Proust Questionaire

A friend sent this to me and I found it very interesting in helping me examine myself. I'd recommend it to anyone. When I got it I had expected it would take a long time to answer. Was surprised when my response completed was sent back only about 20 minutes later. Think the main thing was to be honest, makes for quick and revealing answers.

MARCEL PROUST was a French writer who believed that people must know and understand themselves before they could know or understand others. He developed a list of subjective questions that he felt would help reveal to people their true selves and the inner personalities of those around them.


Respond to the questions in any manner you choose, briefly or at length. The point is to be honest with yourself. Some questions may require a few minutes of reflection, but many are best answered by recording the first thought that enters your head.



WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?

That John Lennon was right and there is no heaven. Get there or not it's a worthy Goal.


WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND?

Hopeful but with challenges to be over come.



WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OCCUPATION?(WAY OF SPENDING TIME)

Enjoying a good movie or television series I missed while growing up


WHAT HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?

Hannibal Barca


WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?

My Father


WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FICTIONAL HERO?

Mike the Computer in Heinlein's " The moon is a harsh mistress "\



WHO ARE YOUR REAL-LIFE HEROES?

Father, Grandfathers, some of my military leaders, a couple VC winners I was Lucky Enough to meet. Save for Dad most now passed on



WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?

My Mind but there are times I think I've lost or at least misplaced it.



WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU HAPPIEST?

Teaching Climbing in Banff in 74 and studying it there in71



WHAT IS YOUR MOST OBVIOUS CHARACTERISTIC?

Can sometimes talk to much



WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE (HATE) IN YOURSELF?

Same answer as the one above this one.



WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN OTHERS?

Arrogance. I don't mind pride but Arrogance is false pride. I.e. I'm proud of being something I had no control over.



WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE?

Collecting books and movies I like



WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JOURNEY?

I hopefully haven't made it yet, don't know where or when.



WHAT DO YOU MOST DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE?

I'm missing some front teeth due mostly to a childhood illness, However I wear a mustache and most people are not aware I smile with my eyes rather then grin. I find dentures uncomfortable and destroy the taste of food.


WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST OVER-RATED VIRTUE?

My Mind, I'm often given too much credit I don't feel is deserved. Sometimes I do deserve it but no one is on all the time.



ON WHAT OCCASION DO YOU LIE?

National Security or to avoid hurting someone's feelings. Not sure which is more important.



WHICH WORDS OR PHRASES DO YOU MOST OVER-USE?

Sorry



IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

If I did I would no longer be the me I now am. I would however like to no longer be ill, sick, disabled call it what you wish. I'd like to have my health back. Mental and Physical.\



WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?

Hopefully it has not happened yet.



WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE?

The mountains closely followed by the woods so in the woods in the mountains.


WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A MAN?

Good manners


WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A WOMAN?

Also Good manners



WHAT IS IT YOU MOST DISLIKE?

Bullies



WHAT DO YOU VALUE MOST IN YOUR FRIENDS?

Dependability within reasonable limits. I.E. Don't help me at cost to yourself of any significant amount.


HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIE?

1st choice in aid or defense of others. Second peacefully painlessly in my sleep, Owing no one and leaving something to others.



IF YOU WERE TO DIE AND COME BACK AS A PERSON OR AN ANIMAL, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE?

I don't think it would matter. Hopefully as something which could and would do some good in the world.

I

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE AN OBJECT TO COME BACK AS, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

The most useful inspirational book ever written ( yet to be written ) and of use to the most people


WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO (WORDS YOU LIVE BY OR THAT MEAN A LOT TO YOU)?

The motto's of the four scouting groups. Beaver's ( Sharing ), Cubs ( Do your Best ), Scouts ( BE PREPARED ), Rovers ( Service )From the song by Edith Piaf



WHO HAS BEEN THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOU?

Only easy question here. William Graham Tolland III, My Maternal Grandfather now passed on but never forgotten.

Sorry for the being last then prolific

I apologize for not writing lately. There is a reason. The computer I use for email and things like blogging is in a part of the apartment I don't Air Condition ( don't want to risk overload old wiring and I do air condition the other half of the place so I'm mainly catching up on old tv and movies I missed for various reasons growing up and working mostly afternoon shift. Some of the stuff I have found is from before I was born and I'm close to 60 ) In fact I estimate if I just watched the old stuff I have for 10 hours a day it would take me 2 years to watch it all ( you should see my DVD collection ) some very rare stuff I have had to find and download.

Anyway the heat here has been record breaking and persistent. July had 18 days with high temperature warnings ( usually accompanied by smog which really doesn't apply here, UV and Pollen count warnings ) If anyone does have to go out. Zinc Oxide is very cheap sells in the baby section for $2 a bottle or less and is the main ingredient in most sun blocks. By itself is SPF 100 it is what professional climbers use. If you don't know the SPF rating is the number of minutes you can spend in the sun before it is equal to one minute without any kind of sun block. You may notice in climbing movies about very high altitudes they have white under their eyes. That is thick Zinc Oxide as high up there is less atmosphere to have filtered out the UV. I once saw someone get 3rd degree burns in 20 minutes because he decided to get a tan not realizing how intense the UV was at 11,000 feet and having lots of it reflected back as well as we were surrounded by Glaciers.

So in a nutshell Zinc Oxide cheap, effective non toxic and also good for diaper rash.


Sid