All I Need

Miss OCD here, back with another list. This time, it's from late 2000/early 2001, written in a coffee shop in a college town, surrounded by giggling girlfriends. In the process of checking out some hotties at an adjacent table, we started listing on a napkin the traits we "needed" in a man. A typed list at home followed, and I came up with the Top 100 traits I needed a man to possess. Ten years and one marriage later, it's pretty hilarious to see what my 19-year old self thought was most important. Some of the things still are (like #25) but others, not so much (like #44).

In all it's unedited glory..... Gail's Top 100 Must-Have Man Traits...

1. Italian
2. Likes professional football, knows stuff about professional football
3. Won't harass me about my fascination with the Dallas Cowboys
4. Catholic
5. Wants at least 2 kids
6. Will be a good father, active in his kids lives
7. College educated
8. Nice smile, straight teeth
9. Piercing eyes
10. Likes to travel & willing to help me accomplish my travel goals
11. Willing to pay the money to go to concerts
12. Willing to pay for cable - I need ESPN
13. Can deal with my family, will spend Christmas with my family
14. Has good family values, brought up right
15. Hasn't had too many sexual partners
16. Well dressed, will wear khakis & an oxford on occasion (I won the jackpot with Puff on this one! LOL!)
17. Likes other alcoholic beverages besides just beer
18. Wants to sit on Sundays and watch football and all the sports shows
19. Has a decent car
20. Not an only child
21. Willing to compromise on baby names, willing to let me use Troy & Kennedy
22. Doesn't want to read my journals & respects my privacy
23. Likes to cuddle
24. Sends flowers & notes, can be sweet and romantic
25. Left handed
26. Can appreciate St. Simons, GA
27. Can cook and likes to cook
28. Has a good name (Again, Puff kinda wins points here too)
29. Is a gentleman, opens doors, pulls out chairs
30. Will compromise on wedding plans
31. Likes similar music & is willing to expand his musical horizons
32. Taller than me
33. Good kisser
34. Good at making love, satisfying
35. Sense of direction (This is my all-time favorite on this list. Why in the world would that have even come to my mind?!?!)
36. Likes motorcycles, maybe even has one
37. Knows how to spoil me in moderation
38. Sense of humor, can make me laugh
39. Sarcastic, understands my sarcasm, quick wit, quick comebacks
40. Doesn't snore
41. Well built, nice body
42. Will hold hands in public
43. Gives massages
44. Will play with my feet (This is pretty hilarious since Puff is repulsed by feet!)
45. Doesn't like really soft beds
46. Not a chronic masturbator (There was a story behind this at one time I'm sure!)
47. Has a good job that he likes
48. Appreciate my photography & writing
49. Will toss football with me
50. Will let me decorate the house
51. Will stay in bed with me, cuddle, and watch Sportscenter
52. Similar ideas and opinions on raising kids
53. Likes similar movies & TV shows
54. Goal oriented, strives to succeed and reach his goals
55. Willing to spend quiet time at home
56. Doesn't intimidate me
57. Trusts me
58. Not possessive
59. Good vocabulary, articulate (Who needs pick-up lines when you have a vocabulary?)
60. Good communication skills, can hold my interest in conversation
61. Not afraid to initiate intimacy
62. Organized
63. Clean
64. Likes to read
65. Doesn't initiate stupid arguments
66. Can back up his opinion, can make his point but doesn't beat a dead horse
67. Non-smoker
68. Not a drug addict
69. Tattoos are nice, not too many though
70. Charming
71. Compliments me even when I don't look great
72. Doesn't constantly point out other hot chicks (Am I not the pot calling the kettle black on this one?)
73. Secure with himself
74. No strange sexual fetishes
75. Respects me, my opinions, and my wishes
76. Not too much facial hair
77. Doesn't care if I don't shave my legs every day
78. Is OK with me looking like a bum sometimes, I don't always have the energy to get sexed up all the time
79. Doesn't ignore me when we are with his friends
80. Gets along with my friends
81. Wears glasses (Still a total fucking turn-on to this day!)
82. Must appreciate Christmas, enjoy gift-giving and spending time with family
83. Backs me up in my endeavors
84. Similar sex drive
85. Willing to make sacrifices
86. Will play in the rain
87. Not afraid to sing
88. Romantic & creative marriage proposal (Puff pointed out that he did propose in the spot that was featured in an ad for the Smurfs movie. Does that count?)
89. Creative
90. Spontaneous (Which is ridiculous because there's not a fucking spontaneous bone in my entire body!)
91. Aware of current events
92. Mature
93. Sophisticated
94. Knows how to act in public, knows when which behavior is appropriate
95. Likes to dance
96. Ability to spell
97. Doesn't mind my photos being out
98. Polite, cordial, and nice
99. Wears clothes well
100. Prepared for anything

At the request of my shrink, I made "Top 10 Must-Haves" and "Top 10 Can't-Stands" lists the summer before I met Puff. I'll have to dig those back out, because they are definitely much more accurate. However, this list has stood the test of time in some ways. I'm surprised I didn't have "blonde hair" or "blye eyes" listed, since those were once my weakness. I suppose I didn't want to be TOO superficial!

What would top your list for a must have in a partner?

And can you believe "Accent" is no where to be found on this list? Ridiculously careless oversight on my end. Obviously.