What Do I Like About Myself?

The incomparable Heart in San Francisco has tagged me with the most challenging meme ever: I must share ten things I like about myself.

It's a little hard to think about what I like about myself. It feels a bit immodest to do so. For example, this is what Heart said about me: "I love her fine mind and great honesty, her personal beauty."

I am tempted to just write that over and over again ten times because it sounds so good. I mean, seriously...I'm incredibly flattered. In fact, I should get myself a custom t-shirt made with that on it. I'll wear it on days like today where I've eaten way too many cool ranch Doritos and feel like a Mrs. Potato Head.

Anyway, because I have such an admiration for Heart's wisdom, maturity and sense of justice, I decided to go ahead and do some self-reflection, even if it makes me feel absolutely immodest to tell you these things. Whew, deep breath....here goes:

Ten Things Liz Likes About Herself

1) I have never hidden my love for Depeche Mode or tried to downplay it to gain acceptance from anyone. Growing up, I was fine with being the "weird mixed girl who likes those depressing British guys." I wasn't about to turn around and start pretending that I liked Ready For The World just to have more friends. My love for Depeche Mode has lasted since I was eleven. It's almost become an emblem for being proud of who I am, what I like, and who I love. Despite all that, even today, folks will seriously try to ridicule me for loving Depeche Mode. People, not just family either, have commented that it's my "white side" coming out. I've had folks who've barely know me say with thinly veiled disdain, "Oh, aren't they an '80's band? So you're stuck in the 80's musically?" or else I get the, "They're soooo gay!" comment, but only men say that. I guess if members of Depeche Mode were gay, I'm supposed to suddenly stop liking their music? My comeback to that is, "Oh, that's right! I heard you slept with one of them! How was it for you?" That usually shuts most guys up with a quickness and hopefully points out to them how stupid that comment is.

Anyway, I'm so into Depeche Mode that I have t-shirts (both tour and custom-made), track-jackets, dishes, necklaces, screen savers...and, ahem, the Depeche Mode thong underwear. I know, crazy! I have stopped short at getting a DM tattoo, but I'm still young so there's hope for me yet.

2) I can talk to anyone about anything. I think this is because of a few things. First, I'm interested in a lot of things and pretty well read on a variety of topics, so I feel comfortable talking to a wide range of folks about many different things. Second, I'm not shy about admitting when I know absolutely nothing about something and then inviting someone to tell me about it. Third, I really like people and believe that everyone has something I can learn from and something to offer this world. When I first moved to NYC, it took me a couple of days to realize that you weren't supposed to talk to people on the subway. You're just supposed to try to look uber urban and tough. It was an adjustment since back home in Chicago, I'd interview people while waiting for the El. With a mini-cassette recorder no less. Out here in LA, I met one of my dearest friends on the street in downtown. Once I realized that I wasn't about to get mugged, I was totally comfortable talking about everything under the sun. Come to think of it...maybe I should have titled this one "I'm really friendly" or else, "I'm really nosy!"

3) I smile a whole lot. I even smile when I'm dancing. Especially when I'm dancing! For awhile there, I was self-conscious about my smile because my bottom teeth are crooked. I never got braces growing up. I also have fairly full lips, and trust me, pre-Angelina Jolie, my lips were not in fashion. Unfortunately, a guy I was seeing years ago teased me about both teeth and lips. He called me snaggle tooth sometimes and joked that I had such big lips. (That should tell you a whole lot about where I was in my life that I would even tolerate that kind of crap.) Fortunately, one day I snapped out of my coma and he became an ex. Nowadays if folks comment on my crooked teeth, and believe me, some rude people do, I tell them they are welcome to pay for my invisible braces.

4) I am very empathetic. I have been through a lot in my life and so I find that it breeds a deep empathy for other people's situations. I've survived through so many hard things and I know that there's always something else going on behind what we see of a person. I think the best way to come out stronger is to just love other people as much as you can. I try to keep that in mind and just see the humanity of someone first and foremost. I find that I can easily step into someone else's shoes. For example, I have been the shy wallflower at a party so if I go in a room and see wallflowers, I make it my job to make them feel welcome, valued and wanted.

5) I'm pretty laid back and relaxed. No, I'm not a high maintenance woman. I can rock some high heels and a dress, but I'm just as happy in flip flops and jeans. I never had the money growing up for a whole lot of beauty products, clothes or accessories, so I never got in the habit of thinking I needed all those things. It's not that I don't like nice stuff. I do. It's just that I know I don't need certain things to survive, especially when I know other folks in the world have so little. It makes me think about how when I traveled in China, I slept in a "motel" that cost the equivalent of $1 USD per night. It was in a remote village and had a communal bathroom with no door. I brushed my teeth and washed my face with water running out of a broken pipe. I wore the same clothes day after day because I wanted to be able to pack light. I'm telling you, after you do that, a high maintenance attitude is just silly. As long as I'm comfortable, I'm all good.

6) I treat everyone with dignity and respect regardless of who they are. Nothing irks me more than the jerk who treats higher-ups with deference but then acts nasty to the assistant or people they perceive as being beneath them. You've seen those jerks, right? They're the person who ass-kisses when someone has a bunch of degrees or personal wealth behind their name but then treats those without that stuff like they're no one. To me, people who do that are scum and it becomes very difficult for me to treat them with dignity and respect. One thing I'm infinitely proud of is that I've never been that pompous, pretentious, condescending scum/jerk . If I ever become that, please, God, send the lightning bolt to strike me dead. I couldn't stand myself if I became like that.


7) I have beautiful eyelashes. They're long but not too long and curl in such a lovely way, all without an eyelash curler. My dear friend Leili's father gave me a compliment years ago about my eyelashes. He couldn't believe they were real because they looked so curly and beautiful. I'd never really noticed that about my eyelashes before then. Thanks Mr. Towfigh...you made me realize that my curly eyelashes are fabulous.

8) I am the human version of MapQuest. I have an affinity for maps and atlases that harkens back to my brainiac nerd days of reading them for fun. I started studying street maps of LA when I was fourteen and had no clue I'd one day be living here. Plus, my father is a driving short-cut junkie so I suppose I'm genetically programmed for expertise. People really do call me when they're on the road and need to find their way around. The best was when friends born, raised and currently living in Chicago called me up a couple of months ago to ask for the best way to get somewhere in Chicago!

9) I'm a good mom. When folks comment on how well-behaved and polite my sons are, I feel really happy and very proud. I decided a long time ago that the most important job I could ever have is to be a good mother. I want my sons to be spiritual and social warriors, examples of excellence and free from the prejudices that breed such unhappiness in our world. I enjoy teaching my boys prayers and then hearing them recite them back to me from memory. I love exposing them to the arts, reading to them, and encouraging all their creative and intellectual interests. I'm not afraid to roll around in the grass with them and let them ride around on my back either. And, I give them kisses and hugs, and shower them with affection. I never want them to think they aren't loved. So when my three year-old runs forward to try to open doors for me or my six year-old wants to talk about God, I know I've done something right.

10) I can let my hair down without having a single drink. My sister often says I know how to have a good time so well that she's afraid of what would happen if I ever did drink. She's probably right. After all, you know how folks say they throw a couple of drinks back to help them relax when they get to the party or the club? You know how people say, "I did that? OMG, I had no idea! I was sooo drunk!" Yeah, well that's never been me. Why should I feel self conscious about dancing all by myself on the dance floor? Why should I need a depressant to help me feel confident enough to go talk to someone I don't know? So if you get to a party and see me dancing on top of the table, guess what, I'm completely sober. I own up to the table dancing 100%. What can I say? I've been dancing on tables since I was two.

So that's my ten things! I hope it wasn't too painful for you to read, and hopefully you know me a little better now.

Here's the hard part...who to pass this on to? Only five people? Well, some of you all may not want to do this, but I'm going to pick you anyway!

1) Sundry at Any Given Sundry. She's an amazing photographer, writer, observer of people, and my inspiration for next year's trip to France.

2) Phillipe over at Baha'i Thought because he has such a keen intellectual mind, a fantastic sense of humor, and the ability to articulate the practical applications of spiritual principles in an incredibly logical manner.

3) Jameil over at the Me, My, Mindspace because she always make me laugh and has such a youthful and positive energy.

4) 1969 over at Nineteen Sixty Nine because she tells the best stories, has such wisdom and keeps it real like no other.

5) Mojan Sami over at Mojan Sami Blog because she is really funny, obviously in love with her husband, takes the best pictures, and is a really good writer.

There are more of you I'd like to tag but I'm keeping it to five. If I tagged you and you don't normally do memes, put your own spin on this! Make it your own to suit your blog.

Again, thank you to Heart in San Francisco for tagging me. If you aren't reading her blog yet, you should. She's one of the best!