Evaluate me.

[getaway-machine.livejournal.com]

Name: Ashley
Age: 19
House you were sorted into: Gryffindor
Link to original application: Sorted.
Are there any questions you would like to elaborate on?

Yeah, actually.

What is the one thing you would most like to accomplish?

My original answer:
Well, I've already completed a novel, so the next step would be to get it published. Even if it wasn't popular or anything, having a novel that I had written out there and on a shelf somewhere would be an amazing feeling, I think.

Elaboration:
I think, the key to this is that in order to even attempt to have a novel of mine published, it would have to be something that I was very, very happy with. I would edit it beyond belief, until I felt that there was nothing left I could do to make my characters and my world more believable and just... better. Writing is important to me, and I take it very seriously, and I need to be happy with my writing before I can believe for a second that anyone else will like it.

And this one: What do you want to do for a living?

My original answer:
Well, this is complicated. I want to write novels for a living. But I'm not so naive as to believe that this will happen. Not to say that I won't try -- as I mentioned above, I've already finished one novel, and I'm still writing. I love it, and I'll never really give up on it happening for me. But I need a career that will support me until that happens, if it does. So I'm in school right now, and I want to go on and get my Masters in Library Sciences, to become a head librarian somewhere. I know that's probably a little strange, but I would be around books all the time, and the pay is pretty good, too. Besides, I can just see myself in that role -- it would be pretty cool, I think.

Elaboration:
Actually, this might change a little. Library sciences still interests me quite a lot, but I've also been thinking lately about majoring in Humanities and possibly becoming a Professor. While I could never teach high school or lower [I would go insane... I hate kids] I think I could handle teaching college level courses. I know it would take a lot of work on my part, either way, but these are the things that could make me happy, so I guess it's worth it. I'm actually also thinking, though, of switching schools entirely and going into a Graphic Arts program. Mostly it's me being unsure which one I'll actually pursue, because I'm just like that... I hate making decisions, and I like a lot of different things.

And I didn't answer the "which house do you think doesn't fit you?" because I do see qualities of every house in myself. But I see Gryffindor qualities the least, and that's why I'm writing this. This sorting community, and others, and the way people have sorted me have actually really changed the way I view myself in terms of houses, and how my particular personality falls into those strict molds. I don't believe that anyone is completely one house or another, and it's all about figuring out which house will cater to your abilities and personality the most.

Explain why you feel misplaced in your current House!

Well, first of all, I have to say that I love the people in my house. I've made some friends there, and I think they're great people, but... I've never thought of myself as a Gryffindor. I see a little of myself in every house, but when I got sorted into Gryffindor here, I was like "...what?" But I joined my common room, and I've participated. And I met some great people in my house, so it's been hard to even think of appealing, really. I'm even on the house Quidditch team. But when we lost... like, I was sad that we lost, because I'm on the team, so I was part of the reason. But I didn't care that Gryffindor had lost. I'm a little lacking in the house pride. And I know this is an online community and not really Hogwarts and all that, of course, but I'm participating in a lot of contests and things and I want to feel that pride when the house I'm in does something awesome. When I sign things as a Gryffindor, it just doesn't mean much to me, because as awesome as the people in my house are, I don't think I have the same Gryffindor qualities as them.

What would you see in the Mirror of Erised? Be exact with your descriptions!

Myself, pen in hand, scribbling my autograph onto a published and popular novel. It's always been my dream to write for a living -- it's a dream that I fully realize will probably never happen, as the chances of being published, let alone being able to live off of publishing, is highly unlikely. That doesn't stop me from wishing for it, though, and it doesn't stop me from trying, either. I've written two novels so far; while I don't believe that either of them are good enough to be published, I am proud of the accomplishment of finishing them in the first place, and I'm working on a third one now that I think is better than the first two. If I ever publish anything and have one fan write to me to tell me how much they enjoy my work, I will die knowing that I got the most out of life.

Okay, and I know the actual image in the Mirror isn't all that detailed, but it's really the thing I want more than anything. That, and to be happy -- but sitting there knowing that people wanted my autograph on a book would make me happy, so I think it's kind of a given.

What makes you unique?

Hmm. Liking to read isn't as unique as people seem to think -- which is a good thing, but it means I can't put it here.

I'm a mass of contradictions. I love my friends, but I'm meaner to them than to anyone. I go from wanting all my friends around to just wanting to be alone in a matter of seconds sometimes. I love to learn, but I hate studying and going to class.

I love to sew. It's not that popular of a hobby anymore, not among people my age anyway, but I think that's so sad because it's so rewarding. I've only got the basics down right now, but I'm constantly trying to do harder and harder projects to see how far I can take this hobby of mine.

Mostly I don't think I am overly unique. I have unique hobbies in some ways, I guess, but I'm just me. I like to hang out with my friends and I enjoy working, though I also like being lazy. I like to sleep and to read and to design websites and have fun and go to class and laugh and have a good time. I don't care much about boys or make-up or who drives what car or wears what clothes, I've just never had time for stupid gossip like that. I'd much rather talk about the shows I like and things like that.

I don't know how well my personality comes across in my original application, or in this appeal, but hopefully you've gotten some sense of me now.

Comments

[imthelobster.livejournal.com]

Because I liked Laura's question on my appeal...

Pick a character from each house and tell me why you wouldn't get along with them, and how that's a reflection of your traits.

[getaway-machine.livejournal.com]

Okay, well, easiest one first...

Gryffindor.
Lavender and/or Parvarti. They're the sort of gossipy, annoying girls that I never got along with in high school, because I'm just not into that 'scene.' I don't care much about how people view me, and I'm not boy obsessed, and I'm just... not a typical teenage girl, I suppose, which is what they really seem to be. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just never been what I've been interested in, and I tend to not get along with people like that, probably mostly because I don't and can't understand them. It seems rather boring to me.

Slytherin
I guess I'd have to say Crabbe and Goyle, because of their complete lack of an ability to think for themselves -- but they're the type of people I'd be more likely to simply ignore, because there's no reason for me to interract with them or anything whatsoever. I have no respect for people like them, because just blindly following someone is such a ridiculous idea to me. I'm sure that at least part of this is due to the books being told from Harry's -- and therefore a Gryffindor's -- point of view, but you can't even really tell them apart, can you? It's boring and loses my interest quickly.

Hufflepuff
I think that I have to go with Ernie Macmillan. While I understand his need to protect a friend, his blind belief in rumors about Harry in CoS is just... really, very annoying. I'm a skeptic at heart, and I rarely believe anything at face value. Though he does make up for it later, and I can appreciate that, I've always found him annoying because of that initial reaction I had. I can respect loyalty to a friend, but there's just something about him and the way he does things that's felt off to me, and I don't think I'd get along with him because you never know what he's going to believe.

Ravenclaw
Marietta. No one likes a snitch. Betraying your friends is just not something that I can stand, period. Also, the fact that she didn't stand up for herself -- if she didn't want to go to the DA meetings, then she shouldn't have. She's whiny and annoying and exactly the sort of person that gets on my nerves so easily. I may not be the bravest person in the world, and I may hate confrontation, but if I don't want to do something, I won't. And I think that, for the most part, that's how it should be.