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3rdragonSo I got home from fencing tonight (a very good practice, and the ending at 9:00 was nice), and Andria and Cait were hanging out in the hall near my door. They accosted me and started telling me the things they liked about me as a person, and then apologized generally for being jerks, which they seem to think that they are most of the time. This including mention of the fact that we don't hang out very much but they like me a lot anyway, although Andria thinks that many of the things she does might scare me (really, Andria. I hang out with SSFFS and the fencing team. I don't scare as easily as I look. But that's a discussion for another day.). Now, if you don't know Andria and Cait, I must say that they are not very high on my list of people who I expect to walk up to me and have a Serious Talk about all the things that they think make me a good person. But hey, I'll take compliments from unexpected sources.
And today at lunch, I don't remember how, I got on the topic of Appreciations. This is a tradition that we had in the school I went to for 7th and 8th grade; the entire school (k-8) would have an assembly at the end of each year where people would just stand up and say things that they appreciated about other people. And yes, it was Really Boring. The junior highers in particular tended to complain about how deadly it was. But I never did, much as it bored me, because even at 14, I realized how unique an assembly that was, and what it said about the community that created it. So I really tried to appreciate Appreciations. Yes, even the Jane's groupers (k and 1st) when Maddy stood up to say that yesterday Lena shared her apple pieces with her at lunch and she (Maddy) really appreciated it, which happened an awful lot.
So as I took my shower, I was thinking about how uncommon it for people to tell people what they like about each other, what they appreciate. And I think that people would be a lot happier if this happened slightly more frequently.
In the words of Bilbo, I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and while I like you people a lot, it's probably not nearly as much as you deserve. But here's something I like about each of you:
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annyihra - You're one of the people in the world who have decided to ignore the limits of the practical (or even, on occasion, the possible), and you go ahead and do the things that you want to do despite what everyone else says. I admire you for your boldness.
banzaisebastian - You have a marvelous ability to make a pithy comment that gets right to the heart of the matter. I feel like I don't know you very well, and should make time to get to know you better, because you're a fun person.
catsprite - You have the qualities I think of as being a Good Friend. This is a quiet sort of thing, and when I try to focus on it, all I can come up with is an impression of being around to hang out with, and being willing to lend a hand, which really doesn't encompass it. But diaphanous as it it, I appreciate it.
chocochan - I don't think you realize it, but you're hilarious. You make me laugh - a lot - and this makes hanging out with you both relaxing and a lot of fun.
ellirpa - Aside from taking AMAZING pictures, you have a wonderful sense of humor. I wish that you were around more often so that I could actually get to know you, because you're really cool.
estelwen - You add to the level of interest and oddity in my life. I know that if you're around, things will never be tame or boring. Things are much quieter without you, and I find that I miss you.
irianamistifi - I've never talked to you very much, but you do incredible and fascinating things. You're another person that I would like to have more time to get to know.
kadharonon - I had a cello teacher once who made me feel better every time I saw her. Even on those days when I hadn't had a chance to practice and my playing was really terrible, I came out of my lesson feeling better than when I went in. You're like that in that just seeing you around makes me feel better, and in that way you remind me of her, but you have a lot more pieces of awesome added on. Plus, you have the best purr of anyone I know. Except that one cat that I house-sat for over the summer . . . you have the best purr of any person I know.
operafloozy - I really miss just being able to walk into the hall and talk with you about whatever. You have a lot of being-there-ness, which I'm not describing very well. I would say that you're very reliable, but I feel that reliable is a boring and somewhat over-used adjective, which you are not (neither boring, nor over-used, nor an adjective - not even a banana). In a similar vein, you have what my mother calls with-it-ness; you're on top of things and I know that if you're taking care of something, it's already taken care of.
pulsebeat - I feel that you do a lot of things, most of which people generally don't appreciate or take the time to pay attention to. So I just want to say thank you for all the things that you do that people just assume will be done (those things where we would be completely screwed if they didn't get done, but it doesn't occur to anyone to thank the person who does them).
tammypierce - I don't know you at all. But your books are really awesome.
tigerlofu - You're a lot of fun just to hang out with. You always have something interesting to say, or a new angle on an old topic. You have a great sense of humor, and you make a great deal of sense, unlike a lot of people.
violaclaire - You've been a really good friend for years. You were probably the single greatest factor in keeping me sane during that stretch of torture known as elementary school. Come to mention it, you were probably very important to my mental state during high school, as well. I don't talk to you enough because we never learned the habit of getting together outside of school (also, the geography induces certain difficulties).
vorindi - I can rely on you to be sane and sensible. When things get crazy, I know that if I look at you and raise my eyebrows, you will also have the same look of What??!?!?! on your face. You're also excellent for exchanging snarky comments with. (My mother is excellent for exchanging snarky, often cynical comments with, so whenever I'm not around her, my level of snarky comments tends to get very low. This is a very important function.)
And today at lunch, I don't remember how, I got on the topic of Appreciations. This is a tradition that we had in the school I went to for 7th and 8th grade; the entire school (k-8) would have an assembly at the end of each year where people would just stand up and say things that they appreciated about other people. And yes, it was Really Boring. The junior highers in particular tended to complain about how deadly it was. But I never did, much as it bored me, because even at 14, I realized how unique an assembly that was, and what it said about the community that created it. So I really tried to appreciate Appreciations. Yes, even the Jane's groupers (k and 1st) when Maddy stood up to say that yesterday Lena shared her apple pieces with her at lunch and she (Maddy) really appreciated it, which happened an awful lot.
So as I took my shower, I was thinking about how uncommon it for people to tell people what they like about each other, what they appreciate. And I think that people would be a lot happier if this happened slightly more frequently.
In the words of Bilbo, I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and while I like you people a lot, it's probably not nearly as much as you deserve. But here's something I like about each of you:
annyihra - You're one of the people in the world who have decided to ignore the limits of the practical (or even, on occasion, the possible), and you go ahead and do the things that you want to do despite what everyone else says. I admire you for your boldness.banzaisebastian - You have a marvelous ability to make a pithy comment that gets right to the heart of the matter. I feel like I don't know you very well, and should make time to get to know you better, because you're a fun person.catsprite - You have the qualities I think of as being a Good Friend. This is a quiet sort of thing, and when I try to focus on it, all I can come up with is an impression of being around to hang out with, and being willing to lend a hand, which really doesn't encompass it. But diaphanous as it it, I appreciate it.chocochan - I don't think you realize it, but you're hilarious. You make me laugh - a lot - and this makes hanging out with you both relaxing and a lot of fun.ellirpa - Aside from taking AMAZING pictures, you have a wonderful sense of humor. I wish that you were around more often so that I could actually get to know you, because you're really cool.estelwen - You add to the level of interest and oddity in my life. I know that if you're around, things will never be tame or boring. Things are much quieter without you, and I find that I miss you.irianamistifi - I've never talked to you very much, but you do incredible and fascinating things. You're another person that I would like to have more time to get to know.kadharonon - I had a cello teacher once who made me feel better every time I saw her. Even on those days when I hadn't had a chance to practice and my playing was really terrible, I came out of my lesson feeling better than when I went in. You're like that in that just seeing you around makes me feel better, and in that way you remind me of her, but you have a lot more pieces of awesome added on. Plus, you have the best purr of anyone I know. Except that one cat that I house-sat for over the summer . . . you have the best purr of any person I know.operafloozy - I really miss just being able to walk into the hall and talk with you about whatever. You have a lot of being-there-ness, which I'm not describing very well. I would say that you're very reliable, but I feel that reliable is a boring and somewhat over-used adjective, which you are not (neither boring, nor over-used, nor an adjective - not even a banana). In a similar vein, you have what my mother calls with-it-ness; you're on top of things and I know that if you're taking care of something, it's already taken care of.pulsebeat - I feel that you do a lot of things, most of which people generally don't appreciate or take the time to pay attention to. So I just want to say thank you for all the things that you do that people just assume will be done (those things where we would be completely screwed if they didn't get done, but it doesn't occur to anyone to thank the person who does them).tammypierce - I don't know you at all. But your books are really awesome.tigerlofu - You're a lot of fun just to hang out with. You always have something interesting to say, or a new angle on an old topic. You have a great sense of humor, and you make a great deal of sense, unlike a lot of people.violaclaire - You've been a really good friend for years. You were probably the single greatest factor in keeping me sane during that stretch of torture known as elementary school. Come to mention it, you were probably very important to my mental state during high school, as well. I don't talk to you enough because we never learned the habit of getting together outside of school (also, the geography induces certain difficulties). vorindi - I can rely on you to be sane and sensible. When things get crazy, I know that if I look at you and raise my eyebrows, you will also have the same look of What??!?!?! on your face. You're also excellent for exchanging snarky comments with. (My mother is excellent for exchanging snarky, often cynical comments with, so whenever I'm not around her, my level of snarky comments tends to get very low. This is a very important function.)
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Date: 20 Nov 2007 03:48 pm (UTC)Happy Thanksgiving!
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Date: 20 Nov 2007 05:30 pm (UTC)I leave tomorrow.