Scheherazade
05-01-2009, 05:04 AM
Happy Birthday! :)
An interview with Andave_Ya:
Why are we doing this interview thing?
I think it has something to do with getting to know you? “Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…” :D
Are you sure you want to do this?
Well, I told half a dozen people I’d be blogging but I’m not in the right mood. I’m done with homework so yes, I do want to do this.
If you had a personal theme song what would it be?
It would probably be Remember Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Iqm0Es4_Q&feature=PlayList&p=1C2116C39B251BE7&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=59), sung by Josh Groban for the credits of the movie Troy. It really seems to point to what is a major theme for me: keeping old, forgotten things alive.
Are you male or female?
Female!
How did you come about this site and what makes you keep coming back?
I had some assignment to write and, as usual, I wangled it around so that it could be about literature :p. However I wanted a proper definition of literature, so when I typed it into Yahoo I found the LitNet. After looking around quite a bit, I signed up.
I keep coming back because of the people and the discussions. The people of course are what makes the discussions so interesting. Granted, the religious and philosophical sections get needlessly heated :argue:, but it’s kind of amusing to see that nonbelievers say the believers dominate while with believers it’s the other way around.
Are you happy with the way things are here?
Yes indeedy! I’m especially glad that some of the older members are coming back - only Kathy and Countess are noticeably absent :bawling:. I’m really hoping and praying that they’re both okay.
Have you visited other countries than your own and what did you like about it or not like? If you could live somewhere different from where you live now, where would it be and why?
My family’s taken road trips all over the US, but the only other countries I’ve visited for a length of time are Canada and Lebanon. I don’t know very much about Canada, but British Columbia is beautiful. I still remember driving down a street seeing trees in vibrant fall colors arching over the road.
Lebanon now :D, Lebanon was an entirely different experience. We were there in June for my Uncle’s wedding - I have several blog entries detailing everything. Lebanon is beautiful. We stayed in Beirut, by the Mediterranean, but as it was summertime it was so humid you only had to stand still to start dripping sweat! But we’d take trips up into the mountains and the wind would caress your face as you stood overlooking the Mediterranean. I loved coming back to my heritage - one never really knows until they go back, do they? :alien: Different cultures are so interesting; literature really does open your eyes to that.
I’m not sure where I’d live. For a long time, I wanted to live in England, the land of the really great writers, but everything is becoming so dreadfully socialist - :flare:. Socialism stifles; it doesn’t stir one up to want to do great or noble things. I suppose ideally I’d go somewhere far away and live like a hermit - books, music, movies, pen and paper and a crust of bread would more than suffice.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, we have two cats, Garfield and Ronnie. Garfield is fat, fluffy, orange, and indolent and Ronnie (named for President Ronald Reagan, thank you very much:goof:.) is gray, adorable, and, ahem, mama’s pet. He pretends he’s fierce but really, the farthest he’ll go is a hiss. :nod:
What makes you happy?
Oh, lots of things. My faith does, for one. I’m “so far from what I want to be,” but to see how nature points to the Creator is fascinating ;).
Books make me very happy, classics in particular. I only have to look at my Tolkien or my Sayers to grin :lol:.
Music. Good music. Beethoven said that music is the gateway between heaven and earth, or something like that. I concur wholeheartedly - and add that music can be a little bit dangerous. Especially if it’s Josh Groban singing :angel:.
Writing. I’m just beginning to get all sorts of ideas for stories and novels that I’m very excited about. Now if only I could find that elusive sprite, Time. :brow:
Children. I love working with kids. I babysit two to three times a week, and one of the girls I babysit is three years old. She tells me “I wuv you!“ And whenever the bad guy in a movie comes on screen she throws the blankets over our heads and tells me “I’ll save you!“ :banana:
Um - Oh! Haha. Food. Lebanese, Indian, Mexican, and Italian pretty much covers everything, dontcha think?
What is mankind's biggest achievement, and its greatest downfall?
Biggest achievement: the Constitution
Biggest downfall: Communism
If you had a long day of hard work ahead of you what music would you be playing on your mp3, while working?
Ah…this is actually kind of embarrassing. The answer is anything. I have listened to Renee Fleming while scrubbing the shower in my sister’s shorts, an old top, and an apron, and have walked two and a half miles home from junior college listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
If you could take one book, music album and one video with you to a desert island, what would they be?
The book would be the Bible, naturally. The music would be a toss-up between Josh Groban’s “Closer” album or Loreena McKnight’s “Book of Secrets.” The video would be LOTR, of course! “Return of the King,” if I must choose just one. :p
Do you feel comfortable in your walk with God?
There’s a song by a Christian band called Downhere that I quoted earlier. It says “I’m so far from what I want to be.” The Bible says “be ye perfect as I am perfect,” and I’m nowhere near that. However I don’t have to be thanks to Jesus’ death on the cross. So yes I do feel comfortable, though aware of my…smallness?…next to God.
Which actor should play you in a movie based on your life?
I rather like Cate Blanchett. But she is tall and willowy and blonde while I am short, chubby, and brunette -- :lol: the similarities end there. Bulletproof says it should be Gwyneth Paltrow, based on the roles she plays. Or, Drew Barrymore.
Given the option, what animal would you choose to be?
Either an eagle or a cat. And before anyone says anything about the disparity of the two, let me explain my reasoning. An eagle is alone, only with its family. It soars high above, honored and revered, but is left alone; it is a predator (ok I’m not much into the predator bit, but versimilitude, versimilitude :p.)
A cat on the other hand: freedom to sleep, eat, stare and be generally complacent. That sounds really good! :cool:
What were your favorite things to do the past? What about now?
Reading and beading and baking. Now it’s reading, writing, listening to music, playing music, watching movies, babysitting, walking, researching, going on the LitNet, surfing the web, daydreaming about dead or fictional people, baking, and chatting online with friends.
What makes you feel great about yourself?
Seriously, my faith. Don’t get me wrong, being a Christian is difficult. But the comfort and the joy I get from being a Christian is really indescribable. :brow: When I visited Patrick Henry College last month the literature professor said that in being Christians we are able to relax and enjoy most things for what they are, and not for what we need or make them to be.
Secondly, saying what I want about books without feeling snobby :blush:.
Other things include: accomplishing lots of things in a short period of time. Writing. Being independent. Seeing how I’m learning about politics and government and worldviews.
How did you meet your significant other?
:lol: I don’t have one - I don’t want to until after college. But I imagine it would be some young professor-type I meet at some famous library or museum.
My mom loves to tell people a story about how my dad had told me he didn’t want me to date. I asked, “how will I get married?”
Then - “wait, wait.” I added ( I was eight or nine at the time.) “I know. I’ll meet some old professor at the library and we’ll go on a date to the museum.”
I’m still hoping for that.
Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or not. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?
There are two, maybe three people I am inspired by, one of whom is my mom. She and I are different - we clash in a lot of ways but regardless, we’re very close (my being an introvert is the bane of her existence; her being an extrovert is the bane of my existence :p). Firstly, I really admire the way she is faithful in doing her devotions every day. Secondly, she has a real servant’s heart. Nearly everyone in our church has come to my mom for advice in one thing or another and she helps to the best of her ability. Whenever there is a wedding, or a funeral, or a baby shower, or some occasion or another you can be pretty sure she’s always at the forefront, helping out behind the scenes.
The next person I admire would have to be Boromir from Lord of the Rings. (I bet Rich is thinking, ‘I was wondering when she’d bring him up :p). At first I thought of him much the same way, I daresay, many of you do - arrogant, self-centered, can’t-see-beyond-his-nose type of guy who actually thought it would be a good idea to take the Ring. Until I realized that for all of his life, Boromir had the weight of Gondor on his shoulders. Essentially, he had to rule without seeming like he was encroaching on his father. Then there was the blatant favoritism towards him and the disregard in which his father held Faramir. Amidst all that, he had to leave Gondor to go to Rivendell, then agreed to support a quest he thought was foolish. No wonder he grasped at the only thing which seemed like it could rid them of Sauron. But when he knew he was wrong, he atoned for his deed gorgeously. :)
The third person would be Jesus - all I have to do is read the gospels to want with every fiber of my being to follow Him properly. I’m not sure if I can actually say which qualities of His inspire me to follow Him; He was fully God and fully man. Although having made mention of Jesus I can’t exactly go on without saying something about love. I am a Christian because I love, or at least to the best of my ability, God - and I love Him because He first loved me. That’s pretty much all there is to it.
What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)
I’m really good with kids and animals. It’s a little bit disconcerting. Once, my mom and I were waiting in line at the cashier. The family ahead of us had a little boy sitting in the children’s seat in the cart. He’d stick his fingers through the holes for his legs and every time I twiddled them he’d giggle deliciously. But when my mom did the exact same thing he’d just stare.
And with animals - once, my friend’s dog came out of nowhere and stuck his head between my legs, and looked up at me plaintively. He wanted to be cuddled!
If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
:D Literature! (Actually that’s what I intend to do!)
What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?
I would regret not reading every book I can.
I would regret not fully being as persevering a Christian as I can,
And I would regret not having a family.
:nod:.
What is your role in an emergency situation: the 911 dialer, the person who runs to the scene to help, the video recorder, or the person too overcome by shock to do anything?
The person who runs to the scene to help.
What song is in your head at the moment?
“Bali Hai,” by Charlotte Church.
Which book are you reading at the moment?
Notes from the Underground, by Dostoevsky
The last book you finished reading?
Crimes of the Heart, for my theater class. I canNOT believe that play won a Pulitzer! :flare:
Favorite food?/ Comfort food?
I really like taco salad and pastas with white sauce. Comfort food is chocolate, bread, ice cream, pizza - junk food!
What time of day do you most often find yourself on the LitNet?
Every single second I get! LitNet is addicting; I have to check it when I wake up, then every hour or so throughout the day for a minute, just to see if I got a new message or something. However, I usually do spend an hour or so in the evenings.
What are you wearing at the moment?
navy t-shirt with a red and white emblem on it, a faded grey-blue v-neck fleece sweater over it, light jeans, and converse. :cold:
Favorite poem?
“To the Rose Upon the Rood of Time,” (http://www.online-literature.com/yeats/790/) by W.B. Yeats.
First novel you remember reading on your own?
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I was probably around ten at the time and wasn’t sure I’d be able to understand it. Suffice it to say, I was HOOKED!
What era do you find most of the books you read are from?
Erm, let’s just say if I had it my way it would be mostly from the 1930s or 1880s, I think. :p
Favorite TV shows?
Castle, Bones, and Doctor Who.
Which LitNet members would you like to meet in person if you could?
Rich (mtpspur) of course! Then Virgil, Countess, sprinks, Niamh, Janine, Nightshade, LadyWentworth, a_little_wisp, BeccaT, Neo_Sephiroth, redzeppelin, Shalot, papayahed, librarius_qui, Idril, Brian Bean, Amalia1985, *Classic*Charm*, downing, NikolaiI, Whifflingpin, Schokokeks, Pendragon, johann cruyff, Bakiryu, Limajean, PoeticPassions, BienvenuJDC, Poetess, jon1jt, Dori, optimisticnad, TheFifthElement, and dozens of others!
Favorite thread?
the Now Playing thread. I have around 130 posts in there! But I also like the ones that get me angry or stirred up; :lol:, at the very least, they’re among the most memorable.
Last food did you have?
Tomato, Olive, and Cheese Focaccia.
Last words you said out loud?
Wow what a kid!
Last person you hugged/kissed?
my Mom.
What do you do (for a living) to be able to keep your LitNet addiction going? And are you happy with your chosen profession?
I am a student and a babysitter! And yeah, very happy! I intend to be a student for the rest of my life!
What question would you like to ask yourself?
When are you going to start writing an original novel of your own? :sick:
What would you like to be if you could change your profession?
Um, I like my profession of student. I’ll say literature professor then, because that’s what I intend to be after college.
Least favorite book/song/movie?
Book: Orwell’s 1984. I read it because it’s been mentioned so many times on the LitNet and for the life of me I can’t figure out why it’s so loved!!
Song: I don’t like Greensleeves very much. Can’t figure out why.
Movie: the newest Beowulf. That was just odd. :confused:.
The most generous thing you have done?
:lol: Rather than say something serious I’ll just relate a story. Once, when I was six or seven I gave all my money to VBS for missionaries then later cried when I realized I didn’t have any more money.
What was your very favorite moment in your life so far?
The moment when I realized that I wasn’t petrified of my answer to the question, “Am I really a Christian or do I just think I’m a Christian?”
What scares you?
Something happening to my sister.
What is your most outstanding feature?
I think it’s my eyes. I’ve got very small almond-shaped eyes - when I’m smiling they narrow to slits. When I was visiting college last month I actually was asked if I’m Japanese.
If you could change one thing about the way you look, what would that be?
Nothing. It’d probably be healthier if I were ten pounds lighter, but frankly I’m happy with the way I am.
Which book do you wish you had written?
:eek2: None! I do however cherish very high hopes of writing a good book of my own someday…
What is your favorite book cover?
Frankly I’m not one for looks - I’ve rescued books from being dumped into the library recycle bin :alien:. But of the ones I own, I rather like Where the Sidewalk Ends, Daddy Long-Legs, and the Phantom Tollbooth. (children’s book covers are intrinsically more interesting than adult book covers.)
Most and least favorite characters from books?
Most: Lord Peter Wimsey, Boromir, Ivan from The Brothers Karamazov, Judy from Daddy Long-Legs, Elizabeth, Jane, Rasolnikov, Hector, Peter, Jean Valjean, Jo, Meg, Anne, Don Quixote, Sherlock Holmes, and Mr. Pickwick.
Least: Menelaus, Helen, all the assorted Greek gods and goddesses, Captain Ahab, and both the Prince and the Pauper from Twain’s story of the same name. :flare:
What would your biography be titled?
Annals of an Anachronism.
What should you be doing at the moment instead of answering these questions?
Probably practicing piano. (ooh, alliteration!)
Wonderful Superman or depressing Batman?
There should be Boromir and Aragorn in there instead :p.
The most embarrassing moment in your life?
Ungh!! Torture moment. Imagine coming upon your mom telling a complete stranger about when at the age of six you came up to your mom and asked her…:blush:…
Can I just say, asking her when she’d tell me about something that, ahem, adults do? Not that she had to tell me what sex was, but just, when would she tell me about it? That I didn’t know what it was but I’d been reading my mom’s parenting magazines?
:blush: and :lol:!
Which literary character (s) have you been told to resemble the most?
When we were younger my friends and I adored Jane Austen. Nearly all of them told me I was Elizabeth and they were all Janes. I was surprised.
I’ve also been told I’m like Galadriel. I liked that one a lot!
List some of the things that annoy you immensely.
Marxism, Communism, evolutionism, postmodernism, people who insist that they’re right about something when you’ve repeatedly acknowledged that their opinions are valid but not your own, apathy about education, bad language, clichés, racial supremacy, and bad parenting. :smash to the lot of them.
Anything that you want to forget but you never can?
Yes. But I don’t think it’s right for me to mention it.
Tell us about some amusing translation mistake you have heard or made yourself.
When we went to Lebanon last June I started reading Don Quixote (I pronounced it as don-key-ho-tee). My love for books being hereditary (courtesy of my mom) nearly everyone asked me what I was reading. Eventually I learned that the French pronunciation (Lebanon had been under French rule for a long time) was don-key-shott. Having thus been enlightened, next time someone asked me what was I reading I replied “Don-key-shott.”
“What?” was the reply.
“Don-key-shott!”
“hunh?” This time it was accompanied by a quizzical look.
“You know, the story about the Spaniard who thought he was a knight and went around doing all sorts of funny things?!”
“OHHHH! Don-key-shott!”
“Umm, yeah.” Okayyyy, isn’t that what I said?
“The French pronounce it don-key-shott.”
“So I’ve been told.” :smash.
If you had to lose one of your senses, which would you choose and why?
Probably smell. My nose is plugged up with allergies so often I probably wouldn’t even notice.
What’s the first thing you’ll do in an embarrassing situation?
If it’s embarrassing me, I’ll laugh. If it’s embarrassing someone else, just sort of stand stiffly and wait for someone to say something.
Are you mostly happy with life or are you still in pursuit?
I don’t want to be stagnant, so I’ll say, very happy with the way life is going.
What gives your life meaning?
My God, my family, and the books I read. ;)
What type of Faerie would you like to be and why?
A book faerie! A little sprite that flits around dusting old books that haven’t been checked out in ages, holding conversations with them and keeping them up to date on the latest happenings. I think I’d press flowers in them too, occasionally, to keep things colorful.
What makes you laugh?
My sister. Children. My cat. British humor. Old comedy shows. Robin Williams. Catherine Tate. The current government. Life.
What was the happiest period of your life and why?
God has blessed me beyond all comprehension. The only part of my life that hasn’t been happy was the week in which my sister had her major open heart surgery. That was scary - but as you’ve no doubt noticed, my sister is in good health.
:idea: Can anyone actually say definitively what the happiest period of their life is? Perspectives change.
What part of “Final” don’t you understand?
The “fin” part :p.
One final word of wisdom for LitNet users?
Courage!
What would you like to ask to the person to be interviewed after you?
Do those animated smilies ever get tired? Think of them day after day, dancing or crashing computers or laughing or crying till the end of time...
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