Marcel

Vanity Fair magazine interviews celebrities from time to time with the following questions, taken in the spirit of what Proust used to pose to his friends and acquaintances.  Since I haven't seen such a monster on the social networks (Facebook, I be lookin' at you, yo) in some time, and it's a slow writing day, here's a little near-bullet-point list for your reading round-up...

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Teaching anything and watching the learner suddenly get it.

What is your greatest fear?

Being ignored.

Which living person do you most admire?

Barack Obama.

What is your favorite journey?

The one my pen takes on a blank page, with no end in sight, accompanied by a cup of strong, black coffee.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Chastity.

On what occasion do you lie?

When someone asks me what I think of the food.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

My hindquarters.  Apparently, and mysteriously to me, it’s desirable.  I’d rather have a knock-out set of, say, eyes.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Loathe.”  “Absolutely.” 

What is your greatest regret?

The men I have been intimate with.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

Writing.

When and where were you happiest?

When I was getting my bachelor’s degree.  I was teaching, men admired me for my brain, and I could read good books without being labeled a snob.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Playing the guitar.

What is your current state of mind?

Precarious.

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

My mother would still be living.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Having the courage to leave a “good” job with an abusive employer.

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

A coffee bean.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?

Shortstop/Mathematician. (Tie.)

What is your most treasured possession?

My penmanship.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Being seen but not heard.

Where would you like to live?

San Francisco.

What is your most marked characteristic?

My “mace face.”

What do you most value in your friends?

A sense of humor.

Who are your heroes in real life?

People who hear what can’t be done and do it in spite of the rest of us to make the world a better place.

What are your favorite names?

Moonlight Graham if it’s a boy, Charlotte if it’s a girl, D'artagnan if it’s a pet, Homer if it's a baseball pitcher, and Moleskine if it’s a notebook.

What is it that you most dislike?

Anything that “should” be done.  I don’t keep up with appearances well.

How would you like to die?

Quickly, not now, and accidentally.

What is your motto?

“Write what you mean.”