Wow and Flutter

The Proust Questionnaire

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. Here is the basic Proust Questionnaire.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Dancing or, err, more adult type activities. Although, the latter is a kind of dance, innit?

2. What is your greatest fear?
That I will die before I’ve seen it all.

3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My ability to bargain myself out of doing what’s right.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Self-Doubt.

5. Which living person do you most admire?
Today, as with most of the Summer, it’s been Sloane for taking huge leaps of faith in stride. From the outside looking in, it appears she’s living the life she wants without delay.

6. What is your greatest extravagance?
I eat and drink well and have no qualms about spending so that others can do the same. Is that extravagant?

7. What is your current state of mind?
At this very moment? A little less cluttered than it has been. Writing usually helps with my ability to focus.

8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

It’s probably a tie between moderation and loyalty.

9. On what occasion do you lie?
To protect the status of another. To protect my own self-image.

10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I think I’m pretty cute but my belly could be leaner.

11. Which living person do you most despise?
I can’t think of anyone who’s face I’d put on my dart board.

12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
compassion.

13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
enthusiasm.

14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“indeed”

“nonsense”

“How dare you!”

15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Tiffany B Brown is the who. Life itself is the what.

16. When and where were you happiest?
The last time I was telling a funny story; the last time I was on a dance floor breaking it down; the last time I shared a bed.

17. Which talent would you most like to have?
an affinity for learning languages.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I’d develop the ability to teleport.

19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Every time there was an opportunity to help someone else and I took it.

20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
I’d love to come back as a human again. I’ll be so bummed when I’m dead and can’t hear the latest music, watch the latest tv show, or read an interesting book.

21. Where would you most like to live?
Somewhere with good public transportation, a great nightlife, and where I don’t have to wear a winter coat most of the year.

22. What is your most treasured possession?
My life.

23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
watching others in pain and being unable to assist.

24. What is your favorite occupation?
My job right now is pretty cool. I think being a DJ would be a pretty kick-ass gig, too.

25. What is your most marked characteristic?
Probably my smile and my laugh.

26. What do you most value in your friends?
their enthusiasm and joyfulness

27. Who are your favorite writers?
Walter Mosley, Elmore Leonard, Stephen King, Zadie Smith

28. Who is your hero of fiction?
Easy Rawlins; Dick Grayson.

29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
A few names pop in my head — Robert Kennedy, Quincy Jones, Langston Hughes — but none of them feel right.

30. Who are your heroes in real life?
My mother. My uncle Mike.

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