01st Sep 2010
Wednesday // 7am // 1 year ago
The 5000 Question Survey - Part One
As part of my 100 Things to do in 1001 Days I aim to complete The 5000 Question Survey.
It is LONG (obv) so I thought I’d better start asap and do a section whenever I remember - there are 51 parts!
Here goes….
Part one
1. Who are you? I am Beth Phillips (nee McCabe), known on the interwebs as Princess_Beffy/Princess_Seahorse/variations on these names.
2. What are the 3 most important things everyone should know about you? I am happily married. I am a drama queen (beware!). If you’re nice to me I will do everything in my power to be extra nice back :)
3. When you aren’t filling out 5,000 question surveys like this one what are you doing? Racking my brains for interesting things to post on Tumblr/Twitter! Seriously though, I am pretty much a jobless bum and spend a lot of time online. I’m a part-time student & self-employed ‘Avon’ representative but they don’t occupy *that* much of my time tbh.
4. List your classes in school from the ones you like the most to the ones you like the least (or if you are out of school, think of the classes you did like and didn’t like at the time). Umm, I’ll do this for my GCSE subjects as it’s a nice amount to list. English > Drama > Religious Studies > History > French > Science > Maths > Food Technology.
5. What is your biggest goal for this year? Stop being an agoraphobic, panicky freak.
6. Where do you want to be in 5 years? I’d quite like to be living somewhere other than Bristol but not too far away, still happily married to Gareth with at least one child and doing some kind of work for myself so I can be based at home.
7. What stage of life are you in right now? Early twenties - the stage when most people have finished uni and are beginning a new adventure. I, however, have done it rather backwards and am already settled into married life and still at the beginning of my degree!
8. Are you more child-like or childish? Tbqh I can be both. I hope I’m more child-like but I know I still have some growing up to do.
9. What is the last thing you said out loud? Urm, I think I’ve been talking to myself whilst thinking about my answers haha, but the last thing to another person was “Sorry” to my hubby because I made him wake up.
10. What song comes closest to how you feel about your life right now? Oooh, interesting question. I’m not sure about a track that sums up my feelings for my life, but one that represents how I feel about myself is Christina Aguilera - I Am.
11. Have you ever taken martial arts classes? Not properly. I did some kind of Judo class once at primary school but it’s really not my thing!
12. Does your life tend to get better or worse or does it just stay the same? Doesn’t everyone’s life have ups and downs? Mine gets better in some aspects and worse in others and I’m sure in time it’ll all change about again.
13. Does time really heal all wounds? Yes, to an extent. There are some horrific things that human beings have to go through that I don’t think can ever truly be gotten over but, with time, things become easier.
14. How do you handle a rainy day? Stay in usually! If I have to go out I put a hood up and use an umbrella. I’m assuming that wasn’t meant metaphorically…
15. Which is worse…losing your luggage or having to sort out tangled holiday lights? Definitely losing your luggage! It’s never actually happened to me (*touch wood*) but I worry about it whenever I have to store luggage in a vehicle other than a car. Tangled lights are an annoyance but at least you have them in front of you and if you need to replace them they don’t cost too much.
16. How is your relationship with your parents? Will you miss them when they are gone? It’s good and it gets better as I get older, I think. Of course I’ll miss them :(
17. Do you tend to be aware of what is going on around you? Depends on the context but, usually, yes.
18. What is the truest thing that you know? Love is not a fairytale. I guess that works in two ways - a) Love is very real, b) Love isn’t always plain sailing and doesn’t guarantee a “Happily ever after”.
19. What did you want to be when you grew up? Lots of things. I’ve always wanted to be a singer/actress but, aside from that, the earliest profession I remember talking about was a tennis player (very laughable, looking back!) and then the two I was most keen on as a child were a police woman and a marine biologist. In my teens I wanted to be a journalist.
20. Have you ever been given a second chance? I guess I have but nothing really stands out in my memory…
21. Are you more of a giver or a taker? Depends who it’s regarding. I’m very aware that I take a lot from people close to me and do try to give back. With strangers or less-well-known friends I am definitely a giver.
22. Do you make your decisions with an open heart/mind? Heart. I’m not a particularly logical person and am big on emotion/feeling.
23. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you? I walked into a sign outside a shop in Weymouth and my toe hurt for like a week. It went purple and everything. It was AGONY. I’m pretty sure it was broken. That’s what I always think of as the most pain I’ve felt but, tbh, I don’t really know. That’s the thing with pain, you don’t remember it properly. I’m certain childbirth will be the worst.
24. What is the most emotionally painful thing that has ever happened to you? This whole anxious/depressive period of my life, which has now reached 6 years. Lovely.
25. Who have you hugged today? My hubby. Haven’t seen anyone else.
26. Who has done something today to show they care about you? See above :)
27. Do you have a lot to learn? Yes. I’m not always great on common sense and, while I’m not sure that’s something that can be learnt, I’d like to think as I get older I’ll get wiser. I also have a lot to learn in the sense that I have a thirst for knowledge that is far from being quenched.
28. If you could learn how to do three things just by wishing and not by working what would they be?
A - Drive a car. That would save me so much money & time and be very useful.
B - Overcome agoraphobia/panic disorder etc. etc.
C - Perform to a West End standard. (Singing/Drama/Dance)
29. Which do you remember the longest: what other people say, what other people do or how other people make you feel? Probably how others make me feel. I wish I could let go of things but they just stick around and affect my mood :|
30. What are the key ingredients to having a good relationship? Mutual love, respect & trust, patience, understanding & tolerance and being able to have a laugh together no matter what happens.
31. What 3 things do you want to do before you die?
A - Have at least one child.
B - Write at least one novel.
C - Record at least one original song.
32. What three things would you want to die to avoid doing?
A - Any kind of extreme sport *shudders*
B - Suffering from a long, debilitating, painful illness. Euthanase me.
C - Being tortured.
33. Is there a cause you believe in more than any other cause? I believe in and support a lot of causes but, if I had to pick just one, I would say universal equality for all.
34. What does each decade make you think of:
The 19..
20’s: The technological advances in the US, particularly production lines for cars.
30’s: Even though it didn’t start until the end of the decade, I associate the 30s with World War 2 and rationing.
40’s: I don’t know much about this decade at all. I just have an image of women in tea dresses with nice hairstyles. LOL.
50’s: Rock & Roll, amazing outfits, jukeboxes. Oh and also perfect housewives.
60’s: The Hippy movement. Peace. Free Love!
70’s: Bee Gees style music & outfits.
80’s: Old school video games, especially the music haha. And the Rubik’s Cube for some reason…was that invented in the 80s? [/ignorance]
90’s: Amazing pop music and cartoons, especially Pokemon.
2000’s: Terrorism, political scandal, recession. It’s weird because all three have happened in most (if not all) decades but I guess because I’ve lived through them they’re more memorable here.
2010’s: I actually don’t know. Technology? I wonder what will come next…
35. Which decade do you feel the most special connection to and why? Aside from the ones I’ve lived through, I’d say the 1950s because I love love LOVE the fashion and style of the era.
36. What is your favorite oldie/classic rock song? Bon Jovi - Livin’ On A Prayer. I don’t know if that’s old enough, but it’s pretty classic rock.
37. What country do you live in and who is the leader of that country? If you could say any sentence to the current leader of your country what would it be? The United Kingdom and, sadly, David Cameron is currently the Prime Minister. Let’s think about the much more awesome head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, instead :)
Anyway, to Cameron I would say “Please consider the effects of your drastic public spending cuts and call another general election asap!”
38. What’s your favorite TV channel to watch in the middle of the night? I can’t remember what it’s called but it’s for babies and has soothing music and images <3
39. What Disney villain are you the most like and why? I don’t think I’m really like any of them but I would say Edgar from ‘The Aristocats’. As much as I love cats I do think it’s bizarre to leave money/property to them so I can see why Edgar, as a human, would want to make sure he got it instead.
40. Have you ever been a girl scout/boy scout? I was a Brownie, yes.
41. If you were traveling to another continent would you rather fly or take a boat? Fly, it’s quicker.
42. Why is the sky blue during the day and black at night? Because in the day there is sun and at night there isn’t?!
43. What does your name mean? Well, my proper name is Bethan, which means “Consecrated to God” in Hebrew. It’s of Welsh origin though really and I have no idea what its meaning is there!
44. Would you rather explore the deeps of the ocean or outer space? It’s DEPTHS of the ocean and, yeah, I’d rather explore there. Sea-life is way more interesting to me than bits of burning rock or whatever…ha!
45. Word association
What is the first word that comes to mind when you see the word:
Air: Clouds
Meat: Animals
Different: Same (?!)
Pink: Cheeks
Deserve: Earn
White: Black
Elvis: Quiff
Magic: Wand
Heart: Sleeve
Clash: Bang
Pulp: Fiction
46. If you could meet any person in the world who is dead who would you want it to be? This is hard. So much choice. I would quite like to spend more time with my three dead grandparents but, if I was to choose someone I’d never met before, I’d say William Shakespeare or Anne Boleyn. From more recent times, I’d like to meet Marilyn Monroe or Michael Jackson.
47. What if you could meet anyone who is alive? There are lots of people I’d love to meet but not really anyone I’m desperate to meet right now. I think this answer probably changes on a weekly basis, but right now I’ll say Jo Rowling because a) She can give me writing tips and b) She seems really funny and down-to-earth.
48. Is there a movie that you love so much you could watch it everyday? ‘Love Actually’ <3
49. You are going to be stuck alone in an elevator for a week. What do you bring to do? Really? An elevator? For a WEEK?! New maintenance team please! I would bring a stack of books, a phone, a laptop (even though the power would run out, I guess), iPod (same problem), pen & paper, some kind of musical instrument and make-up to experiment with.
50. Have you ever saved someone’s life or had your life saved? No. I did get rescued from a swimming pool in Florida when I was 8 but I wasn’t really drowning or anything, I’d just bashed my foot. So, no.
51. Make up a definition for the following silly words…
Fruitgoogle: An odd person who blurts out random facts or words at seemingly inappropriate times. (They “google” their mind!)
Ambytime: The period of time that allows children to settle down before going to bed - this may include activities such as teeth-brushing, having a story read to them or drinking warm milk.
Asscactus: An insulting name for a spikey-natured person
52. What was the last thing you made with your own hands? I have no idea. I don’t really make things that often. Does a hot chocolate count?!
53. What was your favorite toy as a child? My cuddly dog, Nutsy <3
54. How many TV’s are in your house? Technically, there are three but we only use one for actual TV. One is our old one that we haven’t got rid of yet and the other one is just used for DVDs occasionally.
55. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Sit on the beach in the sunshine.
56. How do you feel when you see a rainbow? Um, happy and hopeful? Idk. There is something about a rainbow that gives me hope though :)
57. Have you ever dreamt a dream that came true? Not that I can remember. There may be elements of my dreams that have come true but nothing particularly significant.
58. Have you ever been to a psychic/tarot reader? No. And I never will.
59. What is your idea of paradise? Paradise on this earth is, for me, a tropical island. Paradise as in heaven is with God (see below) - a place of no pain or suffering, just love.
60. Do you believe in god and if so what is he/she/it like? Yes. I believe in the Christian God, the Holy Trinity - Father, who created the world, Son, Jesus who died for us, and Holy Spirit, who guides us today. My God loves everyone and *is* love himself. I do not agree with a lot of Catholic/Orthodox views and detest the way Christianity is often portrayed. I could say a lot more but back to the quiz….
61. Do you believe in Hell? I think so.
62. What one thing have you done that most people haven’t? Got married at age 20.
63. What is the kindest thing you have ever done? I don’t know about *ever* but a recent act of kindness was giving money to strangers so they could get the bus home.
64. Are you a patient person? No. I am very impatient when it comes to technology and waiting for things to happen. I think I can be patient with people when it matters, though.
65. What holiday should exist but doesn’t? A bank holiday in between the end of August and Christmas.
66. What holiday shouldn’t exist but does? Well, they all exist for a reason and are important to some people so it seems a bit harsh to make one disappear. I would get rid of Halloween though, it’s just annoying.
67. What’s the best joke you ever heard? I only ever seem to remember rude jokes…and they’re not even that funny. I like jokes where it seems like normal conversation until the punchline i.e “I was doing a crossword yesterday and needed another word for a postman. Can you think of anything?” And then when the other person asks how many letters, which they usually do you say “Flipping millions!”. It sounds crap written down but when my hubby pulled that one on me I was so peed off as I was actually racking my brain for an answer. Then it became rather amusing xD
68. Where is the most fun place you have EVER been? I tend to think of my fun times as down to the people I was with not where I was but I guess any big city, particularly London, is fun as there is so much to do. As a child I would’ve said Planet Kids, which was one of those massive indoor soft play areas. It was awesome.
69. Is your hair natural or dyed? It’s dyed but the roots are halfway down my head right now! It’s just a different shade of brown so it doesn’t matter that much but I do need to get it done soon. My natural shade is too dark and flat - I need a bit of copper or mahogany to jazz things up!
70. Do you have any deep dark secrets or are you pretty much up front? I’m a very open person but there are a few things I don’t like to shout about.
71. What is under your bed right now? Dust and dirt, plus some books holding it up where a castor fell off haha. There’s no room under it to store stuff, it has drawers…but don’t ask me what’s in there!
72. If you were in the Land of Oz would you want to live there or go home? I think I’d be torn. I’d like to stay there for a bit and explore but I’d ultimately want to return home.
73. If you drive do you frequently speed? N/A
74. What is the world’s best song to dance to? Woah, that is a strong title for one little song to live up to. I think everyone’s is different. Whatever makes you able to dance as though no one is watching is yours. Mine is Shakedown - At Night :D
75. What song was on the last time you danced with someone? Genuinely cannot remember the last time I danced with someone. That makes me sad. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars was my wedding dance song <3
76. Do you prefer Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney all the way.
77. What is the first animal you would run to see if you went to the zoo? Red panda. Love them!
78. Would you consider yourself to be romantic? Yeah, very. I love romance :)
79. If the earth stopped rotating would we all fly off? Not if gravity was still in existance. As far as I can work out.
80. What is the one thing that you love to do so much that you would make sacrifices to be able to do it? Perform in musicals.
81. If you (and everyone) had to lose one right or freedom, but you could pick which one everyone had to lose, what would you pick? I would make everyone give up the right to be offended by un-politically correct phrases. Sorry, you can just deal with it. (I don’t know if that is a *real* right but y’know…)
82. If you had to choose would you live on the equator or at the North Pole? Equator. I hate being cold. Mind you, being that hot would make me a right pissy bitch but at least I could sweat off some weight and get a tan ;)
83. Would you rather give up listening to music or watching television? Watching TV. I would be so miserable without music.
84. What do you think makes someone a hero? Anyone who does something that others admire. There are definitely degrees of heroes though - true heroes to me are people who change the lives of others for the better - but I think it’s a very personal thing. You can have anyone as your hero if you respect them and what they do.
85. What cartoon would you like to be a character in? ‘Rugrats’. Would be fun!
86. Name one thing that turns your stomach: Head injuries. I can cope with blood anywhere, except when it’s pouring out of someone’s head. VOM.
87. What was the last thing you paid for? I can’t remember the last time I used cash, it was probably round the corner shop. I bought stuff online last night though.
88. Are you a coupon clipper? Sometimes. If it’s stuff I’m interested in or going to be buying anyway then why not?
89. Get anything good in the mail recently? I got an autograph from a singer called Spark yesterday, that was pretty good. And unexpected actually. I also got a dress & shoes from New Look delivered yesterday but I’m sending the dress back because it makes my hips look HUGE.
90. Which would you rather take as a gym class…dancing, sailing, karate, or bowling? Dancing. Deffo not interested in karate but would give the other two a go. I like dance though :)
91. In Star Trek people ‘beam’ back and forth between different places. What this means is they stand in a little tube and their molecules are deconstructed and sent to another tube somewhere else where they are reassembled. Only problem is when the molecules are deconstructed the person is dead. When they are put back together it is only a clone that has all the dead person’s memories. So… Is the person who gets beamed the same person on both ends? I am really not into sci-fi. I would say that the person who has been reconstructed is a shadow of their former self. They have essentially the same make up but they aren’t exactly the same being…are they? :S
92. What insects are you afraid of? Moths and crane flies. Well, I’m not really afraid, I just get repulsed and annoyed and have to kick their asses!
93. If you could print any phrase on a T-shirt, what would it say? “This is a t-shirt”. Idk. I’m not feeling very imaginative right now. Most phrases have already been done anyway and you can buy them on Cafe Press!
94. What’s the most eccentric thing you have ever worn? I don’t really dress eccentrically but I did wear my pink spotty dressing gown out for a walk in Cornwall once hahaha.
95. If you could pick one food that you could eat all you wanted but it would have no effect on how much you weigh, what food would it be? Chocolate and any related products. NOM.
96. What are your parents interested in? In brief - holidays, food & wine, books, music, comedy, theatre and my mum is into yoga.
97. Have you ever caught an insect and kept it as a pet? Have you ever caught and tamed a wild animal? Haha yeah, I used to keep insects in a tin. I have no idea why but my friends and brother used to do it too. I think we kept woodlouse mostly, LOL. I’ve never caught & tamed a wild animal though and don’t think I’d want to.
98. What is more helpful to you, wishes or plans? I actually think wishes are. It’s good to have a dream. Also, I tend to get annoyed at plans that are too rigid, at least a dream has room for manoeuvre!
99. When do you feel your life energy the strongest? When I’m on stage. Buzzing.
100. You are spending the night alone in the woods and may bring only 3 items with you. What do you bring? Argh, I would be terrified! I’d bring a torch, a phone and a sleeping bag.
And that’s the first part done. Sorry if there are any typos - it was way too long to read back through!
I am Beffy. I am a princess. I like cute things, pretty things and DRAMA. In every sense of the word.
