7.01.2008

Proust Seduced

While on holiday, in between cooking and naps and swimming and naps and novel reading and naps and playing Guitar Hero, I was able to peruse some of my back issues of Vanity Fair. One of my favorite parts of the mag can be found on the very last page: 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. Each month, a person of notoriety answers a subset of these questions, often with very revealing and witty candor.

In that spirit, I thought I might take a stab at the questions myself... and invite y'all to do the same. It'll be our brush with literary greatness for the day.


What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Requited, brilliantly-timed love.

What is your current state of mind?
Percolating with creative anticipation. Time to get serious.

What is your greatest fear?
Losing a child. Losing my sense of self. Snakes.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Dorothy Parker.

Who are your favorite fictional heroes?
Scarlett O’Hara. Mrs. Calabash.

Who are your heroes in real life?
My kiddo.

What talent would you most like to have?
To be able to tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue. And to be able to really, seriously dance -- tap or jazz.

Who are your favorite writers?
Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Carver, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jackie Collins

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

My kiddo, Master Will.

What are your most marked characteristics?
My laugh, my literal and figurative tongue, my naturally curly hair.

What are the traits you most deplore in yourself?
My rampant insecurity coupled with my ego-centric stubborn pride. Dangerous combo.

What are the traits you most dislike in others?
Pretentiousness, close-mindedness, bigotry, lack of a sense of humor.

What are your greatest extravagances?

Books, MAC lipglass, expensive hair care products and top shelf liquor.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My abundance of cushioned curvature in my lower body.

On what occasion do you lie?

When I’m afraid of disappointing someone with either my actions or my inactions.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Seriously. Y’all. Seriously. Shit. Seriously.

What is your favorite swear word?

Shit. Duh.

What do you consider your greatest achievement so far?
My kiddo, Master Will.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
An otter. Life is a constant party for those rascals.

What is your motto?
“’Tis better to ask forgiveness than permission.”

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Back issues of Vanity Fair...bliss!

Anonymous said...

"What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My abundance of cushioned curvature in my lower body."

Love how you phrased that. So stealing it for future reference to the lower quadrant.

Master Will: Hero indeed! Boy Wonder-ful.

Anonymous said...

what a great post! I may steal it for a post of my own!

Ruprecht said...

*Zoinks!*

Wonderfulness.

But ... an "otter"? Seriously?!? I don't care if they're partyin' animals or not, that's just perplexin' .....

Acting or inacting, I'm on board. Y'all.

...................................... Ruprecht

Anonymous said...

Great post. You're right, the answers are quite revealing. I feel like I know you a bit better now. And I think otter is an inspired choice!

Miss Janey said...

But for favorite swear work and having a kid, Miss J and Sub Diva might be twins...

Jen said...

Love the questionnaire AND your answers. I'm a Dorothy Parker fanatic, myself.

Anonymous said...

I have already started mine, will credit you, and am posting it another day.

janey jay said...

So glad y'all are having fun with this...

Emily, I am the queen of back issues. I have a habit of stockpiling and then bolus-dose reading them.

Miss Riss, I'm totally biased, but Will could qualify as everyone's hero.

Rupe, listen to greytfriend -- otter is a wonderful choice. ;-)

And perpstu and CV -- cannot wait to read y'all's answers...