Phreddy's Survey

[bubosquared]

A. INTRODUCTION

• It's about me.

Hi. I'm Phred. I'm a 37-year-old mild-mannered pervert from the antipodes; Australia to be precise.

I'm no sociologist or psychologist: I'm preparing this survey because I enjoy filling them out, and my observation is, so do a significant number of other people. However, I've gotten a little bored seeing the same questions popping up ad nauseam, so hopefully this one will be a little bit different.

I've got no plans to tabulate or even collect the reults, although if you fill it in and post it on the web (in an on-line journal, for example) I'd be interested in seeing how you went. Leave me a note here - http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?itemid=7434600

This is Version 1.0. If there are any changes or additions you'd like to see, leave a note at the location above.

1. Where did you find this survey? or Who brought it to your attention?
You did, silly geen. ^_^

• It's about you.

2. How old are you?
I was born 20 December 1980, so I'm twenty and a half.

3. What is your gender?
Female.

4. What is your country of birth?
Belgium.

5. What country were your parents born in?
Belgium.

6. What is your genealogical makeup (the country of birth of your known ancestors)?
If I remember correctly, Belgian, Dutch, German and French -- in that order.

7. Has anyone in your family, as far as you know, prepared a family tree?
Yes, my grandfather. He's still working on it.

8. If your answer to question 7 was "yes", do you know how far back they have been able to trace?
About nine to ten generations, I believe. At least one brach all the way back to the seventeenth century.

9. What language(s) do you speak?
Dutch, English, French and some understanding of German.

10. Do you speak a different language at home (your present home or when you're with your parents or close relatives) to that you speak "in the street"?
Er. Depends. I speak Dutch with my parents, but English with my collegues and friends. MOstly because my collegues are Brits and my friends are Americans and Canadians. Except for Steve (jintro).

11. How "comfortable" are you using English - for example, do you find it easy reading and responding to this survey (in a purely language-related sense)?
I consider it my second maternal language.

12. Are you generally identified In Real Life by the name your parents gave you?
Er. By my collegues, yes. Steve tends to flick back and forth between Sofie and Melle. I don't really care either way, but if you're an English-speaker, I prefer Melle to that aweful pronunciation of Sofie you people seem to favour.

13. If your parents/siblings heard or saw you identified by the name(s) you are known by on-line, would they know immediately that it was you?
I don't know. Don't think so.

14. Would you like to legally change your name?
Meh. Not really. I'm happy with my real name. It'd be too much of a hassle.

15. If your answer to question 14 was "yes", what's stopping you?
N/A.

B. WORLD WIDE

• Your place.

16. Which continent do you live in?
Europe.

17. Which country?
Belgium.

18. On average, do you believe the place where you live is too cold, too hot, or just right?
Just right. (I am probably the only Belgian you'll ever hear that from. ^_^)

19. Name five things that you believe the rest of the world knows best about your country.
Chocolate, waffles, lace, Jean-Claude Van Damme, beer.

20. Name five things you believe the rest of the world should know about your country, but probably doesn't.
Food, Toots Tielemans, K's Choice, dEUS, the fact that our revolution was started with an opera.

21. Are you homeless, or have you ever been without a permanent place of residence?
No, thankfully.

22. If you are not currently homeless, what type of residence do you live in now (for example: high-rise unit, detached house, flat)?
I'm currently freaking out moving from my student's room into my first flat. Wai.

23. How many other people share this residence with you?
In the flat, no one. In the student's room, I have two housemates.

24. Do you live with your parents (birth or otherwise) or other genetically-related relatives (other than your children, if any - for example: brother, maternal grandparents)?
No.

25. Do any pets share the residence (species and number)?
No. But I want a cat, and another rat. (Previous one died, sadly.)

26. If you could choose anywhere in the world to live, where would it be?
I'm happy where I am. Or maybe London.

• My place.

27. Name five things that you know about Australia.
It's on the other side of the globe, there's a large desert in it, people speak with a loverly accent, the capital is Canberra and they produce Neighbours.

28. Name five cities in Australia.
Melbourne, Canberra, Sidney, ... er ...

29. Name five native Australian animal and/or plant species.
Kangaroo, austrich (sp?), wallaby, koala, and. Um. Something.

C. WEB

30. How many years have you been using the internet?
About four.

31. Do you access the internet primarily for business or pleasure?
Pleasure.

32. What's your main access point to the internet (for example: work, home, school)?
Work, but that'll change once I'm settled in in the flat and have cable access.

33. What browser do you use to surf the web?
Netscape.

34. What do you hate about your browser?
It tends to crash a lot, but then IE is hideously slow. Or seems to be.

35. What are its best features?
It's faster, sleeker than IE.

36. Have you ever changed your primary browser? If so, from what, and why?
No.

37. What is your favourite website?
Er. LJ, prolly.

38. What is your favourite type of website (for example: comics, porn)?
Journals, comics, fanfic archives. In that order.

39. What is your favourite search engine?
Google.

40. What was the last search that you did?
I think that was for The Police pictures.

41. How many times per week, on average, would you use a search engine?
Two, three times, I think.

42. Do you use an Instant Messaging system (for example: ICQ, AIM)?
Yep. AIM (badevilgrrl and femgeek) and MSM (femgeek@hotmail.com).

43. How many people are on your Contact List?
On AIM: 95. On MSM: 28.

44. How many of those do you know in real life?
Um. About five.

45. Do you use an on-line e-mail system (for example: Hotmail)?
Only for sending, since the firewall at work won't let me send email through Netscape.

46. How many active e-mail accounts do you have (those that you use)?
One; two if you count the hotmail account I send from.

47. How many contacts do you have in your e-mail address book?
About 50.

48. How many of those do you know in real life?
Um. One.

49. Have you ever changed your IM account or dropped an e-mail address deliberately, in order to "hide" from people you no longer wish to associate with, or to avoid a steady influx of spam?
No, but i'm about to change my hotmail address to avoid spam.

D. GETTING PERSONAL

• Your mind.

50. Do you really love yourself?
Yes.

51. Do you get depressed fairly regularly? Any particular reason?
Sometimes. Usually because of friendships (threatening to) go(ing) awry, or other interpersonal problems.

52. Have you ever felt suicidal?
Yes.

53. Have you ever seriously attempted suicide, or otherwise injured yourself deliberately?
If the scratching counts, then yes.

54. Do you think you would be capable, in a different place and time (for example, during wartime) of inflicting pain or possibly death on another person in order to extract information (in other words, to torture someone)?
... I don't know. I really don't. It's possible.

55. Do you think you would be capable, in a different place and time (for example, during wartime) of inflicting pain or possibly death on another person in order to extract revenge?
Yes, but not calculatedly; only in a fit of rage. Is it still revenge, then?

56. If you were a villain, what kind of villain would you be (for example: Machiavellian schemer, mad doctor, super-powered psycho)?
Shemer. Definitely shemer.

57. What always makes you smile?
Boy Meets Boy. My friends. My girlfriend.

58. What's the best moment in your life to date?
Um. Seeing U2 snuggle not three feet away from me was pretty good. I'd have to stick witht the Snugglefest, though. ^_^

59. What (or who) has made you happiest in your life to date?
Molly, Jess, Steve, Nette, Tri, and all my other friends. (I'm looking at you here, Rox.) But especially those five.

60. What event made you the saddest in your life to date?
Running away from home.

61. What's more important to you on a day-to-day basis, after work or school are done - spending time with friends or spending time alone?
Spending time alone.

62. What physical space (if any) do you escape to when you want to free your mind?
My bedroom. My flat, in the future. A place that is mine and only mine, and entirely my own.

63. Is there anywhere or anything you find encourages particular creativity in your thoughts - gives you your "best ideas"?
Chat. Talking to friends. Music.

64. What was/is your favourite subject in school (other than phys. ed.)?
History, English, and sometimes maths.

65. What was/is your least favourite subject in school (other than phys. ed.)?
Geography, Latin, and most of the times maths.

66. Did you do/are you [doing/considering] a college or university degree? If so, what?
I'm thinking of going back to study after my work hours. Journalism.

67. Do you own a dictionary? Do you use it often?
Yes and yes.

68. Should toilet paper hang in front or behind the roll?
Front. I'm quite (pardon the pun) anal about that.

• Your soul.

69. Are you spiritual?
Yes.

70. What, if any, religious group do you "belong" to?
I'm Christian.

71. What, if any, religious group did your parents "belong" to when you were a child?
Um. None, really. They're agnostics.

72. Did you ever rebel against your parents spirituality as a child/teenager?
No. They left me free in my beliefs, so there was nothing to rebel against.

73. Do you believe you have a soul and, if so, what do you believe it is?
Yes, and I don't know.

74. Do you believe in an afterlife?
In a way, yes.

75. What, above all else, do you believe?
That mankind is not inherently evil/bad.

• Your body.

76. How would you describe your height (for example: average, petite)?
Average. Although most people claim I'm tall for a woman.

77. How would you describe your build (for example: overweight, scrawny)?
Curvy.

78. Would you like to change either of the above two aspects of your physical self?
No. I'm happy with my body.

79. What is your opinion on circumcision?
Um. Whatever. My brothers had it done for medical reasons. I don't know if I agree with doing it routinely, though.

80. Are you circumcised (yes, Virginia, females can be circumcised - but, thankfully, on the whole aren't)?
No, and after reading a detailed description of the procedure, I'm quite happy with that, ta.

81. What is your opinion on body piercing?
I have my ears pierced, a labret, and am planning many more. What do you think?

82. What is your opinion on tattoos?
They're cool, if done right. I'm saving up for more.

83. What is your opinion on other forms of permanent body decoration (for example: scarification, branding)?
Also cool, as long as one knows what one's doing. I'm thinking about scarification myself.

84. Do you shave your head, or have you ever?
No. I may do it one day, though.

85. Do you shave your pubes, or have you ever?
No.

86. Do you shave most or all of your body hair, or have you ever?
Just my legs and armpits, if I get round to it.

87. Would you change gender if there was a "magic", but irreversible, pill available today?
No. I'm a happy female.

88. Would you change gender if there was a "magic", reversible pill available today?
Maybe just for a few days, to try out.

89. Are there any other aspects of your physical self you'd prefer were different?
I severely dislike my hands. They're ugly. But i'm coming to terms with them. And I wish I'd not have such a downward-curving mouth. People always tell me to cheer up, even when I'm happy. Bleh.

• Sex and sexuality.

90. How would you describe your sexuality?
I'm a dyke.

91. If applicable, at what age did you lose your virginity?
N/A.

92. Are you presently in a live-in relationship and, if yes, is this relationship legally recognized where you live?
Relationship, yes. Live-in, no. However, marriage (as in, actual marriage) will be open in Belgium for same-sex couples next year. Now we just have to work on more-than-two-partners marriages.

93. If your answer to question 92 was "yes", are you generally content with this relationship?
N/A.

94. If your answer to question 92 was "no", would you like to be part of a live-in relationship, and would your preferred relationship be legally recognized where you live?
I'd like to live closer to my girlfriend, yes, but I don't think I'm ready to live with anyone, not even her. LAT relationships are my preference, thanks.

95. Is your sexuality legally recognized (as opposed to illegal) where you live?
Yes. Always has been.

96. Do you have any children that you're aware of?
Heh. No.

97. Would you like to have [more] children?
No.

98. Do you consider yourself sexually adventurous, within the bounds of your self-defined sexuality?
Er. I'm a virgin. Later, yes, sure, I'll experiment. But right now I'd be happy with any sex.

99. Do you masturbate? If yes, how regularly?
Yes. Three times a month, on average. (I have no sex drive to speak of.)

100. Have you ever "willingly" participated in sexual activity that has disturbed or distressed you?
No.

101. What's your opinion of consensual sexual activity involving bondage and/or other forms of mild discipline?
Whatever floats people's boats. Don't know if I'm into it or not.

102. What's your opinion of consensual sexual activity involving sado-masochistic activity?
See above.

103. Safe sex and contraception aside, what's your opinion of condoms?
Er. In my situation, they're rather pointless.

104. If your answer to question 90 was not "bisexual" or "asexual", would you consider either a "fling" or a relationship that did not correspond with your self-defined sexuality (for example, if your answer to question 90 was "heterosexual", would you consider having sexual relations with a member of your own gender)?
That would depend on the person. But in all probability, I'd not feel attracted in that way to a male anyway.

105. Have you ever participated in sexual acts (including mutual masturbation) with members of the opposite gender?
No.

106. Have you ever participated in sexual acts (including mutual masturbation) with members of the same gender?
Does cybersex count?

107. If you are male, have you ever participated in the "soggy biscuit" game (where several males masturbate onto a cracker or similar, and the last to finish must eat it)?
Um. Ew?

108. In a perfect world, would your answer to question 107 be the same?
No idea. N/A.

• Dressed for the occasion.

109. In a perfect world, would you wear clothes at all?
Yes. But only goth clothes.

110. Boxers or briefs?
Er. Panties.

111. Why do the tags on women's underpants often include a chest measurement, even though they're sold as single, unmatched items?
I don't know. Do they?

112. Artificial or natural fibres?
Natural.

113. If you were given $2000 (or the local equivalent) and told to spend it as you pleased, what proportion would you spend on clothes or accessories and, of those purchases (if any), what would you buy?
Oh dear. Right now, I'd spend some of it on a desk, table and chairs, tv and video for my flat. The rest on clothes from Hot Topic and such, plus a sizeable amount would go towards my planned trip to the States in December to go see Molly and Tri.

114. Generally speaking, what do you wear in bed?
Panties. Nothing else.

115. Do you prefer a quilt/doona/whatever-you-call-those-bags-of-feathers-or-polyester-filling-where-you-live, or blankets?
Bags of feather. Hate blankets.

116. Do you use an electric blanket in winter?
No. Sleeping naked cures the cold problem. (I know that sounds contraditory, but the body heat warms me up faster than any electric blanket ever could.)

117. Do you usually wear socks?
Yes. Otherwise, I'd chafe my ankles bloody in my boots.

118. What type of footwear do you prefer, given a choice?
Boots. I need support for my ankles. Either than or barefoot.

119. Do you blow your nose on tissues, handkerchiefs or your sleeves?
Hankerchief.

120. Do you wear eyesight aids (glasses, contact lenses)?
No.

121. If your answer to question 120 was "Yes", and it was financially or logistically possible, would you have laser surgery to correct your eyesight? (Or have you?)
N/A.

122. Do you wear sunglasses at night?
No. I'm not that goth.

123. Do you prefer to carry your money in a wallet, purse or your pocket?
Pocket. I carry everything in my pocket. I don't even own a purse.

124. In cold weather, do you generally overdress, underdress or dress appropriately?
Dress appropriately.

125. On a really hot day at home, what would you probably be wearing, and what would you most likely be doing?
Bikini bottom and t-shirt, reading and/or surfing the Net, or sleeping.

126. Do you regularly wear sunscreen in summer?
Yes. Always. Factor 20. I burn easily, and I've a heightened chance for skin cancer, so I'm not taking chances.

127. Do you prefer to tan or stay out of the sun?
Stay out of the sun. (Tan? And mess up my nice white complexion? Horror of horrors!)

128. What do you find more appealing in a (potential naturally-pale) partner, tanned skin or untanned?
Untanned.

129. Do you think "tan lines" - the border between tanned and untanned skin - are sexy?
Depends on where they are.

130. What particular outfit in your wardrobe gives you the most pleasure to wear?
Boots, stockings, vynyl skirt and sexy top, in combination with a choker and lots of eyeliner, black nailpolish and lipstick.

131. In order, first being most important, what three categories of clothing do you gain the most pleasure from wearing (for example: jeans, pyjamas, cashmere jumpers, kilts - and yes, I know that's four)?
Tops/(t-)shirts, jeans, skirts.

132. What outfit or article of clothing do you find most erotically appealing?
Tops.

133. Have you ever been to a nudist colony?
Spent most of my childhood summers in them.

• Everyone needs a hobby.

134. Other than surfing the internet and answering pointless questionnaires, name (up to) five hobbies that you enjoy.
Reading, writing, music, playing board games, going to concerts with people I like.

135. Given a choice between indulging in a hobby and participating in sport (team or solo), which would you plumb for?
Depends on the hobby and the sport. And on my mood. Sometimes I prefer swimming to reading, sometimes it's the other way round.

136. Are you a sporty type of person?
No.

137. Do you visit a gym regularly, or otherwise work out?
No. I go swimming sometimes, and I (rarely) run, but that's it.

138. If your answer to question 137 is "yes", for what purpose?
N/A.

139. What's the most important factor to you in regard to your favourite hobbies?
Eh? Creativity, I suppose.

140. What's your opinion on penguins?
PENGUINS! They're cool. Awesome.

141. Do you fear the penguin? [Do you understand this question?]
No and no.

• Stuffing your face.

142. What's your favourite cuisine (for example: Chinese, Greek, French, Nouvelle)?
Anything but Nouvelle Cuisine. If I ask for food, I expect to be fed, not starved. Other than that, I like anything with lots of veggies.

143. What's your least favourite cuisine?
Nouvelle Cuisine. ^_^

144. What do you never want to eat again?
Meat.

145. What do you wish you'd never tasted in the first place?
Papayas.

146. What known foodstuff would you never consider eating?
Er. Apart from meat? I dunno.

147. If you identify as carnivorous or omnivorous, what animals eaten by humans (possibly in other countries) would you definitely not eat (examples include horse, rat, dog, pig)? Why?
N/A.

148. Butter or margarine?
Depends. To cook, olive oil. On bread, margarine. On cake, butter.

149. White or wholemeal bread?
Wholemeal.

150. What's your favourite fast food?
McD's filet-o-fish menu.

• Working for the man.

151. Are you presently employed? If so, what field do you work in?
Yes. Administration.

152. What would be your dream career?
War reporter. Maybe writer.

153. Are you more likely to save or spend?
Spend.

154. Do you have any particular weaknesses that you'll spend money on frequently, even though you know you probably shouldn't (for example: chocolate, shoes, prostitutes, books)?
Yes. Clothes, books, candy.

155. When you were a kid, what did you want to grow up to be?
Journalist or writer.

156. What would you most like to do with the rest of your life, in terms of employment?
See above. In the immediate future, this is a good job. Say, the next five years.

157. What's stopping you?
Education, inspiration.

158. If you had a guaranteed, no-strings-attached income for life, such that you were no longer obliged to work for a living, how would you spend your time?
Writing. Maybe drawing a bit.

• Colourblind.

159. What colour are your eyes?
From the inside out: brown, green and blueish green.

160. What colour is your hair (naturally and now)?
Naturally: dark blone/light brown. Now: bleached blonde.

161. Given freedom of choice and practicality, what colour would you prefer your eyes and your hair to be?
Eyes are fine. I'd love this to be my natural hair colour (makes it easier for dye to take), but then i'd not have the cool black roots when it grows out.

162. What colour hair and eyes would you prefer your partner(s) to have, or is that issue totally irrelevant?
Mostly irrelevant, though I have a thing for redheads and people with extremely dyed (blue, purple, etc.) hair.

163. What colour are the walls of your bedroom?
Now, blue and yellow. In the flat, they'll be warm orange and red. Think Arabian colour sheme.

164. What colour would you prefer them to be?
Flat's my ideal.

165. Do you have a particular preference for a certain colour (or colours) in your clothing?
Black, sometimes with dark blue.

166. Do you know why I spell "colour" with a "u"? Do you care?
Aussie spelling, I'm assuming. I prefer it with, since I use Brit spelling.

E. BACK TO THE FUTURE

167. Five years ago, did you expect your life to be much as it is now?
Expect, no. But looking back, if I'd known then I'd end up like I am, I'd be happy.

168. What about ten years ago?
Ditto.

169. Twenty years ago, personal computers were comparatively rare and extremely primitive by today's standards. If you were alive and capable of independent thought that long ago, did you even remotely imagine the impact these machines would have on our lives now?
N/A. I was but a toddler then.

170. When did you first have regular access to a computer, and what did you primarily use it for?
We got our first PC around 1990. I used it for games and programming.

171. What is your opinion of cloning?
I don't think it should be used on humans until the general public is more accepting of clones. There are enough hated and discriminated-against minorities in the world that we don't have to create another one.

172. What do you think about genetically modified foods?
I prefer not to eat them until more is known about their long-term effects.

173. Do you believe that Artificial Intelligence is possible and, if so, what timeframe do you envisage it will require before computers are capable of original thought on a par with humans?
Yes, but not for another 20 years or so. Maybe closer to 30.

174. Do you believe that most domestic chores will one day be performed by robots or androids?
... I have no idea. For some reason, I'm leaning towards 'no', but I've no rational explanation for it.

175. Do you think a cyborg - a human with functioning mechanical parts over and above "basic" medical replacements - will ever be a reality?
Yes, and probably before A.I. is reality.

176. What message would you like to leave your children (let us for the moment assume that you have, or will have, some), when they reach the age you are now?
"Live your own life, and live it for yourself. Be all you want to be."

177. If you could place three items (any size) into a time capsule to be opened in the Gregorian year 2500 (current Gregorian year = 2001), what would they be?
A bible, a quoran, and a tora (that is what the sacred book of the jews is called, right?).

178. If your ancestors had placed three items (any size) into a time capsule 150 years ago to be opened by you today, what would you hope to find?
A description of everyday life, an object they attached a lot of sentimental value to, and a dried flower.

179. If you could travel back in time to visit your ancestors in the year 1901, what would you tell them?
I'd be too busy asking questions to tell them much. "We're happy and healthy" would probably be the best i could tell them. Wouldn't want to mess up any time continuums, after all.

180. If you could travel back in time to visit your ancestors in the year 1950, what would you tell them?
... No idea. See above.

181. If you could travel back to any point in time to communicate with any of your ancestors (ancestor-finding and language-translation software included), what period would you return to and why?
None. As fascinating as it is to look back and learn about my ancestors from here, I have no interest in actually meeting them. That'd destroy the whole magic of geneaology.

182. If you could prevent one single historical event from happening, what would it be?
None. Every historical event has contributed in leading the world to where it is now, and there's no telling what one small change in history could mean for the world of today.

183. If you nominated an event for question 182, what do you imagine the present-day consequences of your action would be?
See above.

Comments

[phreddyboy.livejournal.com]

“the fact that our revolution was started with an opera.”

That is impressive!

“29. Name five native Australian animal and/or plant species.
Kangaroo, austrich (sp?), wallaby, koala, and. Um. Something.”

The ostrich is native to Africa. You're thinking of the emu... ;-)

“68. Should toilet paper hang in front or behind the roll?
Front. I'm quite (pardon the pun) anal about that.”

Correct answer! Ten points. ;-)

“81. What is your opinion on body piercing?
I have my ears pierced, a labret, and am planning many more. What do you think?”

I'm fascinated by body piercings. I don't have any myself (I'm a coward...), but one day...

“111. Why do the tags on women's underpants often include a chest measurement, even though they're sold as single, unmatched items?
I don't know. Do they?”

The ones I wear do...

Thanks Melle. That was a very good and thoughtful series of answers - I enjoyed reading it!

(Doesn't hurt that it's the first one for the day, either... ;-)