The Proust Questionnaire

found this iconic little curio online, a fascination of proust -- of course it's now a book, too -- and i was so intrigued by the answers of the famous and iconic, i thought i'd overshare.

1. what is your idea of perfect happiness? happiness? no, thank you. i'd rather have joy.
   
2. what is your greatest fear? at the moment, i honestly can't think of anything that i'm truly afraid of.
3. which historical figure do you most identify with? an anonymous, nameless, runaway african female slave in america -- the absolute epitome of what it means to be a true rebel. she's the one that would set the kitchen on fire and burn the entire house down. that's why they started building kitchens outside, away from the big house. but i digress...
   
4. which living person do you most admire? just about every elderly african-american person i've ever met or have yet to meet.
   
5. what is the trait you most deplore in yourself? impatience
   
6. what is the trait you most deplore in others? presumptuousness
   
7. what is your greatest extravagance? whatever beautifies me. that includes boxing, stuff for my skin like argyan oil and shea butter, and korean day spas. (i have an eyebrowist. 'nuff said.)
   
8. on what occasion do you lie? i'd rather not say
   
9. what do you dislike most about your appearance? nothing, these days. (oh, wow. i guess i've finally accepted myself for who i am. whoo-hoo!)
   
10. when and where were you happiest? too many moments to mention. jumping over that broom -- the moment when we were holding hands in midair, actually -- was definitely one of them. oh, wait. that was joy! (oops...!)
    
11. if you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? i would have learned how to think critically a long time ago.
    
12. if you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? absolutely nothing. everything is the way God wants it to be -- whether i like it or not.
    
13. what do you consider your greatest achievement? surviving nyc as an artist.
    
14. if you died and came back as a person or thing, what would it be? i'm not coming back.
    
15. what is your most treasured possession? my journals.
    
16. what do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? having to live inside the trauma of unaddressed emotional damage for the rest of one's life, free to alternately play the victim and victimize others who are wholly unsuspecting of how warped the person in question truly is.
    
17. who are your heroes in real life? mavericks
    
18. what is it that you most dislike? anyone who hates themselves so much that they will use the love someone offers them as a weapon against them. (see answer #16)
    
19. how would you like to die? however God sees fit.
    
20. what is your motto? "Talk doesn't cook rice." - Chinese proverb