Interview
One of my close friends interviewed me recently; we both did this as a way of getting to know each other even better, and learning some new things about each other. The idea was really fun and great to do, so I'm sharing the interview that my friend gave me here; these are my responses reflecting my personal thoughts, views, and opinions. Overall, I felt the questions were good and thought-provoking, and so I hope both the questions and answers are interesting to read, as much as they were for me to contemplate and answer them. Happy reading.
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What has been one of your biggest achievements in your life?
An incredible accomplishment I'd say that I've achieved is earning straight-A's on my report cards in 11th grade, during my junior year. I used to worry that I'd never ever earn all A's on my report card ever (while I was still in grade school), and it was something I always really wanted to accomplish, so it was unbelievably amazing for me when I was finally able to do it. And I can't forget this one -- graduating high school and surviving my senior year. My senior year was definitely the most difficult school year of my entire life; I struggled a great deal over the past school year, so I think it's astounding that I managed to survive. There were a lot of times I thought, "Gee, will I ever survive this school year," so it's certainly a relief to know that I did it. And I was really, really anticipating graduating high school and finishing high school for good; I was very eager to being able to get away from all the appalling people at my school and just finishing grade school in general. Plus, I look forward to being on my own, living my own life, being independent, and all that other good stuff, so it was even more reason for me to await the end of high school. Just glad that I survived and finished it for good.
What quality do you admire the most in a person and why?
Having a sense of morals and knowing the right thing to do, and following that good intuition. It's quite admirable in my eyes, when people are able to keep their sense of morals in today's corrupt world.
Do you have any phobias?
I do; indeed. Let's see....failing, disappointing others, disappointing myself, not being a good enough person, the corrupt world, cracking knuckles/bones (the sound really perturbs me)....just to name a few.
What is your life motto? Why?
There is an Olympic athlete named Georg Hackl, who says, "Will and motivation can move mountains." I think this is quite true -- as long as you have a drive and a strong determination to achieve something, it can be possible; you just have to want it, focus on achieving it, work hard at it, and it can easily happen. It applies to everything in life, in general, I'd say. It's important to be your own person and staying true to who you are in life; as Judy Garland said, "Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." I also like a motto by Michelle Kwan, that goes, "Work hard, be yourself, and have fun." It's also true and a good way to get through life; nothing comes easily in life, so you have to work hard at it, in order to accomplish it. It's quite necessary to be yourself and your own person; if you try to be someone you're not, things generally won't turn out right. So, you really do have to be true to yourself. And of course, things have to be enjoyable and pleasant sometimes too....whatever people do, they should like it and enjoy it; just "have fun."
What do you think about discrimination and stereotyping? What has been the most annoying or hurtful discrimination that you have seen or lived or heard about?
I am against discrimination, completely; it's so wrong. Everyone is equal, in truth; it's just that the world and society today, make it seem like people are not equal, which is really sad in my eyes. This false image gives people a misconception that there are some people that are better than others. It's disappointing and a shame. Stereotyping is a pet peeve of mine; it can be really annoying and offensive, as I've experienced a fair share of stereotyping from others. It irks me somewhat, as most stereotypes are born from an ignorant idea/misconception, so they really aren't true at all. I've experienced both discrimination and stereotyping first-hand before; it's appalling and sad. I think all of it is bad; they are all equally horrible.
What quality would you like to have that you don't have?
Perhaps to be a little more social, I suppose. I'm usually quite withdrawn from other people, and don't usually be the type of person who will go up to a complete stranger and talk to them on my own will. I suppose if I were a little more social, I could interact a little more with a few more people, and perhaps meet some interesting people that way. Then again, I like and prefer my own company, and never had a problem with being by myself and on my own. I get the impression that most people cannot deal with being on their own, as though they just need to be with someone else. I'm not like that -- in fact, I've always thought that I'm better off on my own without anyone else, as I work better alone and do things better by myself, and just like being on my own in general; I've never minded. But, on the other hand, I suppose being a little more social and interacting with a few more people couldn't hurt either.
Do you do magazine tests?
I used to do them more often when I was a little younger, but I haven't done them lately....mainly because I don't get magazines anymore that have quizzes/tests in them, so I don't do them much anymore, seeing as how I don't usually have magazines that have those things in them anymore. But they were fun to do, when I used to do them.
If you could meet any famous people dead or alive who would it be and why?
Ah, I'd like to meet Wilma Rudolph. She was an amazing American track & field athlete in the late 1950s/early 1960s. She even won 3 Olympic gold medals at the 1960 Olympics, as she was a great sprinter who could run like the wind. Her high achievements exemplify that it is quite possible to overcome obstacles and accomplish big things; she suffered from polio as a child and had difficulty walking properly, only to grow up to become a legendary sprinter and athlete in the history of track & field. She just seemed like an incredible athlete and a great person; she did a lot for her sport, made considerable contributions to the world/society, and she helped women athletes make a mark in the world of sports. Another cool person to meet would be Jesse Owens; like Wilma, he was also an American track & field athlete, but during the 1930s. He was amazing; he set numerous world records in his sport, and he won 4 gold medals at the 1936 "Nazi" Olympics in Berlin -- thus, contradicting Hitler's declaration that the "superior race" would win and be the best at the Olympics. Both of them did wonders for their sport, and were truly amazing athletes. It would be such a grand honor to meet them, if they were still alive.
Do you consider yourself as an open book and why?
It depends; I think I am "an open book" for some things, and not for other things. It really just depends on what it's about, I suppose. If it's about something I am comfortable about discussing and talking about with other people, I can be a real open book about that. But if it's about something personally private that I don't like to discuss with others, then I wouldn't be an open book about it. So, it depends, really.
Is there any book that has marked your life, changed it, or at least changed your point of view?
I'd say the novel, "A Walk to Remember," by Nicholas Sparks. It didn't change my life or change my point of view or anything quite like that. But moreover, it further strengthened my beliefs/views on having morals, being a good person, and keeping one's integrity, I would say, since one of the main characters has similar views to my own, so I was able to really understand her and relate to her pretty well.
Do you feel like connected to any fictional character of a book? Or a character you have invented? Why?
One of the main characters in, "A Walk to Remember," named Jamie Sullivan, is an amazing character with a heart of gold and she is a true Christian/believer. She does good things, helps others, and is just a kind person at heart and has a strong sense of integrity and morals. She is the ideal good person, I would say; she is the epitome of a good person at heart. She's kind of like me, in a way; she reminded me of myself, when I read the story. I could connect with her feelings/views, and really understand them, since I have the same ones, in general.
Do you regret something you have done? Why? What would you do to change it?
I'm not exactly sure, but I think in life, we all make mistakes at some point or another, and that in general, we shouldn't have any regrets -- life goes on, and it moves forward -- we shouldn't look back on what could have been, but rather, look forward and make the most of what life gives you. I try to see things that way, and I remind myself of that, whenever I feel that I might be regretting something. When we make mistakes, we can learn from them -- realize they were wrong, and that we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. And that's redemption right there.
Has any of your dreams come true yet or not?
I'd say a few, but they're not really big ones or anything; just a few little things here and there that I've always hoped to do/accomplish....some personal goals and aims and such. I'd say the biggest achievement of all that exists in the world is to meet your own personal satisfaction. Meeting your own personal satisfaction and knowing that you did it is a special thing; something that's not tangible and cannot be seen, but it is known and felt in your heart. Once you reach that, then you've really accomplished a true victory for yourself; knowing in your heart that you've done something amazing and great, and that you did it for yourself. And there is no greater achievement than that. As long as you know that, nothing else matters; if the rest of the world doesn't see it, it's their loss....and it doesn't matter if they don't know about it; what matters is when you know it in your heart.
What song best describes you?
Definitely the song, "Weird" by Hanson. The lyrics basically describe me a bit, and I can relate to it to some extent....being alone, no one understanding you, having hopeless moments....things like that. Good song too.
Do you believe in horoscopes? Why or why not?
I don't know if I'd say that I believe in them, but they can be fun to read; sometimes they're even accurate, so it's pretty amusing when that happens.
Where would you like to travel to, and why?
Ever since I can remember, I've always wished to travel down to Sydney, Australia; it's always been one of the cities I wanted to travel to since my early childhood, ever since I first learned of the different places in the world. It looks like an amazingly wonderful place to visit for vacation; it would be fantastic to be able to travel there one day, hopefully in the near future.
How do you picture yourself and your life, 10 years from now? What do you think your life would be like then?
Let's see....10 years from now, I will be 27, so....hopefully by that time, I'll have already successfully graduated from college, be living on my own, having a good job, and enjoying my life as an independent person....if all goes well. That would be nice.
Name some things that you consider cool -- anything at all.
Sports, exercising/working out, distance running/jogging, writing, reading, art/drawing, mathematics, modern history, the internet, snail-mail letters, being a good/true friend, movies, TV, music, classic rock/oldies music, classical music, The Simpsons, Star Trek, the Olympics, casual/comfortable clothing, New York City, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Paris, Alaska, California, Australia, France, salad, peaches, orange sherbet ice cream, dolphins, ROYGBIV, having privacy/time alone, optimism, patience, compassion, understanding, kindness, having faith, being even-tempered, helping others, being true to yourself, originality, strength in mind, honesty, morals, integrity, Disney animation, cartoons, lava lamps, Beanie Babies, teddy bears, Nike, athletic sneakers.
Name some things that you don't consider cool -- anything.
Disrespect, corruption, long lines, crowded areas, dancing, shopping, the telephone, cheerleading, economics/government class, badgering, swearing, illness, blisters, paper cuts, injuries, selfishness, stubbornness, racism, prejudice, discrimination, smoking, drugs, alcohol, vanilla ice cream, junk food, mushrooms, raw food, seafood, deceit, betrayal, evil, cruelty, hate, war, terrorism, violence, Los Angeles, Dawson's Creek, teen flicks, music by boy bands/pop princesses, teenyboppers, ditzy girls, tank tops, high-heeled shoes/platforms, fitted/tight clothing, uncomfortable dressy clothing, cosmetics, breaking-in footwear, the entertainment industry, obnoxious behavior, being annoying, rudeness, pestering, short-tempers, impatience, dishonesty, judging a book by its cover, ignorant stereotypes, liking something only because you're good at it and not because you really love it.
What do you think makes a friend a good friend, and why?
A good friend is someone who you know you can trust completely, someone you can confide in, someone who is willing to listen to you when you need to talk, someone who can keep your secrets, someone who can give you advice from the heart, someone who cares about you, someone who is fun to be with/talk to, someone who will be there for you, and someone who you can turn to anytime.
Name some physical injuries that you have suffered.
I've fractured my left arm when I was 9; I fell while I was running in gym class, and landed on my left arm. I had to go to the hospital and get X-rays taken, and wear a cast on my left arm for about a month....although it was fun to have people sign my cast, haha. My left arm is still sensitive, and not quite as strong as my right arm, since bones are never quite the same after they're broken. When I was 13, I fell very hard on the tailbone area of my hip while I was figure skating; I think I just badly bruised it, but it hurt to sit and it was also extremely painful to walk while it was still injured. I still have a slight dent in my hip from that accident. Then, I've gotten my finger bent backwards a few times from playing basketball, and I had to wear a splint on my injured finger. I've broken a lot of blood vessels in my left foot after falling on it once; it was all purple/blue/red, since the arteries were all ruptured. Also accidentally slammed the door of my locker on my thumb, as well as the car door on my finger. And when I was younger and played outdoors often, I've fallen a lot, and have scars on both my knee caps.
In your personal opinion, what makes someone a "mature person"? And what makes someone not a "mature person"?
A mature person is someone who can admit when they were wrong readily, not have to take satisfaction in knowing they were right, being big enough to know their right from wrong and not confuse the two, knowing the right thing to do and will do it -- even if it's very difficult to do it, and is objective.
How do you feel about the word, "hate"? Why?
To put it simply, I don't believe in "hate." Nothing good at all can come from "hate" -- nothing at all. It doesn't accomplish anything positive, nothing good ever comes from it -- it's just wrong and evil. It's also a rather extreme word, so I rarely use it -- I won't ever say, "I hate so-and-so" -- but rather, "I don't like," because to me, "don't like" and "hate" are two very different things. Not liking something doesn't necessarily mean that you hate it; it just means you don't like it, but you don't hate it either. And well, hating something, that's pretty much self-explanatory, I would say. Hate causes a lot of problems and conflicts in the world; sometimes I just wish people could try not to hate for once, and instead focus on the good things, and not let hate fill their hearts. It's not an easy thing to do, but it's also not impossible.
Define the word "intelligent" in your own words -- what it means to you. And in your opinion, what makes someone an "intelligent" person?
Being intelligent is having a vast amount of knowledge, and knowing what to do with it by using it to do great things. As the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, "Genius is the ability to put into effect what is in your mind." It's really all just a matter of how you do it and what you do with it, I would say. Some people don't do this, though -- they have it, but don't do anything with it, so that gets them nowhere. It's all a matter of using what you know in a great way.
Name some things that you always wished you could learn how to do, and why you want to learn how to do them.
I've always wanted to learn martial arts (karate/tae kwon do); it always looked cool to me, and it seemed like it would be fun to do, and good to know as a safety precaution for self-defense. I've also always wanted to learn how to play the drums; that is one musical instrument I've wanted to learn how to play since I was very young. It seemed like it would be cool to know how to play. The sports that I would really like to try/learn how to do are snowboarding, rowing/crew, waterskiing, skateboarding, bobsledding, luge....I've also always wished to have learned gymnastics, and I've been curious to try surfing. And I've always wanted to try scuba-diving....wow, that would be so awesome. They all seem like they'd be hard, yet cool to try and learn how to do.
What do you think makes a person truly happy? In your perspective, what is the "secret" to being happy?
I think it all has to do with personal satisfaction, really. If you meet your own personal goals that you've set for yourself, and you reach or exceed your own expectations, you'd be on cloud nine. This is my impression, the way I see it, but I suppose it could be different for other people, though.
Name a quality that you always wanted to have, but don't have it.
Being a bit more social....I was never really an outgoing person, in terms of associating and interacting with others very easily; I was more of a withdrawn and shy person, I suppose. I guess it would be nice to be somewhat more social; if I had been, I may have been able to befriend more people and get to know more people whom I could connect with, if I interacted with them.
If you could wish for anything at all in the world, what would you wish for, and why?
I'd wish for the world to be a better place -- less corruption, less suffering, less hate, less conflict, more peace, more friendliness, more good....that would be nice, if that could happen.
If someone who always treated you badly, was in dire circumstances and needed help desperately, and you were the only person who could help him/her, would you help that person? Why or why not?
I've thought about this and pondered over this before, actually. Yes -- I would help that person, in spite of all the bad things the person may have done, in spite of this person's misdemeanors, and in spite of how this person treated me. If someone needed help, I'd want to help them -- no matter if they were a good friend or an enemy or a family member or a person who was always cruel to me. My integrity and desire to be virtuous guide me in the right direction and on the right path; in my heart, I'd know the right thing to do is to help someone in need, should they need it. Helping others and being kind to others is important to me; I do not wish ill-will to anyone, not even those who have always been bad to me.
In your lifetime ahead of you, describe one thing that you hope to accomplish and why.
I would say that I hope I'll find what I'm looking for in life....the certain "something" that is waiting for me to find it, and be able to make something great out of it. Moreover, just being able to meet my personal satisfaction and know that I accomplished something great is the best and highest achievement that is possible, in my eyes. If I am able to continue to do that in the future to come, it would be truly extraordinary and remarkable.
What do you believe is the "secret" to success, and why?
It's very cliche, but it's true -- desire, working hard, determination, will, and commitment. And as they say, "Practice makes perfect" -- you become better and improve when you work hard at it, not give up, and keep trying.
Describe the "perfect world" and "perfect life" as you would see it as.
The "perfect world" to me, would be a place where all bad things are nonexistant; there would be no hate, no conflict, and no suffering. There would always be peace; all people would be kind and amiable, and have good hearts. People have a stronger sense of their morals and integrity. Money would not be important, and would not be necessary to have, in order to live well. Inequality would not exist. People would be able to experience happiness. Yes, the "perfect world," as I would see it as....
Name one good quality about yourself, or one positive adjective that describes yourself.
Virtuous.
Name one bad quality about yourself, or one negative adjective that describes yourself.
Taciturn.
What is one thing that makes you happy, and why?
When I meet my own personal satisfaction, that feeling is incredible....just completely amazing and special. A feeling that I can't feel from anything else happening, apart from achieving a personal victory for myself and knowing it in my heart.
Name an impossible thing that you wish you could do, and why.
I always thought it might be cool to be able to be invisible; perhaps being invisible would allow you to see things that you normally wouldn't be able to see in real life. Also, being able to go back in time and see how life was like back then in a different time period -- that would be a rather fascinating experience to go through.
What are your opinions on life? Do you think life is fair/unfair? Do you think life makes sense all the time? Do you believe that, "the grass is always greener on the other side"? Share your views on life the way you see it as, and why you feel that way.
Gilda Radner once said, "Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity." Hmm....makes sense to me. Life is hard; it's not a simple, easy thing at all. But I think it's meant to be that way. If it were easy, then we really wouldn't have anything to aim for or have a real purpose in life. There will always be times when you feel that life has been unfair and difficult for you; there will definitely be times when it seems like "the grass is greener on the other side." But that's how it is. We just have to make the most of what life gives us, do what we can with it, and go from there; try to make the most of things and try to do what we can to have a good life. As the French say, "C'est la vie" (That's life).
Name some fictional characters from a book or a film that you admire, and why you like them.
I really like Jo March in "Little Women"; she reminds me of myself, in the sense that she was also a tomboy during her childhood/adolescence, and that she had a love for writing. Also, Nan Harding in "Little Men" (the sequel to "Little Women"); she is also an active tomboy, and I can relate to the girl characters whom are tomboys in stories, as I am one myself. Another character in the same book that I admire is Dan; he is a "street urchin" orphan who's off the streets, and he appears to be a gruff and trouble-making boy; but deep down, he really does have a good, kind heart and a sensitive side -- this side of him is eventually revealed as the story progresses. I also like Mariel in "Mariel of Redwall" and "The Bellmaker"; she's also basically a tomboy and is quite adventurous and daring. Holden Caulfield in "Catcher in the Rye" intrigued me, since we do have similar views on how the world/society is corrupt, and that we wish that we could preserve the innocence of children, and not let them be exposed to the corruption of the world. Ishmael Chambers in "Snow Falling on Cedars" is a memorable character; he has a good heart and is caring, and the story told of his struggle with his conscience to redeem himself of his former childhood love and to move on with his life free of bitterness and guilt. And Jamie Sullivan in "A Walk to Remember" -- I could really relate to her well, as we have similar beliefs/feelings, and that we are both virtuous people. Oh, and last but not least, Anne Shirley in the "Anne of Green Gables" series; she is quite a lovable character that readers can't help but like. I really liked seeing the different kinds of situations that she always managed to find herself in and how she dealt with them. In many ways, she actually reminded me of Jo from "Little Women," in some aspects anyway, which I thought was cool, since they are both great characters. They're all wonderful and truly memorable story characters; I enjoyed reading about them and their thoughts and the way they acted.
Name a random quote from a novel or a film, that intrigued you, and why.
"Inside every one of us is a special talent waiting to come out. The trick is finding it." - 'Billy Elliot' film. I like this quote -- it's quite true; I do believe that all people have some kind of talent within themselves....it's really just a matter of discovering it, and then exploiting it as far as possible.
Describe one quality that most people lack but you possess, that you are proud to have, and why.
Having a strong sense of morals....it's an important and good thing to possess; I wish more people could have it. But I am thankful and proud of myself to be able to have it, at least.
Describe one quality that most people possess but you lack, that you are proud not to have, and why.
Most people seem to have tempers; I don't know many people that don't have a temper. Or, rather, I don't know of many people that can control their temper. I try to be a patient, understanding, compassionate, and forgiving person as much as I can -- I make an effort to be even-tempered. I don't know if I succeed at doing those things, but I do know that I certainly try and make that effort. I wish more people could also try to control their tempers; it's not an impossible thing to do, but it's just hard and requires effort....sadly, many people do not wish to make such an effort, though. I really do wish they would.
Describe one of your worst fears, and explain why it is a fear of yours.
I'd say failing....I can sometimes be a bit of a perfectionist and I tend to set too high standards for myself sometimes, so if I don't meet my expectations or am far from reaching them, it's something I dread. But I try not to get too worried about such things, as it's a bad habit of mine to worry too much, so I'm making the effort to control my fear a little better, so that I won't have to worry so much about not doing well all the time. It's better that way, I would say.
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