Big Survey
Sheta's Survey: Things I Really Want To Know About You by sheta_kaey
[I tried to fill this out last night, but then lost everything after finishing the last question. My spirit was broken. I will try again.]
1. Do you consider yourself more rational or gullible?
I used to kind of be both, where I was ridiculously skeptical of everything, but would periodically react emotionally to something before giving it any thought at all. Now I like to think that I'm pretty rational, but not to the point of ignoring my emotions and intuition.
1a. If rational, is logic a handicap for you? Are you skeptical to the point that it's difficult to consider new ideas?
Not anymore, I don't think. My ideas are pretty firm, but not hardened and brittle.
1b. If gullible, is this because you want to believe or because you don't think things through?
Back when I was, or at least manifested it more, it was primarily because I didn't stop to think.
2. What's your religion? Is this self-chosen or were you raised in this faith?
"Say nothing of my religion. It is known to God and myself alone. Its evidence before the world is to be sought in my life: if it has been honest and dutiful to society the religion which has regulated it cannot be a bad one." ~ Thomas Jefferson
Seriously, though... I'm Hermetic through and through. I consider this to be a philosophy rather than a religion, though any thorough philosophy (in the Greek sense of the word) includes religion as an integral aspect. My religion is, thus, Hermetic in nature whatever it may be. If you want more than that, it partakes of elements of Wicca, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity interpreted Hermetically.
3. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being "the clock always blinks 12:00 on my vcr" and 10 being "I make my living as a technophiile," how geeky are you?
If you're defining "geekiness" only by "technological aptitude", then I'd place myself at around 5 or 6. I can get by fairly well, but I'm far from expert.
4. Do you have any pets? What are they? Names?
I have three cats and a dog, as of now. Two cats are brother and sister from the same litter: black and white long-tailed manx by the name of Benny and Joon. The third is an American short-hair gray tabby without a name, but who answers to "the kitten". He hates names, so I quit trying.
5. Do you like cats? If not, why not? What makes some people just strongly dislike cats?
I love cats, but I also like dogs and other animals too. I don't know why people dislike cats so much, but I don't think I can be friends with somebody who hates them. Or, at least, I've never been able to in the past.
6. What are you afraid of? (write as much as you want)
Dying in a painful or violent manner, or somebody else dying in a painful or violent manner. Basically, unnecessary suffering of any kind.
7. What fires your soul with passion and inspiration?
Nature, in her cruel and benign moments. God. Hermetics. Philosophy & religion. Truth and beauty. Science. Human accomplishments. Compassion, peace, and liberty.
8. What's the most original idea you've ever had?
I don't know. I tend to be better at adapting ideas than coming up with them in the first place.
9. What did your favorite parent call you when you were a little kid?
I've never had many nicknames. My Dad sometimes called me Bug.
10. Did you have a school nickname or ridicule name that pisses you off to this day? Care to share what it was? Why did they call you that?
Nope. Sometimes people would make jokes about my last name (which is not Graham) but I always thought they were pretty sad attempts so they didn't bother me.
11. In what clique(s) did you hang out when you were in high school? Which ones did you secretly want to hang out with?
I didn't. I did have a group of friends, but we weren't elitist or insular. We all floated around pretty independently and had our own separate groups of friends, with just one another in common.
12. What prejudices did your parents try to instill in you? How long did it take you to realize how full of shit that was?
There aren't many. I was raised to be pretty accepting; my Godfather was gay and my aunt is a lesbian. I guess I was raised to be pretty anti-Christian. I just got over that a year and a half or so ago.
13. What prejudices or biases (either in favor of or against) do you hold today? Can you admit to them?
As I said, I just got over anti-Christianity. I used to be against religion in general. Now I guess my biggest prejudices are against bigotry and fundamentalism of any sort. When people display those tendencies and opinions, I have to fight with myself not to write them off right then and there. I also have a similar problem with violence and emotional abuse.
Also, perhaps more trivially, I have a problem with people who sag their pants, or who wear their ball caps or trucker's caps to the side, backwards, slightly tilted, or merely resting on top of their heads.
14. If you have a mystical or paranormal experience, do you accept it first and question it upon analysis later, or question it immediately and accept it more upon analysis later? (yes, I know this resembles question 1. Humor me.)
I accept it perfectly in the moment in order to be able to functionally deal with it. Later on, when I have the luxury of reflection and detachment, I step back and analyze it.
14a. If you never accept it, do you rationalize it away with the use of logic even if you can't prove that the logical conclusion is the right one?
I've never had one which I couldn't either confirm or disprove pretty quickly. The "real deal" usually gives itself away.
15. What country do you reside in? What is your view of the U.S. government?
I'm an American citizen. I'm not a fan of the U.S. government, at least federally. I'm somewhat of a constitutionalist, at least as far as my political ideals go, so I'd rather like to see a bit more actual use of that document in the workings of our government. As it stands, there aren't many American politicians I trust.
16. If you don't live in the U.S., does your view of the U.S. government color your view of Americans in general? Do you personal interactions with Americans support that view?
n/a
16a. What is your view of your own government? Do you feel they represent you as you wish to be represented in the view of the rest of the world? If not, how would you feel about being personally judged based on the world's view of your leaders?
n/a
17. Do you like hats? Do you look good in hats? What sort of hair style do you have?
I don't like hats myself, though I think that some people look good in them. I've met very few men who could pull off a hat, but a few more women who could. I wouldn't say that I have a "hair style" so much as "long hair". I keep it trimmed for split ends and to keep the layers in it, but that's about it.
18. What natural element do you feel most affinity with? Feel free to list in order, in the case of more than one, and add commentary. Do you feel this affiinity is related to your astrological sign?
I feel equal affinity with all of the Elements. No, it isn't at all related to my astrological chart. I've rarely found correlation between my natal chart and my actual character or behavior. I don't put much stock in astrology, myself. I feel that it has some effect, but relatively little compared to genetics, environmental factors, and that silly ol' "free will" thing. Instead, I view it more as a useful symbolic model.
19. What time of day were you born? Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I was born in the evening. I used to be a big night person, but anymore I sort of spread my time evenly between day and night.
20. How long is your natural day, approximately, if nobody interfered with when you got up and when you went to sleep? How would that break down in terms of waking hours and sleeping hours?
About 16 hours long waking time, generally.
21. Do you feel a yearning toward a specific culture? What is it? How do you integrate that into your life?
I have an intellectual and aesthetic interest in Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment-age Europe (mostly German, Italian, French and British). Similarly with Egypt, both pre- and post-Hellenization, and classical Greece. My interest doesn't go much beyond intellectual and artistic interest, though I do borrow some philosophy from them all by way of Hermetics.
22. Did you grow up in denial (of your sexuality or anything else)? How did you resolve that, internally? Have you resolved it with regard to your family? Your friends? The rest of the world?
Not really. I didn't ever feel the need to deny anything.
23. How do you feel about modern medicine?
I like it. I think that some aspects of it are overused, such as antibiotics, invasive surgery, and psychoactive medication, but that doesn't make the entire institution bad or worthless. It's like any other technology: sometimes it expands more rapidly than the ability of humanity to use it properly. For myself, I prefer to take a bit more responsibility for my own health.
24. List your guilty pleasures, if you dare.
I don't really have any, insofar as I don't feel "bad" about any of them. Still, I get made fun of for some. For instance, I enjoy the movie Practical Magic.
25. Shower, bath, or variable by mood? How often do you bathe?
I usually take one shower a day, in the morning upon waking. Sometimes I'll take a second one, or a bath if I'm in the mood.
26. Tell me more about your personal hygiene routine. Can you leave the house without brushing your hair? teeth? makeup?
I don't do a thing before I get my morning shower. I prefer to take the time to brush my hair and teeth, but I can function without as long as I got my shower.
27. Are you lazy or self-motivated? Are you organized or chaotic? Are you neat by nature or sloppy? How do you cope with any difficulties in these areas?
Depends on the task. I'm self-motivated to a high degree when I'm doing something I care about. I'm organized mentally, but can be pretty messy outwardly. I don't have to do much coping; my system works for me.
28. What are your biggest pet peeves? Feel free to colorfully describe. :)
I can't stand the imprecise use of terminology. I understand that language evolves, but if we refuse to use words properly, they become meaningless and effective communication becomes impossible.
Also, that hat thing.
29. What's your favorite bird? Favorite flower? Favorite tree? What sort of weather do you like best, if it had to last a solid week?
I like ibises. As cliche as it is, I like roses a lot. I like oak and weaping willow. If I had to choose one, a constant, heavy rain but not extreme.
30. What are you addicted to? How much time does this addiction take up in the average day/week?
Reading, definitely, and it probably takes up a good five or more hours a day when I can swing it. I'm also sort of addicted to certain shows on Food Network, and that probably takes up about two hours a day, though I honestly generally read over them.
31. What are a few things about your relationships to other people that confound you or frustrate you?
Not much, anymore.
32. If you could decorate a room, of any size, to be the perfect reflection of YOU, for the purpose of showing other people who you really are, what would that room look like? Be detailed.
I'd need a study with a connected full bathroom.
The study would be English colonial style with dark, heavy woods, accents in rich browns and deep reds. The walls would be lined with floor-to-ceiling book shelves. Decorations would mostly be old maps, globes, and small classical and neo-classical statuary.
The bathroom would be decorated like a grotto. Dark slate, with accents in grays and greens. I'd also have a lot of real and realistic artificial ferns scattered about.
33. What type of art do you like? What media? What do you dislike?
In visual arts, I tend to stick with Renaissance-through-Enlightenment, classical, and neo-classical art. Most modern art escapes me completely. As far as music goes, I'm pretty eclectic but picky. I like music from just about every genre, but not all music from any genre. I find that movies and TV are mostly cesspools of intellectual slop, though there are some shining gems which come out of both.
34. Do you want to travel to exotic places to the point that it's a genuine goal you intend to work toward? Where do you want to go? Why? When?
There are a lot of places to which I'd like to travel, and it is a real goal. Travel carries with it a lot of important experiences. I don't know when; whenever I can manage it, I suppose.
35. Do you enjoy talking on the phone? Are you relaxed when talking on the phone for the first time to someone you've only known online?
It's ok. It doesn't bother me, but I don't seek it out.
36. What's the chore you avoid for as long as possible, til other people would be raising an eyebrow at you?
Probably laundry, but not because I dislike it so much as I just forget about it.
37. What's your favorite strenuous activity, excluding sex? Do you do it often?
Actually, I kind of like mowing the lawn. Also, taking long walks and doing the Five Tibetans. I mow the lawn a couple of times a month, during the warmer seasons. I take walks whenever the mood strikes, which is several times a week. I used to do the Five Tibetans daily, but had to stop for now because it exacerbates a muscle knot in my right shoulderblade. The knot is going away as I work on it, so I should hopefully be able to do my yoga again soon.
38. What your favorite way to stimulate your intellect when left to your own devices?
Studying, meditating, Hermetic works, etc. Sometimes I like to do various types of puzzles.
39. Are you reliable? If you say you're going to send someone a box, does it actually happen? Are you prompt by nature (work, appointments, etc) or habitually late? Does it bug you when people insist on following instructions or plans to the letter, or do you get irritated when other people leave you wondering what's going on?
I'm generally reliable. Much better than I used to be, at any rate. I'm pathologically punctual to work, appointments, and so forth. I don't generally follow instructions to the letter myself, unless it's actually useful to do so. I prefer to stay flexible, and sometimes have to wonder about people who are incapable of that flexibility.
40. When someone calls and says "I'll be at your house in an hour/day," what's your first reaction? What about when someone knocks on the door without calling first (excluding a neighbor, etc)?
I don't know if I exactly understand this question. I don't generally care if people drop by or tell me they'll be by. If I have prior plans that are important to me, I'll politely let them know.
[I tried to fill this out last night, but then lost everything after finishing the last question. My spirit was broken. I will try again.]
1. Do you consider yourself more rational or gullible?
I used to kind of be both, where I was ridiculously skeptical of everything, but would periodically react emotionally to something before giving it any thought at all. Now I like to think that I'm pretty rational, but not to the point of ignoring my emotions and intuition.
1a. If rational, is logic a handicap for you? Are you skeptical to the point that it's difficult to consider new ideas?
Not anymore, I don't think. My ideas are pretty firm, but not hardened and brittle.
1b. If gullible, is this because you want to believe or because you don't think things through?
Back when I was, or at least manifested it more, it was primarily because I didn't stop to think.
2. What's your religion? Is this self-chosen or were you raised in this faith?
"Say nothing of my religion. It is known to God and myself alone. Its evidence before the world is to be sought in my life: if it has been honest and dutiful to society the religion which has regulated it cannot be a bad one." ~ Thomas Jefferson
Seriously, though... I'm Hermetic through and through. I consider this to be a philosophy rather than a religion, though any thorough philosophy (in the Greek sense of the word) includes religion as an integral aspect. My religion is, thus, Hermetic in nature whatever it may be. If you want more than that, it partakes of elements of Wicca, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity interpreted Hermetically.
3. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being "the clock always blinks 12:00 on my vcr" and 10 being "I make my living as a technophiile," how geeky are you?
If you're defining "geekiness" only by "technological aptitude", then I'd place myself at around 5 or 6. I can get by fairly well, but I'm far from expert.
4. Do you have any pets? What are they? Names?
I have three cats and a dog, as of now. Two cats are brother and sister from the same litter: black and white long-tailed manx by the name of Benny and Joon. The third is an American short-hair gray tabby without a name, but who answers to "the kitten". He hates names, so I quit trying.
5. Do you like cats? If not, why not? What makes some people just strongly dislike cats?
I love cats, but I also like dogs and other animals too. I don't know why people dislike cats so much, but I don't think I can be friends with somebody who hates them. Or, at least, I've never been able to in the past.
6. What are you afraid of? (write as much as you want)
Dying in a painful or violent manner, or somebody else dying in a painful or violent manner. Basically, unnecessary suffering of any kind.
7. What fires your soul with passion and inspiration?
Nature, in her cruel and benign moments. God. Hermetics. Philosophy & religion. Truth and beauty. Science. Human accomplishments. Compassion, peace, and liberty.
8. What's the most original idea you've ever had?
I don't know. I tend to be better at adapting ideas than coming up with them in the first place.
9. What did your favorite parent call you when you were a little kid?
I've never had many nicknames. My Dad sometimes called me Bug.
10. Did you have a school nickname or ridicule name that pisses you off to this day? Care to share what it was? Why did they call you that?
Nope. Sometimes people would make jokes about my last name (which is not Graham) but I always thought they were pretty sad attempts so they didn't bother me.
11. In what clique(s) did you hang out when you were in high school? Which ones did you secretly want to hang out with?
I didn't. I did have a group of friends, but we weren't elitist or insular. We all floated around pretty independently and had our own separate groups of friends, with just one another in common.
12. What prejudices did your parents try to instill in you? How long did it take you to realize how full of shit that was?
There aren't many. I was raised to be pretty accepting; my Godfather was gay and my aunt is a lesbian. I guess I was raised to be pretty anti-Christian. I just got over that a year and a half or so ago.
13. What prejudices or biases (either in favor of or against) do you hold today? Can you admit to them?
As I said, I just got over anti-Christianity. I used to be against religion in general. Now I guess my biggest prejudices are against bigotry and fundamentalism of any sort. When people display those tendencies and opinions, I have to fight with myself not to write them off right then and there. I also have a similar problem with violence and emotional abuse.
Also, perhaps more trivially, I have a problem with people who sag their pants, or who wear their ball caps or trucker's caps to the side, backwards, slightly tilted, or merely resting on top of their heads.
14. If you have a mystical or paranormal experience, do you accept it first and question it upon analysis later, or question it immediately and accept it more upon analysis later? (yes, I know this resembles question 1. Humor me.)
I accept it perfectly in the moment in order to be able to functionally deal with it. Later on, when I have the luxury of reflection and detachment, I step back and analyze it.
14a. If you never accept it, do you rationalize it away with the use of logic even if you can't prove that the logical conclusion is the right one?
I've never had one which I couldn't either confirm or disprove pretty quickly. The "real deal" usually gives itself away.
15. What country do you reside in? What is your view of the U.S. government?
I'm an American citizen. I'm not a fan of the U.S. government, at least federally. I'm somewhat of a constitutionalist, at least as far as my political ideals go, so I'd rather like to see a bit more actual use of that document in the workings of our government. As it stands, there aren't many American politicians I trust.
16. If you don't live in the U.S., does your view of the U.S. government color your view of Americans in general? Do you personal interactions with Americans support that view?
n/a
16a. What is your view of your own government? Do you feel they represent you as you wish to be represented in the view of the rest of the world? If not, how would you feel about being personally judged based on the world's view of your leaders?
n/a
17. Do you like hats? Do you look good in hats? What sort of hair style do you have?
I don't like hats myself, though I think that some people look good in them. I've met very few men who could pull off a hat, but a few more women who could. I wouldn't say that I have a "hair style" so much as "long hair". I keep it trimmed for split ends and to keep the layers in it, but that's about it.
18. What natural element do you feel most affinity with? Feel free to list in order, in the case of more than one, and add commentary. Do you feel this affiinity is related to your astrological sign?
I feel equal affinity with all of the Elements. No, it isn't at all related to my astrological chart. I've rarely found correlation between my natal chart and my actual character or behavior. I don't put much stock in astrology, myself. I feel that it has some effect, but relatively little compared to genetics, environmental factors, and that silly ol' "free will" thing. Instead, I view it more as a useful symbolic model.
19. What time of day were you born? Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I was born in the evening. I used to be a big night person, but anymore I sort of spread my time evenly between day and night.
20. How long is your natural day, approximately, if nobody interfered with when you got up and when you went to sleep? How would that break down in terms of waking hours and sleeping hours?
About 16 hours long waking time, generally.
21. Do you feel a yearning toward a specific culture? What is it? How do you integrate that into your life?
I have an intellectual and aesthetic interest in Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment-age Europe (mostly German, Italian, French and British). Similarly with Egypt, both pre- and post-Hellenization, and classical Greece. My interest doesn't go much beyond intellectual and artistic interest, though I do borrow some philosophy from them all by way of Hermetics.
22. Did you grow up in denial (of your sexuality or anything else)? How did you resolve that, internally? Have you resolved it with regard to your family? Your friends? The rest of the world?
Not really. I didn't ever feel the need to deny anything.
23. How do you feel about modern medicine?
I like it. I think that some aspects of it are overused, such as antibiotics, invasive surgery, and psychoactive medication, but that doesn't make the entire institution bad or worthless. It's like any other technology: sometimes it expands more rapidly than the ability of humanity to use it properly. For myself, I prefer to take a bit more responsibility for my own health.
24. List your guilty pleasures, if you dare.
I don't really have any, insofar as I don't feel "bad" about any of them. Still, I get made fun of for some. For instance, I enjoy the movie Practical Magic.
25. Shower, bath, or variable by mood? How often do you bathe?
I usually take one shower a day, in the morning upon waking. Sometimes I'll take a second one, or a bath if I'm in the mood.
26. Tell me more about your personal hygiene routine. Can you leave the house without brushing your hair? teeth? makeup?
I don't do a thing before I get my morning shower. I prefer to take the time to brush my hair and teeth, but I can function without as long as I got my shower.
27. Are you lazy or self-motivated? Are you organized or chaotic? Are you neat by nature or sloppy? How do you cope with any difficulties in these areas?
Depends on the task. I'm self-motivated to a high degree when I'm doing something I care about. I'm organized mentally, but can be pretty messy outwardly. I don't have to do much coping; my system works for me.
28. What are your biggest pet peeves? Feel free to colorfully describe. :)
I can't stand the imprecise use of terminology. I understand that language evolves, but if we refuse to use words properly, they become meaningless and effective communication becomes impossible.
Also, that hat thing.
29. What's your favorite bird? Favorite flower? Favorite tree? What sort of weather do you like best, if it had to last a solid week?
I like ibises. As cliche as it is, I like roses a lot. I like oak and weaping willow. If I had to choose one, a constant, heavy rain but not extreme.
30. What are you addicted to? How much time does this addiction take up in the average day/week?
Reading, definitely, and it probably takes up a good five or more hours a day when I can swing it. I'm also sort of addicted to certain shows on Food Network, and that probably takes up about two hours a day, though I honestly generally read over them.
31. What are a few things about your relationships to other people that confound you or frustrate you?
Not much, anymore.
32. If you could decorate a room, of any size, to be the perfect reflection of YOU, for the purpose of showing other people who you really are, what would that room look like? Be detailed.
I'd need a study with a connected full bathroom.
The study would be English colonial style with dark, heavy woods, accents in rich browns and deep reds. The walls would be lined with floor-to-ceiling book shelves. Decorations would mostly be old maps, globes, and small classical and neo-classical statuary.
The bathroom would be decorated like a grotto. Dark slate, with accents in grays and greens. I'd also have a lot of real and realistic artificial ferns scattered about.
33. What type of art do you like? What media? What do you dislike?
In visual arts, I tend to stick with Renaissance-through-Enlightenment, classical, and neo-classical art. Most modern art escapes me completely. As far as music goes, I'm pretty eclectic but picky. I like music from just about every genre, but not all music from any genre. I find that movies and TV are mostly cesspools of intellectual slop, though there are some shining gems which come out of both.
34. Do you want to travel to exotic places to the point that it's a genuine goal you intend to work toward? Where do you want to go? Why? When?
There are a lot of places to which I'd like to travel, and it is a real goal. Travel carries with it a lot of important experiences. I don't know when; whenever I can manage it, I suppose.
35. Do you enjoy talking on the phone? Are you relaxed when talking on the phone for the first time to someone you've only known online?
It's ok. It doesn't bother me, but I don't seek it out.
36. What's the chore you avoid for as long as possible, til other people would be raising an eyebrow at you?
Probably laundry, but not because I dislike it so much as I just forget about it.
37. What's your favorite strenuous activity, excluding sex? Do you do it often?
Actually, I kind of like mowing the lawn. Also, taking long walks and doing the Five Tibetans. I mow the lawn a couple of times a month, during the warmer seasons. I take walks whenever the mood strikes, which is several times a week. I used to do the Five Tibetans daily, but had to stop for now because it exacerbates a muscle knot in my right shoulderblade. The knot is going away as I work on it, so I should hopefully be able to do my yoga again soon.
38. What your favorite way to stimulate your intellect when left to your own devices?
Studying, meditating, Hermetic works, etc. Sometimes I like to do various types of puzzles.
39. Are you reliable? If you say you're going to send someone a box, does it actually happen? Are you prompt by nature (work, appointments, etc) or habitually late? Does it bug you when people insist on following instructions or plans to the letter, or do you get irritated when other people leave you wondering what's going on?
I'm generally reliable. Much better than I used to be, at any rate. I'm pathologically punctual to work, appointments, and so forth. I don't generally follow instructions to the letter myself, unless it's actually useful to do so. I prefer to stay flexible, and sometimes have to wonder about people who are incapable of that flexibility.
40. When someone calls and says "I'll be at your house in an hour/day," what's your first reaction? What about when someone knocks on the door without calling first (excluding a neighbor, etc)?
I don't know if I exactly understand this question. I don't generally care if people drop by or tell me they'll be by. If I have prior plans that are important to me, I'll politely let them know.