Vanity Fair, Marcel Proust and John Taylor

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Duran Duran, john taylor, marcel proust, musings, questionnaire, slam books, Vanity Fair

I am a fan of the magazine Vanity Fair, and my favorite section is the Proust Questionnaire. Located on the last page, this questionnaire is about one’s personality and its name and modern popularity as a form of interview is owed to the responses given by the French writer Marcel Proust. In VF’s rendition, famous folk are interviewed and, most often, their responses put a delightful twist on the assumption of their lives.

This reminds me of the “slam books” we composed in middle school. We didn’t know it then, but how very Proustian of us. Using a notebook, participants would sign in on the first page and choose a number. A different question was written on each page, and each contributor would write an answer after his or her number. At a grade school reunion a few years ago, I brought two slam books I still have and we pored over them, chuckling at childhood dreams of what we thought we would do in the future or whom we would marry. I was going to marry John Taylor from Duran Duran, live in either England or Hawaii and be a writer.

Someday I hope VF will contact me to complete the Proust Questionnaire. I am thinking it may come between the publication of my second and third novels – after I have established a large fan base and credibility, of course.

My favorite question is “what is your greatest extravagance?” and I am ready. Years ago, I might have responded with items such as purses or shoes or a new computer. Today, however, as I review my monthly credit card statement, I see my greatest extravagance is an item for which I have used for decades yet never thought it would consume most of my funds.

Gasoline.

It is indeed pitiful that the amount I spend each month on gasoline has far eclipsed any other extravagance I allow myself such as the theater, music, books or travel. I still remember a price sign on a filling station near my childhood home advertising gasoline for 29₵a gallon. I now cringe each time I swipe my card at the pump so I can venture from one locale to another. If I could walk to more locations or take the metro, I would happily oblige. However, since I have chosen to live in a suburban location where public transportation is not available, I must endure the high prices to fuel up and go.

As I am impatient person and could not wait for fame to find me, I took the Proust questionnaire online where I happily reported “gasoline” as my greatest extravagance and noted what makes me happiest. Perhaps in twenty years – just as I did with my slam book – I will look back and laugh at what I wrote while watching a sunset over the Pacific Ocean with John Taylor as we celebrate the publication of another book.

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Summer Reading – Had Me a Blast

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amor towles, f. scott fitzgerald, great gatsby, janet evanovich, literature, rules of civility, summer reading list, writing

So far this summer I’ve made my way through an eclectic reading list, but that’s the way I love it. When I read, I try something new, then something light, than something a little more literary and then the randomness continues. Sometimes I reread a novel just to come at it from a new perspective and see what I missed the last go around. Oftentimes I have three different books going at once – one in the kitchen, one at my bed stand and another in my car (usually a short story collection) because I may have a few extra minutes and I don’t want to spend it searching the web on my phone. I always find time for reading and it’s never let me down.

An illustration by Anthony Russo

I don’t plan my reading list; rather this becomes one of those occurrences when things just fall into place without any effort or real planning.  Sometimes I’m inspired to pick up a book from a review or recommendation, which is how I found “Rules of Civility” by Amor Towles, it’s my favorite so far and I recommend it to you. I was inspired to reread “The Great Gatsby” when I saw the movie trailer for the upcoming adaptation. I could not and still cannot picture Leo D. as Gatsby no matter how hard I try but that’s what I love about literature – the characters can always remain my own interpretation no matter what someone else presents.

I know the big book this summer is “Fifty Shades of Grey,” and I admit I haven’t yet read it, although from all the discussion, I have a pretty good idea of the entire plot and how the Twilight saga inspired it. To the readers who loved that book, I highly recommend Anaïs’ Nin’s “Henry and June” which is directly from Anaïs’ diary and probably the most sexualsome adventure any woman could undertake.

So, the summer isn’t yet over and I have at least seven more weeks to add titles to my list. Right now, I’m working through the final book in Henry Miller’s The Obelisk Trilogy and another literary piece. After that, I’m not sure what will come next. Any recommendations?

My summer reading list so far:
Stories I Only Tell my Friends – Rob Lowe
Spider Bones – Kathy Reichs
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Wicked Appetite – Janet Evanovich
Plum Lucky – Janet Evanovich
Plum Lovin’ – Janet Evanovich
Sizzling Sixteen – Janet Evanovich
Smokin’ Seventeen – Janet Evanovich*
The Sound and the Fury – William Faulkner
Rules of Civility – Amor Towles
Tropic of Capricorn – Henry Miller
Sherlock Holmes mysteries (The majority of them) – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Like Life – Lorrie Moore
Margaret Atwood: An Introduction To Critical Views Of Her Fiction – Gina Wisker

*it appears that I was on a Janet Evanovich kick and I loved every delicious, silly moment.

Sometimes You Have to Look Up

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beauty, black and white, church, photography, prague, st. vitus

St. Vitus in Prague

Sometimes the most amazing sights are not directly in front of us; we have to look up.

It’s “A1” on My To-Do List

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dr. stephen covey, FranklinCovey, musings, organization, organizer, planner

Dr. Stephen Covey has passed away. I have dutifully noted it in my planner.

Fourteen years ago, a company for which I worked sent me to a seminar on the Dr. Stephen Covey process via the FranklinCovey organizer system. At first I was reluctant and hesitant, thinking it all a scam and an attempt to extort money out of me for a spruced up calendar. I was wrong.

Up until that point, my life was a jumble of little calendar books, notes, papers and a general lack of focus. I planned my time as if I were still in school – September through June. I never really paid much attention to July or August.

I remember my first planner – a beautiful forest green leather-bound daily organizer. It became my constant companion, never leaving home without it. After that seminar I became an organized machine, which was extremely useful as I rarely had a free moment in my life between work, relationships, dancing, pageants, volunteering at non-profits, teaching, volleyball and socializing. Suddenly everything I did was located in one place. Even though the days and to-do lists were packed, it was sublime to see everything neatly and orderly laid out for me to follow and check off. When going through my daily tasks, each time I crossed off all my “A”s and moved on the “Bs” and even the “C”s, I got tingley from the excitement of accomplishment. And if I didn’t check them all off, it was okay because tomorrow was another opportunity to succeed!

I have gone through a few binders since then, but still use my trusty (even if it is considered outdated by not being electronic) planner to this day. There is something so soothing about looking at the month and knowing exactly where and when I need to be without worry. Then turning the page and finding a whole new month of opportunities.

Dr. Covey – thank you for helping me to organize me.

– FranklinCovey motivation

A Ferris Wheel

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daughter, ferris wheel, mother, park, writings

Together they stepped onto the painted wooden platform and slid into the waiting car of the Ferris wheel. By worldly Ferris wheel standards, it wasn’t a large, intimidating structure but it was the center attraction at the small beach front park, surrounded by little roller coasters and 30-foot slides. The seats cushions and wooden backs were forest green, the metal spokes were white, and yellow, white and blue lights lit up the structure in the early evening dusk.

The young girl settled into the seat, then smiled and nodded her head at her mother as if to let her know she was good. They fastened the seat belt and the attendant latched the protective safety bar over their laps. They patiently traveled backward car by car as other riders took their seats.

“Are you having fun today?” her mother asked, noting the child’s sunkissed cheeks were bright and flushed from the day’s excitement.

“Yes. This is wonderful,” the girl’s answer was an excited whisper. She peered over the gate at the ground and attractions, her eyes wide.

When all the passengers were loaded, the Ferris wheel began its slow, steady whirring travel around the hub. Once at the top and then propelling forward, the young girl giggled with glee and held onto the safety bar with both hands.

“Did you feel your stomach fall a little bit?” her mother asked, noting her own stomach settling back into place.

The girl nodded. It was pure heaven to her. They passed up and around and over again and she felt as if she were princess of the park. “I like this very much.”

As they continued their rotations illuminated by the twinkling rainbow of lights, the young girl leaned over and very gently kissed her mother’s shoulder.