Proust Questionnaire, August 2017

About five years ago, when this blog was still a grad student's tumblr page consisting mostly of his marginalia in novels he'd read, I filled out the famous Proust Questionnaire and posted it. I can't find that post right now (because I'm lazy), but if you want to dig around in the archives from 2011 or 2012, you might find it.

Anyway, I found that on my hard drive today while doing some digital upkeep, and thought, in the spirit of indulging a lazy, warm Friday afternoon, I'd do it again. Some of my answers haven't changed at all (favorite color, greatest misfortune), but others have changed a lot. Without further ado . . .

  1. Your most marked characteristic? Verbosity
  2. The quality you most like in a man? Thoughtfulness
  3. The quality you most like in a woman? Humor
  4. What do you most value in your friends? Tolerance
  5. What is your principle defect? Self-loathing
  6. What is your favorite occupation? Writing
  7. What is your dream of happiness? The endless summers of childhood.
  8. What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes? To die trapped in my body, like my grandmother did.
  9. What would you like to be? Fulfilled
  10. In what country would you like to live? Canada sounds better every day.
  11. What is your favorite color? Blue
  12. What is your favorite flower? I don’t know flowers.
  13. What is your favorite bird? Hummingbird
  14. Who are your favorite prose writers? Margaret Atwood, James Joyce, Edward P Jones, Neal Stephenson
  15. Who are your favorite poets? WH Auden, Anne Carson, William Stafford
  16. Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Arthur Dent, Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
  17. Who are your favorite heroines of fiction? Eliza, The Baroque Cycle
  18. Who are your favorite composers? David Byrne
  19. Who are your favorite painters? I’m not a paintings kind of guy. Prefer photography.
  20. Who are your heroes in real life? Barack Obama, Jackie Robinson, my dad
  21. Who are your favorite heroines of history? Caroline of Ansbach, Clara Barton
  22. What are your favorite names? Mathilde, Siobhan, August
  23. What is it you most dislike? Feeling tired when I need to work.
  24. What historical figures do you most despise? Hitler, I suppose. Stalin. Others of their ilk.
  25. What event in military history do you most admire? The way the civilian population of London weathered the Blitz.
  26. What reform do you most admire? Medicare & Medicaid come to mind, lately.
  27. What natural gift would you most like to possess? I would love to be able to sing soul songs credibly.
  28. How would you like to die? Floating on a raft in a lake on a sunny day when I am very old
  29. What is your present state of mind? Pleasant
  30. To what faults do you feel most indulgent? Gluttony
  31. What is your motto? A man can cut whatever corners he likes, but it’s wise to splurge on pillows and toilet paper.