It’s as simple as putting the biscuit in the basket

According to the Free Dictionary, the definition is as follows:

hon·es·ty (n-st)n. pl. hon·es·ties

Honesty can be defined or viewed from a multitude of angles; not one of them will be 100% accurate (it’s a harsh truth). It’s very narcissistic (I think) to have an honest opinion of yourself; everyone likes to believe they are x, y or z, but the truth can only come from the mouths of those who observe you…. yet theirs is just an opinion too…

A fair few bloggers have posted 10 honest things about themselves; I have tagged myself via Americanising Desi. Have you watched the movie Reservoir Dogs (one of the best movies EVER btw!)? My 10 answers are the strangers which gang up to commit the perfect crime that is Me. Here goes:

1) Mr Reliable – This is a nickname which I picked up at uni, and also at the cricket club where I played for 3 years. Reliability is a tricky thing – there is no scale to measure it; how do you trust someone with a task, and know that it is in capable hands? How do you know that past experiences are a benchmark for future forays?

My reliability comes from 2 facts – When I say that I will take care of it…. it gets taken care of, as expected. Always. I also keep things simple and clear so that everyone can see and knows what is what. My past results and failings prove that in every instance I have been the best choice. My reliability is my greatest asset, and hence comes out at the top of the list.

2) Mr Take it Easy - Patience is something which has taken years to develop, yet even now, it is lacking in me. I am an observer. I look around me, I look at people, I look at events, I look at happenings. I watch events unfold, and I react accordingly. The art of patience is something which one learns and develops as they mature. My parents, and my mentors demonstrate their knowledge upon me, and I am quick to absorb what they spill around me. My belief is that patience is the greatest gift given to a humankind; use it and enjoy it wisely.

3) Mr A Lotta Words - Communication is one of my strengths. I can listen, and then respond to anyone on anything. I love being involved with intimidating and stubborn people because the challenge to drive home a point is even greater; the manipulation of words to the desired effect is a tool in the skill set of a good communicator. I like to keep things simple; I break things down for you, I will draw pictures for you, use my hands a lot (A LOT) to signify my point. The most important point of communication is listening – if you don’t listen, you cannot sensibly respond. I listen well, and respect someone else’s opinion. Without listening to a point of view, one cannot cover all bases – which ofcourse is violation of all sensible thinking.

4) Mr Respect – Respect for any person or anything is something which has been instilled in me as a child. I am lucky enough to have had good parents, family, friends and teachers around me to make sure that my feet stay on the ground. Experiences have taught me that no matter how annoyed or angry you may be at a grown up, you should always respect the fact that they are an adult; you can restrict your talk to just a greeting, but greet them with the respect that you would command for yourself.

I have realised that little people deserve a lot of respect too! Those younger than us look towards us as role models, and our behavior towards them will dictate (to a certain extent) their behavior when they are in our shoes. Each person is unique, and each person deserves their own respect… but the respect must be at par or greater than the minimum that you would expect for yourself.

5) Mr Connoisseur – Over the last 27 years, I have learned to appreciate the finer things in life. There are 4 distinct individuals with whom I can be open with on almost everything. They probably don’t know this themselves, but their value and existence in my life means a great deal to me. I call these 4 people my friends; I know two of them will be reading this. I appreciate the roof above my head and the food on my plate; I have spent time where these basic necessities are a luxury for people – I am thankful for these blessings.

I am a great believer in “I came here with no possessions, and I will depart in the same way” – hence I live a minimalist lifestyle, owning only the essentials. However, I take care to enjoy and own the essentials in the right way too. Enjoying the finer points in life is largely down to fully enjoying what you already have as opposed to what you COULD have.

6) Mr Competitive aka Gen. Stubborn – My competitiveness, drive to win, wanting to never give up – my stubbornness in both a  positive and negative form comes from my mom’s side of the family. I grew up in an environment of excellence in education and sport; in both areas, it was the fittest who survived and the weak dissolved into the background. Right through the ages I have been driven to achieve, with varying results I must admit, but I have pushed hard nonetheless. Sometimes, in the heat of competition, I forget that there is an edge to the cliff, and I go falling down like Wile E. Coyote.

In competition, you will face defeat, and acceptance of defeat with grace is a requirement for a true competitor… although it is probably a violation at many levels of the code of conduct of stubbornness. Defeat intensifies the hunger to win, and ofcourse – in the words of the king – Eric Cantona – “You play to fight the idea of losing!”

7) Mr Smile’n a Laugh – I was given the most amazing and surprising compliment last week while on a lunchtime walk with a colleague; we were talking about how each one of us deals with difficulties at work, and I supposedly deal with everything with a smile and a laugh. I never thought others would notice, but it actually is pretty damn true!

Life has dealt me with a lot of lemons; I stopped counting the number of times that I have dusted myself while standing up again after a fall – at the end of it all, one could either sulk and mope at the misfortunes, or pick out the lessons to be learnt, smile at the past and move on. Laughter is a permanent fixture with me, and I try and surround myself with the people who smile, grin and laugh with me, and people on whose faces I can bring a smile to.

Life is a dark alleyway; show it your smile, and its warmth and brightness will show you the way.

8 ) Mr Perfection - It would be dishonest of me to highlight qualities that only show the positive side to me. Here’s a newsflash – I AM Arrogant. Period. I am very subtle about how I portray my arrogance, and I mix this trait like carbon monoxide in the open air. My arrogance is driven by my pride in who I am, what I do and the ideals that I represent. This playground called life is a tough place, and moving ahead requires looking  after number one. Too humble, and you will get sucked into a black hole, never to return.

9) Mr Non Conforming Non-Conformist – Everyone is a non-conformist – how? Well, everyone is unique; but my style and ways are above the rest. I always stand out on my own but not on purpose; you can be my mentor, but I will lead from the front – follow me if you like. Maybe I don’t meet the expectations of those around me, my mannerisms don’t match my personality; my decisions are always made by me, based on my thoughts. I am who I am and I do what I do; does that make me a non-conformist….. or does that make me… me?

10) Mr Smooth Criminal – I live life with a passion which I love to share. I am a people person, and connect with almost anyone; I am easy to trust. If a friend sits in front of me, and talks, bitches and moans to me all day – I will sit and listen, and give my opinion – I have plenty of it, and I am always fair. The respect which I gain from anyone is in proportion to what I give them, and I am always grateful of that; these are all small things, but the little specs of paint make a bigger picture. I will fight for you, and I will fight alongside you, I will share this life with you with a hundred smiles and a thousand laughs. I strive for an imperfect perfection in the place where nobody goes hunting; this is a testament to who I am. But there is just one thing more.

I am a heart breaker. I will make you spill those tears…. but of the good kind. Gals, beware… guys, i’ll get you too! I can’t help it if I love you all so much… but love you all, I do.