My Stats!

This is where I answer a bunch of questions that you might just want to know about me. It's rather in-depth and shameless. Name: You may call me Ivy; more on my name here. Nicknames: SwankiVY, Swanky, JuJu, Hairball, J, Jules, Ives. Current Residence: Tampa, Florida. Age: 46. Date of Birth: January 17, 1978. Day of Birth: Tuesday. Zodiac Sign: Capricorn (bordering on Aquarius). Star Chart: See the scan. Astrological Element: Earth. Astrological Ruling Planet: Saturn. Astrological Color: Brown. Astrological Animal: Goat. Chinese Astrology: Year of the Snake, and my day sign is "Earth Rabbit." Birthstone: Garnet. Starstone: Black Onyx. Birth Month Flower: Snowdrop or carnation. Place of Birth: Summit, New Jersey. Weight at Birth: 5 pounds, 12 ounces (about 2.6 kilograms). Hair Color: Blonde. Eye Color: Blue. Ethnicity: My mom's side is French and German Catholics, and my dad's side is Hungarian and Russian Jews. And I have a teeny-tiny bit of Dutch in me. Blood Type: O positive. Parents: Marcia and Marlon. Their Relationship: Parents got divorced; Mom is deceased. Siblings and Ages: Patricia, one year younger, and Lindsay, five years younger. Marital Status: Single, not looking. Sexual Orientation: Asexual. I have a sexual orientation of "no." More on that here. Children: I don't have any, don't want any, but LOVE playing with other people's kids and LOVE squealing over photos of babies. Pets: I don't have pets and I don't want pets. I don't like being around animals, even though I'm a vegetarian and give to animal rights groups--I like animals in theory. Height: 4 feet 11 inches (about 149 centimeters). Weight: 110–120 pounds (50-55 kilograms). Body Mass Index (BMI): About 20. BMI is B.S. Physical Condition: I'm in good shape, but I wouldn't call myself athletic. Maybe just "active." I play tennis, ride my bike, and play DDR. I don't get sick often. Allergies: Penicillin. Distinguishing Features: I look young for my age--have been mistaken for more than ten years younger than I am. Probably because I'm unusually short and sometimes wear childish things. I have very long hair. And some people have said I am pixie-ish. Voice: Soprano! Listen to me talk or sing. Education: Graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor's in elementary education . . . more on my education here. IQ: 144 (so the "official" test told me, but I think IQ is B.S. anyway, how can you put a number on intelligence?). Myers-Briggs Personality Type: INFJ. (I've tested as an ENFJ before too, but I think that only happens when tests think "introverted" means "shy." I'm not shy.) Religion: Pagan . . . more on that here. Favorite Foods: Check out my list here. Favorite Drinks: Water, coffee, Diet Coke, Hot Chocolate, Capri Sun, Hawaiian Punch, blue Slush Puppies. Least Favorite Foods: Meatloaf (and, well, I don't eat meat), onions, peppers, most Chinese vegetables, most spicy things, nuts in most candy and cookies, rye bread. Favorite Colors: Pink and black. Favorite Number: 4. Favorite Word: Shine. Favorite TV Shows: Covered here; check out television, anime, and cartoons. Favorite Movies: You can see that here. Favorite Actors: Ben Affleck, Sean Astin, Rowan Atkinson, David Bedella, Jack Black, Orlando Bloom, David Bowie, Billy Boyd, George Carlin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Tim Curry, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Danny DeVito, Danny Elfman (yup, he acts in Forbidden Zone), Seth Green, Rupert Grint, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Eric Idle, Hugh Laurie, Jason Lee, Malcolm McDowell, Ian McKellen, Jason Mewes, Dominic Monaghan, Rick Moranis, Viggo Mortensen, Mike Myers, Jack Nicholson, Trey Parker, Brad Pitt, John Rhys-Davies, Alan Rickman, Adam Sandler, Patrick Stewart, Matt Stone, Robin Williams, Elijah Wood. Favorite Actresses: Kristin Chenoweth, Geena Davis, Jodie Foster, Janeane Garofalo, Sara Gilbert, Whoopi Goldberg, Milla Jovovich, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, Idina Menzel, Rosie O'Donnell, Bernadette Peters, Lori Petty, Amy Poehler, Meryl Streep, Emma Watson, Mara Wilson. Favorite Music: Covered in depth here. Favorite Authors: You can look at those here. I have favorite author lists, and also some fan pages. Favorite Clothes: I like tee shirts and jeans. I always wear mismatched socks and I prefer Converse All-Stars as my shoes. I wear shirts I've made and "baby tees," and mostly funny, cartoon- or movie-related, or aesthetically pleasing shirts. I have a fashion page. Favorite Holiday: Probably Samhain. Preferred Hand: I write with my right hand, but for some reason most of the rest of me is lefty. Like I get on my bike on the "other" side, cross my legs and arms and fold my fingers like a lefty, steer with my left hand, can bat either way, you know. Pet Peeves: When people make typos, when people rip off my work, when people expect me to know something when there's no reason I should, when people assume things about me, when people judge other people by what they look like or because of a group they belong to, when people believe I am a jerk if I don't agree with them, when people won't stop trying to convert me to their religion, when people speak for other people when they have no right to do so, when people expect me to want to have sex with them just because *I* am attractive to *them*. . . . Most Prized Possession: My novels, and the computer that holds them. Computers: Read about that here. Operating System: Currently using Windows 10 Home. Typing Speed: 90-110 WPM. Favorite Search Engine: Google. :) Instruments Played: My instrument in school was voice, and I can play sorta decent ukulele and piano, and crappy violin. I also know my way around flute, clarinet, percussion, trumpet, trombone, and recorder because of music skills classes, though I'm sure I'd be useless if I tried to do those instruments now. Sports Played: Tennis, ping-pong, and DDR, if it counts. Sports Watched: None, regularly. Best Personality Trait: Probably my creativity and my selflessness. Worst Trait: Sometimes I'm a little too confident or critical. Best Physical Trait: Not sure. My eyes are a cool color. Worst Physical Trait: I dunno. I don't like my nose or my ears. And I don't like that my skin is kind of see-through. That's yucky. Hobbies: That's covered here. Current Job: I'm a documents coordinator and an editor. More about my job here. I'm Really Good At: Being creative, writing, singing, drawing, giving advice, finding reasons to be happy. I'm Really Bad At: Mathematics, being authoritative, hurting people's feelings (even when it has to be done), finding my way to somewhere new, driving (I don't have a license!). Political Views: Leftist, registered Independent. Position On Smoking: I don't smoke, and I hate it. If someone wants to smoke a cigarette, a cigar, or a joint, I don't have a problem with the idea, but overall anything that becomes a habit which affects other people when you do it is . . . meh. Position On Drinking: I don't drink, but I have drunk alcohol. I've never drunk it just to get drunk, and never because I can't have fun while sober. I generally don't drink unless it is for something in a ritual or something. Position On Abortion: I would never have one and I think it is sad to abort a child, but I think that when you abort early it is more or less the same as having a period--a baby didn't get made. I don't claim to know when "life" begins. And it is weird that people think they should get to tell people who can be pregnant that they have to stay pregnant if they didn't want to be pregnant. Position On Queer Issues: I support queer people of all stripes and consider myself part of the queer community as an asexual woman. I support broad inclusion and think anti-queer legislation is a real threat that affects my community. I am an active activist (especially for asexual and transgender issues). Position On War: I think it's ridiculous that we teach our children that violence isn't the way to solve problems, but ultimately we settle the most serious of the world's conflicts by having a weapons pissing contest. Obviously fighting for something you believe in is noble and I respect what soldiers do in protecting their homes and countries, but I wish the "fighting" did not have to be literal. As a nation and a planet I think we need to get our shit together and stop slapping each other whenever we get pissed off. Position On Bad Language: I use foul language all the time and I don't think it necessarily makes a person sound uneducated (though it CAN do so). But since these words are strong and not seen as polite, it's important to be respectful with their use. I curse in front of people only if I know they'd be fine with it, and I don't curse where children will hear me. Short-Term Goals: To get another book published, to get my website in better shape, to make enough money to live comfortably and not worry about money, to begin working more regularly on my writing. Long-Term Goals: To become more well-read, to have a real garden. Fears: I'm afraid of not having what I need to be happy, of losing my computer (what if it dies??), losing the people in my life, having them lose me, not succeeding at what I want to succeed at. Health Problems: Nothing 'cept split ends and skin that's prone to sunburn! And sometimes I get cramps in my feet. Phobias: I'm afraid of being lost. Outlook on Life: Optimistic. Philosophy of Life: Do what you must to achieve happiness without stepping on others' feet. REACH FOR THE STARS!!!

THE OTHER PAGES FROM THE "BASICS" SECTION:

CREDITS: The Background Boutique: This page's background.