❯❯❯ A P P E A R A N C E ❮❮❮
▻ Every measure of James is edged in softness. Long rounded features with a subtle expression of jaw gives James gentle sweeps in shadows that lightens any hard edges, or corners of his face. Severeness doesn't translate well in James' expressions, sadly; anger doesn't suit him and neither does tension. Handsome would be a good expression of James' features, if used in the context of commenting old ladies or mothers of friends who had a smidgen too much to drink. He's good-looking in a stable, ordinary way. Special isn't something James appears to want, especially concerning his own looks.
Having an incredibly tall stature does nothing for James' humbleness. Most people find it incredibly hard to not notice a 6'4" behemoth (beanpole) standing over them, no matter how 'gentle' they look. The added musculature from military training that quickly dissolved into necessary routine doesn't aid in softening his first impressions. After the first 'Whoa' is out of the way, a second look definitely dispels any notion of James as anything but a dumb softy.
Most of James' clothing consists of pairs of jeans, nice slacks, and lots of nice sweaters and button ups. Mostly sweaters, though. He likes the sweaters. It's all very toned down, as well as very typical of James. For some reason, the whole sweater game seems to fit him. Maybe it's that shy, dad vibe he seems to give off or the sense that he's chastity, faith, and Sunday Church goer personified. He's even got the loafers to prove it.
❯❯❯ P E R S O N A L I T Y ❮❮❮
"The measure of a man is not how great his faith is, but how great his love is." - J.C. Watts
▻ He's not your typical man, but he is what you'd expect when you look at him. James comes off as an open book and that's true, for the most part. The only things James hides consist of personal memories and issues he's thinks aren't privy to appropriate, acquaintance type relationships. He's soft spoken, if a little goofy, with an entire heart too big to fit in his chest. A big heart doesn't make him likable; being nice doesn't grant a person charisma. What's most apparent when James tends to show his face is his unbelievable persistence and lack of personal boundaries in social situations (barring divulging in dark, personal secrets).
Driven by an underlying loneliness, James seeks personal companionship without realizing his own trespasses. He more so makes acquaintances rather than friends just because his personality tends to veer on the personable side of things. The rest, the lack of timing, the personal space issues, the humble persistence, keeps everyone he knows at arms' length. It's an overbearing attitude, that tends to overwhelm most people, regardless of whether or not social interactions make them claustrophobic. James is a stifling presence in and of himself, with an exhausting demeanor he's not so aware of.
But the thing about James is, everything he does is out of sincerity. Not a lot of people come off quite so genuine, and actually mean it. James is every bit as genuine as he seems, to an almost fake degree. Helping people, guiding people, giving people hope has been something of a job for him for years. It's a crutch. It's something James tends to fall back on when he's on the verge of losing himself. Faith plays a big part in that and even in his lack of relationships, it keeps him hopeful and optimistic, even in his loneliness.
❯❯❯ H I S T O R Y ❮❮❮
▻ Old money deludes perspectives. Having money grants people the opportunity to care little about what happens outside of personal effects. Materialistic in the simplest form; nothing to do with philosophy. This is about an excessive amount of greed.
Laura and Howard Jones knew absolutely nothing outside of mansions and private jets. Their world consisted of money and continued to do so until their quiet deaths. Thus, their son became an anomaly of sorts, perhaps one that took their church visits too literal - appearances of a wholesome family of Christian values. To want for nothing affected Jameson differently than his parents. With a foundation of faith built upon the years, often lacking intervention from his own parents (negligence, perhaps), Jameson learned very quickly not to care for money.
Growing up, a lot of Jameson's life consisted of a stark lack of people - his parents in particular. Having tutors comprise most of his education due to a constant, moving environment (both Laura and Howard brought their son along on their business trips, purely to increase their positive image) denied Jameson of any long term relationships. He relied a lot on himself for entertainment, and when he could he took quite a lot of time truly indulging in the Christian ideals his parents seemed to tote around. Early on, there really was no realization to how badly they tended to exploit that for good press and better business. Jameson took it seriously and when he'd grown a little older, a little smarter, he was in too deep to care what his parents thought.
Which likely unveiled the already gaping rift between both him and his family - him and his world. In his university years, Jameson quickly fell into a deep depression. Things truly came into perspective then: how much his parents cared for him, how disconnected he was to both them and other people, and how the world he'd built could never hold out under pressure from not only his parents, but society itself. Those years, Jameson had no idea how to hold himself up or where to go from where his family essentially dumped him. So, Jameson turned to his faith - the one constant in his life that afforded him some kind of stability.
The rift tore even wider upon graduating from his own university, and enlisting as chaplain in the U.S. Army. He'd earned his degree, changed his major, and quickly accumulated the required time in theological studies afterwards. It took a few good years to earn a spot in his local church's clergy, and quite a few more spending his time working there before enlisting in the Army. All of which, his parents had been far too busy to even ask what he planned on doing, how he planned to live, whether or not he'd take over their company when they needed him. The woes of having only one child and not caring for them enough to guide them when absolutely necessary.
By the time he'd announced his idea to both parents, Jameson was already sent off to make good of himself.
Most of Jameson's time in the army was spent on bases overseas consisting of providing his services to a number of soldiers, as well as their families. His career had been enlightening, at the most, though detailing out every year he'd spent as a chaplain would come as quite uneventful. It wasn't until long into his own term that Jameson's faith faltered. Quite a few atrocities remain unnamed and buried in the sand. Jameson's time spent in the Middle East didn't quite go as expected, or planned. Witnessing people he'd said prayers for, gave advice to, counseled commit acts of monstrosity burned a hole in Jameson's heart. And then having to witness the same ordeals against them shook him even further.
Quite a bit of Jameson's past, especially concerning his latter time spent as an army chaplain remains under lock and key. He often attempts to convince himself that it's merely out of politeness; you don't tell people the horrors you've seen out of respect. It's more than difficult to accept those horrors that have swiftly become a part of you. Jameson is no exception to the rule and refuses to touch upon the things he's witnessed because he's scared - frightened of it and what he could have done to stop it, but didn't.
Guilt drives people to do a lot of things and it drives them to refuse a lot of things, as well.
Upon arriving home, Jameson packed up, gathered everything he had accumulated, and simply refused to go anywhere near his memories beyond that point. He quickly moved to the west coast, used what money he'd saved up, and applied to a college there. Everything up to that point had been mindless. He picked a major to study in, trucked through his courses, and got a job after graduating. Nothing really registered until he'd gotten a call announces the death of both his parents. To cancer, they said. They would read the will and dole out what was left to him and any other immediate family.
Knowing they had no legacy to acquire their company, the Jones sold it to a competing company, liquidized their assets, sold their share of the stock, and essentially gave everything to their child. They had absolutely no reason to and to this day, James still tries to wrap his head around the why of it. He's become accustomed to simply letting it be, for now. With everything, James sold the many mansions and villas his parents had spread across the world and simply took the one they seemed to live in most frequently. It felt weird giving everything up, selling it, and having all this money to deal with. James didn't want it, but didn't find a reason to lose it, quite so much as just save it for when he needed it. Thus, he packed up and left for the rather grand manor in Lakewood Summit.
Why, Jameson couldn't divulge. They had a number of memories spread around the house. He didn't want to admit it, but there was a lot of things he missed about his parents, mainly in the things they'd grown to love or kept. Namesakes and things he'd stumbled upon rummaging through various closets and storage rooms. Perhaps once he finds everything, he'll leave, though that's quite a bit of ground to cover. And as he gets closer to finding the pieces his parents left behind, Jameson finds he's quite torn with just leaving it all behind. Selling everything. Letting it all go. It seems almost wrong and while he certainly doesn't fit into the surroundings he's found himself in, Jameson is quite content in just settling in for the time being.
❯❯❯ O C C U P A T I O N ❮❮❮
▻ Inherited family money and home; after army, went to school for marine biology as a quick, impulsive decision. Specializes in whales and love just about every bit of it. Works for a University that travels every few times a year to study in the Pacific.
❯❯❯ H O B B I E S ❮❮❮
▻ Jogging/Fitness - Routine helps Jameson clear his head, especially if it directs his focus solely one what he's doing. Going to the gym at the Country Club and just jogging around the neighbor help lighten his thoughts and his mood.
▻ Baking - After his return to America, Jameson did a lot of just wandering around. A lot of his time consisted of taking classes around the city he lived in before word of his parents' death. One of those happened to be a culinary class; baking was among the few he really took to. Now he bakes whenever he's feeling depressed or out of it.
▻ Volunteer Work - Wherever Jameson can get it on his time off, he'll put in pletny of hours just simply volunteering, especially around the University he works for.
▻ Dancing - Tap dancing in particular, as well as tango and salsa. Like the baking thing, it's among the few things Jameson took upon himself to learn. Of course, it's one of those private things and he'll usually indulge only when he's alone, though he can sometimes be bribed to dance with a partner.
❯❯❯ R E L A T I O N S H I P S ❮❮❮
▻ Character’s Name 1 – relationship – Brief description of relationship
Snowdrops
Damo021
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