Oh lord, here it goes...

[notraffic.livejournal.com]

The Basics:

Name: notraffic
Age: 28
Location: NYC
Occupation: Arts Administrator
How did you find out about this community? (Specify usernames if you remember them.) This is all deadcellredux.


Personality Questions:

1) List and expand upon your three best traits / strengths. (These should be personality-related, not physical.)

Professional Ambition: I'm a dogged beast when I want something, and I will obsessively work at it or participate in it until I feel like I'm "done." This applies to both my professional real life and fandom world. Once I have a conviction or an idea I latch onto, it doesn't end until I finish it.

Meticulous: I position everything at specific angles and/or locations; very specific ones. I can enter a room and tell whether a picture has been turned 15 degrees or a piece of furniture has moved an inch. I arrange my wardrobe by color and style, most often based on sleeve length, but only as subsections once the main category of clothing article are established. One thing that makes me twitchy is not knowing whether to categorize something as "winter" or "summer," and transitional garments make me crazy until I can put them somewhere that makes sense. Sometimes I just give them away, because otherwise I'll go insane. I also despise rumpled, uncentered bedspreads, particularly because that's where I do most my INTERWEBBING. I like order and categories. A lot.

Articulating Reason: I'm excellent at telling you why I think something or hold a certain opinion. I'd make a decent lawyer I think. Or politician, since these explanations can last an awfully long time and put people to sleep...but I swear: they all make sense. Reason is my friend.

2) List and expand upon your three worst traits / weaknesses.

Personal Life Ambition: When I want something related to a person, I just obsess and angst over it and write about it, and then try to forget it. I'm not so good at going after things I want when the parameters aren't defined, because the result is based on something other than my own self-evaluation and/or definition of success/failure. I don't like gray areas.

Articulating Emotion: If I can't say it in words, I am often a hopeless failure when it comes to expressing anything emotional. Unfixed, turbulent emotions...you know...those dirty things. My worst nightmare.

Lateness: Simply: I couldn't get somewhere on time if you paid me. Literally. I am quite aware this is a dramatic contrast to every other personality trait I've listed, but it's the truth.

3) Rate yourself on the following traits by putting an 'X' in the box you think fits best. (E.g. if you are slightly more introverted than extroverted, put an 'X' in the second box.) Explain your choice as well.

Introverted [ ] [ ] [X] [ ] [ ] Extroverted
Explain: If I know what I'm talking about, I can be charming and know exactly what I'm doing and win over a crowd. If I don't, I'm a mess and people think I have a learning disability.

Cheerful [ ] [ ] [ ] [X] [ ] Gloomy
Explain: I worry a lot, and am always filled with anxiety for reasons that are often vague.

Reserved [ ] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] Impulsive
Explain: It depends on my mood. Generally though, in my right mind, I am cautious. It also depends on what I'm being impulsive or reserved about. Other people that want something from me for no reason make me nervous; other people that compete with me make me ambitious, and often impulsive because I become more confident.

Energetic [ ] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] Calm
Explain: If by "energetic" you mean "overly enthusiastic," that's me. If you mean "energetic" as "enjoying exercise and/or the outdoors," then I would register as something beyond "calm." I am extremely enthusiastic about things I like--whether fanfic recs or music, etc.--because I get so wrapped up in whatever it is that it becomes All That Exists for a good amount of time.

Feminine [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [X] Masculine/Tomboyish
Explain: Depends on how you define these things. I don't like flirtation...whether that's masculine or feminine is unclear, although most people do seem to associate it with one gender. If I had to choose, using a traditional gender role, I'd say masculine. I don't do heart on my sleeve, unless it's the movie Gattaca or I'm really drunk.

Grudge-holding [ ] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] Forgiving
Explain: It depends. If I get angry at you at all, it's probably because you did something real nasty. I can also be overly suspicious at times; however, if I'm right and you fuck me over, I hold a damn good grudge. If you apologize and really mean it though, I'll accept it and stick to my decision. If I make up my mind about something, it's very difficult to change it.

4) Describe how you typically work in teams. Is it generally a good experience, or do you prefer working by yourself? Do you like to lead and make decisions or do you prefer to let others make decisions so that you can do the legwork? You may find it helpful to give an example of a team you worked on recently and how that went.

I'll admit it straight up: I like to work alone. This is mostly due to the fact that if I get involved in a project at all, I know what I want out of it. However, I also greatly enjoy other participants that are enthusiastic and have interesting ideas. But honestly, if given the choice between being told what to do and telling others what to do, I'd prefer to give the directives. However, this would only be applicable if I was really into the team objective at large. Hmm...a team I recently worked on... Okay, how about a real life example? I recently had to contribute to the process of designing a greeting card. Someone used the font Papyrus (with a drop shadow...) and because I felt like I knew it was bad taste and I didn't really have a major voice in the process, I just put it out of my mind and moved on to the next thing. Probably a project I was solely responsible for.

5) Spider-Man Decision: If you had to choose between saving two dozen innocent children and saving your best friend/significant other/person closest to you, which would you pick and why?

Best friend, but it would be a very difficult decision. I think everyone deserves to be helped if the need it, but in the long run, personal connections and relationships are very important to me when I have them, so...yeah. Sorry, innocent children.

6) Your friend has had their feelings hurt and comes to you for consolation. What do you do? Let's say, two days later they come to you again still upset over the same issue. What would you do in that case?

Like I said, friends are very important to me. The advice given is irrelevant; I would just want them to be happy. So I guess I would do everything in my power to make sure they ended up okay. I think another important thing to remember is that maybe your advice isn't the right thing for them, because everyone is different. So I'd just do my best to be there for them.

7) What interests/hobbies do you have? How do you like to spend your free time?

Writing: This is my lifeblood. It's the creative thing that I do. When I get blocked and can't do it, I am unhappy.

D&D: This is something I define as fun, and it makes me laugh.

Film: I love movies. They have been taking me places from the time I grew up in a shit small town to the time of living in a big city and feeling like I just want to escape.

8) Describe one to three careers you would find ideal, with a little explanation of why it appeals to you.

Arts Administrator: This is what I actually am lucky enough to do, have wanted to do since I was 18, and got into debt to do by going to college for it.

Flight Attendant: Travel for free.

A Disciple of the Church: The innate divine order calls to me.


FF Questions:

9) List one to three favorite Final Fantasy games and why you like them. Sequels/spin-offs/non-numbered/KH/Dissidia games are okay.

Final Fantasy VII: My love affair with FFVII started in 1998. Shortly following, I discovered fanfiction and started writing for this fandom; a short time after that, I discovered slash and the Turks, and the rest is history. Let's just say this: back in the time before my knowledge game scripts, I transcribed every piece of dialogue that Reno and Rude say by hand to make sure I was writing in character. ... But on a more general note, this game has an expansive world that infers events happening beyond the protagonist you play as. There are so many inferred relationships that you never see, especially when only the OG existed. Why in the hell does Scarlet say to Tseng, "Oh, isn't Heidegger your boss now?" Cue dot dot dot. Who in the hell is this "Zack" character you hear about when you first go to Gongaga and meet his parents, and find out one of the prominent members in your party dated him? (And that's it, with no other explanation but a vague hidden cut scene?) How long has Loveless existed, where are you in Midgar when you first zoom in and see Aeris with her flowers? How long exactly has Tseng known Aeris, you wonder, after the Temple of the Ancients scene? AND HOLY CRAP, WHERE DOES THE REST OF THE SUBTERRANEAN TRANSIT SYSTEM GO IN MIDGAR WHEN YOU FIRST HOP OFF THAT TRAIN WITH CLOUD TO MESS UP A REACTOR? Yes, hello expansive world...never truly revealed to the player until the Compilation.

Final Fantasy VI: For years, friends raved about this game. I played it on an emulator in 1999 (and am re-playing it right now...in fact, I need to go do some level building with Edgar and co. after I type this application up)...and that music in the opening with Terra and her slave crown and the doomed Biggs and Wedge captured my soul. And...uh...hello, even with SPRITES, that shit is fucking sad. God damn.

Final Fantasy XII: My favorite since FFVII. First of all, smart battle system. So fucking cool. Random enemy encounters that can kill you even at the end of the game, when you can beat the final boss?! THANK YOU. Ashe? THANK YOU. Uhh...amazing part where you have to summon something in-game to open a doorway. BRILLIANT, THANK YOU. Balthier and Fran's ambiguous relationship? THANK YOU THANK YOU. This game just had such awesome characters, awesome music, and awesome plot. It was the first game I played after VII that I was totally immersed in. I liked many others, but dude, this was fucking sweet.

10) List one to three of your favorite Final Fantasy characters and why:

Rude: I always wrote about Rude in relationship to Reno because I'm a shameless Reno/Rude shipper, and have been for an embarrassing number of years. However, just recently, I developed a new appreciation for his character. There is so much going on under the surface, and it makes me wonder what it is. It makes me think. He's 1/4 of a very important cast of characters, and even though he says very little in the OG, there is a lot of inferred shit. And honestly, damn, he got his own little chapter in Before Crisis that was SO SAD AND INTENSE. I just love him to bits; he's intriguing, and undefined.

Seifer: I'll admit: I'm not the biggest FFVIII fan. But to me, Seifer's transition in the game from petty bully to true villain parallels this intense transition from the high school-type of environment of Balamb Garden to a much more sinister world. That was one thing that always made me want to write FFVIII--the loss of innocence, and a sad storyline of children becoming adults through tragedy. Seifer is a character desperate for connection; he serves Edea (I know, brainwashed, etc.), but even at the beginning, he and Squall give each other matching scars. There's something about that event that makes me really sad; it's like Seifer is constantly searching for something he never finds...completion of some kind...and he's just angry, and young. But then his misplaced youthful aggression leads him down a very sinister path. Oh Seifer. Man. Now I feel like I need to go write some FFVIII fic after typing that little manifesto.

Larsa: This kid is too grown up for his own good. His familial background is full of betrayal and heartbreaking tragedy, but he still remains upright and optimistic. Well, thank you Larsa, the idealistic Final Fantasy character in a position of power who actually has a chance at making a difference.

11) One to three characters you relate to (you may reuse answers from #8 if applicable) and why:

Quistis: Hanging out in the background, not saying what she wants, not claiming something she might be able have to trying to form a connection. Now, although I'd like to think of myself as a bad ass and extend this connection, I don't think that applies. I'd also like to think of myself as intelligent, although I'm no PRODIGY IN BALAMB GARDEN. But I really liked Quistis when I played the game, and I related to her and her silence.

12) The FF game you liked playing least:

Final Fantasy VIII: However ironically, since I've mentioned it several times. But I just didn't dig the plot beyond Balamb Garden. Many of the characters left me wanting for more, and even the characters that I'd been initially introduced to that I liked I wish had had more character development. Also, as the plot progressed, I just lost interest.

13) One to three FF characters you dislike and why:

Rinoa: I'm sorry. I wanted to like you, but with your dog that DOES NOT compare to Interceptor, and your weird angel wings motif...I'm sorry, Rinoa. I didn't want to rescue you in space that much. (Okay, maybe a little, but only because I'm a softie.)

Hojo: No, I don't dislike Hojo because I think he's a lame character. I dislike Hojo on a purely fandom FANFIC!WRITERLULZ level (meaning I kind of do like him), because as a character I think he's more evil than Mason Verger. And to me, that's pretty fucking evil.

The NPC sprite that dances for five minutes in that one town: Thanks a lot. For five minutes of my life, gone.

14) Favorite weapon in a Final Fantasy game (either the name if you liked the name, or a picture if you liked the look of it, or a description if it had awesome stats/abilities):

Totally fictional, but KTHX MY SWORD HAS LIKE FIFTY DIFFERENT SWORDS INSIDE OF IT AND I AM CLOUD STRIFE AND I AM AWESOME AND SRY NOT ULTIMATE!UKE KTHX.

15) Your favorite Final Fantasy summon (e.g. Ifrit, Carbuncle, Bahamut, etc.):
Lord...uh... I'm going to go with Siren, because I have had that action figure since I was 15, and hell, she's staring at me from my book shelf RIGHT NOW. HELLO, SIREN, I KNOW I'VE FORGOTTEN SOME MEMORIES SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THERE.

16) Your favorite spell/ability/technique that can be learned in a Final Fantasy game (e.g. Esuna, Steal, special finishes/overdrives such as Tifa's Final Heaven limit break, etc.):

Celes damaging some monster 8 times with the Genji Glove equipped (and lord, a sweet weapon I can't remember the name of right now)... LULZ PWNED BITCHES. And uh, magic kthx.

17) A Final Fantasy mini-game/sidequest you invested entirely too much time into:

FFXII: Fafnir, you bitch.

18) Your favorite Cid:

I'm going to be obvious and say FFVII. Listen...he takes you up into space. ...Yeah. Up into space. I know, I know...the moon. But IT IS SO NOT THE SAME IN IN A NON-MEDIEVAL SETTING.

19) Optional: Up to one class you think does not fit you, with reasoning why.

Uhh...classes I don't fit into. I'm going with White Mage. I don't do white magic unless it's in a slash fic. However, I have enjoyed playing a monk in D&D, and I GREATLY enjoyed being evil-aligned and being a Warrior/Barbarian. But I'm cool with whatever! :)

Thank you for the opportunity! ^_^

Comments

[the-404-error.livejournal.com]

I always feel like there's very little to add after Breyzy and Yin get to it, but I kept on going back to Dragoon as well. In short, it's a very driven job class that, despite being able to articulate well, tends towards being reserved and not cheerful as the other classes. The general capslockyness towards the end can be contributed to Dragoons such as Cid, and I can see many of them appreciating many of the same traits you mentioned in characters. Your preference on teamwork is what reminds me of them the most, however-- it defines most of them almost perfectly. I can see a bit of soldier at times, as well as quite a bit of monk, but neither as strongly.

[notraffic.livejournal.com]

I consider the fact that you used "capslockyness" as a descriptor for me pretty much made my day. I am quite the proponent of Caps Lock, mostly because, as described above, I am "excitable." (And boy, am I.)

Happy to have joined team Dragoon! :)