[FF5]Knix Posted September 15, 2005 Posted September 15, 2005 I read the Magazine "Vanity Fair". My favorite section is on the last page. It mimics the famous "Proust Questionnaire" named after the 19th Century French intellectual Marcel Proust. It is said to be one of the most interesting and enlightening introspection tests. Each issue in the Magazine, they ask a famous person the following questions.... 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? 2) What is your greatest fear? 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? 6) On what occasion do you lie? 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? 8) What is your greatest regret? 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? 10) What is your current state of mind? 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? 12) What is your most treasured possession? 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 14) Where would you like to live? 15) What is your favorite occupation? 16) What do you most value in your friends? 17) Who are your favorite writers? 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? 19) Who are your heroes in real life? 20) What are your favorite names? 21) What is it that you most dislike? 22) How would you like to die? As most of us will never be famous enough to asked these questions in Vanity Fair, I thought it might be cool to give it a shot. There are no "right/wrong" answers. I also don't want anybody crapping on anyone either, no matter what they put down. I will fill one out tmrw as its late. Just copy and paste the questions from above and answer in the space underneath each question. Quote
Genesis Posted September 15, 2005 Posted September 15, 2005 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? It would be a loving wife, a few kids, an many problems. Sounds like normal life, I know 2) What is your greatest fear? Losing the people I love one by one, which is unfortunately likely to happen since I'm the youngest in the family. 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I tend to lie to others quite often for very small things, in order to avoid boring and useless explanations. Geez I'm bad. 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? Hmm, people who judge others upon their look, while claiming they'd NEVER DO THAT oh my God. More generally, close-minded people get on my nerves quite easily. 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Generosity. 6) On what occasion do you lie? Any, see above. Anyway and very strangely, I never lied in order to cover bad things I did in the past. 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? I'm quite proud of my appearance, but since my back's completely screwed up, I look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame de Paris if I don't pay attention. 8) What is your greatest regret? I have no regret. 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? If I had to chose between saving my parents, my friends, or the woman I once loved, I think I wouldn't be able to make a decision. So let's say that my greatest love in life is a thing, and let's call it Love. 10) What is your current state of mind? A bit nostalgic. 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? Having enough real friends to fill a small stadium. 12) What is your most treasured possession? Wow it took me 5 minutes to think about something I wouldn't give up easily. So I'd say my Harmann-Kardon stereo, whitch would be nothing without my complete Killing Joke, Genesis and King Crimson discographies on original vinyls + a few other rarities. 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? People who are almost proud of telling you they have no real friends, because they hardly can trust anyone else but themselves, have touched the lowest depth of misery. 14) Where would you like to live? New Orleans, and right now more than ever. 15) What is your favorite occupation? Reading books. A good book can keep me awaken one whole night, even if I have to go to work the day after. 16) What do you most value in your friends? Differences. 17) Who are your favorite writers? Jules Verne, who's definitely one of the greatest french writers of the XIXth century, John Milton, Charles Beaudelaire, Edgar Allan Poe, Dante Alighieri, and of course Aleister Crowley. Contemporary writers I'd like to mention are Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child and Patricia Cornwell. Yep, I really enjoy their literature for the masses. 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Captain Nemo. Now that's a very interesting character. 19) Who are your heroes in real life? Jaz Coleman, Freddie Mercury, Winston Churchill, some of my parents (hi mom), many of my friends. 20) What are your favorite names? Erf... Cate? Sorry, there's not enough place left to list'em all. I kinda like original first names. 21) What is it that you most dislike? Injustice. Or should I say, peoples' conception of Justice. That is what leads to many kinds of other problems. People don't take enough time to stop, judge and think before they make a decision, so, most of the time, their decisions are crappy and they regret it even years later. Even love has to go fast, nowadays. It starts fast, and ends fast too. 22) How would you like to die? Old. Quote
[FF5]Knix Posted September 15, 2005 Author Posted September 15, 2005 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? In a boat on a lake, fishing with my two boys, Mets game on the radio, wife reading a book on the shore waving to us. 2) What is your greatest fear? Where to begin? Fear itself....fighting it my whole life. 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Losing my cool to easily, being so reactionary 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? narcissism 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Politeness 6) On what occasion do you lie? When the result of telling the truth would be worse then the result from lying 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? Used to be my balding heeeeed (started when I was 21), but i got over that. Now....my flat posterior. 8) What is your greatest regret? Not knowing my grandparents 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? My Wife and children (boring i know, but the truth) 10) What is your current state of mind? anxious but hopefull 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? Convincing my wife to move up from Florida to New York, which led to us getting married. 12) What is your most treasured possession? Nobody really possess anything, we're all just renting in the big picture. 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being without hope 14) Where would you like to live? In a mansion in south Tampa along the bay, with a dock and a large fishing boat 15) What is your favorite occupation? Veterinarian, or Fishing charter captain (ironic ain't it?) 16) What do you most value in your friends? Consistancy 17) Who are your favorite writers? Ayn Rand, Shakespeare, Dumas 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Count of Montecristo 19) Who are your heroes in real life? My mother 20) What are your favorite names? Boy-Dartanian, Girl- Angellica 21) What is it that you most dislike? Pompasity 22) How would you like to die? Bravely Quote
Spacko Posted September 15, 2005 Posted September 15, 2005 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? December 24th after dinner, gifts and a long day with my family. Alone with the cat, in silence in the dark and looking across the fjord at my home town. 2) What is your greatest fear? Never amounting to anything. 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? My lack of a moral compass. Simply put, besides the obvious 'taking innocent lives is wrong, stealing not good either' etc., I do not 'feel' what's wrong and what's right. Thus I can only approach more complex decisions about values, morals and ethics intellectually, and often end up thinking all sides have good arguments and unable to decide on anything. And that feels rotten, I assure you. 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? Cowardice. 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Honesty. 6) On what occasion do you lie? To spare the feelings of loved ones. 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? My overweight, definitely. 8) What is your greatest regret? The time I abandoned a hypocondriac of a friend who that time turned out to have a broken leg. 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? My parents and a girl. 10) What is your current state of mind? Procrastinate. I should have started a machineful of laundry at least 15 minutes ago. 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? One particular piece of school work - a 35 page paper on a famous Norwegian author into which I poured both heart and soul. 12) What is your most treasured possession? Frankly I try to distance myself from things and items, but still the loss of my laptop computer would be a harrowing experience as I use it for so many things and keep so much information and entertainment on it. 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Committing suicide. 14) Where would you like to live? I'm not sure yet, but somewhere is the USA is a good bet. I feel sure I would like New York. 15) What is your favorite occupation? Journalist. 16) What do you most value in your friends? The ability to create a good time and many laughs for me and themselves. 17) Who are your favorite writers? Oriana Fallaci comes to mind. In poetry André Bjerke, Olaf Bull and Stein Mehren. 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Count Carl Gustav Gilbert Hamilton, Coq Rouge. 19) Who are your heroes in real life? Oriana Fallaci and Amélie Mauresmo. 20) What are your favorite names? Carmen and David. 21) What is it that you most dislike? Slow and inefficient bureaucracy. Helping a friend get an apartment in France for weeks, I am very experienced in this field and wouldn't wish this trouble for even my worst enemy. 22) How would you like to die? Happy with what I achieved. Quote
{GD}Independent Posted September 16, 2005 Posted September 16, 2005 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? a (lot of) beer, a University of Michigan football game (beating Ohio State), a super spicy pot of chili on the stove, and NOLF2 on the laptop. 2) What is your greatest fear? That something bad should happen to one of my kids. 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I'm not as driven as I wish I was. I could be a bazillionaire if I applied myself. 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? Cowardice 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Political correctness. 6) On what occasion do you lie? I lie about the fact that I smoke. I smoke 3-4 cigarettes per day. Have for years. So few that I don't think it's a risk. But I'm still ashamed of this lack of self-control, so NO ONE knows. I lie to my wife, my friends, and on medical information forms. 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? I'm fat. 8) What is your greatest regret? I was on Jeopardy. I didn't get a single question wrong until the end. Then I had a brain fart, and could only come up with Ernest Hemmingway's nickname (papa), not his real name, when I needed to. That cost me the game. Being a huge winner on Jeopardy was always a dream of mine, and I blew it on a question that I've known the answer to for almost all my life. I'd rather have lost by having been completely clueless. 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? My 6 and 3 year old daughters. They hold my heart in their hands. 10) What is your current state of mind? I'm cool. 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? My 6 and 3 year old daughters. I have a successful career, and a successful small business as well. I have a nice home, nice cars, live in a nice neighborhood, etc. But my kids are my greatest achievement. 12) What is your most treasured possession? My laptop. 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Hopelessness and resignation to one's (supposed) fate. 14) Where would you like to live? Right here in Michigan! Hot summers, gorgeous autumns, fun winters, and fragrant springs. 15) What is your favorite occupation? Computer Systems Analyst. The only other thing I think I'd like to do would be to hold public office some day. 16) What do you most value in your friends? Reliability. 17) Who are your favorite writers? Cory Doctorow (www.craphound.com *free ebooks!*), Stephen King, Neil Stephenson, C.S. Lewis, Tom Clancy. 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Jack Ryan or Jack Shaftoe. 19) Who are your heroes in real life? George W. Bush and I'm not kidding or trying to stir the liberals up. When America was attacked, we needed someone with the cojones to fight back. Clinton ignored terrorists for all of his presidency. I'm so glad we had a man of personal strength and character at the helm when we needed him. Dr. Laura Schlessinger. She saved my marriage. Rush Limbaugh. Just because Al Franken says he's a "Big Fat Idiot" doesn't make it true. I beg you, before you flame me for this, listen to him for a couple of weeks. He's brilliant, and he loves his country, and he's to be thanked for making it OK to be a conservative. 20) What are your favorite names? Emily and Elena. Krisitna. Elaine. I like classic names. I hate made-up names. 21) What is it that you most dislike? Amorality. 22) How would you like to die? In my sleep, like my Grandpa. Not screaming in terror like his passengers. Quote
daybreak Posted September 26, 2005 Posted September 26, 2005 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? Overcoming all of my self-imposed obstacles 2) What is your greatest fear? Battery acid >_< (and being alone) 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I'm more like my family than I'd like to admit 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? Superficiality 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Having money 6) On what occasion do you lie? To save someone's feelings 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? Ugh, I'm kinda fat too 8) What is your greatest regret? The last five years 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? I can't say that I've ever experienced love 10) What is your current state of mind? Feeling stuck and confused (yet oddly calm) 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? Forming an identity I can be proud of 12) What is your most treasured possession? My CD collection 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Forgetting to be happy 14) Where would you like to live? Right here in California...(or maybe Astoria, Oregon) 15) What is your favorite occupation? Forest Ranger 16) What do you most value in your friends? Wisdom, sincerity, empathy, and similarity 17) Who are your favorite writers? Dr. Phil, Hans Christian Andersen 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? The Bride (Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2) 19) Who are your heroes in real life? Oprah, Ron Kovic, Dr. Phil, Barack Obama, Tori Amos, Natalie Merchant 20) What are your favorite names? Boys: Hunter, Bruce, John Girls: Carly, Rhiannon, Georgina 21) What is it that you most dislike? Non-critical thinkers 22) How would you like to die? While my intact memory is transferred to a customized android body in the distant future Quote
Death in a Box Posted October 3, 2005 Posted October 3, 2005 1) What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being in peace with myself. 2) What is your greatest fear? Not making it through college. 3) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Stubbornness. 4) What is the trait you most deplore in others? Being judgemental, if that's a trait. 5) What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Being nice. 6) On what occasion do you lie? When it will help me or the other person in some way. 7) What do you dislike most about your appearance? Nothing. 8) What is your greatest regret? None. 9) What or who is the greatest love of your life? Family. 10) What is your current state of mind? Peaceful. 11) What do you consider your greatest achievement? Getting into Purdue. 12) What is your most treasured possession? Computer. 13) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Feeling suicidal. 14) Where would you like to live? Arizona, or someplace in the desert. 15) What is your favorite occupation? Something including math and/or physics and/or computers. 16) What do you most value in your friends? Willingess to accept other's views. 17) Who are your favorite writers? Sara Douglass. 18) Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Wolfstar. 19) Who are your heroes in real life? Parents. 20) What are your favorite names? Azhure, Djinn. 21) What is it that you most dislike? Stupid people, judgemental people. 22) How would you like to die? Quick and easy, no sitting in a hospital hooked up to some machine to prolong my life. Quote
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