My friend, Tia, has started a tumblr (inspired by a production being put on by a local theatre company) encouraging folks to go on an Identity Scavenger Hunt.  And in her rallying cry of “let’s be brave and search alone-together” (which I love love love love) – I’m all in.  And I encourage you to play along as well! Over the next 30 days or so, Tia will be posting a question or two a day from the famous Proust Questionnaire on the tumblr.  I’ll be doing my best to keep up and answer the questions here; my approach will be to not think too much about any one answer and to go from the gut.  You can answer the questions on the Identity Scavenger Hunt tumblr, on your own blog, in your journal, in your head, or feel free to e-mail answers directly to the lovely Tia at theatretia@gmail.com – she may want to use some of your answers in different ways in the future!

5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I am easily distracted and focus can be pulled from important things by shiny objects, so-to-speak. It leads to deplorable behaviors and activities/hurt family and friends on occasion – which is the worst. I also worry that I won’t accomplish as much in my life as I’d like to because of my distractability – so when I see others who are able to do so much, I wonder how and then the green-eyed monster creeps in … which is not a pretty look and makes me feel deservedly hideous. These wonderful, highly effective people probably have strong goals and stick-to-it-iveness; while I often lack follow-through. I have tried to cultivate follow-through and I’ve gotten a bit better, but I am too much ruled by emotions and instincts and whims and passions and less with the big-picture logic sometimes.

6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Lack of empathy.  Nothing is more horrific to me than someone who has a complete inability to empathize. And I have found that people without empathetic constitutions often engage in malicious activities and try to justify the “right-ness” of their ill-intent. To that I say…

Ya hear that, deplorable traits?