Mod of the Week - AJAiken

[AJAiken]

Sorry - this thread's a bit late!

Name: Amanda

Nickname(s): On NarniaWeb, AJ. Otherwise, just Amanda.

Country: While at university I live in England. But my home's in Scotland.

Age: 20

Personal info: I'm pretty quiet both in real life and online, but there are certain things which make me very excited and talkative. Also, when I get to know someone well, they see a whole new, rather crazy, side of me!

I love books and movies. In fact I adore stories! One of my favourite things is to go into a book store and just look at books for a while.

Professional info: I finished high school in 2007 and have been at university since then. After a couple of months I'll be out and I will have to find a job.

Physical Stats: I'm 5'8'' with straight brown hair and grey-blue-green eyes.

Most embarrassing moment in last 12 months: Wow, this is really difficult. I think I may have blocked out the memories ...

Well, this wasn't in the last twelve months, but it was very embarrassing. While at high school I helped out with the sound and lighting crew, who did things for productions and for assemblies. At one assembly I was in charge of the sound board, and everything was going just fine. Until the hymn ... I managed to leave the Principal's mike up and his voice just BOOMED around the hall. Luckily he's a good singer, but I was utterly mortified!


Favorites:

Books: I love The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, and The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson (whom I have met!). I love Narnia and Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian. I love Cornelia Funke's books (I've met her too) and so, so many others ... In terms of classics I love Rebecca, Lorna Doone, all of Austen but Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice in particular. I think Jasper Fforde is a genius (yes, I've met him too ) and I really like his new book Shades of Grey. There are lots of others but I can't remember them at the moment, as all my books are currently at home. *weeps*

Movies: Favourite movie - it would probably have to be LWW or PC. But there are so many vying for that position ... here's a sort of categorised list!
Overall: LWW / PC
Epic: LOTR (whole trilogy) followed by Braveheart and Titanic
Action: Star Trek (followed by Iron Man, and The Matrix)
"Men In Cravats": Pride and Prejudice (2005!) (with the 2007 Persuasion, and North and South, as close runners up)
Teen: A Walk To Remember followed by Twilight. Sky High is pretty good too.
Drama: The Painted Veil, The Young Victoria.
2D Animation: Sleeping Beauty, followed closely by Pocahontas, The Lion King, Watership Down, The Prince of Egypt and Spirit. And I have recently seen The Princess and the Frog and I love it.
3D Animation: Cars and Up, followed by every other Pixar film, then Ice Age, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek.
Rom-com: Notting Hill
Comedy: Johnny English
Musicals: The Sound of Music, followed by Annie, Oliver! and High School Musical.
This isn't a fully comprehensive list ... but it gives the general idea!

TV shows: CSI: Miami is amazing. I also really like Glee, and when I am at home I always end up watching Dancing on Ice and Wild at Heart. I quite like Friends and Scrubs, and always end up watching the re-runs of Top Gear on Dave.

Food: I love Italian food - pizza, pasta, mmm! I will basically eat anything, not just because I'm a student but because I want to be able to eat what's put in front of me. Recently I conquered my hatred of avocado, and my rather irrational fear of custard.

Animal: Horses, then dogs, then budgies. One day I want to own my own horse. (I've already managed the dog and budgie. )

Music: I adore soundtracks. That's what most of my iPod is filled with! I also really like Leona Lewis. Most of my other music is christian, and I really like Delirious? and am at the moment really enjoying Phillipa Hanna's album, Taste.

Narnia Book: It used to be The Last Battle but now I prefer The Horse and His Boy with LB close behind. I think HHB just has the most amazing story ever - horses, romance, great adventure, mystery and magic ... brilliant.


History on Narniaweb: I found NarniaWeb after seeing the LWW trailer in front of Star Wars in the summer of 2005. It then took me over a year and a half to actually join, and I finally did in February 2007. I found my first post a while ago, but it's really not very interesting at all! In the summer of 2008 I was asked to help moderate CCD, and I've been a mod since then!

What I like best about NarniaWeb: The great people, the wonderful discussions and the friendly atmosphere! If you're a part of NarniaWeb you are a part of something really special. I treasure it!

Rule most often forgotten by me: I am always going off topic ...

Favorite NW memory: Definitely getting to meet NarniaWebbers in real life!

Frequent saying: Have a great day!

Comments by other mods:

I find AJ to be the type of person one can really relax with. Yes, I realize this is an online impression, but it is confirmed from those who have met her. She seems like a hard worker—a highly motivated person—and her graciousness and fun is ever present. Her passion for filmmaking is very inspiring! I'm glad to know her via NarniaWeb and hope, maybe someday, to meet in person.

~johobbit/Jo

I have enjoyed meeting AJ in person, and can confirm that she is gentle and fun at the same time, full of creativity and interesting ideas for her future work, and loving life. She loves the outdoors and seems to have a lot of energy! -coracle

[stargazer]

1. What is your favorite Italian restaurant?
2. What is your favorite dessert?
3. Do you like chocolate?
4. If yes, what is your favorite variety (dark, milk, white)?
5. Have you traveled internationally?
6. If so, which countries have you visited?
7. Which countries would you love to visit but have not yet traveled to?
8. What is your favorite vacation spot?

9. Full moon or crescent?
10. Mountains or ocean?
11. Sunrise or sunset?
12. Who is your favorite character in HHB?

[sweeetlilgurlie]

-How do you go about meeting all of these authors?

-Which authors do you want to meet that you haven't?

-If you could meet someone who is dead, who would it be?

-Favorite emoticon?

-Emoticon most used by you?

-Favorite av and sig used in the past?

-Cord...full or Cordless phone?

-Favorite place you've ever visited?

-Do you like your own accent?

-Which would you do if forced to do one or the other: Bungee jumping or Sky diving?

-Kittens or Cats?

-Do purple elephants visit you regularly?

-Ever seen BBC Robin Hood?

-If so, what do you think?

I'll think of more sometime...

[Liberty Hoffman]

what is your favorite type of music?

what is your favorite band?

[Valiant_Lucy]

27- Do you live by yourself, with your family, or with a roommate? (hopefully this isn't too stalkerish of a question )

28--How often do you clean your fridge?

29--What is your least favorite movie that you've seen?

30--If you could have one genre of music die forever, what would it be?

40-- How do you feel about clothes shopping?

41-- Food shopping?

42-- Book shopping?

43--If you could go anywhere for a vacation, where would it be?

44--If you could live in one place (anywhere) for a year, or travel all over the world for a year, which would you choose?

45--You are offered a choice of two nicely wrapped packages--one is very big, and one is very small. Which do you choose?

That's all...for now!

[AJAiken]

1. What is your favorite Italian restaurant?
2. What is your favorite dessert?
3. Do you like chocolate?
4. If yes, what is your favorite variety (dark, milk, white)?
5. Have you traveled internationally?
6. If so, which countries have you visited?
7. Which countries would you love to visit but have not yet traveled to?
8. What is your favorite vacation spot?
9. Full moon or crescent?
10. Mountains or ocean?
11. Sunrise or sunset?
12. Who is your favorite character in HHB?

1. Vittoria
2. Hot apple pie and whipped cream - mmm
3. Is this a rhetorical question?
4. I like them all but milk chocolate is the best - Cadbury's Dairy Milk, to be precise!
5. Yes
6. I have been to America, Italy, and Greece.
7. I want to go to Australia, New Zealand, France, Canada ... and lots of other places.
8. There's a place called Kinlochmoidart in Scotland I adore.
9. Full moon.
10. Sunset. I love seeing the stars come out!
11. Ooh, difficult. Probably Shasta, but I like Hwin very much too.

12. How do you go about meeting all of these authors?
13. Which authors do you want to meet that you haven't?
14. If you could meet someone who is dead, who would it be?
15. Favorite emoticon?
16. Emoticon most used by you?
17. Favorite av and sig used in the past?
18. Cord...full or Cordless phone?
19. Favorite place you've ever visited?
20. Do you like your own accent?
21. Which would you do if forced to do one or the other: Bungee jumping or Sky diving?
22. Kittens or Cats?
23. Do purple elephants visit you regularly?
24. Ever seen BBC Robin Hood?
25. If so, what do you think?

12. I met two of them at book events. With the other I figured out where they lived.
13. I want to meet Eoin Colfer, Shannon Hale, and John Grisham.
14. C.S. Lewis! Or my great-grandfather.
15. (Seriously, who doesn't love that little guy?)
16. Probably or
17. - it's a picture of a Narnia-themed cake my mum made for me!
- it took me ages to do this, and I still like it now, unlike several of my others.
18. Cordless, because I can go grab a snack or a drink of water if the call's taking too long.
19. Venice, Italy. It's the most beautiful city I've ever been to.
20. Yes!
21. Sky diving. I can imagine it would be kind of fun, whereas just saying "bungee" makes me feel ill.
22. Cats. (Kittens are cute, but they tear holes in my clothes!)
23. Occasionally.
24. Once.
25. It was the first episode ever, and I was kind of excited by it, but I just didn't enjoy it. (I like Kevin Costner's version, but I think Russell Crowe will do even better.)

26. what is your favorite type of music?
27. what is your favorite band?

26. Soundtracks - all and any!
27. I don't really have one. I tend to go for music I hear and like rather than a particular band.

Renumbered:
28- Do you live by yourself, with your family, or with a roommate? (hopefully this isn't too stalkerish of a question )
29--How often do you clean your fridge?
30--What is your least favorite movie that you've seen?
31--If you could have one genre of music die forever, what would it be?
32-- How do you feel about clothes shopping?
33-- Food shopping?
34-- Book shopping?
35--If you could go anywhere for a vacation, where would it be?
36--If you could live in one place (anywhere) for a year, or travel all over the world for a year, which would you choose?
37--You are offered a choice of two nicely wrapped packages--one is very big, and one is very small. Which do you choose?

28. At home I live with my family, at uni I live with two flatmates. Not too stalkerish.
29. When it needs it!
30. In the cinema: The Lovely Bones. I loved the book, though, and the film ruined it. Otherwise, The Wedding Planner.
31. Rap. Can't stand it!
32. I enjoy it if I have lots of time and lots of money.
33. Ditto.
34. Best. Thing. Ever! The good thing about buying books is that I can just look at them and I'm kind of satisfied. But the lots of time/money thing applies here too!
35. I would go somewhere with lots of history, hopefully a pretty warm climate, and good food. Maybe Italy or France.
36. Difficult. I think it would be kind of cool to live in one place and get to know it, but it would also be wonderful to see lots of different places ... I think I'd probably go for the world tour.
37. Probably the big one!

[Valiant_Lucy]

38--Least favorite Narnian character? Whether it's just someone you're not obsessed with, or someone you actually dislike...

39--if you could play any Narnian character in a movie, regardless of how old you are/looks, who would it be?

40--What literary/film character do you identify most with?

41--Any idea of how many books you own?

[winterlife]

What was the last impulsive thing you did?
Did I spell impulsive correctly?
Have you ever sprained anything?
If so, what?
Have you had your wisdom teeth removed?
Have you ever owned a Breyer horse?
What color is your favorite pencil?
Is it wooden, or is it mechanical?

[HM Swanwhite]

I've never been in one of these threads before! You sound kind of similar to me, and I love North and South and the Pixar films too. (Sorry, I'm probably not supposed to comment.)

Anyhow, here's my question:

How did you choose your username or where does it come from?

[AJAiken]

38--Least favorite Narnian character? Whether it's just someone you're not obsessed with, or someone you actually dislike...
39--if you could play any Narnian character in a movie, regardless of how old you are/looks, who would it be?
40--What literary/film character do you identify most with?
41--Any idea of how many books you own?

38. I find Jill really irritating! *ducks from the tomatoes* Well, I like her in The Last Battle, but not in The Silver Chair.
39. I've always thought of myself as a kind of Susan, but I think I'd prefer to play Lucy.
40. Yikes. *thinks really hard* I relate to Anne Elliot from Persuasion quite a lot, as I think we can act in similar ways, though our situations are very different! And I'd like to think I could be as brave as Jamie in A Walk to Remember.
41. I did count them once, but I can't remember. I have four shelves along one wall, and one along another, so I'm trying to estimate ... uh, I have no idea. 200 or more at least, I think!

What was the last impulsive thing you did?
Did I spell impulsive correctly?
Have you ever sprained anything?
If so, what?
Have you had your wisdom teeth removed?
Have you ever owned a Breyer horse?
What color is your favorite pencil?
Is it wooden, or is it mechanical?

42. Well, yesterday I thought I should go someplace I'd been meaning to for a long time, and so I did.
43. Yeah.
44. Yes.
45. My ankle, I think. It hurt a lot for a few days.
46. My wisdom teeth haven't arrived yet, so I haven't had them removed, no!
47. Yes. Several!
48. Yellow, because my dad buys huge boxes of pencils and gives me them free.
49. Wooden.

How did you choose your username or where does it come from?

50. That'd be telling. But "J" is for my middle name.

[Lark]

51. Favorite classical fairy tale?
52. If you could eat dinner with anyone,dead or ailve,who would it be and why?
53. Have you ever visited Stonehenge?
54. Do you play any instruments?
55. Currently,what's your favorite song?

[Lucy P.]

-Your thoughts on insects?
-Is your foot as long as your forearm?
-Do you care for math?
-What's the most important thing in your life?

[Meltintalle]

60. Have you ever considered writing a sequel to The Princess of Nowhere?
61. In your opinion, would a sequel be a good or bad thing?
62. Who is your favourite character in The Princess of Nowhere?
63. Do you like series or stand alone novels?
64. What is your favourite name for a boy?
65. What is your favourite name for a girl?
66. Would you give your children your favourite names?
67. What are you listening to right now?
68. What is your favourite display at a local museum?

[AJAiken]

51. Favorite classical fairy tale?
52. If you could eat dinner with anyone,dead or ailve,who would it be and why?
53. Have you ever visited Stonehenge?
54. Do you play any instruments?
55. Currently,what's your favorite song?

51. I really like Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. There are also so really nice Scottish folk tales I love.
52. I think it would be amazing to go to one of those amazing dinner parties that the Queen has. So either her or perhaps Victoria, or someone like that!
53. No. I'm not sure I want to: you're not allowed next to it any more.
54. No. I used to.
55. My favourite song at the moment is Never Knew I Needed from The Princess and the Frog soundtrack.

-Your thoughts on insects?
-Is your foot as long as your forearm?
-Do you care for math?
-What's the most important thing in your life?

56. Some are OK. I can come across one and / or chuck it out of the house without screaming. However, they still make me shiver.
57. That is so weird! Yeah, it is. You learn something new every day ...
58. Nope, not at all. Since getting a "C" at Higher four years ago I haven't touched it. Now I have forgotten everything I ever learned!
59. God, definitely. He gets me through each day!

60. Have you ever considered writing a sequel to The Princess of Nowhere?
61. In your opinion, would a sequel be a good or bad thing?
62. Who is your favourite character in The Princess of Nowhere?
63. Do you like series or stand alone novels?
64. What is your favourite name for a boy?
65. What is your favourite name for a girl?
66. Would you give your children your favourite names?
67. What are you listening to right now?
68. What is your favourite display at a local museum?

60. Yes.
61. That depends. There are pros and cons.
62. Probably Jespar.
63. Both. I don't like series that go on and on. And on. And on. Trilogies are OK.
64. Not sure about favourite, but I really like the name "Phillip".
65. I like the name "Eilidh" a lot. (Said like "ceilidh".)
66. Not necessarily. Who knows, if I ever get married, and if I ever have kids, my husband might despise those names with all of his might.
67. Car doors slamming along the street, a pigeon, my computer's whirring sounds ... I'm not listening to music right now. I often like doing things without music in the background. It makes music more special.
68. My favourite display was this amazing huge old-fashioned animal room. However, the museum's now being refurbished and I have no idea what it's going to look like when it is done! I just hope it doesn't turn completely modern; I like going in and looking at slightly-dusty displays, that's what a museum is!