 12, 13, 14, 15 years of age. And I don’t think I really need to mention that Gregor Clegane is the true monster here. I’m not making excuses for Sandor’s killing the butcher’s boy Mycha; quite the opposite. That murder shows what he is capable of. Yet when he steals Arya from the Brotherhood without Banners, he is as good to her as we readers could hope. He doesn’t beat her or rape her. In fact, he teaches her and takes care of her the only ways he knows how. His comment when she leaves him, the one about how he “should have raped Sansa bloody”, is a comment borne of lust, disgust, fever and fear. If he had truly wanted or meant to harm Sansa in such a way, he could and would have done so. Sandor Clegane is not meant to be a one-dimensional character. He was abused as a youth, the servant of a vile little boy as an adult. He is meant to inspire anger, frustration, confusion and pity. I can't help but hope that this scarred and angry and drunken and lustful man will become a sort of unlikely hero. Sandor Clegane is a harsh man, a man who will kill when he is ordered to do so or when it is necessary, but he is also a man who desires a girl yet won’t force himself on her, a man who hopes and means to rid Westeros of one of the worst of its villains. I just...love him.

Jorah Mormont. I admire how he gives himself completely to love. He's screwed up of course, but I can't doubt that his feelings for his wife and then for Dany are real. And Dany says it herself - he protects her and he gives her good counsel. He makes some crappy mistakes and he pisses you off, but in the end he is loyal to those he loves and that's such an admirable quality. Also, the fact that he left his ancestral sword rather than shame his family even more by taking it? Sigh.

Jaime Lannister. I admire the warrior in him, admire his devotion to Cersei as much as it disgusts me. And though his redemption arc isn't perfect - there are a lot of awful thins that he has done that he feels no remorse for (i.e. Bran) - it has done a lot in the way of explaining what happened between him and the Mad King (how he became a kingslayer). He is obviously tortured - about the loss of his hand, about whether to stay loyal to his family and Cersei especially when they're all acting like fools - and though it surprised me when I started feeling this way, I always found myself waiting and hoping for his chapters, wanting to hear his POV and see what he was up to.

3.Who are your least favorite three characters in the series? Why?
There are plenty of characters that drive me nuts. I honestly don't care for Bran or Jon Snow all that much; I started getting annoyed with Dany halfway through Storm of Swords. Theon...ugh. And of course the truly awful characters - Gregor, Ramsay, blah blah blah. But the characters that just grate on me the most are:

Robert Baratheon - I think part of this is because I've read up on some of the fan theories, but also because of the comments Eddard remembered his sister making to him. Robert is a womanizer, and Cersei is maddening, but the way he treated her - much as I don't care for her - was abominable. He may not be as bad as Aerys Targaryen but he was still a crappy king, driving Westeros into debt and appointing some awful people as advisors on top of it all.

Renly Baratheon - I don't care if he's handsome and knows how to dress. His sexual preferences mean nothing to me. He is vain and he never had any right to claim the throne, no matter how bad he or anyone else thought Stannis was. I honestly think that he is the one who really and truly screwed everything up and I just can't forgive him for that. Though...I have to admit that if he hadn't pulled what he pulled we would probably have less ASOIAF books to enjoy as readers ;)

Cersei Lannister - Oh gah she's just awful. She literally gives herself away left and right (yes, I mean it like that). She spoils Joffrey and coddles Tommen yet there is not much information on all about how she treats Marcella and I don't think that's a coincidence, because she obviously hates other women and hates most things about *being* a woman. I understand that some of it is the way she was looked over by her father because she was a girl and treated by Robert because she wasn't Lyanna Stark, but she was awful to Tyrion when he was a child and the vague descriptions we get about her encounter with the witch woman and her relationships with her childhood "friends" only make her seem worse, to be honest.

4.#1 Favorite moment in all of ASOIAF so far? Why?
oh my gosh so many! not least the moment when Sansa takes the Hound's discarded Kingsguard cloak and huddles under it. or the thought of the Hound rolling Arya into a blanket burrito at night. but I guess the real kicker was probably the first time Sansa prayed for the Hound...when she says "Save him, if you can...and gentle the rage inside him". I think that was the moment when I started *liking* Sansa.

5. In your dream-world, how would you like to see the series end, and why?
Oh gosh...I honestly hate to even speculate! I don't think Jon should leave the Night's Watch even if the fan theories about him turn out to be true (you know what I mean! haha). I also kind of hope that "young grif" a.k.a. Aegon isn't a fake. I don't really know why I feel this way but I just think it would be very GRRM to throw that extra twist in there and have Dany not be the only Targaryan vying for the throne...but I would also love for Dany to stop messing around in Meereen and go fix up Westeros. With her dragons and all. I would love for Sansa and Rickon to be together at Winterfell again (with Bran being Bran beyond the Wall or something, I don't know, he annoys me) and I'm a big "SanSan" fan so Sansa and Sandor ending up together again in SOME way would just be the end all and be all for me :)

Comments

Martell

[lit-chick08.livejournal.com]

I see a lot of Daenerys in your answers, so I'd say Targaryen

Stark

[esc-key.livejournal.com]

I see Lannister and Stark, but for some reason I'm going Tyrell.

Stark

[luvscharlie.livejournal.com]

I see a lot of Lannister, but mostly I see Martell

Targaryen

[alcanis-ivennil.livejournal.com]

I see both Tyrell and Tully.

Re: Targaryen

[mauvais-pli.livejournal.com]

You get 1 vote for 1 house, dear.

Tully

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

For some reason, you strike me very much as a Martell.

Tully

[moryssa.livejournal.com]

I, too, saw a lot of Targaryen fieriness and ... hunger? Just kind of a drive to know, see, and do MORE. (Although I was so tempted to put you in Lannister just for the Marquis de Mertuil quote in the subject line. ;) )

Tully

[just-a-dram.livejournal.com]

Targaryen

Charleston is one of my very favorite cities in the world. It's lovely.

Lannister

[rvillarrubia.livejournal.com]

Tyrell.

Stark

[oparu.livejournal.com]

I think Tyrell. Love, money, a desire to throw nice parties...a Renly or a Margaery.

Tyrell

[miss-golithly.livejournal.com]

I think you are a Martell

Lannister

[missyquill.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is difficult, but I think you're a Lannister

Stark

[chacusha]

I saw some Tully at the beginning, and then lots of Dany in the middle (your answer to #5 especially), but by the time I got to the end, I think the Martell was strongest. Your love of adventure and new experiences could fit various houses, one of which is Martell. When I got to your third fear (of being tied down) that definitely seems something more in Greyjoy/Martell territory, and then when I got to your positive/negative traits (confident, good friend, open-minded, bad temper and unforgiving), I definitely got a snake vibe. So it's a Martell vote for me.

Lannister

[embossedsilver.livejournal.com]

I'm going to say Targaryen. There a real sense of drive and passion that comes through here.

And I absolutely think that counts as an accomplishment.

(Nice title quote, by the way).

[sternflammenden.livejournal.com]

Martell

I vacillated a bit, but I'll go with Targaryen, although you have a strong Tyrell streak. And thumbs up for the Dangerous Liaisons quote.

Martell

[mikkary-bones.livejournal.com]

I'm going to say Tully here, because while I do see a bit of Dany in you, your fierceness is mature, directed, and friend/family-oriented, which makes you more like Catelyn to me.

Martell

[kittenmittons.livejournal.com]

YAY, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA QUOTE!

Um, sorting, right. *clears throat* I'm going to have to go with Targaryen on you. It's the only house I really felt throughout this app, though as I read through the other comments, I found myself nodding along with everyone else's votes. Apparently I am fickle today. But I'll go with my gut and send you to the dragons!

Re: Martell

[girloficenfire.livejournal.com]

okay I read through the rules and I think it's okay for me to respond to you so long as I'm not arguing...which I am definitely not :D I just wanted to say yes...BSG...so amazing! but also your username is possibly the best one I've ever seen. kitten mittons - the greatest invention ever! :D

Martell

[l-vestrit.livejournal.com]

I have to say, that mostly I saw Martell, though there were splashes of Targaryen as well.
To be honest, it's like I'm reading my own thoughts! Your qualities such as confidence, terrible temper, stubbornness and that you rarely forgive. Also, your third fear «being tied down» and what you've said about freedom and time for yourself (I'm so getting that idea!). And of course, your love of traveling.
So, Martell it is.

Targaryen

[breve.livejournal.com]

Man. Difficult! ♥

I see little bits of Lannister all throughout (the pragmatism and bluntness of Tyrion's best days), a strong vibe of Martell, and definitely the Dany-flavored Targaryen (strangely enough, I see it especially in your description of the Hound, because I can SO see Dany romanticizing that kind of man [not that he isn't worthy of it - he's so very much a shattered Byronic figure I don't even know how to begin talking about it])... aaaaand rambling!

Yes. Targaryen. I can't shake the Dany thing, and your wanderlust juxtaposed with the desire to create a home not only for yourself but for others (seeing this not only in your protectiveness of your nieces and nephews but also in the Southern-hospitality-inn dream you have), AND the sort of sweeping romanticism of your entire application all make me certain that you belong here. =)


By the way, super big hugs and major admiration for you in regards to the "accomplishment" answer. Good for you.

Martell

[kitrinlu.livejournal.com]

I see mostly Martell

Tyrell

[sephystabbity.livejournal.com]

Ooh boy, hmm, you're a tough one. At first I was thinking Tully because of your ideal house and your wishes, but I dislike sorting people into Tully just because they have an affinity for small comforts and family. Hmm, your love for adventure, your refusal to be tied down, your wish to travel the world and other little nuances here and there point me to Martell, you really do have the independent spirit, and family affinity that I associate with them. They're usually a bit more dangerous and scary than I get from your app, but I think you must be one of the very nice Martells,like Ellaria (teeechnically a Sand but stilll...) :)

Lannister

[windfury.livejournal.com]

Targaryen

I as thinking Martell but your assessment of Cersei makes me think not so going with the next closest.

Tyrell

[sunnytyler001.livejournal.com]

First: HELLO MY DEAR FRIEND! Nice to see you here :)
And YES for the Sandor and SanSan love :) But, that, of course, I already knew ;)
I do believe you are of the blood of the dragon.
Targaryen

Re: Tyrell

[firebluespinel.livejournal.com]

With all the Sandor love, I might have known the two of you were friends. ;)

Lannister

[deeplyunhip.livejournal.com]

The loyalty and enthusiasm combined with your sense of adventure and a general fierceness says Martell to me.

Targaryen

[guad.livejournal.com]

I see lots of houses, but I'll go with Martell

Lannister

[ladynyks.livejournal.com]

I stray to read an application once a game and can't keep from disagreeing on the details of the interpretation of Sandor, so feel drawn to sort you into some house that isn't necessarily focused on some nuances, or whatever I meant to say. I don't think you're Targ, I think you're Tyrell even less, and a Lannister would see nuances differently no matter how your subject line suggests such potentials.

Tully seemed most it while reading, and when I see other votes I can see where the Martell comes from, though I may not fully agree with it quite as much. I'd vote Tully if not seeing a need to potentially actually influence results as well, so Martell because it is there otherwise. I'd Blackfish you if not needing to put you in a house I see your personality matching better than the others mentioned.