The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature. Vanity Fair
My fellow-blogger, David Kanigan, posted his responses to this questionnaire. He’s a very level, non-exhibitionist type, so I was intrigued by what kind of questions would tempt him. Of course, this list offers a depth of navel-gazing seldom seen on Facebook or Twitter. And, I could NOT pass it up. So, here are my Proust answers.
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1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? The moment of release when my bipolar symptoms lift. The Relief. The Clarity. The Gratitude.
2. What is your greatest fear? One by one, I’ve experienced all of them (except being eaten by a shark), and carried on.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? The inability to follow through. However, as I work on accepting it, I find small ways I can follow through.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Acting out from their fear and hatred.
5. Which living person do you most admire? Jimmy Carter
6. What is your greatest extravagance? Art Supplies
7. What is your current state of mind? Cautious. I’ve been going through big mood swings as of late, and I wake up on guard.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Hope. It is full of expectation.
9. On what occasion do you lie? I used to lie when people asked, “How are you?” Now I answer, “That’s a loaded question.” Mostly, I lie with silence.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance? Being obese.
11. Which living person do you most despise? No-one. I don’t understand a lot of people.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man? The ability to take action.
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Self-confidence.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? All versions and permutations of “fuck.”
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life? My grandmother
16. When and where were you happiest? In my childhood room, drawing.
17. Which talent would you most like to have? To play the guitar well.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? To be at a healthy weight.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement? This blog and the short fiction posted in it.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? Someone with loving and genetically healthy parents.
21. Where would you most like to live? At this moment, Des Moines.
22. What is your most treasured possession? My grandmothers’ photo albums.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Someone unable to alter their perspective.
24. What is your favorite occupation? Arting
25. What is your most marked characteristic? Others say my laugh is unique.
26. What do you most value in your friends? Availability.
27. Who are your favorite writers? Stephen King, Wally Lamb, Tana French
28. Who is your hero of fiction? Stu Redman in The Stand by Stephen King
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with? Virginia Woolf
30. Who are your heroes in real life? I have lots of heroes. The most flesh and blood one is Barak Obama.
31. What are your favorite names? Rachel, Declan, Wyatt
32. What is it that you most dislike? Noise—auditory or visual
33. What is your greatest regret? My PTSD makes regret into a terror. I regret many things I did when I was very ill.
34. How would you like to die? Quickly, by my own hand.
35. What is your motto? No matter where you go, there you are.
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