Beth Takes The Proust Questionnaire

~ Live & Learn

  1. What is your current state of mind?  I am calm, peaceful, happy, looking forward to the new year and new adventures.
  2. What is your favorite journey?  A long walk through the woods.
  3. What is your idea of perfect happiness?  My family and friends happy and healthy, me in love, a book, a hot cup of coffee, a good film, a blanket.
  4. What is your greatest fear?  That I would outlive one of my children
  5. What is your most marked characteristic? My ability to always see the positive side of things
  6. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?  My lack of control over my blurting or interrupting (just because I’m excited or have a story or idea)
  7. What is the trait you most deplore in others?  Cruelty.
  8. What is your greatest extravagance? Very soft things- clothes, scarves, fabric, blankets, bed – worth every penny
  9. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?  Having to be the best 
  10. On what occasion do you lie? To save someone’s heart
  11. Dislike most about your appearance? My height is 5′ 3″ – it would be fun to be tall sometimes, but I’m okay with it overall
  12. Which living person do you most despise?  Our current president – so much cruelty flows from him
  13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?  ‘done’
  14. What is your greatest regret? that I wasn’t able to have more time with my daughters when they were young and I was busy trying to make life better for all of us
  15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?  my family
  16. When and where were you happiest?   when all of my family is together
  17. Which talent would you most like to have?   to be a singer with a beautiful voice and a dancer with grace
  18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?   to spend more time helping those less fortunate in life
  19. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?   that they would never have to suffer
  20. What do you consider your greatest achievement?  my children
  21. What is your most treasured possession? my 7 dollar wooden kitchen table made from one plank of wood (found at the Salvation Army and a gift from my children)
  22. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?   losing a love
  23. Where would you like to live?   in a quiet small home near the water and woods
  24. What is your favorite occupation?  writing
  25. What is the quality you most like in a man?  kindness, compassion, humor, honesty  
  26. What is the quality you most like in a woman?  same as #25
  27. What do you most value in your friends?  loyalty
  28. Who are your favorite writers?  pat conroy, roald dahl, ann patchett, fredrick backman, david sedaris, bill bryson, erma bombeck, rod serling
  29. Who is your favorite hero of fiction? King Arthur
  30. What is it that you most dislike?  clowns/dentists
  31. Who are your heroes in real life?  children
  32. How would you like to die?   asleep in my soft bed, dreaming
  33. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?  a pygmy goat living on a lavender farm
  34. What is your motto? “this is the best day ever.”
  35. Bonus Question: How did you find my blog? I have no memory of my stumbling upon you, just that is was a pleasant experience from the get-go
  36. Bonus Question: Why do you keep coming back to this Blog?  because it is beautiful, heartfelt, thoughtful, kind, and intelligent. it offers me food for thought and a wonderful aesthetic experience, plus I love to give my feedback/opinion. 

Notes:

  • Beth is a virtual friend and faithful follower (and me of her blog) and she kindly agreed to share her responses to the Proust Questionnaire. When I think of Beth, I think of her in response #5. She is exceptional. You can find her website and bio here: I didn’t have my glasses on.
  • See prior Proust Questionnaires.
  • The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.  (Source: Vanity Fair)

29 thoughts on “Beth Takes The Proust Questionnaire”

  5. Oh the joy of reading this.
    1 – what bliss!
    6 – had that too, but have learned to live with it, I do however still sometimes apologize for my erupting reactions
    11 – I’m an inch smaller than you but compared to you a heavyweight (too much happiness with my husband of 22 years? Or just totally unable to control my love for fellowship, cooking, having a good time and not enough ‘envie’ to run?) I’d LOVE to have your stature/silhouette
    21 – that’s beyond wonderful!
    28 – 4 of your list are amongst my faves too (but I admit I must have several dozens ‘faved’ writers)
    30 – you haven’t been my dentist’s client then… We will return to France to pay him our due even once we’ll live for good in our home country! He’s THAT good, brilliant, kind and fun. Do you want me to put in a good word for you?
    Thank You.

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  7. A pygmy goat on a lavender farm! Thats so lovely. We should all do that.
    I stole a poem about Woodstock from Beth a while back. That is to say, with a few changes her poem inspired me to write my own. I never did post it till just now.

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  8. How wonderful to learn more about you, Beth. Such a lovely person inside and out you are… and most original in your come back form. Did that thought come immediately? Pygmy goat and lavender…a lovely mix 😀

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  9. You’re beautiful Beth, inside and out! And it’s amazing how each one’s answers are a window into their unique mind and soul.

    It’s a blessing to all the children you worked with in your life to have a teacher, grandmother, mother like you. I had 2 teachers that helped shape who I am today tremendously.

    There’s a beautiful lavender farm in Michigan we like to visit in the summer. We pick all the lavender we can, and take food for a picnic. Maybe I’ll meet you there 😉❤

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