the Proust questionnaire (no. 2)

Next up, we have my friend Tela. She lives here in the U.S. (but on that other coast), and she is pretty amazing. She is a small business owner (technically, you are, Tela!) who grooms dogs.

I'd like to apologize for the bands that show up in these Proust interviews. Apparently, Blogger has issues with copying and pasting. Still good content, though! Get to know Tela ...



What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

Walking hand-in-hand through life with a partner who loves me as much as I love him.

What is your greatest fear? 

Failure


What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 

My insecurity 

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

A judgmental, arrogant attitude/outlook that makes them believe they are always right.

Which living person do you most admire? 

My two sons. They have been through so much in their young lives and are still so willing to love. 

What is your greatest extravagance? 

My hobbies, show dogs and art supplies

What is your current state of mind? 

Unsure about myself and my future

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? 

Beauty

On what occasion do you lie? 

To spare other’s feelings or to avoid conflict

What do you most dislike about your appearance? 

My weight. I wish I was skinnier.

Which living person do you most despise? 

I don’t despise anyone, at least not that I can think of.

What is the quality you most like in a man? 

The ability to be in charge but not overbearing, as well as self-controlled, and intelligent.

What is the quality you most like in a woman? 

Quiet confidence and intelligence

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 

I’m not aware any at the moment. Whenever I become aware of phrases or words I am overusing, I stop using them.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? 

Dogs and drawing are my greatest passions. As for who is my greatest love in life, I think it’s too soon to answer that question.

When and where were you happiest? 

Most recently was the times Jeff and I were together. Everything before has been so shrouded in tragedy, I can’t seem to remember my “happiest.”

Which talent would you most like to have? 

I have always wished to be able to write comedy

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 

My timidity

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

Not so much an achievement but having the privilege of being the person allowed to walk with my late husband through his illness and death. (There may be too many words in that sentence, but I don’t know how else to convey it)

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? 

A turkey vulture. They have the best life…gliding through the sky, nothing bothers them, food just laying around.

Where would you most like to live? 

I would love to live in a mountainside cabin

What is your most treasured possession? 

My pets, my art supplies, my iPad, and my car

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 

Never finding love again

What is your favorite occupation? 

The occupation I most admire is medical doctors.

What is your most marked characteristic? 

Compassion, gentleness, and patience

What do you most value in your friends? 

Understanding and acceptance

Who are your favorite writers? 

I really don’t have a favorite writer

Who is your hero of fiction? 

Not so much a “hero,” but my favorite fictional character is Winston Smith in 1984. I identify with the way his mind works. He desperately needs to rebel, but is always aware of the risks and his ultimate fate….but he hopes, anyway.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? 

Job from the Old Testament

Who are your heroes in real life? 

The closest I have to a real life hero is my father. He is an Air Force veteran, a man of faith with a skeptical, scientific mind, and a sharp wit. He taught me to always think for myself, and gave me my sense of humor.

What are your favorite names? 

I like unique names.

What is it that you most dislike? 

I most dislike when people are cruel. Cruelty is never justified or necessary.

What is your greatest regret? 

Dating that awful boy in high school and allowing him to damage me so much.

How would you like to die? 

I would prefer not to die, but if I must, peacefully in my sleep.

What is your motto? 

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control

the Proust questionnaire (no. 1)

Branching out today: 

I thought I'd try an interview because learning about people is something I enjoy. Being fundamentally lazy ...I mean, efficient, I figured I'd save myself a bit of effort and use a questionnaire developed by Marcel Proust, the French novelist. Why recreate the wheel when the wheel is already available on the Internet and it works quite well?

Today, for the inaugural Proust questionnaire (at least on this blog), I am interviewing Michael Topic, whom I have actually interviewed before in a different time called early 2016. The world was very different then. It will be interesting to see if his answers have changed. Michael is a creator (I don't know what else to call him!) who lives in the UK. So, here we go: get to know Michael.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

Having the ability to create without worrying about finances, with those I love near.


2. What is your greatest fear? 

Losing my creative abilities.


3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 

The inability to influence people with new ideas they need.


4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Needless overcautiousness and conservatism. I also dislike heartless people.


5. Which living person do you most admire? 

Can't think of a single one. People in the public consciousness are often badly flawed - even the brilliant ones.


6. What is your greatest extravagance? 

Musical equipment.


7. What is your current state of mind? 

Jaded, but quietly determined.


8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? 

Resisting change in order to look wise. That's just posturing, but at a horrendous cost.


9. On what occasion do you lie? 

When telling the full truth would be needlessly hurtful.


10. What do you most dislike about your appearance? 

My weight got out of my control because I blindly followed orthodox, official nutritional advice, which turned out to be pure quackery. I'm getting it back to healthy.


11. Which living person do you most despise? 

There are so many world leaders, corporate heads and authority figures that fall into this category.


12. What is the quality you most like in a man? 

Gentleness.


13. What is the quality you most like in a woman? 

Compassionate intelligence.


14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 

I'm blind to my own overuse of cliches. No idea.


15. What or who is the greatest love of your life? 

My wife and kids.


16. When and where were you happiest? 

When making music, wherever I get to do that.


17. Which talent would you most like to have? 

I wish I could cause positive change without so many people wanting to stop me at all costs.


18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 

My tendency to get snarky when highly stressed.


19. What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

Fatherhood.


20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? 

Someone enlightened and wise.



21. Where would you most like to live? 

In a world that thought differently to this one. The obsession with money-making spoils everywhere.


22. What is your most treasured possession? 

My late father's snare drum and his favourite drum sticks.


23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 

Feeling rejected and irrelevant.


24. What is your favorite occupation? 

Making and learning.


25. What is your most marked characteristic? 

Passionate enthusiasm.


26. What do you most value in your friends? 

Playfulness and loyalty.


27. Who are your favorite writers? 

I read so much, that there are too many to list, but also too few that truly stand out.


28. Who is your hero of fiction? 

I don't really believe in heroes, but I liked how the Hermione Granger character was written.


29. Which historical figure do you most identify with? 

Carl Sagan


30. Who are your heroes in real life? 

To me, there is no such thing as a hero, but I like people who tend to have moments of lucid insight and exhibit fearless integrity. Even heroes are vulnerable and human.


31. What are your favorite names? 

The names we gave our kids. We thought long and hard about those.


32. What is it that you most dislike? 

Greed.


33. What is your greatest regret? 

Spending so much of my life working extremely hard for arseholes.


34. How would you like to die? 

Peacefully


35. What is your motto? 

Imagine, invent, inspire, create, encourage, enlighten and edify.