Win or Die

[ocelotofdoom.livejournal.com]

Name: Shain
How did you find out about the community? If it's through an LJ user, please tell us who it is: I think I found this through the Westeros forum boards, though I could be wrong. I might have just come across it by looking for fandom.
Age: 22
Location: Boston, MA
Occupation:Law 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'd like to live in a brightly-painted house (preferably with blue, purple and/or green in the mix). It would be either in Northampton, MA (a small town in Western MA) or in Northern California by the ocean. It would be somewhat Victorian style, but be a bit wonky, with those pointy tower-type things sticking out here and there. It would be inhospitable to spiders. It would have comfortable furniture that you could almost sink into and sit in for hours. The bathroom would have a huge, jacuzzi-esque bathtub, with nice lighting so I could read while bathing. There would be an indoor garden-type room for my cats to sun themselves in. It would have at least two floors. I would have a whole room for things I made and the supplies I had to make them, and a personal "library" for all of my books. It would be warm during the winter, but cool during the summer. It would be well-lit. It would be facing a river or the ocean, whichever was closest. It would be the kind of place where people felt welcome and comfortable.

2. Name three things you are afraid of. Explain.
Hospitals - I've had 16 surgeries and numerous medical problems, and believe me, you do NOT get used to being in them.
Spiders - I grew up in black widow country, with those things possibly behind your toilet or having a nest in your back yard. Any spider remotely big enough to be one freaks me out.
Loud noises: I have severe sensory issues that are compounded by post-traumatic stress symptoms brought on by bullying and failed attempts at "exposure" as a kid.

3. 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) I wish my friends, my pets and I would spend our lives together happily.
2) I wish I could prevent the mistreatment of people with disabilities - specifically, preventing aversive "treatments" in schools and institutions, discrimination and forcing people to be normal.
3) I wish I could become a member of the Supreme Court.

4. 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 have survived numerous medical problems, mental health issues and social problems while still not giving up hope and believing that I can and should make the world a better place.
-I graduated from high school and college with honors, and got nearly a full scholarship ($35,000 a year) to law school.
-I have taught myself many art forms and created my own works in them despite initial motor skill difficulties.

5. 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.
Friendship is most important to me. The good people around me who have chosen to care about me give me faith in myself despite all the bad things that other people have done, and make me believe that it's worth it to do my best and keep trying. Money, for its own sake and in isolation from all of these other things, has the least inherent value. I don't have reason to be rich for its own sake, so long as I can take care of myself and help the people I care about.

6. What's one quote (or passage, song lyric, etc.) that effectively describes you and your values? Explain.
"Some set their hearts on a rocking chair / They're better to sleep out the days / But I'm looking for a reason to kick and scream / I don't want to fade away." (Chumbawamba) I am very idealistic and ambitious, and want to change the world even though I know it will be hard. I have a purpose, and even if I'm not quite sure what it is yet, I'm going to fulfill it and make the most out of my life, hopefully to great effect.

7. 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 am not super-detailed and organized - I pay my bills on time and regularly check my bank account to make sure that I have enough money before taking more out, but I usually forget about making lists of expenses and such. I like having money, but only so that I know that I can live comfortably and support my cats. A lot of things are in the realm of "would be nice to have, but aren't necessary" for me, unless I really think I can get away with splurging. I'd like to have money some day, but if it comes at the expense of selling out my values and not accomplishing what I want in life, I don't think boatloads of money would be worth it.

8. Name (and elaborate on) some of your hobbies. What are your favorite things to do outside of school/the office?
I knit sweaters and other things here and there. I also have designed and created plush dolls of my characters. I participate in fandom, and in online discussions on politics and other issues of interest to me. I play piano, arranging and learning songs from anime and video games. I watch anime and read genre fiction. I volunteer for a cat shelter, fostering cats at my home. I also own my own cat, and lavish attention on her. I write, both fiction and about things I believe in. I hang out with other geeks as I can find them around my area.

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:
-Analytical ability: I'm very good at remembering and then applying what I know, and this helps me not only in areas I'm good at but even improve in areas that I have a hard time in.
-Determination: When something is important to me, I will go through hell and high water to achieve it. I'm very good at powering through difficult situations once I've made up my mind.
-Compassion: I have a lot of sympathy for the vulnerable and suffering, and see it as a duty to help people in need if one can.
WORST:
-Black-and-white thinking: I am very opinionated, and have trouble seeing the other side in more than an intellectual way because I get very emotionally invested.
-Behavior blindness: I have trouble interpreting people's social signals and intentions, and often offend or shoot myself in the foot because of this.
-Defensiveness: I am very sensitive to what people say and do to me, and take offense easily. I don't tolerate teasing or constructive criticism very well, and have a hard time forgetting an insult.





A Song of Ice and Fire Related

1.Who are your favorite three characters in the series? Why?
-Samwell Tarly - despite being consistently abused and having a low opinion of himself, he is kind, loyal, and actually does try his best even when he's scared.
-Tyrion Lannister - He's smart, hilarious, and actually still a pretty nice guy, despite his circumstances. He isn't afraid to stand up to people much more powerful than him, physically or politically, while still trying to help those less fortunate. He's also really fun to read about.
Brienne of Tarth - She holds to her beliefs and acts on them consistently no matter what. She's very loyal, and compassionate. She doesn't let anyone destroy the beliefs she holds dear, despite her own insecurities.

2.Who are your least favorite three characters in the series? Why?
Randyll Tarly - If being a child abuser to the extreme wasn't enough, he's also extremely misogynistic.
Cersei Lannister - She's shallow, selfish and cruel, not even having empathy for people in positions similar to those she's been in herself.
Joffrey Baratheon - The same reasons as Cersei, but worse. Between his abuse of Sansa, his sense of supposed "justice," and the story about how he killed the pregnant cat just for fun, he's a horrible excuse for a human being.

3.#1 Favorite moment in all of ASOIAF so far? Why?
I almost cheered aloud when Tyrion saved Sansa from the Kingsguard abusing and humiliating her, and was still awesomely witty in doing so. A snarky dwarf bringing justice to abusive jerks who hurt innocent girls makes for automatic awesomeness.

4. In your dream-world, how would you like to see the series end, and why?
The 7 Kingdoms are restored, at least partially, and Tommen and Margaery are still at the head. Bran is Lord of Winterfell. Sansa finds someone actually decent, and has some power of her own right. Arya reunites with Nymeria and Jon, and still gets to do what she wants. Sam becomes Grand Maester, and gets a chance to prove himself to his dad, or at least resolve his issues on that front. Tyrion reunites with Tysha, and gets at least some closure if nothing else. Brienne gets to join the Kingsguard, and she and Jaime start to restore it to its former glory. They become very close companions, but not lovers. Dany helps defeat the Others, but does not wreak havoc on Westeros, but instead tries to reform the things she sees as problematic there. After the Others are defeated, more people realize the importance of the Night's Watch, and it gets more support. Cersei, the Freys, the Boltons and the worst of the Greyjoys get what's coming to them. Asha gets to become the head of the Iron Islands. Efforts begin to make an agreement with the Wildlings as to a new land arrangement, once the Wildlings have helped with the Other problem. More dragons and direwolves are born. There's probably more, but that's what I've got thus far.

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A month and a half later, I finally remember. :D