INTRO PROFILE

[Sternel]

I am *so* excited that I am considered "Old Crowd."  Many thanks for 
the compliment.

***Name:
Abigail Tilden


***Nicknames/IDs:
Abbie or Abs to people in RL, formerly starling online (but after I 
got into HP fandom and people started asking me about 'my' drawings, 
I figured I'd better change that... I cannot draw.  Nope, nada, 
zip.)  Now go by Sternel, which is Austrian for 'little star,' both 
here and on LifeJournal.  on AIM:  starling823 .

***Age:
22.  

***Family:
Parents, two sisters, a brother, and a dog.  Parents are your 
standard surburban love-em-but-wish-they'd-relax variety, who kindly 
allowed me to return home following college, where I now attempt to 
not strangle siblings.  They are, in order of apparance, Sister the 
First, who is 20 and in college (currently home for the summer and 
trying to steal the bathroom out from under my nose), Brother, 17, 
just finishing up his junior year in high school, and Sister the 
Second, also 17, also finishing junior year, and fraternal twin to 
Brother.  Dog is Mr. Peabody, a miniature Schnauzer, with a very bad 
temper and an aversion our mailman.  However, the annoying deliveries 
of multiple supermarket circulars has stopped completely.  <g>
My grandfather lives nearby, and owns a Christmas tree nursery.  The 
farm has been in our family for over 200 years, and it is one of my 
favorite places on earth.  We even have a small cemetary there, 
although it's no longer used.

***Home
Huntington, Long Island, New York, otherwise known as the center of 
Surburbia.  My town is pretty much the border between the urban areas 
and the more rural parts -- or what passes for what's left of rural 
around here.


***Birthday, Place of Birth:
August 23, 1980.  Am young one.  I was born in Huntington Hospital, 
roughly five miles from where I live now.  Save four years in 
college, one of those semesters spent abroad in Austria, and various 
school trips up and down the East Coast or to Germany, I have lived 
here my entire life.  I love the area, but I'd prefer to raise my 
children elsewhere -- it's getting too crowded.  Too many people, not 
enough trees.

***Education/Job/Role in Life etc:
I studied German at Binghamton University, but I'm (crazily) 
considering returning to school for history, because I'm finding 
German, while fun to speak, rather unmarketable.  And I like 
history.  Eventually, I'd like to get a library science degree, and 
find a nice public library in New England and run their children's 
section, where I can read HP to small children til the end of my 
days.  =)
Currently, I work at Touro Law College, as the daytime library 
circulation clerk.  I have no plans to attend law school, but I'm 
enjoying my 'insider's view' of what it's like, and I will never be 
in need of good (and cheap!) legal help.  =)

***Other things we might want to know about you:
I am obsessed with Alan Rickman, and would happily marry him and bear 
his children.  I am attempting to be adult and only envy his 
companion, not wish that she suddenly vanished into thin air.  
Am fairly moderate politically.  Was raised Presbyterian but now find 
my beliefs are Pagan, which my family is not aware of, more for their 
sanity than mine.  Tend to be rather traditional, but I enjoy 
rabblerousing at times.  =)

***First contact with Harry Potter:
College-boyfriend-at-the-time got the books for Christmas (in 1999) 
and when we returned to school, brought them over to my dorm room and 
said "Here, honey, you'll love these!"  Ended up dumping the guy.  
Kept the books.  Was excellent bargain.

***Favourite Potter things (books, characters, ships, fics, objets 
d'Art, general enthusing):
Book: PoA.  No question.
Ships:  I have a lovely little raft, and I paddle around and visit 
everyone else's ships as I feel like it.  Frequently return to H/SS, 
which fascinates me in many ways, and R/Hr, for reasons I could never 
fully explain.  Have fine appreciation of H/H thanks to Lori and 
Ebony regardless.
Fics: Anything by Lori and Eb, (even though I've already named them), 
Barb, Carole, and Sushi.  Also enjoy fic-hunting.
objet d'Art:  the Tilden family motto:  Never pay full price.  
Consequently, I possess calendars, purchased on Jan. 2 for $1 each, 
and a figurine of Hagrid and Harry in a Gringott's cart, presented as 
a gift.  Other than that -- ::shrug::  oh.  a Snitch keychain.  
Clothing:  lovely Pride of Portree hoodie that my darling Ursamajor 
made for me to wear for the Release, and several frighteningly hued 
tee shirts from Sears, all slightly too small.  Hoping to learn to 
knit so I can get scarves.
I love Bertie Botts, but I think the chocolate frogs are a waste of 
money.  


***Extent of Potter obsession:
At work, I am responsible for filing print jobs.  I was one day 
filing a printed receipt and my eye was drawn by a large banner 
stating "We ship internationally!"  All I could think was "They 'ship 
Hermione/Viktor?!?" 
I know.  Bad, isn't it?  =)

***Other interests/activities:
Needlepointing, reading (esp. sf/f, hist. fiction, and young adult 
fiction), and bumming around NYC

***Current/recent reading:
I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith, mainly because I saw several 
people on LJ mention it.  Just finished The Lovely Bones, and am 
currently reading Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides.  Upcoming:  the 
sequel to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and the pile of 
Diana Wynne Jones books that will be begging for attention once OoP 
has been read (and re-read)

***Current/recent listening:
My favorite radio station runs from 80s to 'today's bets hits,' 
whatever that means.  CDs, lately:  Sense and Sensibility soundtrack, 
Billy Joel, Songs From the Attic, and Tick, tick...Boom!, a Broadway 
musical composed by the late, great Jonathan Larson, who created 
Rent.  I highly recommend it to you all.


***Current/recent viewing:
Dogma, and Last of the Mohicans on DVD, X2 in theatres.  (I avoid 
movie theatres in general -- I hate sticky floors!)  TV-wise, I am 
addicted to Will and Grace and ER.  I also try to catch Gilmore Girls 
when I can.  Other than that, not much of a TV person.

::waves to everyone:: Am delighted to be here, and am looking forward 
to the discussions!  

Abbie, who apologizes for the length but was having too much fun 
filling this out.