Member Spotlight: Avendaella Tikvah
Author: Jeffan Caliarthan, published July 2012
Newly raised Aes Sedai of the White Ajah, Avendaella Tikvah, tells us about her experience at the Tower, and why she loves it so much!
Avendaella Tikvah joined the site as a little over two-and-a-half years ago in December of 2010 upon the recommendation of her cousin and long-term member, Jenarra. "I was totally scared at first and I came in on a free week. I guess the biggest thing was I didn't want to piss anyone off so I didn't want to post. I jumped into chat a few times and even then was totally shy. I think my main reason for sticking around was I wanted to be in the Tower. I wanted the shawl and I wasn't going to let anything stop me. Once I got into the Tower I think I relaxed a little and let my personality come out. I had so much fun as a Novice. With the anti prank of painting the Ajah's back to their correct color to the Mardi Gras party we threw, I would go back and do it all over again."
Joining during a free week has caused many a new member to be scared off after thinking that we're all a little too freaky, but Avendaella, luckily, seemed to love it!
Like a few of our members, Aven didn't think that The Wheel of Time wouldn't really be her cup of tea. However, with the insistent urging of Jenarra, she finally got around to reading the series. "I didn't think I was ever going to read the series. Jen kept on telling me I just had to get on the site. I was nervous because this was so not my thing. I was finally convinced to read The Eye of The World and well, as they say, the rest is history." History, indeed!
Her favorite thing about the series? Well, it was kind of difficult for her to narrow it down (as I'm sure it would be for most of us!). "Gosh I love everything, the whole setting, the journey. I really love the Tower itself. I feel like there is so much more we could know about it but don't because that is a different story. Then all the love triangles? Hello! I love drama, and I love wanting two characters to get together and they don't. Then I have to be convinced that the other pairing is right." Who knew that The Wheel of Time was such a soap opera? As the Wheel turns, so does the pattern of our lives. "I also love the fact of how strong I want to re-read the series so soon after finishing it. I know it's been a few months but I still want to go back and start over. To me there is no series that I have read that has had that pull on me, at least not so soon after, a year or two sure but not months."
Something that came as a shock to me was that her favorite book in the series was Crossroads of Twilight, a book hated by many fans for its slow pace. Avendaella was a bit surprised to find out that other people didn't care for it! "OMG really? I never knew that fans loathed this book. I feel like you learn so much more about each character. The whole Mat/Tuon situation is hilarious to me. I feel like all the back and forth I went through with Mat, he was finally getting what he deserved. It was like someone trying to cover up two layers of cornbread, with peanut butter in between, and covering it in icing and calling it a cake. Plus I never thought that I would get so into the Perrin/Faile situation. I couldn't stand either one of them and absolutely hated that Faile joined the party and kept thinking she was better than people. But I ended up wanting for everything to be complete and hated that it didn't happen fast enough. I also love Elayne's and Eqwene's roles in this book. Elayne taking charge and not backing down is so me. When I get stuck on the 'I'm right and not going to budge' side of an argument my Princess comes out. Then with Eqwene she has to adapt to an old way accepting someone who is new. So much can always go wrong and there is always someone who has been around longer and thinks they know better."
Maybe some of us will revisit the book to look for those redeeming qualities, because after reading her testimony, I'm starting to think that I missed quite a bit while reading Crossroads of Twilight!
I asked Avendaella quite a bit about the Ajahs, because deciding on where you're going to spend the rest of your "life" at the Tower is probably the biggest decision that any of us makes at the Tower. "I loved guesting! I tried to be active in the Hallways in the specific Ajah threads to get a feel of the Ajahs. There were some places that I just knew weren't going to be my home after a few days but that's what it's all about right?"
Indeed it is, Avendaella! Indeed, it is.
"Now if you would have told me that I would be Aes Sedai of the White Ajah, I would have laughed in your face. They were one of my 'wild card' Ajahs. I was so sure that I was going Yellow that I was imagining my shawl. Then I guested White and thought 'Wow these ladies are fun!' I was officially torn; I loved the Yellows and saw myself there, but in White I was myself. I completely and totally let down my guard. I did leave White, for three days, I couldn't stand not being in the sitting room with them. I felt like part of me was lost. I felt horrible though because I knew that there were a few people who thought they knew were I was going and I didn't know what to do. So after coming back to White I went for a swim. Yep a swim, and while I was out in the water all I could think about were things I could suggest for the Whites. Feast days, Ajah stuff, anything to help make the Whites more known and not just all about bubbles... and that was what I needed. Soon after I sent my request to aspire and waited for Isarma to get back and respond (which liked to drove me insane because I almost asploded from the excitement) and when she finally responded she told me not to spam her inbox anymore. I don't think I have since."
Now isn't that the most delightful "How I found my home at the Tower" stories you've read in awhile? I practically swooned. It seems like while she hasn't spammed up Isarma's inbox for quite some time, she has spammed up other White places!
"[My favorite part about the White Ajah is] that I don't feel like I have to hide any part of myself. I create so many random threads and even though they may not get a whole lot of attention, it's not like I'm getting told to stop. Also the fact that we have such an easy time with discussions. No matter what the topic I know I can come to my sisters and I will get sound advice. They tell it straight. You hear all sides of the discussion and it never gets out of control. Which makes me relax more as I know I don't have to worry about drama in my home. I know that's not usually the case when women get together and are talking a lot. Usually someone will get mad but we seem to have control over all of it. Then of course it's the bubbles, but really I would love bubbles no mater what!"
When asked about her favorite, and least favorite, aspects of the Tower, she replied accordingly: "My favorite thing would be how diverse the Tower is. Never did I think that a site based on a book series would still be open to any topic that is not related to the series. With all the different people on here I have broadened my thinking and reasoning on certain topics. Not that I am a close-minded person; honestly I feel that I am open-minded, but I do have a certain way I see things. But as comfortable as I am I don't think I will ever be on the Current Events forums, it's just too much for me. Then there are all the fundraising opportunities we have. My least favorite? Not being able to have the money to go to all the live events. No, really, I am such a people person and I love parties. I feel like that I miss out on getting to know people by not being able to go. There is something different when you are talking face to face with someone rather than on a computer."
Hopefully Aven will be able to make it to one of our events and see how awesome the Tower can be in real-life!
Finally, since she is relatively new to the Tower, I asked her what she's looking forward to doing in her time spent here. "I really want to do as much as I can. I would love to eventually be MoN, MoA, a Sitter for my Ajah (probably multiple times), Heart... and tons more. Plus I'm not going anywhere so I have plenty of time so I know I have time to do each one of these. I love being on the OA Team right now and I love being behind-the-scenes planning everything. I'm also looking forward to seeing my mentee, Lythnia, complete her journey to Aes Sedai. I know that's all mushy but to me that's who I am, I get mushy and sentimental."
Speaking of Lythnia, I managed to get a little sound-bite from her regarding her mentor! "Aven has only been my mentor for a few weeks now, but I think I can safely say we're getting along famously. It's nice, because we seem to be equally bubbly and energetic, and we also have a lot of interests in common, which makes it easier. I love that she brings a positive energy to things, because the world just needs more people to bring something other than negativity to the table all the time."
Come on, let's just say it together... Awwwwww.
And that ends our interview with Avendaella! Check back next month for another spectacular interview!
