Proust Questionnaire

My brother-in-law updated his Proust Questionnaire responses, which inspired me to do the same.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?
Harm to my wife or my daughter.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND?
An exhausted contentment.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OCCUPATION(WAY OF SPENDING TIME)?
Tie: playing golf with people I love; reading in bed next to Mrs. Duf.

WHAT HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?
I don’t know if I identify with any historical figures. I don’t know any people who made history by getting married, having a child and ascending to middle management. Not that I’m unhappy, it’s just that I consider myself a bit like the “well behaved women” of bumper sticker fame – guys like me don’t really make history. If I must pick someone, I’ll go with fiction and say Rodion Roskolnikov from “Crime and Punishment” And yes, I recognize that could be somewhat disturbing, but what I mean is that I can see a beauty in desperate action to address a grievous wrong, and still more beauty in finding oneself unable to bear the guilt of my crime.

WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
My wife.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FICTIONAL HERO?
Elinor Dashwood from “Sense and Sensibility” shares the spotlight with Atticus Finch from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “Paul” from Willa Cather’s sublime “Paul’s Case.”

WHO ARE YOUR REAL-LIFE HEROES?
People who speak when others are silent; people who act when others are inert; people who sacrifice their popularity and their security for the sake of integrity and saying or doing what’s right.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
A copy of Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet” that my mother gave me.

WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU HAPPIEST?
I have never been happier than I am right now.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST OBVIOUS CHARACTERISTIC?
That would be the belly.

WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN YOURSELF?
Wanting to please everyone; and sometimes, therefore, pleasing no one.

WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN OTHERS?
Lack of humility.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE?
Items for my home.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JOURNEY?
Down our dirt and gravel driveway to a view of home and my wonderful wife and ward.

WHAT DO YOU MOST DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE?
That would be the belly.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST OVER-RATED VIRTUE?
Thrift.

ON WHAT OCCASION DO YOU LIE?
I never lie.

WHICH WORDS OR PHRASES DO YOU MOST OVER-USE?
I overuse anecdotes and analogies.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I’d like to be six (6) inches taller and ___ pounds lighter.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
Getting promoted to Vice President.

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE?
The island of Manhattan – Upper East Side, thanks.

WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A MAN?
Intelligence, kindness.

WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A WOMAN?
Intelligence, kindness.

WHAT IS IT YOU MOST DISLIKE?
Pettiness, meanness.

WHAT DO YOU VALUE MOST IN YOUR FRIENDS?
The ability pick up like we spoke yesterday, even if too much time has gone by.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIE?
I’d like to die after playing a full round of golf and shooting my age. I’d like to be struck by lightening or something, but mainly feel no pain, right after sinking the putt that clinched my score. I’d like to die after I’ve had a chance to see my daughter as a true adult – a woman of 50 or more.

IF YOU WERE TO DIE AND COME BACK AS A PERSON OR AN ANIMAL, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE?
A whale (not because of the tummy, just becasue whale's are really nice and stuff)

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE AN OBJECT TO COME BACK AS, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?Tiger’s Wood’s golf glove.

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

WHO HAS BEEN THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOU?
My mother, my brother, my wife, and some teachers along the way: Mr. Umansky, Ms. Jimenez, Professor Reid-Gold, Professor Marshall.