Hello everyone.
This is my first journal entry since the new decade rang in and, as usual, I celebrate things a little
later than everyone else. I'm still working on my procrastination defect.. that might take several
more years to vanish completely.
Ah, at least the rotten sarcastic lobe is still functioning properly in there! *clunks head around*
But I intend to let this year "officially" start for me on here with several DA based resolutions.
So lemme tell you what they are:
1. Finish WIPs left over from 2009, including my gift for
as well as OC profiles. Also introducing a few other "new additions" along the way.
2. Clean out my gallery. Why not, right? Let me know what you want to stay because I intend to ditch quite a few things..
3. Taking my cue from
, I realized that I had, stupidly, never featured any of you snappy guys and gals before! The talents on here whom inspire me every day to keep drawing.. writing.. taking pictures.. even doing something as simple as talking! Y'all have helped me grow not only creatively, but emotionally as well, and that has made this place such an easier world to live in. As cynical of a bitch as I can be.. I'm still a bubbly girl underneath who loves her friends.
That will be my next journal. :3
For now, here's a character survey that
tagged me into doing.
Perfect time to let the world in on Horace's business!
Peace and Peaches...
Patricia aka Rivermist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Name: Horace Theodore Anderson
2. Age: 26
3. Gender: As male as they come.
4. How tall is s/he? 6'3"
5. Describe their eyes:
An electrifying light blue with a darker halo around the retina.
They’re usually what you notice first.
6. Sexuality:
Generally homosexual.. apart from a few “extra curricular” excursions.
7. Race/Species:
Homo sapien I.e. human. As for nationality, he’s an American-born Italian Jew,
raised on the outskirts of Chicago, Illinois.
8. Siblings?
None. At least, none that he is aware of. His mother, Elaine, gave birth to him at the age of 16, and left him in the care of child services shortly after.
9. Lovers?
He’s had a smattering of them throughout his life, a few one night stands, but nothing really consistent. Until he became involved with his current lover who also happens to be his boss and co-
worker. An actor/writer by the name of Dennis Rowland, partial owner and manager of the Rowland Playhouse in London, England. A complete and utter bore, very needy, and excessively opinionated.. most people just call him “Denny”.
Although.. to shed some light on future plans, Horace lately has his sight set on a new face in town. Someone who can occasionally be seen on scene at the “Rub-a-dub-dub, Three Men in a Pub’ shooting a game of pool and “chatting up” the locals, Samuel Theodore Cox undoubtedly left a strong impression on Mr. Anderson from the start. And it’s not just because Theo is a drag queen.. although that little factor does slightly add to the appeal. I wonder what Denny will think about these turn of events?
10. Any talents or abilities, even if these are included in your canon?
A natural mimic, his impersonating skills are quite impressive.. which explains why acting seems to be his born forte. He can literally become that person from the inside out, changing accents as casually as you or I might turn on a light switch.
Apart from that, his sense of humor is a bit off but jokes are cracked continuous.. usually leaving his colleagues in stitches before noon.
He also has an extensive criminal knowledge, such as the ability to lock pick, disarm high maintenance security alarms, and hotwire certain automobiles.
Oh.. and he’s slowly learning the art of bongo playing. He’d tell you in a minute that he was mastered in the finer points of acoustic guitar, harmonica solos, the tickling of piano keys and ancient, medieval lute.
Bur then again.. he is a pathological liar working as an actor. You do the math.
Still, those Bongos are becoming pretty addictive.
11. Any talents or abilities that are unusual in their canon (I.e. a psychic human in real life)?
Other than having a knack for winding up in the right place at the right time (an internal good luck clock if you will) which enables him to flow through life without much worry, no, at least, none that I can remember right off hand.
12. What’s their religion/belief system?
He finds religion interesting but laughable, usually breaking out into hysterics during church services. But that in no way dismisses his spirituality. Horace does believe in some form of higher being, but has never considered himself the “
raying type”.
13. Have you ever renamed, redesigned, or reworked this person? How?
He was left on the shelf for several years until I decided to breathe life back into him earlier this year. I was able to pour more of my own style into his character. And also give him a more feasible background.
14. Do they have an alternate form?
In a sense, he can alternate himself into anyone he likes.
15. Are they based on a real person?
No, although several actors and musicians remind me of him. John Entwistle for his attention to mystery and general attitude, Bradley Cooper and young Ralph Fiennes just because the resemblance seems uncanny, and then a few of my friends and family have said Pete Townshend and Ozzy Osbourne.
16. Or another character?
No, I try to stick with originality.
17. Do/did they go to school?
He attended only 7 years of public schooling in Chicago before being pulled out for home schooling (which basically means he dropped out.) His foster father at the time was an aging alcoholic ex-marshal and closet pedophile, who took advantage of and abused Horace on a daily basis, both sexually and physically. Until Horace grew old enough to snap his belt and fight back..
18. How often do they spend in front of a mirror?
There have never been any mirrors in his home, and he usually avoids them at all cost.
19. If given a gun, what would they do?
Stare at it for a moment before slowly quoting a John Wayne movie. He then would probably proceed to empty the barrel into the ceiling, hand you back the gun and walk away.
20. What do they like wearing?
Unconventional beatnik wear of the 60’s, it is 1969 for him after all.
Turtleneck sweaters of vast colors and design.. he wears those year round, jean trousers that are generally ragged and falling apart, a reasonably inexpensive stolen coat that falls past his knees, philosophically themed necklaces, berets, and any sort of boot-wear that will fit him. He usually wears a size 13 in Mens.
21. Describe their hair: A shaggy, black mess that reaches a little below his shoulders. He also usually has a bit of facial scruff.
22. Where does this character live?
London, England. He is currently renting a penthouse flat with his only roommate, Tommel, a 3 legged border collie that tends to have more sense than he does. During Horace’s drug-induced hallucinations (usually brought on by pill popping opiates) Tommel takes up the habit of talking to him, chastising him for his decisions but bringing him down from the high more calmly.
Denny has a key to the apartment and comes and goes from Horace’s place at his own will, but never moves in.
23. Can they cook?
A little. He knows the basics to keep himself from starving.
24. Would they enjoy a surprise party thrown for them?
No! He loves surprises but hates parties.. and hasn’t celebrated his birthday in over 5 years.
That means no cake, candles, gifts, none of it. In his own words - “Life is a constant party already.. when you focus in on the obvious, you’re embarrassing life.” Going along with that, Horace never wants to have
a funeral either.
25. Have they ever killed anyone? Who? Why?
Yes. The said alcoholic foster father, Jack. More often then not during the time spent with him, Horace tried to make excuses for Jack’s behavior.. especially to his best schoolmate at the time, Parker. He would
lamely shrug off the bruises crisscrossing his body and blame it on the booze that Jack constantly consumed. But one night when Horace was nearly 15, on one of the numerous accounts Parker slept over at his house, he woke up to find his friend missing from his sleeping bag. After dressing and wandering
downstairs, Horace will forever be plagued and haunted by what he bore witness to. Jack had somehow weaseled Parker onto his stomach across the kitchen table, and was attacking him relentlessly from behind, shushing and cooing the sobbing boy with countless punches to his spine and shoulders. Sober. The ex-marine’s studded belt lay across the staircase, and in the split second it took for him to be noticed, the belt wound up gripped tightly within Horace’s fingers and was being lashed violently across Jack’s back. Jack, weakened by his release, fell to the ground as Horace continued to strip him of his hide, whipping him until his arm had grown numb and every ounce of his strength was gone. Until he had eventually beat the man to death.
26. Do they feel guilty about that killing/multiple killings?
Wouldn’t you? After that, Horace fled for his life with only a few bucks in his pocket from his after-school job as a bus boy and the clothes on his back, leaving Parker crumpled and weeping on the table and Jack (or what was left to be identified) on the floor as his last remembrance of Chicago. He wound up at the train station, and as a minor, hitched a free ride to New York City, where he spent 8 more years becoming a street wise recluse in the company of drug dealers, prostitutes and business officials.
Parker gave his testimony to the police and the murder was pardoned off as self defense, unbeknownst to Horace. Though, they still kept a tab on him. And if he were ever to return to Chicago, a prison sentencing would soon follow.
27. Any secrets?
Other than that, during his time in New York he became deeply involved in mafia cover-ups for drug
lords, which is where his criminal knowledge comes into play as well as his opium-based addiction.
And then, later on when his life settles down, he is able to be more open about his sexuality as well as his obsession with movies and actors. Also, as a nervous driver, he has never been able to get his license.
28. Do they have a tattoo? Do they want one?
No, I’m sure he would want one but bear in mind, this is 1969 after all.. a time when tattoo art itself lacked the precision and technology that made it safe and worth it.
29. What about piercings?
Yes, both ears are pierced once but he usually only wears one earring at a time. Always hoops, never
studs!
30. Medical condition?
A generally healthy guy, apart from weak knees, an increased heart rate and high blood pressure brought on by stress and his habits (smoking, drinking, drugs, etc.) and prone to allergic reactions. He also suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) brought on by never dealing with the past, and a psychological hiccup that leans towards Borderline behavior, meaning.. when pretending to be someone else he can function normally but when forced to be himself, he has no sense of what “self“ is. And then he’s mildly OCD, which shows up during meal times (nothing can touch on the plate) and when getting dressed (such as his turtlenecks and hoop earrings.)
31. Are they generally violent?
No.. once set up in London, he swears off violence to try and lead a relatively normal, happy, beatnik lifestyle.
32. Are they shy or outgoing?
In between.. depends on which character he is that day. On stage, he is the most outgoing, flamboyant fellow you could meet but in the privacy of his own home.. a certain shy, childlike quality comes out. As if he was still that 14 year-old in Chicago. Unless Denny, Theo or even Richard happens to stop by. Theo belongs to my soul mate/sister
and Richard belongs to my friend
33. Honest or deceitful?
As honest as he can be. He is a pathological liar after all.
34. Optimistic or pessimistic?
The most optimistic pessimist you’ll find!
35. Loving or distant?
Seemingly distant but a big softie underneath the tough exterior. It’s very difficult for Horace to express
any form of “lovey-dovey” emotions and usually finds them annoying to deal with from others. That’s why he believed Denny was such a good match for him, as clingy and needing as the man is, he rarely wanted to be touched or needed much conversation to keep him talking.
36. Young or old?
He’s 26, old enough to know what he wants but still too young to know what he needs.
37. Bad or good?
Human.
38. Are they good at winning an argument?
He used to think so until he met Theo! After Theo entered the picture, his winning days were over.
(That’s because Theo is a master of the silent treatment..) Horace also never apologizes.
39. Name something unusual about them:
He idolizes the likes Groucho Marx & Peter Sellers and has a secret shrine devoted to them hidden away in his closet. I guess that could be my own personal canon traits slipping in.
40. Are they a virgin?
No. He would tell you any day of the week some fantastical tale of how he lost it but in truth, it wasn’t really that spectacular. At least, the first time that wasn’t taken by force. His first time was with an older man when he first moved to New York, a co-worker at a local Brooklyn record shop, Howard‘s Record Emporium. The experience was found out about by Howard himself and Horace was fired that very day.
And then his first time with a girl was with Emily Porter, a newcomer from Idaho that got a job in his favorite bookstore on Main and 5th.
41. Have they ever had sex with their own gender?
See responses above.
42. Name some prejudices h/she has:
Overly sensitive people, abuse, idiocy, lawyers, overly flamboyant David Bowie-type homosexuals, love stories, special treatment, etc.
43. Give me something random about them:
He can tell you the alphabet backwards but not forwards. His favorite color is black. He has an affinity for The Who and Pink Floyd. He’s partially colorblind and very sensitive about it. And Stanley Kubrick once approached him in the library, asking if any book should be made into a movie, what did he think it would be. When Horace replied “I dunno… AClockwork Orange?” Stanley tipped his hat and walked away.
44. Do they drink?
Yes. Not excessively but his favorite drink is ginger-spiced Cognac, He has it specially shipped from a small port in the east Indies. Probably the reason why he‘s always so warm.
45. Smoke?
Yeah, Horace is a chain smoker and usually has a Black and Mild between his lips.
46. Do drugs?
He’s addicted to opiates and cocktail shrimp, still slightly frozen.
47. Are they addicted to anything?
See response above.
48. What’s their impression at first glance?
Stand offish, unimpressed by what the world has to say, hardened, except on stage where all of those negative attributes seem to vanish away.
49. Is this true once they’re more well known to someone?
No. Like I said, underneath it all, he’s a child-like softie.
50. Name something that’s different about them now than when you first came up with them:
The events of his life. I never really had a whole plot to go by when I created him, just a face in my head that I liked. And then when I introduced him to
, I realized how much I had missed him. And how much I had left out of his persona. He was half-assed before 2009.
51. Is there anything about this character that’s surprising to you?
How real he can seem sometimes. And how many people look like him! *cough*BradleyCooper*cough*
52. How was their childhood?
Considerably normal until Jack came into the picture, he was just like any other kid.. just passed on from orphanage to orphanage within the inner cities of Chicago. A Red Sox fan, played in the mud, made friends easily and kept in touch with his mother through letters. Then, after being fostered out, Jack starts keeping the letters from him and eventually Horace loses contact with his mom altogether.
53. What’s one of their weaknesses?
Tommel, he loves that dog more than he loves life itself.
54. Their greatest strength?
He’s not easily manipulated and hardly ever gets angry. He could remain calm even during the most distressful situations.
55. Something they hate:
Everything he has prejudices against.
56. Something they love:
Tommel. Fresh double chocolate chip muffins. The first cigarette from a new pack. Baths. Hiking. Deep sea fishing…
57. How’s their self esteem?
Without the addition of ‘self’, his esteem is fairly okay.
58. One thing they hate about themselves:
The fact that he can never deal with anything. Such as grieve or make amends for the people he’s wronged in the past.
59. One thing they love about themselves:
Being able to adapt to new situations without much hassle. And his clothes.
60. How’s their ego?
He doesn’t really have one, he neither prides the talents he has nor voice his loathing. He simply is.
61. Describe their past:
I think the only part I haven’t covered yet is how he originally arrived London. It was yet another attempt to run away from his problems, this time escaping from his drug lord involvement (which was soon to prove fatal if he didn’t change his plan of action) by taking a passing cruise as a stowaway to the British Isles at the age of 23. Once docked, there he traveled via train and.. let me hand it over to Horace to tell you the rest of the story. An excerpt from yet another character survey I’m working on.
“Well.. on my first visit to London from Ireland via train-car, I accidentally ran into Cary Grant on the way to the toilet, literally, his suit was covered with the remnants of my gin and tonic. But, ever the gentleman, he simply shrugged it off with a “Be more careful next time, dahling.” to lighten the tense moment.
He invited me back to his compartment and the two of us wiled away the hours basking in the interest of each others company, sipping martinis and popping wisecracks. I don’t remember exactly how it was brought up, but I mentioned to him that acting was a career move I had considered in my travels and he seemed thoroughly intrigued. Even wrote down the address to the Rowland Playhouse for me with a special message to Rowland Sr. *laughs* Bless his soul, the old coot couldn’t read for these big thick-glassed specs on his face.. but he believed me without question. Even gave me an acting job that very day. In fact, that’s how I came to know Denny .. he was always my inspiration in the playhouse.”
Until Denny runs off with a woman, another bad actress like himself from the playhouse, and breaks Horace’s heart yet again. Horace vows off relationships and love altogether.. until… a certain drag queen by the name of Samuel Theodore Cox enters his life unexpectedly at the ‘Rub-a-Dub-Dub, 3 Men in a Pub’ during a Who/Moody Blues gig.
62. How was their family life?
He never really had one so lately, with Tommel and Theo now he seems to be making up for lost time.
63. Are they happy now? Why?
As life usually goes, there are good days and bad days.
64. Do you like them?
I do. You would think I would be sick and tired of him by now, wouldn’t you?
65. Would you get along with them if you met them in real life?
Probably so, although Horace and I might have too many similarities. We may well clash. Haha..
66. Would they like you?
He would tolerate my insolence.
67. Are they smart?
He wouldn’t admit to his intelligence, but yes. A street sense aided by the fact that he loves a good read.
68. Are they tricky?
Devilishly tricky..
69. Do you know how they are going to die?
Probably from liver failure or reenacting a battle scene from Hamlet.. something that would let him go out in style.
70. Do you plan on killing them off?
Not anytime soon.
71. Do they like to read?
Besides catching new movies, that’s his favorite pastime.
72. What’s their favorite… book?
‘Gulliver’s Travels’ by Jonathan Swift and ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.. his favorite authors though are Rudyard Kipling and Carl Jung.
73. Movie?
‘A Day at the Races’ and ‘Dr. Strangelove’
74. Person?
Theodore, Tommel, Groucho and Peter.
75. Time of Day?
Night time. Insomnia gets the best of all of us.
76. Animal?
Tommel. And woodchucks..
77. Thing to do?
It’s constantly changing . Whatever he is doing at the time usually becomes his new favorite thing. Right now, it’s accompanying Theo and Tommel to the park for a rousing game of fetch. Theo usually has to bring the ball back.
78. Are you tired of this meme yet?
Pretty much.
79. Has it helped you?
It actually has, at least, the chronology portion of it and Horace’s characteristics. I’ve never written them down all in one place before.
80. Will you do it for another character?
I might, I have a few other characters in the works right now that this would help illuminate.
81. Go tag some people. And go tell xxcrashgirlxx on DEVIANTART that you used it!
I'll just tag a few randoms, you don't have to do this if you don't want to, believe me.
Love you guys!
Hey Guys!
She brought it back in the house and we opened it together, wide eyed and excited as our character-themed Christmas cards slipped out as well as a comic-style painting of her Richard and my Horace meeting. We plan on going to get frames for them sometime tomorrow. 
Hungry
Peaceful
Disbelief
Tearful
