vila_restal: (Default)
Vila ([personal profile] vila_restal) wrote2004-02-15 02:53 pm
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Interview meme

My friend Vir ([livejournal.com profile] emperor_cotto_i) asked me and [livejournal.com profile] kerrill five questions. Here are my answers.


What was your childhood like?

I was lucky. We might have been just poor Deltas, but I had a mum who loved me. Thought the universe of me she did, and I still miss her. I had a happy childhood up till I was 11 or so when she got sick and needed drugs Deltas didn't get, and I had to go out on jobs with Serrin (the thief who lived next door; taught me from when I was seven, said I was a natural). Not that I minded--it's fun to do what you're good at--but there's a downside. Stints in the Juvenile Detention Wards (believe me, you don't want to know) and attempts to reprogram me into a good little citizen (which didn't work) and a couple of penal colonies. Wouldn't have minded if I could have saved Mum, but she died when I was on CF1; I escaped too late. I was 14; I suppose that's when my childhood ended. Not that I've ever really felt like a adult come to think of it.

What are some of the best jokes you've ever heard?

Ooh, it's hard to pick and choose. I love jokes and some of Avon's insults are crackers. I can give you a selection though:

What do you get if you cross Servalan with a pig?
Nothing--there are some things even pigs won't do.

Where does Servalan keep her armies?
Up her sleevies.

A couple from the JD wards:

How many psycho-strategists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb really has to want to change.

I've just had my brain washed and I can't do a thing with it!

Here's one from my friend Gan who came from Zephron, an agricultural planet:


Del meets Kon on the way to market, and Kon has a sack over his shoulder with something struggling in it.
"What've you got there, Kon?" Del asks.
"Chickens. And if you can guess how many, I'll give you both of them."
Del thinks about it. "Three?"

And a silly one to finish with:

What floats in space and shivers?
A nervous wreck. Like me!

What sort of music do you like to listen to?

This might surprise you, but for background music I like the old classics--piano concertos, orchestral stuff. It calms me down and makes me feel... consoled, I dunno. If I really want to listen to music though, I'll go for a good song I can sing along with.

Are you an early or late riser?

Late to bed (unless I have a good reason to go earlier) and late to rise, that's me. With occasional naps throughout the day.

What does love mean to you?

Caring more about someone else than I do about myself. Being prepared to die for her, though to be frank I'd much rather live a long and happy life with her.


Now I'm supposed to add this:

If you want:
1 - You can leave a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2 - I will repy and ask you five questions.
3 - You update your journal with my five questions and your five answers.
4 - You include this explanation.
5 - You ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.

[identity profile] banik.livejournal.com 2004-02-14 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh! Do me! Do me!

[identity profile] vila-restal.livejournal.com 2004-02-14 07:31 pm (UTC)(link)
All right then.

What's the worst alien, hairy or otherwise, you ever came across?

Were you born with only one eye? I mean, it seems a bit of a design fault--you'd keep growing out of masks. Be a bit of a headache, that.

How come you were in the prison where I met you and how did you get out of your cell?

If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be?

'Stark' means 'harsh' or 'bare' in Terran, and 'strong' in the Germanian systems. What does it mean in Banik?

[identity profile] banik.livejournal.com 2004-02-14 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Those are interesting questions! [goes off to think about them.]

[identity profile] comradecally.livejournal.com 2004-02-14 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll play, Vila.

[identity profile] vila-restal.livejournal.com 2004-02-14 08:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Let's see...

What are your hobbies--besides blowing things up, that is?

Why did you leave Auron?

What's your favourite food? (Not drink, we know that one!)

I thought you couldn't pick up from non-Auronar. How come you felt my pain when I was on Chenga?

Apart from the moondisc, did you ever have a pet?

[identity profile] kerr-avon.livejournal.com 2004-02-15 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
If you've any questions for me, ask them. [pause] I don't think I want to ask anyone anything...I have a bad track record...[trying *not* to think about GP...]

[identity profile] vila-restal.livejournal.com 2004-02-15 07:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Avon, you can ask me some questions. We've dealt with GP and Malodar now. Go on. How can you resist a willing target?

Right.

I know I asked Blake this, but tell me about your family.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

What was the fraud you and Tynus were involved in and what went wrong?

How did you know Keiller and what scam did you do with him?

[hesitantly] When you told Tarrant you despised me when he sold me to Bayban (yeah, he told me later) well... did you mean it? If not, why did you say that to him?

Re:

[identity profile] kerr-avon.livejournal.com 2004-02-15 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
I've replied in my journal... I don't have any questions for you, yet. I'm going to try to answer Blake's questions for me now.

[identity profile] vir-cotto-tm.livejournal.com 2004-02-15 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
We might have been just poor Deltas, but I had a mum who loved me.

*wistfully*

You were lucky.

My father was the younger of two brothers and he always deferred to whatever my uncle commanded as head of House Cotto. My house is not extremely powerful. It doesn't have the centuries of history that House Mollari has. But we are noble and my uncle was determined that his brother's only child would be raised in the noble manner. So I saw more of my nurses, governesses and tutors than I did my mother and father.

And, well... I was a big disappointment to my family, to tell you the truth. I was slow to learn to speak and when I finally did, I stammered a lot. I was clumsy and uncoordinated and I walked funny. My family thought... well... . And most of the time, they ignored me, unless I stumbled into something or got in their way.

I didn't know what I was going to grow up to be, but I knew I didn't want to be a failure. I wanted to have a good job and maybe even a family I could love. So I worked really hard on my schooling, learned how to speak Minbari, Narn and the Human language, and tried to get a job in one of our embassies. But even when I was away from my family, I had trouble fitting in. I kept getting transferred. Nobody wanted me. And finally, my uncle arranged to have me sent here to Babylon 5 to work for Londo.

You know, it's funny: There are many things in my past that I would change. But even after everything that's happened... I don't think I would change my uncle's decision. I think... I think in a strange, unexpected way, I got what I wanted. My job is often very, very hard. Some nights, I question whether its all worth it. But it is... it is a good job. And as for a family... I think I have that too... and I think this is the first time in my life that I've ever had a family. A real family, I mean.

Caring more about someone else than I do about myself. Being prepared to die for her, though to be frank I'd much rather live a long and happy life with her.

I know exactly what you mean. And, I think, love also means that you would do anything to make them happy and you want to protect them from anyone who will hurt them or bring them down.

[identity profile] vila-restal.livejournal.com 2004-02-15 07:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry to hear about your childhood, Vir. I know what it feels like to be despised and regarded as a complete fool though. It was always a useful defence, but I think I overplayed my hand with these rebels. One of them even tried to sell me. They know me know though, and I'm sure your friends know you too, and your worth. They'd be stupid not to.

Yes, you're right about love. Scary, isn't it? It's worth it though and I know someone will love you. How could they not?

Oh, now I've depressed you, haven't I?

[identity profile] vir-cotto-tm.livejournal.com 2004-02-16 10:49 am (UTC)(link)
Please don't be sorry about my childhood. I mean, it could've been worse, right? I was clothed, fed and I had a roof over my head. Which was definitely better than some of the children I saw on the streets whenever I was taken to the capital.

You know, sometimes I go Down Below just to remind myself that I have it better than a lot of people.

[identity profile] vila-restal.livejournal.com 2004-02-16 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Very true. And it's all right, mate, you haven't depressed me. The way I see it, if you're alive and healthy and you've got friends, it's not so bad. And I know you've got some very good friends. Me and Londo for two.