Post by Johannes Rosenthal on Aug 8, 2014 1:37:47 GMT -5
1) Were you raised by both of your parents? If yes, who were you closest to and why? How did you interact with each? If no, who raised you and how has this affected who you are today?
Nope, not the biological one. I was raised by my mom and my step-dad; they're pretty neat people so I keep them around
Out of the pair of them, I'd have to say I'm closest to my mom because.....she's the real parent. I know, I get it. My step-dad is a real parent too, he's been in my life for years, yadda yadda. He's swell and all and I love the guy, but there's always going to be a difference between his relationship with me and with his son Felix. It matters to me. I know that it shouldn't, but it does. I didn't come from the "fruit of his loins" and blood is thicker than water. I don't know my "real" dad and I'd tell you that I don't want to either but, ugh, I want to know what it is that you just made me drink.....okay, I did wish I knew him. No, not knew him but just like, met him. At least once, since I must look a hell of a lot like him because I definitely don't look like the old lady. I don't even know what I'd expect or what I'd say if we were face-to-face but.....I think I'd ask him if his dad walked out on him too, because I don't see another reason why someone would have the heart to leave their kid. I just don't get it. What is it, a muggle thing?2) What do your parents do for a living? Do they expect you to follow the same path? Is this what you want to do? What would you rather do? Do they support your choices?
They have really boring jobs, you guys. I'd never want to do it. Okay so my mom's an elementary school teacher which would be pretty interesting if it was say, high school muggle level. Since she teaches 8 year olds who spend most of their time dipping their hands in sticky material and picking their noses, I can't figure out where her joy comes from. Whatever it is, it's working for her because she's a happy camper. Even if she doesn't use magic, because she doesn't really....like magic. Then there's my step-dad, a muggle who does computer programming. I never got the hang of computers so I'm just going to have to trust him when he says "it's amazingly fun". Sure dad, sure. I've already started my career as a professional quidditch player. You could say that it's a dream come true, but then that would be an understatement. I've basically breathed quidditch since I was like, a lot shorter. I wouldn't rather be doing anything - this is the real deal. Even if I just got moved teams and I'm stressed up to my eyeballs. Yeah, they're really supportive. I think they're pretty proud of where I got, and if they hadn't been supportive, I doubt I would have made it this far. You have to have motivated parents to be an athlete, there's just no way around it. They were always pretty okay with it when I was in school unless I got behind on schoolwork. Which happened.....a lot.
3) Parental support and approval is an important key to self-esteem, or lack thereof. How much support and approval do you receive? It is of a good nature (ie - supporting you to make the right choices even if it's not popular) or of a dodgy nature (ie - encouraging you to do what must be done to keep yourself on top)? How has this affected you?
Well like I mentioned before, they're pretty supportive in my quidditch playing, which honestly is most of my life. It's intense, and I know they don't like me being away all of the time, especially now that I'm way over on the Irish team, but I'm an adult and I can do that. I don't feel like I have anything I have to live up to.......god damn, what is this stuff you made me drink? Okay, FINE. Alright. Here it is......aaack. I never feel like it's enough. My parents don't make me feel that way, I make myself feel that way. I just want to be a great son that my mother can be proud of, so that she never feels like I was some kind of accident on the way to her real family. I mean when you look at it, I'm the failed family unit. My mom got pregnant, her boyfriend split, and then she tried again and succeeded with a new guy and a new kid. I've always been there and I've always been treated like one of the gang, but I just don't want to ever take that for granted. So I try, really hard. Yeah, sometimes my mom nags me about what I'm going to do in the future when I retire from quidditch, because it's not a lifelong career, but I know she's thrilled when her son's in the newspaper. But what if I lose a game? She'll be disappointed, and I'm gonna be that failed family member again. I can't help it; I'm always competing, and I'm never really comfortable with where I am. Then there's Felix, and I know he's my little brother but he's damn good at quidditch, and he's a lot smarter than he thinks. Frankly? I hate it.
4) No matter how wonderful ones parents are, teenagers and parents fight. Even adult children fight with their folks. What sort of things do you and your parents fight about all the time? Do you fight often, or rarely?
Uhhh. I'd say we fight rarely, especially because I don't see them often because I'm out of the country practicing, or at games, or doing my own thing and my own life! I used to fight with my mom about making my bed, because she thought it should be made and I digressed. If I'm going to sleep in it literally 16 hours from now, why would I make it? It's like water torture. Made up, made down, made up, made down. Sometimes I ruffle her feathers a little bit when she asks me to do a simple task, but it's all in good fun. At least, I think it's in good fun. I like to tease her. Once she actually gets worked up I concede and happily do whatever it is that she needs. To me, it's bonding. Usually if I fight with my mom, it has something to do with my brother. You know Felix is always at the center of everything. And my step-dad, we don't fight. Really, I can't even remember the last time. He likes to let mom take the lead and, I think that's good for both of us.
5) Grandparents can often be an important factor in a life. Are your grandparents still alive? How much of an influence do they exert on your life? On your parents' life?
My relationship with my grandparents is just about normal. My mother's parents are both still alive, and my step-dad's father is too. His mother died when he was twelve so I've never met her, but there are pictures all over that house so I feel like I know her on an intimate level at this point. Really, intimately, because when I sleep over at grandpa Joe's, there's a picture of grandma hanging on the wall just staring at me as I sleep.......weirdest thing ever. She seems nice though for a dead lady. Not that she talks, because remember, they're muggles. I'd probably be happier if she did talk, because then at least she wouldn't just be staring...my other grandparents we basically only see on holidays and birthdays, and they send us cards with money in them. I don't have a lot of use for muggle money but the rest of my family does, so I usually just save it up for something really oddball that'd give me a few laughs.
6) How many siblings do you have? Older? Younger? How do you get along with each? Is there any significant rivalry with any of them? Do your parents favor (or appear to favor) one over the other? How do the dynamics of your siblings affect you?
Right, there's just my younger terror, Felix. He's.......fuck me, how old is he? He's still a kid, I know that. At this rate, he'll always be a kid........right well. He's in the 15-17 range, so pick from one of those because it doesn't really make a difference. You know I don't really want to talk about this stuff with you, stranger, it's personal, but that nasty truth serum it's like, I have no choice. We don't really get along. I try and sometimes it's not so bad, but he's cranky pants. Everything - anything - all the things, make him cranky. Breathing too much? Cranky. Swallowing your food too loudly? Cranky. Rainbows? CRAAAAANKY. And then I try to lighten the mood and he throws a fit. What's a guy to do, right? I don't know. It wasn't so bad when we were younger, but it progressively got worse between us over the years. He's still my brother and I acknowledge that, but it feels like more work that I've got time for. Do my parents favor one of us over the other? Well....uh......fine. Cranky or not, Felix is still their "little boy". He's what happened when you put him and her together, and it makes him special. He fucks up all the time but you don't see him getting kicked out. I don't know. They love us both for different reasons. Felix says I'm "golden boy". I think he gets really worked up over this stuff.
7) Are you married? If yes, when did you get married? Was it arranged or not? If no, are you betrothed or engaged? Was it arranged or not? How has this affected your life? Was there someone else you'd rather be with?
No, I'm not married. Aha, wooooow. I'm just way too young for that right now, both mentally and well, mentally. I will one day but I don't have the time or the maturity to be looking after someone else. I'm not engaged either. I don't even have a girlfriend. I'm just so busy, living a crazy hectic life and I love every second of it.
8 ) Describe your relationship with your spouse or significant other. Are there changes that you think should be made? Does your spouse agree?
N/A
9) Do you have children? If so, what are their names and ages? What is your relationship like with each? Do you attempt to live vicariously through any of them? How had your own upbringing influenced how you treat your children?
No way do I have kids. I'm not ready for that either. If I'm not ready to be married then I'm not ready to have kids. I don't think I'd have any further problems taking care of kids when I am ready, than any other person. It's not like my dad leaving messed me up or anything. I've never even met him. If anything, he helped me, because I know without a doubt that if I have a kid? -Whistles- They're stuck with me for life. I will never, ever, ever.....ever, walk away from them.