Vanity Fair Questionnaire

**Stolen from Lady Putz, who borrowed it from Vanity Fair.


What is your idea of perfect happiness?
The Jewish concept of shalom, ie, perfect peace in any situation.

What is the one thing more than anything else that you don't want to happen to you?
Dying with unused potential, unspent energy, unwritten books, untold stories, unsung songs, etc.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ... fervent, unwavering belief in hope ...  Amandla! Ngawethu!

Which living person do you most admire?
Mom. She is a house of prayer, tower of strength. And integrity in and out of the spotlight ... and regular people all over the world who make magic out of ordinary.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Erm ...  sporadic unconfidence.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Deliberate cruelty ... cold, calculated wickedness, intolerance and insensitivity.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Usually the simplest pleasures: sunrises, sunsets, blue skies, calm seas ... oh yeah, and fancy pastry, ethnic jewellery, skirts and scarves.

What is your favourite journey?
Going out and going home. Out to an adventure. Home to rest. Nothing's quite as magical as the anticipation of the day's work, or a long trip away, and when someone asks where you're going and you get to say, "home" ... *enter blissful joy here*

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
In today's society, virtues are grossly underrated!

On what occasion do you lie?
I try not to lie at all ;-)

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
I try not to dislike any aspect of me. But if I must choose something, it would probably be ... ???

Which living person do you most despise?
I don't think I despise anybody, but I intensely dislike people who are deliberately cruel, manipulative intolerant and insensitive ... why can't we all learn to respect each other's right to be ... ?

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“What?”

What is your greatest regret?
Hmnm ... hard one. And certainly nothing to be shared with cyberland.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Mi Lord. Then books/stories. Then journalism and cultures.

Which talent would you most like to have?
Omniscience.

What is your current state of mind?
Restless.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
So far?? Umm ... changing the course of my family, generation ...

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Probably the world's first inexhaustible  pen ... I do love to write, lol.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
Bird. I like the idea of always having a song, flying free ...

What is your most treasured possession?
Ability to think, learn, grow, adapt, change and show affection (which I give freely yet with great restraint).

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
A purposeless life. Sadness that never goes away. No sunshine. No smiles. No warmth. No laughter. No love.

Where would you like to live?
A little bit of everywhere in every country in the world ...

What is your favourite occupation?
Writing, hands down ... then hearing/sharing great stories, inspiring others, being inspired, research, publication/home/fashion design, troubleshooting development issues, 'live-a-better-life campaigns, singing, smiling, laughing ... practising random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

What is your most marked characteristic?
Passion. I emote, emote, emote ...

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Generosity, integrity, strength of character.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Without a doubt, strength and purposefulness.

What do you most value in your friends?
Humour,  tolerance, respect.

Who are your favorite writers?
Where to start? There are so many! I love biographies ... people's stories that instruct, uplift, inspire ... People like Nelson Mandela, Ben Carson ...

What is it that you most dislike?
Deliberate cruelty, poverty, abuse, hunger, disease, inexplicable catastrophe that plagues the human heart, mind and soul ...and gross disrespect and intolerance for others.

How would you like to die?
Empty. Spent. Fulfilled. Epitaph: Here lies a woman who lived a FULL life and left nothing undone.

What is your motto?
You live, you learn, you grow ...