The Ultimate Survey
I saw this on Mykl's web site, and copied it across. For point of reference my responses were written on the evening of Monday the 7th of June, 1999. Choose a different day and my responses would definitely have been different. Time for an update, I think. Not a new page, since most of the answers remain the same, but it's been a couple of years and I think this deserves a more up-to-date set of answers. It's now Saturday the 30th of April, 2002. New answers are this slightly different colour.
- Name: Stylianos Evangelos Passaris (II).
- Nickname: Stelio. Less a nickname, more a necessity. At work, they call me the Lord of Darkness. There are reasons.
- Birthplace: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.
- School: Ascham House and Royal Grammar School, Newcastle.
- Bacon bits or croutons: In what? On their own, I'd say bacon, maybe, but I'd generally go for the croutons I think. With more experience, I can now say that bacon bits are things of evil. If they were actually bacon, then maybe, but not those American-style grains of fakery. So yes, croutons.
- Favourite salad dressing: It has to be raw and untainted. Vegetables are wonderful fresh. Only if I had to choose one would I then say Caesar.
- What type of deodorant do you use: Whatever is handiest. At the time of writing, either Harley-Davidson or Apollo Axe (Lynx in Greece). I've given up on sprays for a while, so I'm onto Gilette ClearGel now.
- Favourite shampoo or conditioner: No particular favourite, really. Whatever is around at the time.
- Favourite colour: Tricky one, that. If pressed, I'd say black.
- Best friend: It varies with time, and it's rare for me to know who my best friend is in the present. I reckon I'd go for Mykl.
- One pillow or two: Two, unless they're too thick.
- Pets: None. My grandparents (on both sides) used to have dogs that I grew up with. Fond memories. Now my maternal grandmother is into cats, as is my mother's sister.
- Favourite movie: LA Story, by Steve Martin.
- Favourite hobby: Role-playing games, perhaps? Or computers? I'm not certain.
- Dream car:
I would choose a classic British motorcycle, a Norton. If it had to be a car, then a Jaguar. Motorbike-wise, I like retro stylings but some of the classic British bikes are a little ugly. Sad to say, I do rather like the Yamaha retro bikes.
- Type of car you drive: In the UK I drive my
parents' own Fiat Punto. In Greece I drive the Rover Metro, Cinquecento, or Piaggio Fast Rider.
- Word or phrase you overuse: It varies with time.
Currently, "bizarre" and "sweet" (that last one's your fault, Darryl). Probably "indeed" at the moment. Blame the Tick!
- Toothpaste: Um, whatever. Oh, and Wrigley's Extra sugar free chewing gum.
- Favourite food: Mmm. Not sure. Possibly raw fresh cucumber.
- Do you get along with your parents: Yes, especially since I'm actually a clone of my father.
- Favourite town to chill in: It used to be Newcastle, but now it's probably Edinburgh. In general, the place I know the best.
- Favourite kind of ice cream: Pistachio (hello Ingrid Pitt!) or possibly, maybe, peanut butter flavour.
- Favourite pop: Water.
- What's your bedtime: If left to my own devices, early morning.
- Favourite shoes: Varies. Perhaps my bouncy sneakers? My favourite socks, though, are big and red and fluffy. I think the walking boots I've got to go to Peru in are going to grow on me.
- Favourite song at the moment: At the moment? Right this minute it's Bastard by Devin Townsend from the album Ocean Machine. It's the album playing as I'm typing these words. No update. I like far too much music
- Favourite website: My own? Or is that too narcissistic? Okay then, I'll say the Burger Bastard Web Carbuncle.
- Favourite subject in school: My favourite personally is mathematics, but at school it may have been Ancient Greek (due to the teacher and the classes and many other factors).
- Least favourite subject: Well I dropped history quite early, in favour of the Ancient Greek, so I suppose that's the one!
- Favourite sport to watch: To watch? Well I don't usually watch sport on the media, so in person it would have to be a fencing competition. But it would only be because I would know the people involved. It makes it much more personal when it's your friends fighting.
- Most humiliating moment: I find public failure and embarrassment humiliating, but no particular event springs to mind. I tend not to be ashamed at what I've done, since I accept that I must live with the consequences of my actions.
- Favourite holiday: I remember from when I was a small child, we used to visit a resort in Senegal called Nianing. I love that place in the way that only childhood memories can inspire.
- What kind of work do you do: I'm hoping to become an actuary. Look it up.
- Are you an inside or outdoors person? Much as I love the outdoors, and as much as I'd love to be an outdoors person, I fear that I am indeed an indoors type.
- Have you ever been shot at? Not with live ammunition from a gun.
- Sports: Fencing. Mostly foil and a bit of sabre (although I haven't officially been taught sabre).
- Say one thing about the person that sent you this: I guess this was a chain e-mail then? I nicked it from Mykl's page, so I guess you have to read my page on Mykl. "He's so metal he clanks when he wanks."
- Pierce your nose or tongue? Tongue. Can be hidden, and is apparently wonderful for kissing.
- Be serious or be funny? It all depends on the situation. If nothing's wrong, then funny.
- Boxers or briefs? Boxer shorts, for the freedom that they afford to my anatomy.
- Whole fat or skimmed milk? I usually buy semi-skimmed, and drink skimmed with no qualms. Full fat repulses me in some sense. I'm now pretty much buying skimmed the whole time.
- Single or taken? Taken and happy. Very happy. :-)
- Simple or complicated? I don't believe there is a difference.
- Law or anarchy? Anarchy requires law to exist, so the question is meaningless.
- Flowers or angels? Angels, because flowers die too fast if plucked. It's too sad. But flowers are more beautiful.
- Gray or grey: Being of British nationality, grey, unless it's my friend Adam Gray, my colleague Andrew Gray, or the family of the woman I love: Bryony Gray.
- Read or write? You can't have one without the other.
- Colour or black-and-white photos? Colour, usually.
- Sunrise or sunset? Sunset is far more spectacular.
- Rap or rock? Rock. Definitely. In fact, heavy metal.
- Stay up late or wake up late? Stay up late. It comes naturally.
- More romantic: bath or shower?
I'd have to try a shared bath to comment fully. Shower; there's more room. Unless I try a really big bath..?
- Is it POP or SODA? I'm not American. Neither.
- Leather wallet or velcro wallet? I'd choose leather, but I own velcro.
- Eat an apple or an orange? Both?
- What came first, the chicken or the egg? The egg. Think evolution.
- Wet Seal or Contempo? I don't understand the nature of your question.
- Light or dark nail polish? Dark.
- Tall or short girl? Tall, but shorter than me (which is over six feet anyway).
- Emerald or ruby? I think ruby. Green seems, to me, to be slighty evil. I'd prefer to pick diamond, though.
- Jeans or Khakis on guys? Jeans, for convenience, but khakis are very nice. Again, it depends on the situation.
- Left or right: I'm right handed, much as I'd like to be a lefty or ambidextrous.
- 10 Acquaintances or 1 best friend? One best friend. Where's the choice?
- Vanilla or chocolate cake? Chocolate.
- Jennifer Love Hewitt or Denise Richards? Hmm. Having looked at those pages I put links to, I'd have to choose Jennifer Love Hewitt. But if I have to choose one of those young actresses, can't I go for Neve Campbell? Mmm. Dark.
- Green beans or carrots? Green beans.
- Low fat or fat free? Fat free.
- Ponytail or leave it down on girls? I'd say long hair should be left naturally.
- Silver jewelry or gold jewelry? Silver, but gold is what I have most of (from the years in Africa) so I tend to be wearing gold.
- Kids or no kids? Kids, mmm. Aren't I too young to be broody? Do men even get broody? Damn genes.
- Cat or dog? Cats are evil. Dogs are loyal. Even so, I think I'll go for cats? My favourite breed of dog is an Irish Wolfhound, but where would you keep it? You'd really need a country estate.
- Half empty or half full? If the object is meant as a container, half empty. If the contents is unwanted (like water in the Titanic) then half full.
- Mustard or ketchup? Ketchup, although mustard is more exciting.
- Hardcover or soft-cover books? I buy soft usually, for the price difference. If you love the book, and care for it well, it shouldn't matter. It is nice to have hardbacks though.
- Newspaper or magazine? Magazine, if that. Both are a huge waste of natural resources, but newspapers especially.
- Sandals or sneakers? Sneakers. Sandals require bare feet, and British weather requires socks.
- Red car or white car? Limited to that choice of colour, white. What I really would go for (and in fact do own) is dark green, like British racing green. Much nicer.
- Hug or kiss? Hug mostly. Depends on the person...
- Courdoroy or plaid? Uh? Neither! Tartan is another matter entirely, but only on kilts and boxer shorts. (Yes, I do have a kilt. I'm part Scottish too.)
- Happy or sad? Happy on the outside, sad on the inside. Archetypal clown.
- Live or die? You cannot have one without the other. To die one must live first. To live without dying is not life. The question is moot.
- Favourite TV show: I don't watch TV much. For my childhood memories, Bagpuss gets my vote.
- What's on your mouse pad: He he. A scary monster.
- Worst feeling in the world: Loss.
- Best feeling in the world: New love.
- First thought in the morning: Well that depends on my dreams and the nature of my awakening. Oh, and who's lying next to me.
- Do you get motion sickness? No.
- Future sons' names: Evangelos Kritias Stylianou Passaris. It's a family thing.
- Future daughters' names: I'm not sure. For both of these questions, I'd have to discuss it in depth with my wife (at the time) and both of our families.
- Are you a good friend? Always.
- What pisses you off the most? Myself.
- Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? No.
Catt gave me this little teddy bear. It's called Winchester.
- If I could meet anyone in the world who would it be? Anyone? That's a real tough one. Limiting it to living people helps a lot. And choosing someone I could actually talk with, and who would talk with me, limits it even more. Hmm. I'm really thinking about this one now. I'm not sure. Can I come back to this one later? Pants, it's later now, isn't it? Hmm. How about the Dalai Lama, then? Wisdom is an admirable thing.
- Zodiac sign: Virgo, the virgin. It used to be true. "Times change, Peter, people change. Come on son, I'll buy you a drink."
- What do you wear to bed? If I'm alone, pyjamas usually with some cartoon character on. If I'm with company, my clothes. If I'm with intimate company, whatever's appropriate.
- If you could have any occupation in the world, what would it be? Musician if I could get away with it, or a maths teacher if I could afford it.
- If you could have any tattoo, what would it be and where would it be?
I'm hoping to get a tattoo, actually. I was thinking of getting one done, but it's such a permanent decision that I may well never get it done. More details on request.
- What is your favourite quote? Hmm... There are so many... Let me think a while, okay?
- Have you ever been in love? Yes. I am now. @−’−,−−
- What's on the walls of your room?
Posters, concert tickets, and assorted paperage. My bedroom has a tasteful mirror from the Pier, but otherwise the walls are elegantly bare.
- Pick a song you can relate to. Now there's a question. How about Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.
- When you first meet a person of the opposite sex, what do you notice? Their face. I'm not one to ogle bodies.
- What's under your bed?
At the moment, boxes with stuff in. Food, volumes of Cerebus, clothes, movie camera lighting, the usual. Nothing bar a pair of slippers.