Ten Good Things

"Every time I come around your site, you give me a glimpse of what a good man is all about, what masculinity is supposed to be. For this sometimes rather cynical woman, you have no idea what a gift that is. Just because my comments are infrequent, don't think for a minute that I don't admire you. A lot. I'd like to hear what you like about yourself."

Those very kind words were posted by ThailandChani when tagging me to do this meme. I don't get tagged a lot, which is terribly fine by me, but this one might be interesting. It will be a somewhat difficult undertaking because it has the potential to seem self-absorbed and rather braggadocios. You see, I am to list "Ten Things That I Like About Me." Part of the difficulty for me will be to not offer umpteen caveats and counterbalancing lists of a plethora of qualities that I don't prefer. But that would defeat the purpose for the meme, which seems to be to emphasize the positive: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it ... I like me."

The other excruciatingly difficult thing will be for me to actually compile ten things. You see, I find it challenging to develop lists of any kind. Ask me for a list, and my feeble brain goes into lock down mode, and my palms start sweating. In point of fact, I rather doubt that I'll manage ten, for at this moment I have no idea what item number one will be. Sometimes, however, the thoughts flow once I get started.

So ....

1. Loving Cuppa: I know that's cheating to some degree for "loving one's wife" is not exactly a character trait, which is doubtless the intent of the meme. Nevertheless, it is something about me and my life that I like. We first met 40 years ago, married over 38 years ago, and the rest is history. And a long-lasting and loving relationship does speak of character after all: fidelity, commitment, and a compromising, for example. Well those character traits that I just threw in are almost three points in one, so maybe I will make it to ten or close.

2. So, let's say that I like the fact that I am pretty loyal. I don't easily discard or disregard old friendships. And it disappoints me greatly that not all old friends feel the same sense of loyalty. I understand that not all relationships are able to withstand against the rigours of time, but I have been disappointed to find that some which I thought indestructible ... weren't.

3. (This is getting hard already ... um ...) Perseverance: There are times when I display great stick-to-it-iveness. Cuppa remarks on this from time to time when she sees me working to get to the root of some sort of sticking point with html or Photoshop. (However, I would like to get back to html a bit, for my meagre skills have all but abandoned me through disuse and neglect.)

4. I am willing and often eager to try new things. I don't suppose everyone would try to pick up and learn the violin at almost sixty years of age, especially when they have arthritic hands, and not a ton of natural talent, but I am trying. While I'll never get to the fabled Carnegie Hall without purchasing a ticket, I have made progress, and playing my little tunes frequently uplifts me. If I am forced to or choose to stop tomorrow, I have accomplished something that has filled me up in some measure.

5. Still Learning: in the same vein as above, I like the fact that I am a work in progress and have been willing to adapt and change. I remember being spoken of positively by younger teachers for my willingness to learn about and use computers. I often found ways to take my classes to the computer lab.

6. Competence: while I am not gifted in any area, I seem to have been achieved reasonable levels of competency in various pursuits. While I sometimes feel that to claim being competent somewhat akin to damning with faint praise (for few people aspire merely to be competent), it's certainly preferable to be competent than the opposite.

7. Dedicated: I suppose this is similar to loyalty and perseverance, both of which I have already used, but what the heck! I think I'm pretty dedicated to family and friends.

8. Logical Thinker: I don't have a brilliant or creative mind and don't even know a lot and am often stuck about what to say, but I do think that I am a good linear and logical thinker.

9. Generous: while I haver never had and never will have a ton of money to spread around, I think I am fairly generous within my circumstances. And I have certainly used time and resources to help friends when I can such as scanning and printing some of our neighbour's artwork. I designed this website, without recompense as it turned out, for a fellow blogger.

10. I do think I'm a fairly good father ... and now grandfather. We all make mistakes, but I have tried to do well. I remember when Thesha was in her teens and she and her friends required chauffeuring from here to there at various hours. I did it a lot: to the extent that I frequently wondered if all other fathers were suffering from paralysis. But I was content enough to do it then and am now very glad that I did. With the second daughter, Althegal, I invested many hours and dollars taking her to softball games She even played travel ball for a few years, so it definitely did require time and money.

Whaddayaknow? I managed to list ten things. Sometimes I surprise myself. I know it's a little long, but it pretty well has to be.

You'll find more about the meme here. I won't tag you, but feel free to pick it up and run with it.