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.

  1. Name: Stylianos Evangelos Passaris (II).
  2. Nickname: Stelio. Less a nickname, more a necessity. At work, they call me the Lord of Darkness. There are reasons.
  3. Birthplace: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.
  4. School: Ascham House and Royal Grammar School, Newcastle.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Favourite shampoo or conditioner: No particular favourite, really. Whatever is around at the time.
  9. Favourite colour: Tricky one, that. If pressed, I'd say black.
  10. 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.
  11. One pillow or two: Two, unless they're too thick.
  12. 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.
  13. Favourite movie: LA Story, by Steve Martin.
  14. Favourite hobby: Role-playing games, perhaps? Or computers? I'm not certain.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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!
  18. Toothpaste: Um, whatever. Oh, and Wrigley's Extra sugar free chewing gum.
  19. Favourite food: Mmm. Not sure. Possibly raw fresh cucumber.
  20. Do you get along with your parents: Yes, especially since I'm actually a clone of my father.
  21. Favourite town to chill in: It used to be Newcastle, but now it's probably Edinburgh. In general, the place I know the best.
  22. Favourite kind of ice cream: Pistachio (hello Ingrid Pitt!) or possibly, maybe, peanut butter flavour.
  23. Favourite pop: Water.
  24. What's your bedtime: If left to my own devices, early morning.
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. Favourite website: My own? Or is that too narcissistic? Okay then, I'll say the Burger Bastard Web Carbuncle.
  28. 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).
  29. Least favourite subject: Well I dropped history quite early, in favour of the Ancient Greek, so I suppose that's the one!
  30. 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.
  31. 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.
  32. 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.
  33. What kind of work do you do: I'm hoping to become an actuary. Look it up.
  34. 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.
  35. Have you ever been shot at? Not with live ammunition from a gun.
  36. Sports: Fencing. Mostly foil and a bit of sabre (although I haven't officially been taught sabre).
  37. 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."
  38. Pierce your nose or tongue? Tongue. Can be hidden, and is apparently wonderful for kissing.
  39. Be serious or be funny? It all depends on the situation. If nothing's wrong, then funny.
  40. Boxers or briefs? Boxer shorts, for the freedom that they afford to my anatomy.
  41. 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.
  42. Single or taken? Taken and happy. Very happy. :-)
  43. Simple or complicated? I don't believe there is a difference.
  44. Law or anarchy? Anarchy requires law to exist, so the question is meaningless.
  45. Flowers or angels? Angels, because flowers die too fast if plucked. It's too sad. But flowers are more beautiful.
  46. 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.
  47. Read or write? You can't have one without the other.
  48. Colour or black-and-white photos? Colour, usually.
  49. Sunrise or sunset? Sunset is far more spectacular.
  50. Rap or rock? Rock. Definitely. In fact, heavy metal.
  51. Stay up late or wake up late? Stay up late. It comes naturally.
  52. 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..?
  53. Is it POP or SODA? I'm not American. Neither.
  54. Leather wallet or velcro wallet? I'd choose leather, but I own velcro.
  55. Eat an apple or an orange? Both?
  56. What came first, the chicken or the egg? The egg. Think evolution.
  57. Wet Seal or Contempo? I don't understand the nature of your question.
  58. Light or dark nail polish? Dark.
  59. Tall or short girl? Tall, but shorter than me (which is over six feet anyway).
  60. Emerald or ruby? I think ruby. Green seems, to me, to be slighty evil. I'd prefer to pick diamond, though.
  61. Jeans or Khakis on guys? Jeans, for convenience, but khakis are very nice. Again, it depends on the situation.
  62. Left or right: I'm right handed, much as I'd like to be a lefty or ambidextrous.
  63. 10 Acquaintances or 1 best friend? One best friend. Where's the choice?
  64. Vanilla or chocolate cake? Chocolate.
  65. 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.
  66. Green beans or carrots? Green beans.
  67. Low fat or fat free? Fat free.
  68. Ponytail or leave it down on girls? I'd say long hair should be left naturally.
  69. 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.
  70. Kids or no kids? Kids, mmm. Aren't I too young to be broody? Do men even get broody? Damn genes.
  71. 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.
  72. 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.
  73. Mustard or ketchup? Ketchup, although mustard is more exciting.
  74. 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.
  75. Newspaper or magazine? Magazine, if that. Both are a huge waste of natural resources, but newspapers especially.
  76. Sandals or sneakers? Sneakers. Sandals require bare feet, and British weather requires socks.
  77. 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.
  78. Hug or kiss? Hug mostly. Depends on the person...
  79. 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.)
  80. Happy or sad? Happy on the outside, sad on the inside. Archetypal clown.
  81. 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.
  82. Favourite TV show: I don't watch TV much. For my childhood memories, Bagpuss gets my vote.
  83. What's on your mouse pad: He he. A scary monster.
  84. Worst feeling in the world: Loss.
  85. Best feeling in the world: New love.
  86. 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.
  87. Do you get motion sickness? No.
  88. Future sons' names: Evangelos Kritias Stylianou Passaris. It's a family thing.
  89. 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.
  90. Are you a good friend? Always.
  91. What pisses you off the most? Myself.
  92. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? No. Catt gave me this little teddy bear. It's called Winchester.
  93. 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.
  94. Zodiac sign: Virgo, the virgin. It used to be true. "Times change, Peter, people change. Come on son, I'll buy you a drink."
  95. 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.
  96. 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.
  97. 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.
  98. What is your favourite quote? Hmm... There are so many... Let me think a while, okay?
  99. Have you ever been in love? Yes. I am now. @−’−,−−
  100. 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.
  101. Pick a song you can relate to. Now there's a question. How about Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.
  102. When you first meet a person of the opposite sex, what do you notice? Their face. I'm not one to ogle bodies.
  103. 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.

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