What do 'they' say about you?

You know 'they', as in anyone other than yourself.

What are some qualities good or bad that others have attributed to you?

And do you agree with those characterizations, and just what do you have to say for yourself?

I'll start with the negatives:

temperamental
aloof
impulsive
unrealistic...to be continued.

As for the positives:

loyal...

I can't argue with the negatives. Temperamental, have been that way since I can remember, so maybe, it's not my fault? Though I work on it. Aloof, for an extrovert I can be shy, and I think that's often mistaken for aloofness or arrogance. Impulsive, I've gotten a lot better, but still have the tendency. Unrealistic, I've made no progress, though life has insisted that I do the everyday grunt work, I still believe in miracles and I'm not inclined to change, because it just feels so good.

How 'bout you?

Impatient, it's a curse. Don't know what to do about it.

Combative, I could blame it on my youth, oh hell, I just will blame it on my upbringing. When everyone's out to get you, you're not paranoid, you've just got your eyes open, and sometimes you end up a little too fast on the draw, or worse, you find out that you were just mistaken. Reminds me of a guy I knew, kind of semi famous guy who was this way. So one day, he's having dinner in a restaurant, someone keeps looking at him, and my friend says, "What are you lookin' at?"

"I'm sorry, but aren't you _______ _______?"

I'm not at all this way anymore. I expect the best of people, give everyone the benefit of a couple of doubts. I'd rather err that way.

Haha, ok, a couple more. I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have opened this can 'o worms, which is a natural segue into the first, I've never thought I was particularly hard on myself until several people mentioned it to me, in an 'of course' kind of way. I guess I never saw it, because I just thought I was trying to do my best.

Also, I tend to walk away from things too quickly, but I rarely do that anymore.

Okay, guys, fess up. I'm in this all alone!

Haha, unless the implication is I'm the only one out here so thoroughly fucked up! Oh, no, I hadn't thought of that...

Yeah, that's very true, we're different things to different people, and at different times in our lives. A q-tip, Siri? What the ...

Yeah, magic mirror, of course. Though I have to say that a lot of the criticisms I've gotten were fair, in that these were impressions I've gotten more than once. Anybody who knows me of course, who really knows me, loves me unconditionally! I just think it's interesting - impressions vs. reality, or maybe more on point, impressions are just that, and don't often reflect truth.

Now, if we want to get into ethnic slurs, oh yeah, especially where I grew up which wasn't exactly the most enlightened, tolerant spot on the planet, so yeah, AY Rab, Sandscratcher, Sand******, and then wop, guinea, etc.

Ha, just had a thought that the "aloof" or "arrogant" thing which I've gotten too, could just be discriminating taste! And sometimes I think it's consideration of others space, of their thoughts, etc. Hahahaha, or maybe I'm just an aloof, arrogant bastard! I'll have to ask my wife to weigh in.

I think people see what they see and infer what they will, but most often it's incomplete at best. So they may say, He's curt, or she thinks a lot of herself, or, who the hell does he think he is? But most often the person they're talking about will be if not surprised by the characterization, then feel diminished by it because it rarely gets to what's behind it. We only get manifestations. And, after all, it's all projection anyway--if not in the literal sense, then in the sense that everything we see is seen within the context of our biases.

I just think it's an interesting subject, because it deals with the accuracy and inaccuracy of perceptions, and beyond that, the psychology behind our impressions and behavior.

Yep, it's about motivation, right? Whether conscious or subconscious.