Interview with the Ru!
May. 28th, 2007 08:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ruIf you want to participate, leave a comment saying "interview me."
◊ I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different.
◊ You will update your journal with the answers to the questions.
◊ You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
◊ When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
◊ ...or you will do whatever the fuck you want, it's not like I own you or something. Yet.
Here I go, answering questions from the delightful![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thez!
1. Have you always been this obsessed with botany, or is it a recent thing?
Hm...this is gonna sound weird, but I'd have to say both. To explain my answer, allow me to go off on a tangent.
During my first semester of college, I was required to take ALS 101, also known as "How to Survive the University as a Student in the Agriculture/Life Science College". It was quite possibly the most useless class I ever took, and I certainly ripped them a critical new one when it came time for feedback at the end of the semester (example: If you're going to bring in alumni of the college to tell what they've done with their lives since graduating, don't just bring in a gaggle of animal science majors; it makes the rest of us feel left out.). I think the only way I was able to put up with the class is because I had archery right afterwards, so I could take out my frustration over the sheer inanity of it all by firing arrows at stacks of cardboard.
There was, however, one shining moment during the class, when they brought in a speaker who talked about how to decide on the direction you want your college and eventual career life to take. The one thing I remember from his lecture sticking in my mind is to look back at your life, and take cues from your interests, your decisions, and what you involved yourself in to help you figure it out. That was something of a reassurance to me. I've always been interested in science (I had the kid's chemistry kit and everything), and high school unveiled a previously largely untapped love of biology. I adored my bio classes, and ended up going to a marine biology camp my junior year. So I felt that I had made the right choice that biology was the right way to go. There were other, little things, though, that I also thought of, but kinda tucked them under the umbrella catch-all of biology--like the fact that spring was my favorite season, since it meant I could go romping through the woods and pick flowers. And that I remembered being absolutely PSYCHED about getting some plastic gardening tools in a Happy Meal, and was cultivating (ha) thoughts of growing green things. And the fact that I adored going to the nursery (although, admittedly, that may have just been because it meant I could ride in the wagon), and I always 'helped' Dad plant trees we bought. And the incident in elementary school where I realized my favorite color was green--I had thought for the longest time that my favorite color was pink, being a girl and all, but after observing the fact that I immediately went for an emerald green glaze for an art project and that I was oogling the greenness of some moss on the playground, one of my friends laid it out in the open for me that, you know, I'm really more of a green than a pink girl.
Fast forward a couple years later. I had decided that, while I loved biology, I wanted to be in a slightly more specific field. I had been naturally gravitating towards the botanical classes--medicinal plants, plant physiology, etc, and I was beginning to amass something of a rather decent plant collection, starting with Swampy, who was a gift from Mom to brighten up my dorm room, and continuing with the fact that any time an instructor had plants from a lab that they were going to just throw away, I jumped all over the opportunity to save them from Trash Can Doom. So, after a little debate with myself over whether I wanted to switch in to botany or horticulture, I picked botany. Having worked in the horticulture department now, I think I made the right choice; it's more up my alley, really.
So, yeah. In conclusion, while I suppose the real true obsession with botany is somewhat recent, it had some pretty strong roots way way way before I picked up a dissecting probe.
2. Which Trek series is your favorite, and why? What do you think of all the OTHER Trek series?
I think I'd have to go with my first instinct, and say that TNG is my favorite. It's the one I grew up with as it aired, the one with characters I adore, Data and Worf topping the list, with frequently delightful writing, and with all sorts of looks at human nature, which is always fun. In a way, it's like TOS, but with more finesse and with more time to actually allow the characters to develop. Actually, I'd have to say TOS would be my second favorite. I grew up watching the tapes, and I can honestly say that my earliest memory of going to the movies was going to see Star Trek V. Not to mention I adore all the jokes associated with it, from Shatnerisms to red shirt doom.
I know I've heard a lot of people slam Voyager, but to be honest, I kinda liked it. I mean, I certainly found it enjoyable, and I liked the fact that it had a sort of running storyline. Not to mention there were, again, characters I could get attached to and adore, such as the Doctor. It only really threw me for a loop once in a while, such as the deal with Seven and Chakotay (which still makes me go "WTF?!?" when I think about it), and the occasional truly whacked-out storyline.
DS9, unfortunately, I really don't think I saw enough of to draw concrete opinions of it. I kinda regret that, because what I saw really intrigued me, and I enjoyed the characters, but I only saw it sporadically, so I had a hard time figuring out what was going on in terms of the metaplot. It does, however, have the most awesome theme of all the series. <3
Enterprise, by far, takes the bottom of the list. It really is the only series I actively decided I didn't want to watch, because it really wasn't all that good. The premise was interesting, but I really don't think they handled it well. The writing was awkward, and they were trying WAY too hard to make it all sexy and whatnot. I could handle it when Seven bounced onto the scene, because that had the advantage of being at least a little subtle, but when you have crewmembers stripping down to their skivvies to apply "antibiotic ointment", which is Enterprise-talk for, "Let's show close ups of greased skin in dim light as much as possible!", I really have to question the motives of the writers. Also, theme song with lyrics. You don't have a Star Trek theme song with lyrics. End of discussion.
3. If you were able to grow ANY rare or exotic plant species in your home or yard, magically, without fear of it dying or ruining the local ecosystem or something, which species would you choose to grow?
HOLY FRIG that's a tough one. Particularly since I've been told my goal is to have one of every single plant in the world. XD. I'm certain that out there there's a plant that is close to the brink of extinction, with only a handful of individuals left to keep the species going. That's the plant I'd want to grow. But if we go for a more specific answer...hm...
I think I'm going to cheat and mention a couple, because I'm feeling chatty, and because for me, plants are like Lay's sour cream and onion potato chips--I can't eat just one. XD
At the top of the list, I would have to say I'd want to grow elm trees. My mother has told me stories about how there were tons of them up in New York where we used to live, how they lined the streets and how beautiful they were, tall and elegant with a sort of champagne glass shape. Then, of course, disease went and basically killed a huge majority of them. I'd love to try and help bring them back to their former glory. In the same respect, American chestnut trees would be a close second. I'd want to create my own little chestnut refuge where they could grow wild and free without fear of being killed by chestnut blight. <3
I'd also love to grow lady slipper orchids. Iirc, they're the only orchid native to North Carolina, and on the endangered species list. They're pretty little plants, with flowers that grow such that they look, well, like pink ballerina slippers. I remember one of my neighbors showing me one once in the woods near where we used to live. I think it was this neighbor that had a vegetable garden that I liked to visit, along with our next-door neighbor, who was also an avid gardener. Geez, another plant-associated memory.
Finally, for purely aesthetic reasons, I'd want to grow blue Chinese wisteria. Because I love wisteria, and lament the fact that it's classified as a weed. And blue wisteria, which I've seen in pictures, would just be awesome.
4. Honestly now, how big is your pony collection, and which MLP (one that you own or hope to own) is your favorite?
Lessee, I haven't really done a population count, but if I had to make an estimate, I'd say I have...about 50 or so ponies, both first and third generation. And of those...hm...well, of the new ones I have, I'd have to say Sunny Salsa is my favorite. I adore her happy fun color scheme, her long curls, and her cute little orange tattoo. Of the ones I want, I'd most love to get ahold of Peri Winkle, whose color scheme and Happy! pose I adore. Of the first generation ones, Night Glider is my favorite, again, because I love her color scheme, and hey, astronomy! How can you go wrong! <3 She is, however, sorely in need of hair-taming and washing. At some point I need to do that. When I was wee, Magic Star was my favorite, largely because she had green hair. Sensing a trend? XD
5. Ruchiel and Zeruel are both OLD AS DIRT, so humor me a little and tell me how Ruchiel's evolved over all those long years.
I REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN CHARACTERS WORE FUKUS INSTEAD OF VOILES AND ATTACKS HAD THEIR CHARACTERS' NAMES IN FRONT OF THEM! Anyway. XD I created Ruchiel whilst in the 8th grade (which would make her...wow, almost ten years old. o_O), and she was the first RP character I made, so she was, shall we say, a little rough around the edges. She was kinda one dimensional, being Wind! and Shy! and Red Hair!, and that was about it. I think her last name, really, says it all about how simplistic she was (if it weren't for the fact that it's already pretty established, I'd change it in half a heartbeat. I'm a little embarassed over it and how I thought it was a good idea at the time. >_> ).
Since those days Long Ago and Far Away, I think she has fleshed out significantly, and become much more three-dimensional. She has a developed backstory and frontstory, which initially started with getting her a job in the Holy War and a mentor who Gives Her Issues. While she is still Wind!, Shy!, and Red Hair!, she has advanced beyond that. She is still highly associated with wind, but she has other interests, like fantasy books and physics, and the hang gliding thing, which was a little far-fetched, has been written out. She is still shy and unsure of herself, but she shows on more than one occasion that she's stronger than she thinks she is. The red hair, well, she still has red hair. Because red hair is spiffy. XD She's also gained a couple other Modern Day NPCs, Lydia and Aeolus, namely, who give her a bit of support, unlike her closed-off mother.
So, over time, she's become a more real person, I think, as opposed to, well, a character from Sailor Moon. I still adore her, and I totally think we need to do some hot hot Zeruel and Ruchiel stories together. <3 <3
BONUS QUESTION
6. Say Aria's stuck in an elevator (OR LIFT) with Ivona. Which causes her to hyperventilate in fear faster: the claustrophobia, or Ivona?
HM. As intense as Aria's claustrophobia is, I suspect being that close to Ivona would be much more nerve-wracking. She's so INTIMIDATING. I think just Ivona looking at Aria long enough would cause her to melt into a puddle of scared. Although, in the end, the combination of lift and Ivona would be enough to cause her to spontaneously combust. XD
◊ I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different.
◊ You will update your journal with the answers to the questions.
◊ You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
◊ When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
◊ ...or you will do whatever the fuck you want, it's not like I own you or something. Yet.
Here I go, answering questions from the delightful
thez!1. Have you always been this obsessed with botany, or is it a recent thing?
Hm...this is gonna sound weird, but I'd have to say both. To explain my answer, allow me to go off on a tangent.
During my first semester of college, I was required to take ALS 101, also known as "How to Survive the University as a Student in the Agriculture/Life Science College". It was quite possibly the most useless class I ever took, and I certainly ripped them a critical new one when it came time for feedback at the end of the semester (example: If you're going to bring in alumni of the college to tell what they've done with their lives since graduating, don't just bring in a gaggle of animal science majors; it makes the rest of us feel left out.). I think the only way I was able to put up with the class is because I had archery right afterwards, so I could take out my frustration over the sheer inanity of it all by firing arrows at stacks of cardboard.
There was, however, one shining moment during the class, when they brought in a speaker who talked about how to decide on the direction you want your college and eventual career life to take. The one thing I remember from his lecture sticking in my mind is to look back at your life, and take cues from your interests, your decisions, and what you involved yourself in to help you figure it out. That was something of a reassurance to me. I've always been interested in science (I had the kid's chemistry kit and everything), and high school unveiled a previously largely untapped love of biology. I adored my bio classes, and ended up going to a marine biology camp my junior year. So I felt that I had made the right choice that biology was the right way to go. There were other, little things, though, that I also thought of, but kinda tucked them under the umbrella catch-all of biology--like the fact that spring was my favorite season, since it meant I could go romping through the woods and pick flowers. And that I remembered being absolutely PSYCHED about getting some plastic gardening tools in a Happy Meal, and was cultivating (ha) thoughts of growing green things. And the fact that I adored going to the nursery (although, admittedly, that may have just been because it meant I could ride in the wagon), and I always 'helped' Dad plant trees we bought. And the incident in elementary school where I realized my favorite color was green--I had thought for the longest time that my favorite color was pink, being a girl and all, but after observing the fact that I immediately went for an emerald green glaze for an art project and that I was oogling the greenness of some moss on the playground, one of my friends laid it out in the open for me that, you know, I'm really more of a green than a pink girl.
Fast forward a couple years later. I had decided that, while I loved biology, I wanted to be in a slightly more specific field. I had been naturally gravitating towards the botanical classes--medicinal plants, plant physiology, etc, and I was beginning to amass something of a rather decent plant collection, starting with Swampy, who was a gift from Mom to brighten up my dorm room, and continuing with the fact that any time an instructor had plants from a lab that they were going to just throw away, I jumped all over the opportunity to save them from Trash Can Doom. So, after a little debate with myself over whether I wanted to switch in to botany or horticulture, I picked botany. Having worked in the horticulture department now, I think I made the right choice; it's more up my alley, really.
So, yeah. In conclusion, while I suppose the real true obsession with botany is somewhat recent, it had some pretty strong roots way way way before I picked up a dissecting probe.
2. Which Trek series is your favorite, and why? What do you think of all the OTHER Trek series?
I think I'd have to go with my first instinct, and say that TNG is my favorite. It's the one I grew up with as it aired, the one with characters I adore, Data and Worf topping the list, with frequently delightful writing, and with all sorts of looks at human nature, which is always fun. In a way, it's like TOS, but with more finesse and with more time to actually allow the characters to develop. Actually, I'd have to say TOS would be my second favorite. I grew up watching the tapes, and I can honestly say that my earliest memory of going to the movies was going to see Star Trek V. Not to mention I adore all the jokes associated with it, from Shatnerisms to red shirt doom.
I know I've heard a lot of people slam Voyager, but to be honest, I kinda liked it. I mean, I certainly found it enjoyable, and I liked the fact that it had a sort of running storyline. Not to mention there were, again, characters I could get attached to and adore, such as the Doctor. It only really threw me for a loop once in a while, such as the deal with Seven and Chakotay (which still makes me go "WTF?!?" when I think about it), and the occasional truly whacked-out storyline.
DS9, unfortunately, I really don't think I saw enough of to draw concrete opinions of it. I kinda regret that, because what I saw really intrigued me, and I enjoyed the characters, but I only saw it sporadically, so I had a hard time figuring out what was going on in terms of the metaplot. It does, however, have the most awesome theme of all the series. <3
Enterprise, by far, takes the bottom of the list. It really is the only series I actively decided I didn't want to watch, because it really wasn't all that good. The premise was interesting, but I really don't think they handled it well. The writing was awkward, and they were trying WAY too hard to make it all sexy and whatnot. I could handle it when Seven bounced onto the scene, because that had the advantage of being at least a little subtle, but when you have crewmembers stripping down to their skivvies to apply "antibiotic ointment", which is Enterprise-talk for, "Let's show close ups of greased skin in dim light as much as possible!", I really have to question the motives of the writers. Also, theme song with lyrics. You don't have a Star Trek theme song with lyrics. End of discussion.
3. If you were able to grow ANY rare or exotic plant species in your home or yard, magically, without fear of it dying or ruining the local ecosystem or something, which species would you choose to grow?
HOLY FRIG that's a tough one. Particularly since I've been told my goal is to have one of every single plant in the world. XD. I'm certain that out there there's a plant that is close to the brink of extinction, with only a handful of individuals left to keep the species going. That's the plant I'd want to grow. But if we go for a more specific answer...hm...
I think I'm going to cheat and mention a couple, because I'm feeling chatty, and because for me, plants are like Lay's sour cream and onion potato chips--I can't eat just one. XD
At the top of the list, I would have to say I'd want to grow elm trees. My mother has told me stories about how there were tons of them up in New York where we used to live, how they lined the streets and how beautiful they were, tall and elegant with a sort of champagne glass shape. Then, of course, disease went and basically killed a huge majority of them. I'd love to try and help bring them back to their former glory. In the same respect, American chestnut trees would be a close second. I'd want to create my own little chestnut refuge where they could grow wild and free without fear of being killed by chestnut blight. <3
I'd also love to grow lady slipper orchids. Iirc, they're the only orchid native to North Carolina, and on the endangered species list. They're pretty little plants, with flowers that grow such that they look, well, like pink ballerina slippers. I remember one of my neighbors showing me one once in the woods near where we used to live. I think it was this neighbor that had a vegetable garden that I liked to visit, along with our next-door neighbor, who was also an avid gardener. Geez, another plant-associated memory.
Finally, for purely aesthetic reasons, I'd want to grow blue Chinese wisteria. Because I love wisteria, and lament the fact that it's classified as a weed. And blue wisteria, which I've seen in pictures, would just be awesome.
4. Honestly now, how big is your pony collection, and which MLP (one that you own or hope to own) is your favorite?
Lessee, I haven't really done a population count, but if I had to make an estimate, I'd say I have...about 50 or so ponies, both first and third generation. And of those...hm...well, of the new ones I have, I'd have to say Sunny Salsa is my favorite. I adore her happy fun color scheme, her long curls, and her cute little orange tattoo. Of the ones I want, I'd most love to get ahold of Peri Winkle, whose color scheme and Happy! pose I adore. Of the first generation ones, Night Glider is my favorite, again, because I love her color scheme, and hey, astronomy! How can you go wrong! <3 She is, however, sorely in need of hair-taming and washing. At some point I need to do that. When I was wee, Magic Star was my favorite, largely because she had green hair. Sensing a trend? XD
5. Ruchiel and Zeruel are both OLD AS DIRT, so humor me a little and tell me how Ruchiel's evolved over all those long years.
I REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN CHARACTERS WORE FUKUS INSTEAD OF VOILES AND ATTACKS HAD THEIR CHARACTERS' NAMES IN FRONT OF THEM! Anyway. XD I created Ruchiel whilst in the 8th grade (which would make her...wow, almost ten years old. o_O), and she was the first RP character I made, so she was, shall we say, a little rough around the edges. She was kinda one dimensional, being Wind! and Shy! and Red Hair!, and that was about it. I think her last name, really, says it all about how simplistic she was (if it weren't for the fact that it's already pretty established, I'd change it in half a heartbeat. I'm a little embarassed over it and how I thought it was a good idea at the time. >_> ).
Since those days Long Ago and Far Away, I think she has fleshed out significantly, and become much more three-dimensional. She has a developed backstory and frontstory, which initially started with getting her a job in the Holy War and a mentor who Gives Her Issues. While she is still Wind!, Shy!, and Red Hair!, she has advanced beyond that. She is still highly associated with wind, but she has other interests, like fantasy books and physics, and the hang gliding thing, which was a little far-fetched, has been written out. She is still shy and unsure of herself, but she shows on more than one occasion that she's stronger than she thinks she is. The red hair, well, she still has red hair. Because red hair is spiffy. XD She's also gained a couple other Modern Day NPCs, Lydia and Aeolus, namely, who give her a bit of support, unlike her closed-off mother.
So, over time, she's become a more real person, I think, as opposed to, well, a character from Sailor Moon. I still adore her, and I totally think we need to do some hot hot Zeruel and Ruchiel stories together. <3 <3
BONUS QUESTION
6. Say Aria's stuck in an elevator (OR LIFT) with Ivona. Which causes her to hyperventilate in fear faster: the claustrophobia, or Ivona?
HM. As intense as Aria's claustrophobia is, I suspect being that close to Ivona would be much more nerve-wracking. She's so INTIMIDATING. I think just Ivona looking at Aria long enough would cause her to melt into a puddle of scared. Although, in the end, the combination of lift and Ivona would be enough to cause her to spontaneously combust. XD
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 01:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 11:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-30 02:00 am (UTC)Anyway, they're NOT the Chinese hybrids. They're REAL American chestnuts that happen to have by chance the mutation necessary to resist the fungus. They're from the stands out west that survived the blight, and now are about the ONLY real American Chestnuts left. The idea is to try to start spreading them again, and hoping for the best.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-30 02:04 am (UTC)In the words of Pippin, "I'm getting one."
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-30 08:25 pm (UTC)The advantage of living in a huge swamp-crater is that I have room and the right environment to grow just about any sort of weird experiment I want. Chestnuts used to be quite common here, judging by what I've found digging around int he lower strata, so I should be able to pull it off.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 01:51 am (UTC)And we definitely need to get some Zeru+Ru HW story going on. I will email you with some thoughts tonight or tomorrow!
P.S. INTERVIEW PLZ
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-30 12:05 am (UTC)Okay, questions!!
1.) How did you get interested in Star Trek?
2.) If you were able to have any job in the world, what would it be?
3.) Why Pez?
4.) What is, in your opinion, the best drink in existence?
5.) Second verse, same as the first! Regale me with the creation story of Zeruel (what inspired you to do Might, what sources did you draw upon, etc.)!
AND FINALLY (also somewhat second verse, same as the first! And because I'm curious)!
6.) Zeruel spends her days with a space cadet prophet who likes to wander off and a shy, quiet, easily intimidated coworker. How does she cope?