The Proust Questionnaire

I always love reading the Proust Questionnaire in the back of every Vanity Fair. So I thought I'd issue my own questionnaires for friends of mine and put them up here! First up is Leslie, who works for a rehab facility, bakes up a storm, and sings with me at weddings in her spare time.


What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Having a family (biological or not) that you can feel completely confident in.

What is your greatest fear?
Losing my job and independence.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Food. But I've also discovered that baking weekly for other people is expensive! It's just how I try new dessert recipes.

Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
The Day Boy and the Night Girl in The Day Boy and the Night Girl by George McDonald. Yellow from Hope for the Flowers: a tale partly about life partly about revolution and lots about hope for adults and others (including caterpillars who can read). Meg and Charles Wallace Murray of the Time Series by Madeleine L'Engle. The Giver of The Giver (um, all kids books?).

The quality you most admire in a man?
Honesty about the most important things.

The quality you most admire in a woman?
Acceptance.

Your least favorite virtue, or nominee for the most overrated one?
While it can't get much better than a tidy living space, I'll have to go with cleanliness.

Your proudest achievement?
Any time I refrain from spending money is always a proud moment.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
The words "awful" and "absolutely."

When and where were you happiest?
I've always said I'd live my freshman year of college live over and over again-- not knowing the things I know now, of course. I'm pretty darn happy now though.

Which talent would you most like to have?
To dance like this.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would have more patience.

What is your most treasured possession?
The roof over my head!

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Watching those you love grow old and unable to live independently or losing a loved one.

What do you most value in your friends?
FEEDBACK! I can verbally process my little heart out, but if it doesn't end as a conversation, I feel like the rope from my inter-tube to the boat has been cut.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I can't say I've ever truly identified with an historical figure. I have been inspired and entertained by stories about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, etc.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Doc Holliday.

What is it that you most dislike?
Instantaneous judgment.

What is your greatest regret?
Not being the most responsible with my money after college. I'm slowly crawling out of that one.

How would you like to die?
Either in my sleep OR intentionally-- not suicide. I'm talking about the necessity and opportunity that each dying person has to let go. My loved ones will know it was my time.

What is your motto?
"Work smart, not hard"