[hider=Joey][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/HW5O25z.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/YuqWgUz.png[/img]
[sub]"Every day begins with an act of courage and hope: getting out of bed." - Mason Cooley[/sub]
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[color=EEEB34]Nicknames:[/color]
[indent]Joey - by close friends and family.
Joe - by friends and people who don't know him well.
Matt - by his mother.[/indent]
[color=EEEB34]Age:[/color]
[indent]33[/indent]
[color=EEEB34]Gender:[/color]
[indent]Male[/indent]
[color=EEEB34]Occupation:[/color]
[indent]Full-time child psychologist
Part-time psychology professor at Silvervale University[/indent] 
[color=EEEB34]Sexual/Romantic Orientation:[/color] 
[indent]Homosexual[/indent] 
[color=EEEB34]Time of occupancy in Redwoods:[/color] 
[indent]1 month[/indent]
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/s1NGM9n.gif[/img]
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[color=EEEB34]Appearance:[/color]
[indent]Joey has a youthful air about him that makes him seem younger than he is. He doesn't have a baby face, though, he was just blessed with the appearance of youthful beauty. His face is more square, his jaw strong, with barely there facial hair darkening it. He likes the look of a five o'clock shadow against his pale skin. He sunburns easily, so he doesn't often try to get a tan. He also has freckles and a few moles dotting his face, not a lot, but a few that stand out, traveling along his cheeks and down his neck. His short hair is dark, a deep brown, that he styles in a way that it sweeps to the side, sometimes a lock falling onto his forehead. His eyes are a green with hints of hazel speckled through them; they're surrounded by long, dark lashes, and set under thick eyebrows. Set in front of them is a pair of black glasses, making his eyes look bigger than they really are.

He doesn't often work out, though he tries to be somewhat active. He likes walking, he enjoyed hiking when he tried it out, and maybe jogging if he's really feeling it. He's not one for hitting the gym, though. His body is still plenty lean, though. His fast metabolism allows his 6'1 frame to stay slim, appearing pretty fit, though maybe there's a little belly there when he sits down. He would [i]never[/i] admit to it, though.

He usually dresses professionally. It's rare to see him in a graphic t-shirt and jeans. His wardrobe consists mainly of slacks, khakis, sweater vests, dress shirts, suit coats, ties, polo shirts, bow-ties, sweaters, plain t-shirts, dress shoes, and boxer-briefs. Where Joey expresses himself, though, is through his socks. Often, when he sits down, his pants legs will ride up to reveal his socks. They could vary from a bright color, to even having cartoon characters on them. He [i]loves[/i] weird socks.[/indent]
[color=EEEB34]Personality:[/color]
[center][indent]Perfectionist [color=EEEB34]|[/color] Intelligent [color=EEEB34]|[/color] Sensitive [color=EEEB34]|[/color] Organized [color=EEEB34]|[/color] Talkative [color=EEEB34]|[/color] Friendly [color=EEEB34]|[/color] Giving[/indent][/center]
[indent]Joey doesn't let his OCD define him. He tries very hard to be something more than his disorder. Between medication and psychotherapy, it has gotten better, but naturally, it isn't cured. As a result, he still suffers from compulsive tendencies, but he isn't quiet about it. Not being diagnosed with OCD until much later in life, the confusion and embarrassment caused anxiety and depression to bloom inside of Joey's mind. He has been getting proper treatment for years, now, so he is a completely different person than he was years ago. Though, Joey has always been a very friendly, and helpful person. He loves putting a smile on somebody's face, whether he manages that by cracking a lame joke, or making a stupid face. He'll willingly act goofy just to make somebody laugh. He always smiles at a stranger, no matter his own personal mood. Sometimes, people just need a little kindness in their life, even if it's just a smile from a stranger. He also believes that everything doesn't have to be so serious, and enjoys humor sprinkled in almost everything.

He has always been sensitive. Sometimes, he can't tell when somebody is being playful and joking, and may take someone's words to heart. He tries to hide the hurt, not wanting to cause a fuss, though if it keeps bothering him, he'll seek the person out to talk to. He does not bottle things up. He tries to deal with his emotions first, by himself. But, if that isn't working, he goes to the source of his emotions to have a calm discussion. He rarely raises his voice or gets angry. He forgives easily - sometimes too easily - and gives out multiple second chances. Unless it's to his students. He used to be a student himself. He knows how they function.

He has always gotten clumsy and stutter-y when his nerves get the best of him. When his anxiety peaks, he has butter fingers, often dropping his glasses, or knocking papers onto the floor. This results in him getting flustered, and he gets red-faced [i]very[/i] easily, and he starts to stutter, unable to form a proper sentence. It makes him embarrassed, especially if he's in front of his class. Though, he's learning to handle it better; once he begins to get flustered, he has learned a few tricks to function through enough that he doesn't feel too foolish.

Joey struggles to adapt to change. He is a man of routine, even if his OCD may shove itself in the way, and he likes some things a certain way. He is getting better at dealing with unexpected delays, or a change in plans, but it still sends his heart racing, or makes his palms sweaty. He likes a steady, set schedule. He doesn't like erase marks in his planner.

When Joey didn't know he was suffering from OCD, and it was a lot worse, he was very ashamed and embarrassed about it. After he got help, and began to go to psychotherapy, he realized what path in life he wanted to take. Along that path, he learned to become very open about his own disorder and illnesses. He is not ashamed of who he is, though he may get embarrassed and sheepish at times. He's very apologetic when it hinders somebody else, and tries his best to make sure it won't.

Joey is pretty non-judgmental. He's a very accepting person, who will embrace almost anything about anybody. He tries his best to listen to all sides on a disagreement, and will throw his hat into the ring if he feels a need to voice his opinion. He loves a healthy debate, and hearing the sides of opposing opinions. Joey is a talkative fellow, but he listens as much as he talks. He respects just about everybody, and wants to help as many people as he can. He has a strong desire to pass on his knowledge to others, which is why he became a professor. He adores children, and it's why he loves working with them. After what he went through in his childhood, he wants to help as many kids as he can.[/indent]
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[color=EEEB34]Habits:[/color]
[indent]Joey has a tendency to mess with his glasses a lot. Be it adjusting them, rubbing the ear piece, or taking them off to clean for the fifth time in a two minute span, his fingers are always being drawn back to his glasses. If he isn't messing with his glasses, he's probably licking and chewing on his lips. He also has to have an exact amount of change in his pocket. He can't have a cent less, or a cent more. If he uses cash at a store, he will refuse to take the coin change. He has to have an exact 99 cents in his pocket, even when he's at home and in sweats. Another thing that he [i]has[/i] to do, or risk having a attack, is open and close his bedroom door twenty times at bedtime. No matter the time he's going to his bedroom, if he's about to settle down for sleep, he has to do it. If he's interrupted during it, he has to start over.

He will get up between five to eight times a night, double checking the lock on the apartment door. He'll unlock it, then lock it back. He has also found that, when he's a romantic relationship that has crossed the physical line, he has to kiss his partner fourteen times in a row when first seeing him. Just little pecks, fourteen times, when upon seeing them the first time that day. Or, it'll bother him until he does it. If they part ways, and meet up later that day, he has to do it again. He also has the habit of repeatedly straightening his papers on his desk. He has to have his space neat and clean, or he'll get twitchy and can't concentrate. He [i]really[/i] doesn't like to see his student's desks messy, but he can handle that better, since it isn't his desk. He just tries to not look at the desk.[/indent]
[color=EEEB34]Background:[/color]
[indent]Joey was raised in a well-known part of New Orleans: the French Quarter. His parents were well off enough to be able to afford a place right on Royal Street. People always say only children turn out to be strange; well, Joey was not the exception to that rule. If anything, he was [i]very[/i] strange. Joey never liked to play with other kids his age, because they would always mix up the toys after he organized them by color and size. He was not a social child growing up, his parents concerned, but assuming he would grow out of it.

Joey continued to grow, and while he grew out of his shoes, he didn't grow out of his bad attitude. His parents were hoping the problem would work itself out. Naturally, it didn't. In middle school, his parents were forced to take action. Joey's grades began to drop, since he couldn't finish a test because he couldn't fill in the circles on the scantrons [i]just right[/i]. After a lot of stress and countless doctor visits, Joey was diagnosed with OCD. It seemed to spiral from there. Finding the right medication and therapist for Joey was hard. He became a different kid a lot from reactions to the medicine and frustration at not liking the therapists.

In high school, he began having panic attacks and struggled to get out of bed. Anxiety and depression. His parents were determined to get him the help he needed. So, they moved around Louisiana, until they settled in Silvervale, drawn back to their city. In Silvervale, they found a therapist that Joey latched onto, and slowly, they got his medication correct. Joey became a whole new person. Of course, he wasn't cured, but he was so much better. His grades soared, and he became sociable and friendly, unlike before. He started to shove his nose in any Psych related books he could get his hands on. One author in particular, Chris Steller, stood out to him. Especially since the man's first book was on repeated habits. Joey [i]loves[/i] that book, and holds it close to his heart. After another couple years, he graduated alongside his class at the age of seventeen.

Joey went to the University of New Orleans. He majored in psychology with the desire to help children, so they didn't have to go through such stress like he had. He minored in teaching, hoping to inspire others to help those around them. His parents moved back to the French Quarter, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. During college, Joey discovered his desire for men rather than women. It had always been there, but with everything going on, he had never pursued it. Now, he had the chance. He met a man his age that was majoring in literature. Chidi Adisa was a transfer student from Africa. He was amazingly kind and patient, and Joey was falling for the man quickly.

Though, not all of Joey's OCD tendencies were gone, and Chidi's patience only lasted for so long. The man was hooked to his studies, and couldn't handle both his school work and Joey. He left Joey, explaining to him that getting his degree was more important, and that Joey would find somebody who was meant for him. Joey was devastated. There were [i]three weeks[/i] between them and their one year anniversary. Now that anniversary would never come. Joey nearly lost himself in his depression, barely passing that semester of school. Once his mother got wind of what was happening, she phoned Joey's therapist in Silvervale, who personally came to him.

It didn't immediately heal him, of course, but it gave him the boost he needed. Slowly, he got better, though he hadn't tried dating again. He was too afraid of scaring yet another person off. He got lost in his studies, quickly raising to the top of his class. He earned his degree in teaching, and after another five years, earned his Ph.D. He graduated with honors, at the top of his class, and found himself going back to Silvervale. He reconnected with his therapist, and settled down in Silvervale, earning a place as a child psychologist. Four years passed when he saw the local university advertising for a part-time Psychology professor.

He had no experience in teaching, yet the university was desperate. Their current Psychology professor had too heavy of a load, and was threatening to leave. Because of Joey's high education and experience as a psychologist, they gave him the job. He struggled a lot at first, but he slowly got the hang of it. Balancing his two jobs was hard, but after three years of being a professor, and a continuing child therapist, he has gotten the hang of it.

Unfortunately, a month ago, Joey's apartment building burnt down. He lost everything, nearly sending him into a panic, but he had to pull through. He couldn't lose his jobs from a breakdown. He did have to take some time off, to find a new place, get new things. He ended up stumbling across the ad for Redwood Apartments. He immediately applied, needing a place as soon as possible. He was thrilled when he was accepted. He moved all his fresh, new things in, and is still settling down. He is still reeling some from the lost of his old apartment, losing a few sentimental things, but he is learning to adapt to change better.[/indent]
[color=EEEB34]Extra:[/color]
[indent]An important NPC to Joey that lives in Silvervale is his therapist, Lucas Alma.[/indent]
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[hider=Relations]
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[b][color=EEEB34][h3]Joey's relationships[/h3][/color][/b]
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[i]2A[/i]
[color=007DFF][b]Junhoe Park[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34]I've bumped into Junhoe a couple times now... one time, I actually bumped into him. He was so concerned and sweet - he seems like a really good person.[/color]"
Joey hasn't had much interaction with Junhoe, but the couple times he has had interaction, Junhoe was always very kind and respectful. Joey's impression of him is that he's a really good and nice guy that Joey wouldn't mind getting to know better.
[color=ace1af][b]Cecil Maynard[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[color=cadetblue][b]Jonah Zhu[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34]Oh, ha... I ran into this man once, an early morning... he had a really cute dog, and um... face, too. I couldn't help but immediately drop to my knees - to pet his dog!! Oh-oh my god, uh, he seems... really nice, and his... dog is really cute.[/color]"
The only time Joey has really had an interaction with Jonah is one time when he ran into him outside the apartment building. One morning Joey was up early, he went for a rare walk to clear his head, and he spotted the other man walking his dog. Joey has a weakness for pets, so he immediately took a liking to the beautiful husky. [i]Then[/i] he noticed the husky's owner. He got so nervous, he forgot completely to ask for the man's name, and excused him quite quickly afterward. He [i]still[/i] feels like an idiot for that.

[i]2B[/i]
[color=cd8235][b]Nikolai Tchaikovsky[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[color=violet][b]Robin St. Michel[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"

[i]3A[/i]
[color=B8949B][b]Jolie Smith[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34]My second week here, I ran into Jolie on the roof. She was talking to herself, I admit, I was a little concerned... but, after talking to her, Jolie said she was trying to figure some stuff out regarding OCD... and then I found she is very knowledgeable in psychology... I enjoy those moments I find her on the roof and we can pass time talking.[/color]"
Joey loves the times he runs into Jolie. He knew they would be great friends when their first exchange was about OCD. He has found himself on the roof quite a few times already, talking to the woman about everything psychology, exchanging knowledge and experience within the subject. He has admitted Chris Steller is one of his favorite authors, and the man who inspired him to truly dive into psychology, yet Jolie didn't seem very interested in that particular topic. Nonetheless, Joey enjoys the times when he runs into Jolie, and can have a deep talk with her.
[color=#F8D740][b]Aulora Wise[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[b]Pepper Thompson[/b]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"

[i]3B[/i]
[color=f6989d][b]Moritz Gang[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34]Ritz is... haha... he's a really sweet guy. Ever since I stepped into that apartment, he has made me feel welcomed and comfortable. He also feeds me so... I can't complain about him. It's only been a month, but I already consider him a really good friend. I feel like I can talk to him about... anything, to be honest.[/color]"
Joey has liked Ritz since the moment he met him. His kind and accepting nature made Joey feel right at home that first day he stepped foot in the apartment. He hasn't had many issues with Ritz during his first month at Redwood. He has noticed that it seems like Ritz is slightly impulsive, but nothing extreme has come from it yet. He enjoys the moments he stumbles into the kitchen for coffee, and finds homemade wrapped goodies on the counter made by Ritz himself. In all honesty, Joey cannot imagine a better [s]or cuter[/s] roommate thus far. Joey hasn't admitted yet that he always hears [i]puttin' on the ritz![/i] in his head whenever he addresses Ritz.
[color=EEEB34][b]Joseph Hughes[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[color=fff79a][b]Victoria Bouvelard[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34]Victoria is a sweetheart... when I moved in, I immediately noticed her own struggle with OCD... she seems really honest, too, because when I asked, she told me. I think it has made us closer, though. She's sort of becoming the sister I've always wanted, though I don't know if she feels quite that close to me yet. Either way, she seems like a smart young woman with a good head on her shoulders.[/color]"
Joey took an immediate liking to Victoria when he met her. There was something about her that drew him in, and it didn't take long for him to catch on to the fact she had OCD. He actually admires her for the way she speaks up and doesn't seemingly care what others think of her. Though she seems quite opinionated, to the point she will argue, but Joey has learned how to handle that part of her. That part of her doesn't change his positive opinion of her in the slightest.

[i]4A[/i]
[color=FF69B4][b]Renata De Leon[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[color=83322F][b]Edward Desai[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"

[i]4B[/i]
[color=b7eda4][b]Aria Holbrook[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[color=cadetblue][b]Josiah Marshall[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"

[i]4C[/i]
[color=fdc68a][b]Rosie Burton[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[color=FAF69C][b]Hae-Seong Cho[/b][/color]
"[color=EEEB34][/color]"
[/hider]

[hider=Flower Child Counseling]
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It wasn't very hard for Joey to find a job after he graduated with his Ph.D. After three years of gaining experience, a good reputation, and saving money, Joey opened up his own private practice, Flower Child Counseling. It had been a dream of his since he had started college. He had a specific image in his head of what his practice would look like. He wanted it to not only look like a home, but feel like a home, as well. He looked long and hard before finding this piece of property. He made sure it was easily accessible and perfect for what he wanted. Originally meant to be a home, he transformed it into his practice.

The dining room was turned into an office for his secretary, and a waiting room for the parents to sit and relax. The kitchen was used like a break room for his secretary and himself. The living room was turned into a play area for the kids; there was a TV, toys, comfortable chairs, and a reading corner. The backyard was set up like a playground. The upstairs had Joey's office, in a guest bedroom. The master bedroom was scattered with different toys and comfortable sitting places, meant for the kids to feel better when being in there with Joey and talking. The other bedroom was used as a storage room of sorts, not often touched. Overall, Joey was happy with what he turned this place into. He managed to make his appointments work around his college schedule, and can be found either in his office at the university, or his office at his practice. He had four years to perfect his schedule, after all.[/hider]