I have told you before, I keep lists for everything
I remember the night that we made the lists. It was a typical girls night a few years ago at the house on Bluestone. We had been sipping Texas wine and had already managed to polish off a couple fo bottles by the time the pen and paper came out. As most women do when in a group, the conversation inevitably found its way to men. I am pretty sure that we were all single at the time and well aware that the men who would someday have us would be damn lucky indeed. So we all made lists, needs assements as we called them, as to what qualities were absolute must-haves in a mate. My list, perhaps unsurprisingly, is still just what my 22 year old heart desired. I have always been the kind of girl who knows what she wants.

Now before anyone gets all high and mighty that I can't expect any one person to fit into this exact imaginary mold that I have created, I shall save you the trouble by openly admitting that I know that. I am well aware that relationships are full of compromise and tolerance and all of that stuff but for the sake of weeding out the definite no-gos, a list helps. I am also aware that some of the stuff is, for lack of a better word, stupid. But remove all of the filler and the basics are important, for any relationship. And I bet it is fair to say, although you may not have it written down, you all keep one stored in your memory bank just for safe meausre.

Anyway, here is mine, written in no particular order.

-dark hair
-employed
-likes/tolerates my family
-romantic
-touchy-feely
-good dancer
-likes cultural activities
-likes just vegging
-enjoys/appreciates good food
-loves to laugh
-trustworthy
-gives me butterflies
-NICE FEET
-gift-giver
-makes mundane activities fun
-must tolerate Barbra Streisand (and other musical divas)
-must appreciate seriousness of party planning
-humble
-thoughtful
-notices details