Silver Square

David Anderson, owner of Pinpoint Multimedia, joins us this week on the Proust. You can find him on LinkedIn and SmallerIndiana.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? I would hope it is my sense of humor and eagerness to help. Could also be the piece of lunch still left in my teeth (ooh, I hope not)
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? A friendly demeanor and sense of humor are most appreciated in a man. They most often mean that he will be interesting company.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Intelligence without pretense is an attractive quality in a woman. Women often have the ability to engage their power more subtly than men, and the ones who do it well are incredible.
4. What do you most value in your friends? I most value interaction and collaboration with friends. I enjoy the energy and exhilaration of a group of friends, whether that is working, watching a ball game, camping, or just hanging out.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I have a lazy streak that I struggle to overcome. I get frustrated at myself when I find myself in a lazy mood.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Perfect happiness is when all things are going well. I enjoy the joy of those moments.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Coming to the end of a week (or period of time) and realizing how much is left undone.
8. Who are your favorite writers? Seth Godin, Malcolm Gladwell, Dave Barry
9. What is your current state of mind? Challenged by these questions but determined to answer them with relevance and grace (hmmm, maybe too much bs in that answer)
10. What is your motto? ‘Motto’s are for wimps, but a good manifesto…’
11. What is your greatest fear? Physically, I have a great fear of heights. But more spiritually, I am afraid that life is moving by too fast. When the day comes that I have to rely on memories rather than experiences, I want to make sure those memories are rich and meaningful, rather than just a blur.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? My extravagance is going off on tangents. I’ll get going on something and go crazy. Golfing, motorcycles, camping, guitars, drums, computers, etc. I’ll jump in, buy a bunch of stuff, play around for awhile, and then get bored and move on to something else. My house is THE stop when we have a garage sale.
13. On what occasion do you lie? I lie when I tell myself that I can finish a project while watching TV late at night.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? The 75 or 80 pounds I’ve let accumulate on my waistline.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I have a couple, but can’t seem to think of them right now. I grew up in a corporate environment and cringe when I hear corp-speak terms like ‘synergy’ and ‘leverage’ come out of my mouth. Still, I say them too often – old habits die hard.

Annie Sever-Dimitri, MSW, Life Coach at YourCoachForLife, joins us this week on the Proust. You can find her at SmallerIndiana or her blog.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? My creative verbal abilities.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? Wacky sense of humor.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Same as above.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Being able to think creatively, then get bored, and toss the whole project aside.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? World peace.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Child and animal abuse.
8. Who are your favorite writers? Helen Fielding, Maya Angelou, SARK, Gregg Braden
9. What is your current state of mind? appy, happy, joy, joy–we finally have sun today!
10. What is your motto? Do something that scares you every day.
11. What is your greatest fear? I am afraid of fire. That is why I am doing a fire walk later this year!
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Kombucha and my wardrobe
13. On what occasion do you lie? When someone has a bad haircut
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? My nose
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Fabulous, cool, sweet

Jacob Schpok, Director of Programming for the Indiana Small Business Development Center, joins us this week on the Proust. You can follow Jacob on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? My pursuit of contentment.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? Compassion towards those with less.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Passion towards living life to its fullest.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Their integrity.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? My maladaptive perfectionist mindset. It’s known to frustrate my friends, family, and co-workers. I try to keep it on the down-low when interacting with the general public.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Living in the moment and appreciating life. That’s life in the larger sense, not the movie Life starring Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, and Bernie Mac. Although, if I remember correctly, the movie wasn’t bad either.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Fixating on doubt and regret or being forced to watch Fox News. Kind of a tossup.
8. Who are your favorite writers? Malcolm Gladwell, John Gribbin, Dr. Seuss, Charles Bukowski, Sogyal Rinpoche, and Christopher Buckley
9. What is your current state of mind? Inquisitive.
10. What is your motto? “It’s funny because it’s true.”
11. What is your greatest fear? Living in an Orwellian world.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? My extensive music collection.
13. On what occasion do you lie? I lie all the time or do I? Wa ha ha ha.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? My left ear is a little higher than my right. Adjusting new glasses always becomes a whole project. See question five for explanation.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I’m not even joking, seriously, no really, just kidding

Andrea Crawford, producer for “Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick” and it’s assorted interactive products, joins us this week on the Proust. You can connect with her at LinkedIn or Twitter.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? I have a very sarcastic sense of humor. I think it catches a lot of people off guard, especially when I’m talking to guests we have on the show.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? Drive and ambition, but the ability to be laid back at the same time
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Not taking herself too seriously
4. What do you most value in your friends? Knowing that wherever we are and whatever time it is day or night, they will be there for me. I have many of the same friends that I grew up with and they all have that quality.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? If procrastination were a sport, I would go pro. I need deadlines and pressure to complete something otherwise I’ll put it off. I also tend to interrupt people a lot.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A beach, a cocktail and a book!
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Losing hope and the capacity to love and care for others
8. Who are your favorite writers? James Patterson, Curtis Sittenfeld
9. What is your current state of mind? Happy, but a bit preoccupied with everything I want to get accomplished this week.
10. What is your motto? Everything happens for a reason
11. What is your greatest fear? Losing people close to me
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Traveling. So far this year I’ve been to Arizona, Florida and Mexico. I’m planning a few other trips this summer, too.
13. On what occasion do you lie? When I know it’s better than the truth
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? My feet. I grew up dancing and run a lot now so my feet are always scarred or have calluses. I also have a random, curved toenail on my left foot and a birthmark on my right foot that looks like a dirt stain. It’s awkward.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I use the words amazing and exactly waaaay to much

Mathew Powers, Lecturer of Media Arts and Science at IUPUI, joins us this week on the Proust. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or hop on over to IUPUI and see him at the IUPUI GenCon Extravaganza.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? Creativity and Energy. I am a swirling storm of both. It can excite and exhaust people all in the same breath. I’m probably best in small doses LOL.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? Camaraderie, the ability to game, and laugh at each other for 12hr stretches.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Strength. Strength of mind, body, and character. Someone like my wife, a person confident and caring. A cuddly amazon!
4. What do you most value in your friends? The ability to put up with me.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? That I probably apologize too much to try and make situations better. Sorry.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Going out into nature. Being able to artistically create, unbridled, for as long as I could both mentally and physically hold out, with friends and family nearby.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being trapped alone, amongst one’s unreasonable, anxiety riddled thoughts. Wow, that’s deep!
8. Who are your favorite writers? Terry Pratchett and the Discworld. Nothing beats sarcastic, political-commentary set against the backdrop of a medieval world that is in turn, on the back of a giant turtle swimming through the void of endless space.
9. What is your current state of mind? Hopeful exuberance!
10. What is your motto? Never Give Up, Never Surrender! From one of the greatest movies of all time, the Tim Allen vehicle “Galaxy Quest.”
11. What is your greatest fear? Flying. Those big, metal, cylinder bird-things defy all logic and just aren’t natural! That and when I was in 8th grade, coming back from China, our plane flew into a hurricane, lost power, and dropped out of the sky for a few minutes. I’m thinking that might have something to do with it too…..hmmmmmm…..
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Probably our basement. It is covered floor to ceiling with toys, video games, art, and all manner of nerd/geek related items. See my wife gets to have dominion over the first and second floors, referred by us as the Earth and Heavens and I get control of the Underworld LOL
13. On what occasion do you lie? To protect the feelings of the ones I love.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? That I look a bit like a cross between Big-Bird and a manatee. That and the fact that I look like the Assistant-Manager of any store I am in. I walk fast, with a determined look, through stores like Wal-Mart and Target, and thus get stopped by everyone. All of them wanting to know where the soup is or where they can get a new wrench. I have actually indulged people with this, but you should see the look on their faces after I help them and then say I don’t work there
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Really?

Ryan Pucket, Indianapolis-based communications consultant and freelance writer, joins us this week on the Proust. You can connect with Ryan on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? My dry sense of humor. Physically, it must be my curly hair and my height – I’m 6’2”.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? Respect for others and air guitar skills.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? A good conversationalist and appreciation for sports, especially baseball.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Non-judgmental of my flaws.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Procrastination.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? And endless supply of pie and ice cream.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Stopped at a traffic light with a bass-thumping car next to me.
8. Who are your favorite writers? Sadly, I’ve never read much for leisure. GQ’s The Style Guy (Glenn O’Brien) cracks me up and offers common sense sartorial advice
9. What is your current state of mind? Scatterbrained. My wife and I have a 6-month-old – need I explain more?
10. What is your motto? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
11. What is your greatest fear? Not being able to be there for my family.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Jackets. My wife thinks I have to many.
13. On what occasion do you lie? None. I don’t lie, to the point that it may be a flaw.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? My posture.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “So…” “In terms of” “For all intensive purposes (which I recently learned should be: for all intents and purposes)” “The fact of the matter is…”

Chip Maxwell, Vice President of Business Development at the Indy tech startup Giggil, joins us this week on the Proust. You can connect with Chip on LinkedIn, or follow him on Twitter.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? My ability to listen and thus converse. Or maybe my right dimple.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? I like a sense of camaraderie – it shows humility and character.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? An easy laugh, and a big smile to go with it.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Their taste in food, because the best things in life happen during, or after, a great meal.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I was going to answer this later, but… procrastination.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? In a national park, or another continent, with my family, after a long hike, with a good beer, at sunset.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Homeless and hungry.
8. Who are your favorite writers? Bill Bryson, The Coen Brothers, Jimmy Page, Mark Twain, James Brown
9. What is your current state of mind? Analytical. My work is technical, so I get in modes where strict logic rules.
10. What is your motto? Live life well.
11. What is your greatest fear? I’m not sure – I don’t focus much on fears.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Time – I spend it, waste it, burn it, and otherwise disregard its finiteness.
13. On what occasion do you lie? Questionnaires.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? Don’t look now, but I have a bald patch on my chin.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Right,” “Okay,” and “It is what it is.”

Lynn Lupold, Owner of Red Boat Productions, joins us this week on the Proust. Lynn is the writer of the play Enter Love, which our very own Clay Mabbitt will perform in. Tickets are available on the Enter Love website. We’d love to see you all there. Us squares will be going on Friday the 20th.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? Trust…..trust that those around me will do what is right
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? Humor…..and kindness
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? First impressions….someone that you see for the first time and know you want to see and know them better….sometimes it is their face, eyes or just the way they carry themselves but mostly it is the first impression when I first meet someone…..I can tell in a few seconds if I want to know them better or not.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Generosity and willingness to share
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Fear of failing…….which creates a lack of confidence in my own ability……even in areas where I think I do a pretty good job, I always see the areas where others are more thorough and detail specific….details are not my strength.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Health….time to be with the ones I love including my pets….friends who take you for who you are…..the means to do what I want to do…..
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Helplessness……not being able to control or change events that hurt others
8. Who are your favorite writers? Shel Silverstein
9. What is your current state of mind? In a state of disbelief…..living a dream after waiting sixty years to actually write, produce and see my own musical on stage
10. What is your motto? I have two……..”What’s the worst that can happen?” and “All you need in life is luck and timing!”
11. What is your greatest fear? Running out of time…to be with the loves of my life and to do never have a shot at a Tony award.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Not worrying about money or where it is coming from…..when I should
13. On what occasion do you lie? I try not to lie….at one time I thought that would help or soften the moment…it does just the opposite….so lying never works….at least not for me.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? Too short……
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Probably the word “so”….seems like a good filler…..in terms of phrases…not sure if over used but one of my favorites is…”so what’s the worst that can happen”…..

Mike Donahue, executive coach with Newgrange Consulting, joins us this week on the Proust. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn and check out Mike’s blog. 

 1. What is your most marked characteristic? Empathy, I’m very good at picking up the subtle non-verbal cues of others. A friend of mine calls this “emotional radar.”
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? 
I value openness and honesty; I don’t like braggarts. I enjoy the badinage that guys do with each other.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? My wife is the model for what I like in women; I admire her strength and confidence. We raised our daughters to be that way.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Procrastination. 
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? I prefer to think in terms of fulfillment rather that happiness (or success).
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? To not have a purpose that motivates and gives you a reason to get up in the morning. 
8. Who are your favorite writers? The last three works of fiction I read were by the late Nevil Shute. When I do work-related reading about leadership, I’m a fan of Lee Thayer.
9. What is your current state of mind? Contentment.
10. What is your motto? I borrowed my motto from Viktor Frankl; he said “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
11. What is your greatest fear? Rejection – It hurts to lose a coaching client or a member of one of my Vistage groups.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? High performance German cars and top shelf single malt Irish whiskey. Though I never indulge in these extravagances at the same time!
13. On what occasion do you lie?  I’ve read that the opposite of truth is withholding, embellishing, cloaking, or lying. I’m far more likely to embellish than to lie. 
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? My gray hair. Just when I started to like being a red head, my hair began turning gray.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “What would you say if you did know?”

Chris Owens, Director of Marketing and Communications with Window Makeover, joins us this week on the Proust. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn, check out his blog and follow Chris on Twitter.

1. What is your most marked characteristic? I’ll define that three ways: Physically – probably be my tattoos one sleeve, and another in the works.  Mentally – I’m very driven, dedicated, and organized.  Emotionally – I love to make people laugh.
2. What is the quality you most like in a man? What I admire in men is a genuine dedication to faith and family in a society that doesn’t always promote those values.
3. What is the quality you most like in a woman? What I admire in women is the general appreciation of the small things in life other than money and possessions.
4. What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty is what I value most in my friendships.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I have no patience.  None at all.  Ask my wife or anyone who has ridden in a car or gone grocery shopped with me.
6. What is your idea of perfect happiness? My idea of perfect happiness is hanging out at night around the fire-pit in the backyard with friends, having drinks, playing some guitar, laughing and feeling like I wouldn’t ever want to be anywhere else.
7. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? The lowest depth of misery to me would be a world without grace, hope, and love.  That or being a Browns season ticket holder.
8. Who are your favorite writers? I don’t really read much at all…I usually can’t sit still long enough.
9. What is your current state of mind? Excited about possibilities!
10. What is your motto? I don’t have a motto per se but I’ve always liked the quote “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live. “ Martin Luther King, Jr.
11. What is your greatest fear? Heights are my greatest fear.  Followed closely by reptiles.
12. What is your greatest extravagance? Probably tattoos….or guitars…or tattoos of guitars.
13. On what occasion do you lie? I don’t like lying but I guess I do lie when I blame things on our dogs.  Take from that what you will.
14. What do you dislike most about your appearance? I’ve probably packed on a few extra pounds recently thanks to ice cream.  For some reason in my 30’s it’s taken over the bar scene – now we do “ice cream crawls” and are in bed at a reasonable time.
15. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Seriously.