Monday, January 18, 2021

Anne Answers The Esquire Questionnaire

According to Esquire Magazine, this evolved from a game that Marcel Proust helped popularize in 19th-century parlor soirees. People would take part purely as a party entertainment, though supposedly they often walked away with a greater insight into themselves. I can’t guarantee that that outcome, but it is fun and what the heck, we could all use a bit of amusement and/or enlightenment, so why not? 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Close to what I have, where I can sleep with cats, write, dance, eat great food, but also hang out with my neighbors and friends again!

What is your greatest fear?  Homelessness

     What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?   I believed in people that weren’t worth it. 

     What is the trait you most deplore in others?   Cruelty, not listening

     Which living person do you most admire?   Besides my friends, Oprah.

      What is your greatest extravagance?  Italian food on Arthur Avenue, and working in the recording studio

What is your current state of mind?  Thoughtful. Just being my own angel.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?  Greed  ("Greed is good."-The Movie, "Wall Street")

On what occasion do you lie?   To protect friends.  Sometimes to myself, especially if I want to achieve something the universe seems to be saying "no" about.

What do you most dislike in your appearance?  I’m fat, and would love to be trimmer.

What living person do you most despise?  Of the people I know, I’d say there are about dozen people that bullied me when I wanted to mend fences with my artist.

What is the quality you most like in a man?   listening

What is the quality you most like in a woman?  Same thing.  We should be encouraging each other.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?  Folks,  Meow, Woof, Joe.....

What or who is the greatest love of your life?   Myself

When and where were you happiest?  When I’m in bed with my cats

Which talent would you most like to have?  The right touch when I play piano or guitar.  Being able to play those instruments coherently and fluently.  Even on kalimba, I’m jagged.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?  I want to be more lean.  I work at it, and I know it'll be amazing, someday.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?  Believing that we can all create opportunities for ourselves.  It’s possible to make a profit as a writer.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be? A neurologist. I’ve planned my next life. 

Where would you most like to live?  Right here in the Bronx!

What is your most treasured possession? My current computer and my poetry book "The Leighton Explosion."

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?  People deliberately being destructive and hurting or killing others. That comes from making assumptions and prejudice.

What is your favorite occupation?  Of me, I’d say creative and artist development, including myself.

What is your most marked characteristic?  My voice and my smile.

What do you most value in your friends? They understand where I’m coming from.

Who are your favorite writers? Bruce Lee, Nelson Mandela, Dale Carnegie, King Solomon, Susie Rakowski, Elliott Murphy

Who is your hero from fiction?  Xena and Nancy Drew!!!

Which historical figure do you most identify with?  Frank Zappa

Who are your heroes in real life?  My friends Joe, Joe, Phoebe, Sharon, Ian, Larry, Hank, Greg, Catalina & her family

What are your favorite names?   Renee

What is it the you most dislike?  When I was younger, I didn’t see my beauty. Now it's just my weight that I dislike.  I've embraced all of me.  I understand the weight issue, and am working on it.

What is your greatest regret?  That I didn't always know how to work things out with people, and I'm still not succeeding with it.

How would you like to die?  After I got all my work done.

What is your motto? "It's not what you know, but who you know. And if you don't know 'em, go out and meet 'em!!!"