What type of personality are you?  This certainly is nothing new, but even if you are not into psychology, the  Myers-Briggs personality test is rather cool and interesting to take.  This particular one is not from the actual Myers-Briggs site, but is a free one based on the Myers-Briggs and Jungian models. 

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp 

According to the test, I am an INFP.  I read the description of an INFP's personality and I must say that it was spot on in describing me.  I am already finding this information to be quite helpful. 

Ok, I got this from pearltook

How do you see, perceive, me?

Here is my Johari Window for positive attributes:

http://kevan.org/johari?name=gryffinjack1

Here is my Nohari Window for negative attributes:

http://kevan.org/nohari?name=gryffinjack1


Have fun :-)

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better. If I already know you well, expect the questions may be a little more intimate!
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.


Questions from durayan:


1. What's YOUR favorite drawing you've done and why? (Don't have to limit it to HP if you don't want to).

Well, my favourite HP drawing overall is this one of Remus: http://www.sugarquill.net/viewa.php?artid=982  I like the vulnerability and sadness expressed in his eyes.

My favourite humourous HP drawing is this one: http://www.sugarquill.net/viewa.php?artid=593  Ah, if only it could have been that way!

However, at the moment, my favourite drawing of mine is non-HP; it is my visualisation tree, full of life and hope as I climb through all the suffocatingly dark intertwined limbs to the top of it where I can breathe freely of the fresh air and be part of the bright world:

original version: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b345/gryffinjack1/visualisationtree-original.jpg

colour enhanced version:  http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b345/gryffinjack1/visualisationtree12.jpg


2. Wizards or Hobbits?

I'm going to assume you mean HP wizards for this one, not Gandalf and such. lol!  Right now, give me a hobbit any day.  Not only are they warm and friendly, but they are always filled with hope and find the good side of things.  They know what is important in life, including to be happy and not take yourself too seriously.

3. Since Pummy and I just watched Aladdin, you get three wishes, what are they and ixnay on the wishing for more wishes. 

Hang it all!  That's exactly what I would have wished for!  Dang!  Okay, then I would wish that: 

1)  Niki grows up to be happy, mentally and physically healthy, and well adjusted. 

2)  Ditto for me - and soon!

3)  Ditto for Remus (which means including at the end of Book 7).

4. What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were 20?

That even if nobody else cares what is going on inside of me, I am important and matter to myself.

5. Biggest regret?

All the years I have wasted being a reflective - reactive mirror.

I've posted my first poem to SoA. I don't have any experience with poems, so I wrote it in freeverse and it therefore does not have a specific count scheme. It's a poem about the Shire reflecting on four of her special sons all eventually having to leave her to find their peace.


Title: My Children: Reflections of the Shire
Rating: G
Link: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5178&cid=21387

slightlytookish had said she would like to see a picture of a baby Pippin, so here he is, in surroundings appropriate to a Took with the gift of faerie magic.

A Happy Yule to all and enjoy my drawing!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b345/gryffinjack1/baby20pippin12.jpg

Talk about your fantastic presents! dreamflower02 has truly outdone herself!

*Dances for joy!*

Some of you may be reading "In Perfect Harmony," the Pippin/Diamond story I have been writing for marigold's Challenge #33. As you may know, dreamflower02 is my beta, as she is for virtually all of my stories. Not only has she been betaing my chapters after I write them, but we have had some wonderful e-mail discussions about the story in which she has given me some excellent suggestions and ideas for the story, including many things yet to be written, since this story continues through their wedding.

Well, in one of my e-mails to her, I asked the following:

Lastly, do you think there would be any special things at the wedding because Pippin is next in line to be Thain?

Imagine my surprise when I got the following reply from dreamflower02:

It's altogether possible. I am quite sure the contract would be extremely elaborate and illuminated and large. Hmmm...would you like to have such a document? *whistles innocently and rolls eyes*

WOULD I LIKE HER TO MAKE PIPPIN'S AND DIAMOND'S MARRIAGE DOCUMENT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Now, so you get an idea of how talented our dreamflower02 is (or to remind those of you reading the story we are co-authoring), here is the link to the marriage document she made for Drogo and Primula for our story "Testaments of the Past":

http://gryffinflower.livejournal.com/1459.html

Truly amazing, isn't she? Now I've seen pictures of Pippin's and Diamond's marriage document all along from the moment Barbara started making it; I even saw some pictures of it when it was finished. The calligraphy is even smaller than in Drogo's and Primula's marriage document. And the illumination! Way more detailed with lots more gilt on it and way more detailed. It took many, many *hours* of her time. My dear Shirelings,

SHE SENT ME THE ORIGINAL MARRIAGE DOCUMENT IN THE MAIL!!!

Now I'm always being told that I use too many adjectives to describe things, but in this case, it is no exaggeration. They all fit. That marriage document is exquisite, magnificent, amazing, stunning, breathtaking, gorgeous, fantastic ... I could go on and on forever. The pictures do not do it justice, as you will see once I post the portion of the story where Pippin and Diamond get married. As she indicated in her e-mail, it is extremely elaborate, illuminated, and large - way more than Drogo's and Primula's. AND IT'S PIPPIN'S!!! I can hardly wait to see what it looks like once I get it framed!

Thank you so much, Barbara!

*TONS OF HOBBITY HUGS*

I've now posted Chapters Four and Five of "In Perfect Harmony" at Stories of Arda. Both chapters were originally written for Marigold's Challenge #35 (and even more originally Challenge #33). And SlightlyTookish's Starverse is in both chapters!

Chapter Four - Merry arrives and hope turns to new worry; http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5030&cid=20982


Chapter Five - Pippin gets some help trying to save Diamond's life, and Pippin's and Diamond's plans change; http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5030&cid=20995

Well, probably a little more than a drabble, since I've been known to write drabbles six hundred words in length. So this would probably be a vignette.


Near But Far Away

Awareness slowly came back to Pippin, awareness filled with a crushing weight upon his chest that was more than memory. He had been crushed by a Troll during the battle, and now his body was paying for it with aches and pains that made him wish for the return of the sweet oblivion where he had been.

Pippin strained his ears to pick up any sounds from within what he could sense was an unfamiliar tent. But there were none. Slowly, he opened his eyes and blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the bright light that streamed in the opening to the tent. Once he could see clearly, Pippin turned his head slowly, clenching his teeth as he did so to in order to brace himself against the pain.

There were three other cots in the tent - one empty, and two with the wasted forms of two dead hobbits. Frodo and Sam. Pippin did not have to feel for a pulse in order to see that they were dead. Frodo and Sam did not move a muscle, and little wonder. Their bodies were so withered that it looked like there was no muscle beneath their skin.

His brave cousin. It was a miracle that their bodies had even been recovered, Pippin thought as the tears began to slide down his cheeks, dripping unchecked onto his pillow. Pippin shut his eyes tightly, unable to bear the sight any longer, and wished that somehow, Merry could be there, even though he knew that Merry would still be recovering in the Houses of Healing from his own injuries.

Slowly, Pippin forced himself to gaze at the bodies that had sheltered the bravest souls he had ever known. And then, if Pippin's eyes did not deceive him, Frodo's chest softly rose and fell. Pippin blinked again. And Frodo's chest rose and fell again. And so did Sam's.

What a fool he had been, so quick to bury these two! Pippin urged his body to rise from his cot and move beside Frodo and Sam. Now that he knew they were alive, he had to check on them, feel the warmth of their skin, their breath filling their bodies with the life that Pippin had been so quick to dismiss. Straining, Pippin fought his own body to move, but it was a futile effort.

It seemed as if every single muscle in Pippin's body cried out in agony as he tried forcing them to move. Falling back onto his cot, Pippin was winded from the effort. He tried twice more, and failed twice more. Each time, his urgency grew, only to be replaced with frustration at the failure.

Frodo.

A cold sweat broke out over Pippin's skin, and he felt all clammy as his breathing began to come in short frustrated gasps of breath, each one ripping through him so strongly that he knew his ribs must be broken.

Had his eyes played tricks on him? Were Frodo and Sam really moving? They seemed so still ... he had to get to them, to help them somehow...

If only he could reach them!

Terror seized him, sweat beading across his forehead. Pippin felt his heart racing, beating more quickly than the Uruk-hai had forced Merry and him to run. Fire burned inside his torso, its heat coming off him in waves. His heart was going to explode unless he could stop himself from getting so upset. But the more he tried to check his emotions, the more upset he became that he was so close to Frodo and could not reach him. A sharp pain seized his stomach, gripping at Pippin's sides, making him wince in pain.

His breath was coming faster now, quick and shallow, bringing with it the sickening sound of a hobbit gasping for air, gasping for hope. His head began to reel as he tried to reach his hands to his chest to clutch at the pain that would not stop.

Mercifully, the dizziness he felt at last consumed him.

Pippin fainted.

Today (3 December) is my birthday, and as par Marigold's lovely Tale Challenge #35, I have posted chapters four and five of In Perfect Harmony, just in time to be my birthday present to all of you in the Shire tradition:

In Perfect Harmony - Diamond becomes very ill with the Winter Sickness, and Pippin rushes to her side, where he recalls their courtship, and then looks forward to their wedding, where some unexpected guests appear.

Rated PG (for angst)

Chapter Four - As Merry arrives to help Pippin watch over Diamond on her sickbed, she starts to do better, until hope turns to new fear; http://talechallenge35.livejournal.com/1651.html#cutid1

Chapter Five - The crisis...features slightlytookish's starverse ... http://talechallenge35.livejournal.com/1317.html#cutid1


Previous Chapters:

Chapter One - Pippin's happiness is threatened by an urgent summons from the North Farthing...
http://talechallenge33.livejournal.com/1782.html

Chapter Two - Pippin races to Diamond's side... http://talechallenge33.livejournal.com/1382.html#cutid1

Chapter Three - Pippin arrives at Diamond's side and is shocked at her condition...
http://talechallenge34.livejournal.com/1313.html

I've updated my LotR story, In Perfect Harmony, at Stories of Arda. In Chapter Three, Pippin arrives at Diamond's bedside and remembers some important moments in their relationship. This chapter was originally written for Marigold's Challenge #34.

Title: In Perfect Harmony
Rating: PG
Pippin/Diamond
Betas: Dreamflower and Marigold
Disclaimer: I wish they were my characters, but they belong to Professor Tolkien.

Chapter Three: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5030&cid=20729
Chapter Two: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5030&cid=20482
Chapter One: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5030&cid=20469

Gacked from pearltook1:

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Northeast Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The Midland
Boston
The South
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Well, I've always said I'm a New Englander at heart! The thing is, I've lived in South Florida my whole life! LOL! Actually, it's not all that surprising, considering that South Florida really is not a part of the Southern States, both of my parents are from New York, I usually spend my holidays in Vermont, and I love playing with the sounds of words, adopting the way other people pronounce words if I like their pronunciation better than mine. I just wish I had a British accent. *sigh*

"The Hobbit" was published 69 years ago today! Imagine, if this book had not been published, then we would never know about Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam or their friends Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, etc. from outside the Shire! We wouldn't even have that special place inside us for the Shire itself!

You can read all about it here: http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/69thanniversary.htm

So let's all wish the Hobbit a very happy and hobbity birthday with some hobbity drabbles!

Here's mine:

"This way, Professor," said Bilbo, steering the blindfolded Man toward the Party Tree. "We have a surprise for you."

The Man followed.

"Here we are!" exclaimed Bilbo, removing the blindfold. "Happy Birthday, Professor Tolkien! Your book is sixty-nine years old today; not as old as I am, but then your story did help me to reach this age!"

Professor Tolkien grinned. There before him were all of the hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, Wizards, Men, and others he had ever created.

Even Gollum.

"We thanksss you, Professor. For creating the preciousss," said Gollum, straightening the "happy birthday" hat atop his head.

Well, better late than never! I'm sorry I was late in posting my marigoldg's Challenge 31 story, but I was away on holiday and then came back to RL, so it took me a little while to finally get to write my story. But here it is - "Waiting for Frodo."

It's a story from Bilbo's perspective as he waits for Frodo to arrive in Rivendell, knowing that Frodo was injured due to the Ring. Since I wrote this story in the present tense, this story is for danachan as a late birthday present.

Link: http://talechallenge31.livejournal.com/6001.html#cutid1

You simply must go read "Unaligned," a ficlet slightlytookish wrote for me!

It's at: http://slightlytookish.livejournal.com/132979.html?#cutid1

It's a marvelous story set in her Star AU and involved some post-Quest interaction between Frodo and Pippin in which Pippin offers Frodo his stars' help. If you haven't read any of her Star AU, do yourself a favour and go read it. It's very heart-warming.

Thank you once again, slightlytookish!

Many, many happy returns of the day to today's byrding, dreamflower02!!!

I hope you have a lovely party around the Party Tree and give lots and lots of presents, such as new stories or chapters of Road to Edoras! lol! Enjoy yourself and have a great one!