Proust, Proust, Proust
I get a kick out of watching Inside the Actors Studio, and I've always enjoyed the Proust questions at the end of the segment. Meljean Brook answered the questions as one of her characters, Colin, and asked others to join in. Since this is a very meh Tuesday, I figured it might be fun.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I love being surrounded by the laughter of “my people” (my family and friends). Of course, I’m also really happy to soak for hours in a bathtub with a book.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Waking up one day to find all my loved ones are gone.
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Ummm, I have no freaking clue. Most historical figures had more hardship in their lives than me.
4. Which living person do you most admire?
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to pick Oprah. She’s used the power she’s gained over time to make a difference in the world, in the best way she knows how.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Self indulgence.
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Celebrated stupidity. I’m not talking about stupid humor movies; those tend to be made by people that are genuinely intelligent. I’m talking about people that seem proud of their ignorance or rudeness and wear it like a badge. They have no desire to improve themselves.
I don’t expect people to have encyclopedic knowledge of everything. I mean, my math skills are severely lacking and my ability to retain information about cars is nil, but I’m not proud of it.
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
The money I’ve spent on my vacations. But you can’t take it with you when you go, and I’ve made memories that will last a lifetime.
8. What is your favorite journey?
Any journey made with good traveling companions.
9. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
If we’re talking the seven virtues, I’m going to go with abstinence.
10. On what occasion do you lie?
I’m a terrible liar, so I don’t do it often. Sometimes I will withhold the full truth, though, mostly in an attempt to avoid hurting their feelings.
11. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My weight. Surprise!
12. Which living person do you most despise?
I have a lot of open hostility for hate-mongers like Fred Phelps. I’m ashamed he calls Kansas his home.
13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Seriously”, “Totally”, and “Clearly”
14. What is your greatest regret?
I regret not taking more chances in college. I was so focused on the things I was supposed to be doing, that I missed some chances to live life to the fullest.
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
It’s far easier for me to answer this with a “what”, and it’s a draw between books or food.
16. Which talent would you most like to have?
The fun answer? The ability to transport myself and others anywhere I wanted to go. The serious answer? I’d like the ability to tap more readily into my imagination and vividly express what I see on paper for other’s enjoyment.
17. What is your current state of mind?
Wishing I didn’t have to spend so much of my time working at a desk job.
18. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
My mom would no longer have multiple sclerosis.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
You’d think it would be earning my master’s degree, but I’m more pleased with my ability to make friendships that last a lifetime.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Oh good grief, I have no clue. I’d probably be sent back as a cat, or something.
21. If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
A well loved book?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
My family photos and my books
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Um, see #2.
24. Where would you like to live?
Oh, to have enough money to live in many places!
I’d love to have an apartment in New York City (semi-instant access to the shopping and museums, and Broadway), a cabin in the mountains somewhere when I want to huddle up and enjoy the snow and a good fire, a cozy home somewhere in Europe with easy access to the trains so that I could sight-see when I wanted, and a cottage on a secluded beach. I need the yin and the yang, the excitement and the retreat.
Of course, I’ve day-dreamed about building my own version of the Kennedy compound somewhere with weather that stays around 70 to 80 degrees with a light breeze all the time. There’d be a large main house with plenty of room for having dinners with lots of people, a home theatre system, a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves, and lots of comfortable seating in rooms large enough for game nights and rooms intimate enough for long conversations. Oh, and I can’t forget the crafting suite with a wall of windows and draperies that can be thrown open to let in the sun or closed when privacy and quiet is needed. I also envision several guest cottages within a reasonable walking distance to the main house. My guests could come and stay as long as they like, and either play with others or hole up for some private time. Ah, fantasies.
25. What is your favorite occupation?
If I’m alone, it’s reading.
26. What is your most marked characteristic?
I’m going to go with empathy, but I’m not sure that’s what others would say.
27. What is the quality you most like in a man?
I adore men that are stable and supportive, but willing to be silly.
28. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Really, they’re the same qualities as #27. The women I most admire are empathetic yet strong. They’re serious yet silly.
29. What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty. Friends that are truly loyal are supportive and a big source of comfort, but they’re also willing to tell you the truth.
30. Who are your favorite writers?
Jennifer Crusie, JR Ward, Dean Koontz, Barbara Samuel, Dave Barry, Katie MacAlister, Lani Diane Rich, and many more.
31. Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
I’ll go with Cal from Jenny Crusie’s Bet Me.
32. Who are your heroes in real life?
My parents - they’re the type of people I want to be.
33. What are your favorite names?
It’s been a long time since I put a lot of thought about this, so in the interest of time I’ve always been fond of Michael, Andrew, Meghan, Leigh, Alexandra
34. What is it that you most dislike?
Cleaning, ironing, and breaking into a sweat as soon as I walk outside because it’s too freaking hot.
35. How would you like to die?
In my old age, in my sleep.
36. What is your motto?
I don’t really have one. Although, I do hear a fictional Obi-Wan Kenobi telling me “Get up, Caryle, you must get up,” when I’m having a particularly awful day.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I love being surrounded by the laughter of “my people” (my family and friends). Of course, I’m also really happy to soak for hours in a bathtub with a book.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Waking up one day to find all my loved ones are gone.
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Ummm, I have no freaking clue. Most historical figures had more hardship in their lives than me.
4. Which living person do you most admire?
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to pick Oprah. She’s used the power she’s gained over time to make a difference in the world, in the best way she knows how.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Self indulgence.
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Celebrated stupidity. I’m not talking about stupid humor movies; those tend to be made by people that are genuinely intelligent. I’m talking about people that seem proud of their ignorance or rudeness and wear it like a badge. They have no desire to improve themselves.
I don’t expect people to have encyclopedic knowledge of everything. I mean, my math skills are severely lacking and my ability to retain information about cars is nil, but I’m not proud of it.
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
The money I’ve spent on my vacations. But you can’t take it with you when you go, and I’ve made memories that will last a lifetime.
8. What is your favorite journey?
Any journey made with good traveling companions.
9. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
If we’re talking the seven virtues, I’m going to go with abstinence.
10. On what occasion do you lie?
I’m a terrible liar, so I don’t do it often. Sometimes I will withhold the full truth, though, mostly in an attempt to avoid hurting their feelings.
11. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My weight. Surprise!
12. Which living person do you most despise?
I have a lot of open hostility for hate-mongers like Fred Phelps. I’m ashamed he calls Kansas his home.
13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Seriously”, “Totally”, and “Clearly”
14. What is your greatest regret?
I regret not taking more chances in college. I was so focused on the things I was supposed to be doing, that I missed some chances to live life to the fullest.
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
It’s far easier for me to answer this with a “what”, and it’s a draw between books or food.
16. Which talent would you most like to have?
The fun answer? The ability to transport myself and others anywhere I wanted to go. The serious answer? I’d like the ability to tap more readily into my imagination and vividly express what I see on paper for other’s enjoyment.
17. What is your current state of mind?
Wishing I didn’t have to spend so much of my time working at a desk job.
18. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
My mom would no longer have multiple sclerosis.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
You’d think it would be earning my master’s degree, but I’m more pleased with my ability to make friendships that last a lifetime.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Oh good grief, I have no clue. I’d probably be sent back as a cat, or something.
21. If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
A well loved book?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
My family photos and my books
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Um, see #2.
24. Where would you like to live?
Oh, to have enough money to live in many places!
I’d love to have an apartment in New York City (semi-instant access to the shopping and museums, and Broadway), a cabin in the mountains somewhere when I want to huddle up and enjoy the snow and a good fire, a cozy home somewhere in Europe with easy access to the trains so that I could sight-see when I wanted, and a cottage on a secluded beach. I need the yin and the yang, the excitement and the retreat.
Of course, I’ve day-dreamed about building my own version of the Kennedy compound somewhere with weather that stays around 70 to 80 degrees with a light breeze all the time. There’d be a large main house with plenty of room for having dinners with lots of people, a home theatre system, a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves, and lots of comfortable seating in rooms large enough for game nights and rooms intimate enough for long conversations. Oh, and I can’t forget the crafting suite with a wall of windows and draperies that can be thrown open to let in the sun or closed when privacy and quiet is needed. I also envision several guest cottages within a reasonable walking distance to the main house. My guests could come and stay as long as they like, and either play with others or hole up for some private time. Ah, fantasies.
25. What is your favorite occupation?
If I’m alone, it’s reading.
26. What is your most marked characteristic?
I’m going to go with empathy, but I’m not sure that’s what others would say.
27. What is the quality you most like in a man?
I adore men that are stable and supportive, but willing to be silly.
28. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Really, they’re the same qualities as #27. The women I most admire are empathetic yet strong. They’re serious yet silly.
29. What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty. Friends that are truly loyal are supportive and a big source of comfort, but they’re also willing to tell you the truth.
30. Who are your favorite writers?
Jennifer Crusie, JR Ward, Dean Koontz, Barbara Samuel, Dave Barry, Katie MacAlister, Lani Diane Rich, and many more.
31. Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
I’ll go with Cal from Jenny Crusie’s Bet Me.
32. Who are your heroes in real life?
My parents - they’re the type of people I want to be.
33. What are your favorite names?
It’s been a long time since I put a lot of thought about this, so in the interest of time I’ve always been fond of Michael, Andrew, Meghan, Leigh, Alexandra
34. What is it that you most dislike?
Cleaning, ironing, and breaking into a sweat as soon as I walk outside because it’s too freaking hot.
35. How would you like to die?
In my old age, in my sleep.
36. What is your motto?
I don’t really have one. Although, I do hear a fictional Obi-Wan Kenobi telling me “Get up, Caryle, you must get up,” when I’m having a particularly awful day.