Damian answered the Proust Questionnaire and so did we! Fan Fun Team’s Proust Questionnaire series continues today with The Tail that Wags The Dog… ENJOY!
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Sitting on a quiet beach with no lesson planning or grading to do, reading a book or listening to music, with a strawberry daiquiri in my hand.
What is your greatest fear? Falling from a very high height.
Which historical figure do you most identify with? Anyone who came over on the boat from Sicily to Ellis Island.
Which living person do you most admire? My old college roommate James Ruggieri – most genuinely nice person I ever met.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? My lack of discipline with how I waste my time sometimes.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Selfishness/lack of humility
What is your greatest extravagance? Broadway tickets
What is your favorite journey? I don’t know, but my favorite Journey song is ‘Lights.’
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Confidence – it can too easily become cockiness.
On what occasion do you lie? When I need something to get done but I know the recipient won’t do it if they know the truth – most often with my own kids or my students.
What do you dislike most about your appearance? My gut
Which living person do you most despise? Our current President
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Awesome. Yeah – just that one.
What is your greatest regret? Trying to be an actuary and not starting teaching sooner – and not applying to be an AP Statistics Readers sooner.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? My wife Monica and my kids. That’s easy.
When and where were you happiest? When my first child was born – and when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004. Never thought I would see that in my lifetime.
Which talent would you most like to have? To be a tenor and to be able to ski.
What is your current state of mind? Tired but generally happy.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would be slightly less hirsute – and a little taller.
If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? We would all treat each other a little more respectfully
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Singing in 3 Papal Choirs.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? A duck-billed platypus, because I’ve always liked duck-billed platypi.
If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? Kate Upton’s bra. (Just kidding). How about a Lamborghini?
What is your most treasured possession? My dad had a baseball signed by the entire 1941 Red Sox – it isn’t technically mine – yet….
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Suicide
Where would you like to live? The beach
What is your favorite occupation? Broadway Producer
What is your most marked characteristic? My animated behavior
What is the quality you most like in a man? Emotional maturity
What is the quality you most like in a woman? Directness
What do you most value in your friends? Sincerity
Who are your favorite writers? Tom Clancy, JRR Tolkien
Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Aragorn
Who are your heroes in real life? Those who care for the elderly
What are your favorite names? Dominic, Vincent
What is it that you most dislike? Vanity, arrogance, lack of compassion and humility
How would you like to die? Quietly on the beach – in my sleep
What is your motto? Remember, you may be the only Gospel some people ever read.
Lipton: What is your favorite curse word? Shit
Lipton: What sound or noise do you hate? Rubbing balloons
Lipton: What sound or noise do you love? Fresh can of soda being opened on a hot day
Lipton: If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? You done good buddy-boy
I love this — you and I have things in common especially our biggest extravaganza! I am spending way too much money on theater. You know I would never buy a very high-end purse or shoes, I don’t care but if it’s good seats for a good play, it’s splurge time for me. I will be seeing Betrayal in October – very excited!
And, man, you LOVE the beach or what?!?!
And how come you all have become Red Sox fans? Boston roots?