I yam what I yam
Ah -- the old Proust Questionnaire. This has been running on the back page of Vanity Fair Magazine for a number of years, and it is also a favorite of bloggers all over. So, I thought today might be my turn. By tomorrow, of course, my responses might be different. And, while I am not about to tag anybody with this, I would love to hear some of the answers of others out there.Part I
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Isolation
Where would you like to live? Either where I am living now, or on the island Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands
What is your idea of earthly happiness? Being able to express myself at all levels of my being
To what faults do you feel most indulgent? In myself, sloth. In others irreverence
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction? Thomas More in Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons; Huckleberry Finn
Who are your favorite characters in history? Winston Churchill; Governor Huey Long of Louisiana (I didn't say I had to like the person)
Who are your favorite heroines in real life? Queen Boudicca of the Icenii of ancient Britain who fought the Roman Legions and nearly beat them; Burmese patriot and ongoing martyr Aung San Suu Kyi
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction? Nancy in Dickens' Oliver Twist; Ma Joad in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath
Your favorite painter? Turner of the English School; Edward Hopper, especially Nighthawks and Summertime 1943. The woman pictured looks like my mother did when I was a little boy
Your favorite musician? Classical: Jacqueline duPre; Jazz: Chet Baker; Rock/Pop: Layla will redeem Eric Clapton all transgressions, including stealing George Harrison's wife (who is the subject of Layla)
The quality you most admire in a man? Courage
The quality you most admire in a woman? Tenacity
Your favorite virtue? Honesty. I haven't always been successful in that regard, and maybe that is why it's my favorite virtue
Your favorite occupation? What I am finally privileged enough to do right now, and that is to write and be able to make a (pathetic as it might be) sort of living from it
Who would you have liked to be? The person I am; warts and all. I can't conceive what it would be like to be another, so I won't try
Part II
Your most marked characteristic? Sense of humor
The quality you most like in a man? Candor
The quality you most like in a woman? Intelligent sexuality
What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty
What is your principal defect? Today: procrastination; In the past: always looking for greener pastures
What is your favorite occupation? Writing and traveling. I regard travel as an occupation because I gain much inspiration from it
What is your dream of happiness? Good health combined with longevity and virility
What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes? To live in isolated poverty
What would you like to be? The author of an immensely successful and lucrative book
In what country would you like to live? Canada works fine for me in the warm season, but I could easily be a Snowbird when it's chilly and damp
What is your favorite color? Blue
What is your favorite flower? Roses and plumeria (frangipani) blossoms
What is your favorite bird? The homely old American Robin
Who are your favorite prose writers? Shakespeare; Twain; Orwell
Who are your favorite poets? Philip Larkin; Al Purdy
What are your favorite names? I like basic, old fashioned Tom, Dick and Harry names, and it would probably be purdent to suggest that 'Wendy' is my favorite female name. But, you know, I have always had a soft-spot for the name 'Jane'. Must be because of my first grade reader
What is it you most dislike? Bigotry
What historical figures do you most despise? Hitler; Stalin; bin Laden; Pol Pot; and the guy who shot Anwar Sadat. Oh, this list could go on and on, so I shall refrain
What event in military history do you most admire? The Battle of Britain; the Russian victory at Stalingrad
What reform do you most admire? The separation of church and state
What natural gift would you most like to possess? Wisdom
How would you like to die? In my own bed at an advanced age, painlessly and peacefully with no regrets
What is your present state of mind? Apprehensive
What is your motto? Carpe diem
*So that's me in a Proustian nutshell. How about you?
posted by Ian Lidster at
3:15 PM
6 Comments:
Wow, Ian. Great answers! I loved it.
I am going to think about these questions and post an answer over the weekend. Queen Boudicca - good answer! Me too!
Take care :-)
Hurrah for Queen Boudica!
hehe Ian. i have had this questionnaire sitting on my blog - unanswered - for months. i'd love to do it and this may just spur me on. i love reading all the answers in the back of my Vanity Fair when it comes every month.
:)
AM
Hi Ian,
Here's my take on the world...
Part I
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Rejection
Where would you like to live? Anywhere that I can feel at home and where I have people around me that provide a sense of community.
What is your idea of earthly happiness? Freedom to do what I want, when I want to do it.
To what faults do you feel most indulgent? Judgment and bluntness
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction? Sherlock Holmes, Huckleberry Finn,
Who are your favorite characters in history? Romeo Dallaire, Albert Einstein, Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens), Anne Boleyn
Who are your favorite heroines in real life? Nellie McClung, Madeleine Albright, Milly Early, Margaret Thatcher, Betty Ford
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction? Moll Flanders, Tess Durbeyfield, Trixie Beldon
Your favorite painter? Realists like Andrew Wyeth; Claude
Your favorite musician? Eric Clapton, Jann Arden, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, Van Morrison, and so many more. ….
The quality you most admire in a man? Honesty
The quality you most admire in a woman? Courage
Your favorite virtue? Honesty and forthrightness
Your favorite occupation? Business management and commercial cooking
Who would you have liked to be? I like who I am but I would have liked to have been instilled with more self-confident. It’s difficult to build this at a later stage in your life.
Part II
Your most marked characteristic? Forthrightness
The quality you most like in a man? Honesty and good character
The quality you most like in a woman? Courage and good character
What do you most value in your friends? Tolerance
What is your principal defect? Holding grudges and being too quick to judge
What is your favorite occupation? See above.
What is your dream of happiness? Long life, good health, freedom and contentment
What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes? Be struck with a debilitating disease.
What would you like to be?
Work: An accomplished international business consultant
Personal: Self-confident and wise
In what country would you like to live? Canada is pretty good but I could live any place that is not overly dangerous and where I could feel accepted and part of the community.
What is your favorite color? Aqua
What is your favorite flower? Begonia
What is your favorite bird? Flicker (reminds me of my childhood every time I hear one)
Who are your favorite prose writers? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; John Irving; Mark Twain; D.H. Lawrence; Margaret Laurence
Who are your favorite poets? Edgar Allan Poe; Walt Whitman
What are your favorite names? Names that suit a person
What is it you most dislike? Bigotry and dishonesty
What historical figures do you most despise? Hitler; Osama bin Laden
What event in military history do you most admire? The courage of Romeo Dallaire in Rwanda
What reform do you most admire? Women’s vote
What natural gift would you most like to possess? Wisdom and discernment
How would you like to die? In a flash while doing something I love
What is your present state of mind? Apprehensive
What is your motto? Everything in mediocre (there’s a story here)
Hey Ian....
Found your blog via Tia's blog.....we are almost neighbours. I live in Qualicum Bay and work in Comox.
Really enjoyed reading your blog. Your answers were very inspiring and in some cases educational.
Hope you are having a fantastic day.
Cheers!!!
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