Late to the Halloween Mixer

[Melissa McCarthy]

I'm late... and there's stuff on the main list I really want to be replying
to.  Real life picked a bad time to intrude.  But, on we go with Nifty Mixer
#2!

> * Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?

No.  I'm too much of a scientist to believe in something I haven't seen
solid evidence of.

> * What things about you often come as a surprise to others?

My stubbornness, because I don't put my foot down often, but when I put it
down, it's down.  That and the fact that I'm not really as crazy as I seem
IRL.  No, really.  I'm not, darnit!

> * Provide the etymology of your signature/handle/email address. In
> other words, how and why did you choose the name you use on the
> HPfGU lists.

I haven't got a sig at the moment, and I just use my real name for the most
part.  The name I use in my email address, risako, came about while I was
messing with my real name (Melissa) to try to make it Japanese-sounding, and
since it turns out that Risako is a real Japanese female name, I kept it.
My Yahoo! ID, otaku_risako, is obviously much the same; it has "otaku"
(generally used to mean "anime fan" although that's not the real meaning of
the word) because it was about the only permutation of "risako" that hadn't
already been taken.

> * Whose signature/handle/email address on the HPfGU boards {a} would
> you like to steal or {b} intrigues you?

Catlady has the neatest name, I think!  I'm owned by two cats myself.  I
like Shaun Hately's sig a lot.  I don't think I'd want to steal anyone's,
though.

> * Describe your ultimate Halloween costume.

You know, what I'd really want is just a plain ghost costume made out of an
old sheet with eye holes cut in it.  I was never allowed to do that as a
child because my mother didn't want her good sheets ruined, and my clever
plan to sew the cut-out eye holes back in afterward just didn't work for
her.

> * If you lived in the Potterverse, who would you be, and what would
> you do for a living?

I think I'd just be me... I'd want to be Madam Pince's assistant and
eventual replacement.

> * What would you see in the Mirror of Erised?

Myself surrounded by all my friends, some of whom are far away and some of
whom I've lost touch with.

> * What shape would a boggart take, if you chance upon one?

A spider.  Definitely a spider.  A great big one with snapping jaws and...
::shudder::  Moving on.

> * What happy memory will you rely upon, if you are to conjure up a
> Patronus?

The first time my fiance told me he loved me.

> * What form might your Patronus take?

An angel-type being.

> * What might your animagus form be?

Probably some kind of cat.

> And here are two more that are already being discussed on the list;
> if you haven't answered them already, you can answer them now . . .
>
> * What basically harmless things scared you as a child (for example,
> a certain toy or household item)? [Question originally posted by
> Tracy]

I was *terrified* of the lamp that was hanging in my sister's room.  With
where it was placed, I had to see it every time I went down the hall or down
the stairs, and the carving at the top looked like eyes to me, which freaked
me out completely.  The handles on my closet door looked like eyes too at
night, with just the nightlight on.

> * What's your scariest moment from a film or television show? Or,
> tell us which horror movie is your all-time favourite, and why.
> ["Scariest"
> question originally posted by June]

I avoid scary things like the plague due to my having too much imagination.
I seem to recall a part of Sesame Street that had Muppet (I almost typed
Muggle... obsessed? who, me?) witches that scared me a bit when I was four,
though.

> Some other fun things to do (you can post your results along with
> the answers to your questions):
>
> * Ever wonder into which Hogwarts House the Sorting Hat would put
> you? If you're not sure, here are a couple of sites where you can
> get sorted:
>
> 7 Dragons' Sorting Hat: http://hogwarts.7dragons.net/sortinghat.html
> Professor MacFusty's Sorting Hat: http://tinyurl.com/sqz2

7 Dragons puts me in Hufflepuff.  MacFusty's puts me in Ravenclaw.  I'd say
I'm a Hufflepuff with strong Ravenclaw tendencies.

> * Is your interest in Harry Potter just good, harmless fun . . . or
> are you bordering on obsessive? Find out here:
>
> The Harry Potter Obsession Test: http://www.fuuko.com/hpquiz.html

37%, full-time obsessed fan.  Yay!

> * Speaking of your interest in Harry Potter, you can share all the
> details by posting your own Harry Potter Geek Code. If you haven't
> created one,
> this site will walk you through it:
>
> Harry Potter Geek Test: http://writersu.s5.com/extra/geek01.html

HPGCv1 a e+++ x+ A22 Rb HP3 S Mo HaP++ HG+++ RW++ FGW+ GW+ PW++ NL+ DT SF DM
VC- GG- CC CD++ VK+ PP- OW+ AD++ MM++ RH+ SS PT- AF GL-- NhN+ CF- LV TheD-
SB++& Om FA- F Sl+ FH++ sfD

> * Finally, just how well do you know the canon? Take the quiz here
> and let us know if you are savvy or sorry:
>
> Scholastic's Harry Potter Wizard Challenge:
> http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/challenge/index.htm

Wow, I suck at this thing.  I guess I'll never be a LOON!

Happy (belated) Halloween/Samhain, all!

Melissa