Poet Robert VanderMolen Proust Questionnaire

I received this missive from Dr. Larry TenHarmsel, former Dean of the Honors College at Western Michigan University [see photo in Jan 3 post]. He was writing in response to my promise of Bob's answers to the Proust Questionnaire, a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust (see above), 19th C French essayist.

Dear Maia:

I look forward the the "Proust Questionnaire," wondering what in the
world it might be.

Sample questions:

1) When's the last time you spent three months in bed drinking warm
tea and eating Madeleine Cakes?

2) Have you ever written 900 pages about a time you walked or drove
home by a different route than usual?

3) Does your household staff help dress you when you're preparing
to go out socially?

4) Can you make quick choices among verb forms -- imparfait, passé simple, passé composé and plus-que-parfait??

5) Have you ever eaten a Big Mac?

Larry

Well, in answer to your query, Dr. TenHarmsel, here is the original Proust Questionnaire (see below), as completed by our featured writer, Robert VanderMolen, interviewed by Felicia today, and in the previous three posts! Not quite as clever as YOUR version, but so it goes! And kudos to the professor for knowing that Proust's famed dessert of choice is called a Cake, not cookie!


POET ROBERT VANDERMOLEN (above) ANSWERS PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? I suppose, a good relationship.
2. What is your greatest fear? Being homeless.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I can't think of any [laughs]. I really don't deplore anything.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Lack of loyalty is one I've always deplored.
5. Which living person do you most admire? I can't say I admire anyone that much.

6. What is your greatest extravagance? Don't really have any. I do have a lot of shoes and boots.
7. What is your current state of mind? I'd say placid. I'm not working today.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Boy, that's a good one. Overly moralistic.
9. On what occasion do you lie? Only not to hurt someone's feelings.
10. Which living person do you most despise? Currently, George W. Bush.
11. What is the quality you most like in a man? Honesty and loyalty.
12. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Same.
13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? "Goofy."
14. What or who is the greatest love of your life? That's a trick question. My wife, Deb, of course [see photo, below]!

15. When and where were you happiest? I'm not an unhappy person. I've always been happy.
16. Which talent would you most like to have? Well, I would prefer to be a better public speaker.
17. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I don't know. No idea.
18. What do you consider your greatest achievement? My writing.
19. What is your most treasured possession? My cottage [see below].

20. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Poor and homeless, I guess.
21. What is your favorite occupation? Writing.
22. What is your most marked characteristic? Perserverence.
23. Who are your favorite writers? Kerouac. I like Faulkner. I like Virginia Woolf.
24. Who is your hero of fiction? Nick Adams.
25. Who are your heroes in real life? Don't have any.
26. What is it that you most dislike? Hypocrisy.
27. What is your greatest regret? Can't say as I have any.
28. How would you like to die? In my sleep.
29. What is your motto? [Asks Michael, Felicia's son.] Go Army, Beat Navy.

Bob will be at the AWP Conference from February 11-14, 2009. Bob's book, WATER, above, can be ordered on Amazon.com. Back to more Doggie Life on tomorrow's Maia Chronicles!!