How to feel like a celebrity (for a few minutes)...

...take the Proust Questionnaire!

Named for author Marcel Proust, this standard interview appears on the last page of Vanity Fair - you know, that big glossy book of ads with a few pages celebrity interviews and political commentary to keep it interesting.

Behold, the Meandering Mouse's answers. (If you want to take it yourself, go here.)  Note that these are my answers as of right now and they could change in days or hours or seconds.


What is your idea of perfect happiness?  

Being in a place where I can let my ideas flow freely.

What is your greatest fear? 

Being blind and/or unable to walk or move.

Which living person do you most admire? 

I don’t know right now.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 

Lack of confidence; not actively pursuing what I want.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? 

Deliberate cruelty.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? 

I can name three: chastity, patriotism, and school spirit.

On what occasion do you lie? 

When it really is the right thing to do.

What do you dislike most about your appearance? 

The “11” between my eyebrows – it makes me look like a mean old woman, which I’m not!

What is your greatest regret? 

I don’t think of regrets, because I can’t do anything about them.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? 

Two Dogs.

Which talent would you most like to have? 

Bicycling.

What is your current state of mind?

Sore and stressed.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 

I would be less timid.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

Learning that other people’s insults mean nothing and aren’t about me at all. This is one of the most important lessons to learn in life.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? 

That’s not going to happen.

What is your most treasured possession? 

My brain.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 

Powerlessness.

Where would you like to live? 

Anywhere where it’s peaceful.

What is your most marked characteristic? 

Quiet.

Who are your favorite writers? 

Anyone who writes in a way that moves me.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction? 

The one I’m writing right now.

Who are your heroes in real life? 

None at this time. I may have evolved away from hero worship.

What is it that you most dislike? 

When stupidity, laziness, and/or indecision gets in the way of positive action.

What is your motto? 

“Life is meant to be lived facing forward.”