Ian:
Gods. Pets. Well shoot. I've never been allowed to have pets in my younger life, and I guess I just felt like I didn't need them when I got older, but... I'd have to say I'm a dog-person if anything. I mean, I like snakes? But feeding one is a nightmare. Cats don't do anything for me, and other types of pets don't appeal, so... yeah. Dogs. I guess I'd be okay with doing something pet-related. So long as there are no rats on me. I can't stand rats.

Shane:
Pets, pets, pets! Oh goodness, I love the little furry fuzzballs to death! I'm a cat-person, but I'm also fond of dogs, and I LOVE the tiny furry ones like chinchillas and bunnies and ratties, and mousies... Oh, and I DO SO LOVE birds, too. Such beautiful creatures. As to a pet-related date, though... Absolutely! I'd love to be surrounded by furry cuteness, that would be a dream for me!

Oo la la. Getting to know each other. Okay then @everyone, what do you think best way to truly get to know someone is?

...not to be too nit-picky, but I noticed a bit of a discrepancy... >.>
Sorry...just..uh...I'll stop now.


@Shane: For a first date, would you rather participate in an activity indoors (dinner and/or a movie for example) or outdoors (such as a picnic and/or taking a walk)?

Piper:
A picnic, bird watching, and a good nerf gun fight.





Serena:
Oh, well, I guess it shouldn't be much of a surprise that I love to do dancing on my first dates! There's so much you can tell about a person from the way they dance. The only trouble is that I'm not too great at clubs, where it gets all crowded and hot... I'd rather we go somewhere a bit quieter, where my tail won't get stepped on!




-

[Writer's note: Don't assume Ian is always telling the truth!]

Ah...will keep that in mind...>.>
Sorry again.

Piper:
Birds. Reptiles are cool, too. Neither of them are much for walks.






Serena:
I've got a pet squid! Her name's Ribbons, because of her tentacles and all. I love dancing with her, she's such a sweetie. You should see how she wiggles all her little— Ah, but uhm, I don't usually have dates that can hold their breath for a good dance with us both...


-

Piper:
Talking, I'd think.






Serena:
I never really thought about it? If you can find things you both enjoy doing together, I think just doing them and having fun is the best way. Whatever those things might be. Everyone's more relaxed and open when they're having a good time!


-

Ian:
I guess the best way to get to know someone is... -Pauses, hand to his ear- What do you mean tell the truth?! I AM telling the truth.... I don't care if that's not what I told you, I... -Sighs- Okay, okay. Alright, before I answer the question, I guess I have to apologize? Look, I.... like animals, okay? All of 'em. Especially cats, I just... thought it'd be more.... 'manly' to like dogs. Sorry for the confusion, I'm... uh.... Gonna move on now. -Hand to his ear again- OKAY ALREADY! ... Umm... I will try and tell the truth from now on, even if it makes me look like a sissy. Jeez, it's like you're trying to humiliate me, Announcer Guy. ... Sorry, Charles. Right. Umm... What was the question again? Right, truly get to know someone. Uh... Well... talking to them, I guess. Being well-acquainted with someone is kinda a requisite to asking them out the first time. I mean, usually. Not on this show obviously, but usually. In order to get to know someone, I usually have a plan, like... trying to schedule an interview or something like that, and slipping questions about their personality in there.

Shane:
-Looks over at Ian with a quirked brow- That... is really shady. Just so you know. Both of those things. The lying and the other. Seriously, an interview? ... When I want to get to know someone, I take them to do something they like to do. I ask them first, of course. Maybe they say they're into fish? To the Aquarium. Or perhaps they've got a lot of "useless" knowledge... Maybe to a Trivia Night at a local bar. Once I get them there, if they're having fun, they're more likely to actually answer me when I ask trivial questions and deep questions alike. But then again, I do rapid-fire sometimes. Like... 'What's your favorite color' followed up immediately after they answer by 'Okay, well what's your favorite position?' - That sort of stuff never turns out well, but... at least it lets me get to know them?

Shane:
Hmmm... I'm rather fond of the outdoors to be honest. I've always liked the feel of moonlight, and the ambiance it gives everything. Especially that kind of sweet sensation of feeling like dancing naked in the sand on the beach. I'd enjoy a picnic and a walk - but I'd also quite enjoy a mountain hike, or perhaps playing a game of tag. Things outdoors are always fun. The only issue I have is when the quality of the outdoors interferes with what's being done. I mean... I can't make love to someone on a beach that has a lot of noisy kids, and I absolutely refuse to relax and drink wine somewhere smoggy. It has to be the 'right' kind of outdoors. I hope that makes sense? Indoors is nice, too - though. Quite easy to enjoy wine, conversation, and all things related to such. Especially in a quiet environment. Like one of those all-inclusive posh places where you get five courses, and a fantastic wine-pairing list? That I could dig.

Hmm. Good answer.

@Ian: For a first date, would you prefer to have a plan that you stick to or would you be open to spontaneous changes to the initial date idea/plan?

Ian:
If I'm being honest - which I'm supposed to be - I have to say that I really hate spontaneity. Half of my personality revolves around routine, and it's hard for me to just.. yanno... 'do whatever'. Especially for a date. For me, it's got to be a planned out thing. Something that I've gone over and memorized, and can be my very best at. -Scratches side of nose- Things like... planned vacations, or reservations at a dinner place, or specific times for an event. I don't do the whole 'go with the wind' thing.

*sneaks in hoping for even more candidate/announcer convos*
(aka "I don't know if the cat thing was deliberate or a mistake, but if the latter, awesome way to fix it" XD)

Side note: It's hard for me to remember everyone x'D

@everyone: Do you think about how you dress for your first date?

@Serena: On a first date, do you go to the land or the water?
@Piper: What do you think about a date revolved around karaoke?
@Ian: How comfortable are you with dates, especially the first ones?
@Shane: What do you worry about on first dates?

"Woah, woah, woah, woah! That is WAY more than two questions! Two questions per topic, not per contestant per topic. With that, though - the time for that topic has run out. The current Tally for each contestant, and the questions and answers will be posted on the board shortly. In the mean-time, the new topic will be...


Remember! As a reiteration of the rules! Two questions per topic, per PARTICIPANT. Not per contestant. So choose those questions carefully!"

Damn I thought it was two per person per topic. Hard to give personalized questions.

@Shane I am afraid of frogs, if we found a frog what would you do?

@Ian

Are you afraid of the truth?

@Ian: As a fellow cat-person, I am always afraid my potential dates will dislike their natural feline inclinations to behave in certain "stubborn" or "aloof" ways, and look past how graceful, loving and loyal cats can be. One of my worst fears is that my date will be more of a dog-person, or even be allergic to cats. I often dream that I will find a partner who will love cats as much as I love them.

What are you afraid of, Ian? Can you help me overcome my own fears?

- Alistair

Alistair you're so deep :O

Oops. I read the original rules the exact opposite of the way it should have been read. Woops o_o
Sorry Mr. Announcer person >_<

EDIT: Okay, I'll actually ask correctly this time
@everyone In your opinion, is it really such a good thing for a dream to come true?

Shane:
Awww... oh, honey. How could you be afraid of a cute little froggy? But, if you are afraid, I wouldn't make you deal with the thing. I would calmly tell you to turn around and close your eyes, then give you a kiss on the cheek for reassurance. Afterward, I would pick up the frog, and relocate it somewhere far off the path, wash my hands, and stop to get you a cool (or warm, depend on season) drink to calm your poor frazzled nerves. If you were still shaken up, and had room in your house, I would then suggest we visit the pound, and pick up a puppy to distract you from any future amphibian intrusions. Dogs are fantastic frog-hunters, so I've heard. So are cats, so of course you could have your pick. I, as a gentleman, would pay for everything. Then, we'd snuggle on the couch with your new best buddy, and watch feel-good movies with plenty of snacks.

Ian:
Gods dang... We're just airing all sorts of laundry here, aren't we? I guess that's what this show it about anyway, so... -Takes a deep breath- It depends on what kind of truth. I will admit - reluctantly - that I have a bit of a... problem, with the truth. I didn't get where I am in the company I run by being entirely honest... but then again, a vast majority of the business world runs that way. No, if I had to say for a definitive fact... Then I guess... maybe a little.

Ian:
Oh.. Jeez. -Rubs the back of his neck- Okay, so... I lied about the cat thing, I actually really like cats, I just... I guess maybe that's a typically 'girly' thing to do, so I didn't want to admit it, but... if I'm being on the level, I am sort of... aloof. I guess. Or at least I pretend to be. -Sigh- Really, I'm more of a scaredy-cat. -Glances over at Charles- I could try lying to you about that, but then I'd get kicked off the show, and lose respect, and that's not something I want to happen, so here's the truth. I'm afraid of practically everything. I've got a lot of style, and a lot of suave business-sense, but... I get scared. A lot. Of the dark. Of being alone. Of being with someone. Of having kids... Of NOT having kids. It's... complicated. Also typical stuff like... rats, and heights. But as to your fears... I guess maybe I could try? If we hit it off, maybe we could try and tackle those together. Otherwise, we'd both be just... bundles of frayed nerves.

Ian:
Ah, I guess that depends on what kind of dreams we're talking about. I have some pretty off-the-wall achievements under my belt, and I'm not going to overly brag... But I like to think some of them are dreams-come-true. Some of those dreams are bigger than others - like the dea-... -clears his throat- the disappearance of my father. That's been a dream of mine since I was a kid. The way he treated me, you'd want him... far away, too. But other dreams... I don't know. I guess if I accomplished everything I dream about, there would be nothing left to strive for. So maybe not ALL dreams should come true. If just for that reason.

Shane:
If the dream is strong enough, and you want it bad enough, I don't see the harm in dreams coming true. Of course, that also - like Ian said - depends on the dream. If your dream is say... eating 10,000 ice-cream cones before the end of Summer? Go for it! Have fun! Knock yourself out! But for a dream of something like... killing someone, or a group of someones, or perhaps eradicating something important from the world? Yeah, those kind of dreams should stay just that. Dreams. I can't, obviously, tell people what to THINK - but one shouldn't ACT on those types of dreams and desires. It's not... right.

Piper:
Sure. Unless your dream's crap. I knew a guy once, biggest dream he had was riding an Anka in nothing but his socks. Funny, but come on.






Serena:
I don't see why it shouldn't be! Most people aren't as terrible as the rest of these downers seem to think. I say, let everyone dream away! It's hard enough getting what you want in life without people telling you to give up!


-

@Serena
Do you agree that hopes and fears are like a unbreakable relationship in a poetic way?

@Shane
What fear holds you back from doing what you want most?

@everyone

What is a dream you used to have, but no longer wish for?

Shane:
I guess, for me, that answer is 'fear of pain' - but not the traditional type pain. Little known fact, I had a boyfriend in the past. He wasn't... good to me. Let's just leave it at that. It fundamentally changed me, changed the way I think, changed how I look at things, changed my entire perspective on life. It was an eye-opening experience, and not in a good way. I guess that sort of fear - that fear of that pain again, that change, is what prevents me from achieving my greatest dream.

Ian:
Without the risk of sounding utterly insane, my greatest wish for the longest time was to have my neglectful father no longer around. I don't have to have that wish anymore.


Shane:
I think my greatest wish has probably never changed in the entirety of the time I've been alive. I've never achieved that, but there were smaller desires that I have. Like... and it's a pretty silly one, but... I'd always wanted to have my own wine brand. Who knows wine better than someone who makes it, right? I do now. It's not... as glamorous as I thought it'd be, so that's a bit of a letdown - but the fact remains that I achieved that dream. I don't have to want it anymore, because it's here. I wonder if there's a lesson in that somewhere.

@everyone Do you define a "dream" as something you really, really wish and strive for, or is it something else?

@Shane: Have you overcome any fears in your life and if so, which one was the hardest to overcome?

@Ian: If you thought that someone you were dating, or even just a friend, had an impossible to acheive dream would you try to be supportive anyway or would you try to talk them out of reaching for it?

@everyone: What was your biggest dream when you weren't yet able to distinguish the impossible things from the achievable ones?
*scratch that, on closer inspection I think it's too similar to another question already asked*

@everyone: Did you ever catch yourself having a dream that - despite secretly longing for it - you were actually also afraid of? (Both "oh my god I really shouldn't wish for this" and "I truly want to do this, but the thought scares the living daylights out of me" counts)

@everyone - what do you hope with the Bachelor? To get a date only or to find a meaningful relationship?

@Shane If life is but a dream (sha-boom sha-boom, la la la la la la la), would you rather it was your dream or someone else's that you were living in?

@Serena I understand there's a plant called gillyweed that, if chewed, will allow a non-marine dweller the ability to breathe under water for sixty minutes, if it were true, would that be a hope or a fear come true to you?

@everyone: If you need to face your biggest fear, what (or who) do you think will help you succeed?

:O

? ? ?

Yeah, been a while since the last reply. Did this show turn into Solitary without the host telling Trisphee? o.o

[Nope, this show turned into Ari getting really sick for a couple of days. Sorry about that. XD]

Ian:
Well, of course a dream is something you really wish for. What else could it possibly be? There are whims and desires, but a dream you have to want so badly you can taste it. There might even be such a thing as a 'dangerous dream' - something you want badly enough to kill someone for. But that's still a dream.


Shane:
I think Wish and Dream aren't interchangeable - even though I've been using it as such. Most people seem to think those two words are one and the same, but to me.... A dream - a TRUE dream - is something unattainable. Something you just can't grasp - just right on the tip of your fingers, but with no means to bridge that gap. When it DOES become attainable, or is within reach, it becomes a wish. Something you can make come true. But I don't think "dreams" ever come true.