Win or Die!

[archer-of-fate.livejournal.com]

Name: Jackie
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!): Through the GOT posts on ONTD
Age: 19
Location: Ohio, United States
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 love old things, which isn’t so surprising considering I’m doing a history major. I love brick and stone houses, so my ideal house would be made of one of these building materials. In particular, in my hometown one sees a lot of brick farmhouses from the 1800s, and I really like those a lot. However, having grown up in a sea of cornfields I can honestly say I’m not interested in living in the country (at least, not at this stage of my life).

Since I am considering going in for the long haul and doing a Ph.D in History, living in city/campus town will probably be in my future. Bearing that in mind, I think that a brick Victorian would be a good fit. There’s just something timeless and appealing about them that I adore. Also because I’ve always wanted to own a Beauty and the Beast sort of library, and it would look fantastic in a Victorian style house. As long as there’s room for a nice library, decent sized kitchen, and a nice bedroom, I would be happy.

Setting-wise, I’ve grown up in Ohio all my life. My family is here, and I wouldn’t want to go ridiculously far. So the Midwest would be ideal, but I would like to live in a larger city. Chicago is a rather large city and not too far from home, but saying that I would prefer to live in a suburb/outlying area of the city itself. A little bit of a yard/garden in the back would be ideal, but once again, close enough to the city for recreational/work purposes.

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. My first wish would be for my parents to have the house of their dreams. My family is very important to me, and my parents had a rough start to their marriage. My mother had me four months too early, which resulted in a mountain of hospital bills, and then my sister was born ten months after me. So my parents have sacrificed a lot just to keep our tiny family going, and it would be fitting for me to give them something back to show my appreciation for them.

2. Money enough to pay for my university education. I want desperately to go to graduate school to get my doctorate so I can teach history at a university. However, this is expensive and bills add up. It would be a great thing if I could have the money to finance that dream, and would do away with a lot of my stress.

3. A family vacation to Germany. My parents have always wanted to travel, but have never been able to afford to. I got to study abroad in Germany, and I would love for all of us to be able to see Germany together. A good portion of my family is German, including my mother’s grandmother, so it would mean a lot to all of us.

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 would say the greatest accomplishment was winning the first ever study abroad scholarship so was offered by my university’s History Department. I had wanted to study abroad for years, but winning the scholarship from the History Department at my university has been the best thing to ever happen to me so far because it enabled me to go when I couldn’t really afford it.

Going along with this, studying abroad has been a great accomplishment for me. I worked and saved up for it for two years, and won that scholarship; it was a great feeling of accomplishment that I finally got to do something no one in my family had ever done before. It has also been one of the most rewarding; I’ve grown a lot as an individual and feel brave enough to make it on my own in the coming years, wherever I end up.

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.

Most important would probably be knowledge. I’ve always been a voracious reader and I’ve always enjoyed school. Part of why I want to go to graduate school so bad is because I simply can’t imagine myself doing anything else--I could go directly into the workforce after graduation, but I don’t think I’d be happy knowing I could have gone to graduate school. I hope that makes sense: I’m not scared to work, but I am terrified if I went straight into work after graduation I would be passing up a great opportunity and I’d regret it for the rest of my life. Also, I do want to teach because it’s very important to me that history be passed on, and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else but that.

Least important would probably be love. I know, I know, it’s a bit harsh. I just... love is not on my radar. I’ve never found anyone that I’ve just clicked with, I’ve never dated anyone, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I’m a very goal-driven person, and right now I’m focused on getting my education and beginning my career. If love happens along the way, then so be it, but I’m not actively searching for it at the moment.

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

“I have to be alone very often. I'd be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That's how I refuel." - Audrey Hepburn

Okay, it seems a bit shallow. But for me personally, although I do love people, sometimes you just have to be by yourself. Partially to keep myself sane, but also because it’s nice to be alone and not have to feel like you need to impress anyone. But on another level, it’s important to be alone because that’s how life is--you have family and friends who would do anything for you, but in the end sometimes you have to tackle things on your own. Sort of for independence, but also to know what you’re fully capable of doing and feeling confident in your abilities. I hope that makes sense.

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 means a lot to me. I’d like to not have to worry about where my next meal comes from or how I’m going to pay my bills. I manage my money somewhat frugally, that is, that I’ll splurge a little every now and then. Then I’ll tend to feel a bit guilty about it and save up and not spend, and then eventually I’ll splurge again--it’s a bit of a vicious cycle, but I do try.

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

I love to read. I love all books, but non-fiction history books are quickly growing on me because I do spend so much time reading them during the school year. I also like to collect vinyl LP records, and I have a pretty decent collection of them. Nothing like a little hiss and crackle with your music, and I like LPs better than I do CDs. Erm, I like watching foreign films and I also like watching Colin Firth films because he’s just that good. A Single Man gets me every time, as does And When Did You Last See Your Father?.

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

1. Insects and Spiders. I had an unfortunate accident when I was seven which involved me stepping into a yellow jackets’ nest and I’ve been terrified of insects and spiders ever since. It’s a pretty common fear, but I’ve not been able to shake it.

2. Heights. Heights just make me feel uneasy and nauseous. I love roller coasters and thrill rides, but climbing up tall things and looking down off them scares me like no other. It has to be because I’m afraid of falling and/or dying as result of falling, but I like to think I’m getting better at managing heights. So long as I don’t go near the edge, I’ll be okay, and that seems to work.

3. Tornadoes. This is a bit of an irrational fear. My parents took me to the Natural History Museum in Cincinnati and forced me to watch an educational IMAX movie about tornadoes (also when I was seven--seven wasn’t a good year for me!) and I’ve been terrified ever since. Yeah, so whenever I hear our tornado siren being tested (after I realize it is the tornado siren and not an air raid siren) I get anxious. It’s worse when there are tornado watches/warnings issued for my area; then I just sit in the bathroom in a mess of nerves.

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. Determined: I work to get what I want, and I’m used to things not being handed to me. Perhaps this is due to being an older sibling, or maybe it’s because of my experiences, but I’m anything but a weak-willed flower.

2. Independent: I can think and do for myself, and I really prefer to do so. I’m finally starting to accept that I’m going to turn 20 in May and the world isn’t going to end, and I’ve become more confident in my abilities to take care of myself in this last year. It’s a good thing, and I’m glad it’s happened.

3. Loyal: I am very protective of my family and friends. I’d do anything for them if they asked without question, and I hope they’d do the same for me. It means a lot to me that there are people that feel that way about me, and as such I would do anything for them.

WORST
1. Too logical/unemotional: I have this thing where I think too objectively and it’s hard to connect to others. People tend to think I’m cold and distant when in reality I just don’t know how to react to certain things, especially when these things are relationship-related. I don’t want people to think I’m a bitch, but I’m afraid this happens more than I’d like it to.

2. Tactless: Ever since I’ve been small I’ve had a way of putting my foot in my mouth. I like to think I’ve grown out of it, but then I turn around and do/say something stupid that ends up offending someone. I really wish this wasn’t true, but it is, and though I work on it it’s hard to shake.

3. Stubborn: The downfall of determination, as far as I’m concerned. It’s hard to get me to change my mind once it’s made up, and that’s not always a good thing. My dad says I’m as stubborn as a mule, which isn’t exactly a compliment, but that’s just how it is.





A Song of Ice and Fire Related

1.How many books from the series have you completed?
All five.

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

Brienne was a fast favorite of mine. I could relate to her awkwardness quite a bit, and that was what endeared her to me. Her perseverance was also something I liked about her, and her sense of trying to do what was right. Plus her chapters with Jaime were excellent reading, and I enjoyed that quite a bit too.

Theon Greyjoy grew on me throughout the series. At first I was a bit indifferent to him, but once we got his POV going it was over and I was hooked. I’m not saying that what he did was right (there were definite pros and cons to the decision) but I can understand why he did it. The concept of family was important to him, as it is to me, and I couldn’t help but see him as a little boy that just wanted the approval of his father but never got it.

Sansa Stark, oh goodness. In AGoT, I’ll admit that she wasn’t my favorite because she was so naive and silly, but after Ned was killed and she had to endure that whole mess at court I couldn’t help but feel attached to her. She’s seen so much and had to suffer in a way that her other siblings haven’t, and I feel so sorry for her. I’m waiting for her to come back and be a badass, because I know she’s got that in her, and shock everyone with her badassery.

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

Tywin Lannister was a bit of a twat. He just came off as smug and I didn’t like that at all. Plus, his sense of honor really bothered me, and how he was so quick to write off Tyrion as incapable because he was a dwarf. It definitely amused me how later on after Tywin’s death someone observed that Tyrion was Tywin’s true son despite everything, because it was what everyone knew but Tywin and what he was so quick to deny.

Ramsay Bolton, urgh. He’s just a despicable, evil man. I hated him for what he did to Theon, and I was terrified for Jeyne when she was married to him. All around bad guy, this fellow.

Joffrey. This is a bit of a given, but oh man. My hatred for him knew no bounds, and though I was shocked at the way in which he died, I can’t say that I regretted that he died. He was mean and nasty, and in a way I was glad he died because poor Margaery would have had a terrible marriage and he would have continued to terrorize Sansa and also Tyrion.

4.#1 Favorite moment in all of ASOIAF so far? Why?

Joffrey’s wedding, and how it was told. The Tyrion and Sansa chapters were some of the best and were so tense and drama-filled and I adore them for being so nerve-wracking. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat, and something I hadn’t expected. All-in-all, some darn good writing.

Also, Theon begging the old gods to save him in ADwD. It really drove home how much he’d changed over the course of the five books, and I felt so sorry for him right in that moment. He’d wanted approval, and tried to gain it with a foolhardy plan, and hnnngh all my feels for him. But yes, that moment was a really poignant one for me.

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

Hmmm. I am intrigued by the fact that Aegon is still alive. I don’t know how I feel about him yet, but I do think the idea of his swooping in while the Seven Kingdoms are a mess was a bold one. I would like for Dany to finally make her way to Westeros at some point, and I think it would be fitting for her to rule--with Aegon as her consort or not. The way I see it, the rebellion was a rebellion and she would be technically taking back what’s hers. In regards to the Greyjoy rebellion going on, I think they ought to be allowed to rule the Iron Islands and preserve their traditions. I think it would be boss if Sansa got a happy ending, poor girl, preferably with a marriage to Willas Tyrell (who seemed a good match for her, I thought) and came back to impress everyone with her badassery, which exists!

Comments

[GREYJOY]

[athees.livejournal.com]

HM, I wanted to put you in Greyjoy, but after rereading, I talked myself out of it and decided on Targaryen. Haha :)