Rodney Hall, Auburn's "Wizzard", is an enigma. Shrouded in mystery, his purpose remains unclear.
What students do know is that he definitely looks like a wizard, and he can be spotted in front of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library on occasion.
In order to clear the air, the Wizzard agreed to sit down for an interview to answer a few questions.
Q: How do you balance Rodney Hall and The Wizzard? Is it the same or do you go back and forth?
A: It's the same. The 'Wizzard' kind of was a projection to some degree. I based it off of Rincewind from the Terry Pratchett books, which is where wizard--spelled with two z's--comes from because he thought he was really, really intelligent.
It also has a bit of a humbling effect to it, because Rincewind knew no magic whatsoever. He was the greatest wizard in "Discworld," he knows no magic and is a coward.
He runs from danger, but happens to always, actually be running toward danger; and with his luck, he always saves the day.
I took some aspects of that, because it was a while before I came out of the broom closet. That was an easier way for me to come out of the broom closet because I was like 'Oh no, this is a fictional character that I really relate to who is one of my favorite characters.'
It's sad that what I do to make a statement is act like myself, be like myself, dress like myself, hold to my beliefs, have no apologizes for them and be honest with what I say and think. In 2013, it's sad that, that's making a statement. But it is, and that's the statement I hope everyone can make some day.
Q: Are you worried people think you aren't being yourself?
A: Everywhere I go, people say why the costume? I am not wearing a costume, but I am wearing a costume.
We are all wearing costumes because we all dress, to some degree, in a form of costume. It's based on what you want to look like or based on what society said you should dress and wear.
I am wearing less of a costume than most people because I don't listen to society or trends.
I wear what I like, and what I think looks good... And generally, I'm right. I am pretty fabulous.
I know a guy who's a cowboy, and he always dresses like a cowboy, because he is a cowboy. That's it. He won't go to an opera in tux and tails. He'll be dressed like a cowboy. That's who he is. It's the same kind of thing with me; I'm just a lot, you know, weirder... and more creative.
Q: Staves or wands? Which one do you prefer?
A: I like both of them. It's kind of like one's a bigger version, one's a smaller version.
Although they serve a lot of the same purposes, staves can help you walk, but they serve a lot of the same purposes.
Q: Who is better, Gandalf or Dumbledore?
A: Well, they're really close and I love both of them... But, I'm gonna have to say Gandalf, just because even death don't get him down.
I mean come on, let's be fair. Dumbledore died. Gandalf did too, but then he said, 'OK I'm done with that! I'm back! Sorry!' So yeah, I love them both equally, but if you want to really lay it down, Gandalf. Death can't even beat Gandalf.
A: Do you feel as though you are more powerful, magically, when you collect knowledge?
Q: Knowledge is power, in every sense.
I also don't agree that there is taboo knowledge. Maybe not all of it is relevant, but it's all important.
So yeah, in anything, knowledge is power. The more you know, the more in control you are, and the more you're in control of that situation. I'd rather know than not know. I think that's almost the fundamental basis of a wizard's personality. A wizard would rather know, even if it makes his life worse.
Even if that knowledge makes the world a darker place or changes my perception on things, or puts a burden on me because I now have that knowledge. As from where to begin with, it was all puppies and ice cream.
Q: What do you feel the universe wants you to do? How do you plan on helping people?
A: I help people by helping people. I'm trying, and I think we should all learn that we should have some unity with individuality.
If we could all come together, and let people just be who they wanted to be, we would be an unstoppable force; if we could come together as a species, as humans.
But not say, 'you have to do this, you have to do this;' but let people follow what they want to do, what they want to be because it would be a perfect conjunction.
Somebody wants to do everything. Someone wants to be a janitor. Someone wants to be a plumber. Someone wants to be a brain surgeon. If we didn't have this, 'you have to do this' and not hate each other, and realize that we are all the same.
Most of what somebody can do to hurt your feelings is not what they are doing, it's what you are letting them do because they are your feelings.
For instance, let's say you call my mom a b----. Some people could get really, really upset. Now, is that your fault?
There are two different outcomes that could be from that, but it's really up to me.
But if that person gets upset, it's not you that made them angry; it's them that made them angry to your words.
I'm just trying to bring us all together because we are amazing. We should all love each other. I don't understand disputes of stuff or territory or religion.
We're all human and why can't we just agree to disagree on opinions?
I've actually had people tell me my opinion was wrong. It is my thoughts on a subject.
How can you tell me my thoughts on a subject are wrong? They are not facts or non-facts, they're opinions. It's what I think about something.
Q: Tell us about the magic you can do.
A: I was born an empath. I can naturally feel people's emotions. When I was younger, I would actually take on people's emotions and realize that those emotions were not coming from me.
There's a science to magic.
We are made up of energy, and everything is made up of energy.
So the energy inside of you, you can call it the spirit, chi, your will, your soul; you have this energy in yourself.
Metaphysics is using your energy to program the energy of the world.
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