this is me, ladies and gentlemen

Well, I was raised with certain beliefs that I once dared to completely rebel against only to eventually end up failing miserably [oh, those bittersweet teenage years...]. But don't worry: I am not going to discuss different political viewpoints on anything right now: I hardly ever miss an opportunity like this, though. But just for this once, I think I'll just pass.

Anyway, with the current discussion that has been going on all around for the past few weeks now, in terms of political debates, finances and all, I have come to notice how unbelievably shallow people conversations have become. And because I've always tried to come up with a solid basis for every political thought I think, I've also decided a long time ago to leave the superficial critical road for the less dangerous and (proven to be) more delightful path of common sense.

See, I have this weird idea that we are responsible for our own well-being; that we are responsible, as fully grown and capable human beings that we are, to take care of ourselves and our own. And I have come to despise some of these everyday whiny speeches that ramble on and on about how miserable we all are because of what our politicians did or did not do. I mean... seriously, people: I am now old enough to say I've turned out alright in spite of every single president and their administrations. Of course there are a few things here and there they can do to move the needle, but at the end of the day, we are the ones to really do something with our lives or not.

Some of you are waiting on the current government to fix your life, or maybe the removal of the these guys to fix your life. But it’s not gonna happen. And you know that, don't you? But you call that 'being politically engaged'. And you think you’ve got this thing all figured out... yeah, right. Seriously! I, on the other hand, feel like some people have become so incredibly indifferent to their surroundings that they seem to not be able to think and process information anymore (and often whining becomes their only intelligible form of communication). These people have no genuine opinions on anything. And it is mostly because, at the end of the day, they simply don't care. They think they do, but they really don't. And though they may think their speech is actually going to cause everybody to think they're sooo deep, it's not. Politics is no different than real life.

And I really believe we all should have a lot more in common than we do right now...

It's never been wise to wait on a small number of people to decide upon your future. You wouldn't let your parents do that, so you certainly should not wait on some strangers on a suit to do that for you. And I am aware of the fact that the recession has had an impact on most of our lives. It has happened many times before and we'll get over it. I'm not saying you have no right to be mad; of course you do. I am! But what are are you going to do about it? Are you going to wait for the government to fix your household? Are you really going to wait for them to send you a check? Or maybe you're waiting for them to cut some taxes and then you will become rich.

Don't get me wrong: I strongly believe it's a good thing when good people are in Office. I appreciate that and I want them to do a good job. But I hate it when politicians of both parties start acting like they're in touch with the little men when all they do is talk and no action... Sometimes I feel like all they do is focus on developing talking points to argue with each other, to position themselves. Their job is to govern but we all know it is all about lots of campaigning and just a little governing.

So please don't learn to accept and live to wait for them to do what you should be doing anyway. And don't instantly discard stuff that somehow doesn't match your beliefs. Our human nature is always looking for somebody to blame.

men are all the same

First of all, I'd like to say that I got an amazing response to the old-fashioned marriage post! Thank you so very much for sharing some of your thoughts on that one.  [Oh, and by the way, I highly recommend you read that post first if you haven't already].  I was actually quite surprised to realize there are so many people that think like I do.  It meant so much to me! 

I was thinking the other day about how independent and self-sufficient women have become. 

And I love that. 

See, I can't even picture a world in which women can't vote, study or work outside the house.  Women whose voices don't count for anything.  Women who don't even have basic control over what happens to their bodies.  And let's not forget life looks exactly like that for millions of women in many countries these days. 

I love that I was able to study and choose what I was going to major in.  I love that I can work, that I am the one who decides what to do with my life, even when I don't have the slightest idea of what is best for me.  I love that i can wear whatever i want, even if I look absolutely ridiculous in it.  And that nobody will ever tell me what I can or cannot wear. 

See, I grew up with all these things and I can only i.m.a.g.i.n.e what life must be like for millions of women that weren't so lucky as I was to be born an raised in a free country. 

Anyway, I read something on Facebook the other day that really caught my eye: some kind of passive-aggressive status update that you know is directed to someone in particular.  This girl was talking about men and how independent women scare the hell out of them.  Oh, you've probably heard stuff like that before: that men are ssscaaaared of independent women; that they are scared of commitment.  

Please don't hate me because of what I am about to say, but that's so Sex And The City!  (which, by the way, is the spitting image of most women nowadays).  Oh, they're so beautiful and so successful and so rich and intelligent...  They're feminists.  And independent.  Everybody wants to be like them.

But at the end of the day, these women are always looking for a nice and steady relationship, aren't they?  That's why they're so mad at men not wanting to commit.  They never seem to like when the guy doesn't call the next day.  They are not comfortable with the casual thing.  Not anymore. 

Because when women do it, it is okay.  But when men do it, it is not. - they're jerks.  And that's pretty unfair.

These women don't only want to be independent and self-sufficient financially.  It doesn't seem to be a matter of supporting themselves at all.  They just wish they were self-sufficient in their own relationships as well.  As if they were destined to fulfill some kind of prophecy.  As if they had in themselves alone the power to get revenge for centuries of humiliation women have suffered.  So they go from one extreme to another: from being self conscious to acting as if they were in charge.  But being equal is not the same as believing to be superior, is it? 

It's unbelievable how so many women say men are all the same. "Oh, they are such pigs and they don't take me seriously and bla bla bla".. Oh, come on! Really?? If you truly think so, will you please tell me why you keep expecting to find something different each time?

I can't stand generalizations. I just can't. 

So men are all the same.  Right.  Then you'll go on and on about how all.the.men.you.know. always end up doing the same things, how they always behave the same way, how they're only interested in sex...   (have you met that woman?)  And all of the sudden you're telling me all about your relationships: *you and John*, *you and Jack*, *you and Jim*... and how all of them had the same problems.  Not all men are alike. And it's not that hard to figure out the common denominator in all those dates. 

And that would be you.

I mean.. come on!  Not all men are alike.  Maybe the ones you go out with are.  Stop fooling yourself already!  Not all men are alike. 

Beware: I'm about to unveil the best kept secret ever just for you, darling.  Are you ready?  Sure?  Here it is: just like you, men are allowed to choose.  And,  just like you get to choose them, they get to choose you.  It is that simple.  Some women are good for one night and some are marriage material.  But you knew that already, didn't you?  (Remember: "Caesar's wife not only has to be virtuous, but seen to be virtuous").  And you may think it's unfair all you want.  But the fact is, at the end of the day, you just hate it that a) when it comes to commitment, men are a lot more picky than you are and b) they don't take you seriously.  So shake it off and move on - and start behaving like a respectful woman should, in case you're looking for a respectful man. If not, then keep doing whatever you're doing and you'll keep getting the same results each time.

So sad when I hear women say men are scared of independent women. Wake up, sister!  Men are not scared of independent women!  In fact, men are not at all scared of pretty much a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. that involves women.  

virtuous men are proud of their women.  Believe me.  They actually love and admire them for being strong, professional and independent. 

I once heard a very wise person say: are you who the person you are looking for is looking for?  Think about it.  So why don't we all start with a deep look in the mirror? 

become the kind of people you'd like to find and you will most certainly find them. 

old-fashioned marriage

I was talking with a colleague at work this morning and, though I don’t remember exactly how this topic was brought up, we started talking about commitment, marriage and how so many people were getting divorced these days. 

Anyway, she said, I guess the recession might be the cause of so many people getting divorced right now. You know, the economy is not as good it used to be, so people obviously fight a lot more about money than they used to and... well, if you're married and fight too much, then I think it's better to break up. I don't think marriage has to last forever and at least these days people can choose if they want to stay married or not. 

[This post is, basically, about what I told her and these are only a few thoughts on the matter.  I could ramble on forever about this topic, but I promise I’ll try to keep it brief and to the point.]

I watch the news. I know there are zillions of people getting divorced by the second. I also know that most of them now say that the number one cause of divorce was money fights and money problems. However, I think this whole thing is a lot more simple than that. I really think the problem is not the money or the lack of it. And it’s definitely not the recession.

it is a problem of definition.

See, i’m of the belief that when somebody has a problem, and this problem is shared with somebody else, it’s no longer a problem. It’s half a problem. When you have a husband or a wife, everything is supposed to be easier: shared blessings are sweeter and hardships lighter, especially financial problems. 

And i know I may be weird, because I see most people are so unbelievably selfish nowadays that they're not willing to share anything with each other, not even their own problems! They don’t solve their problems together as a couple anymore, they fight about them instead. Over and over again. 

Has anyone else noticed how nobody ever seems to make an effort to keep a relationship anymore? How nobody will try to make it work longer than a couple of months? People talk about their failed relationships as if they were a bunch of business ventures that didn't succeed, despite all the money they've thrown at it, but never their time. 

Well, 'if it is meant to be, it will be'. oh, please! seriously? Somebody has to wake these people up already! 

Then, it turns out they're all sad about how they just can't find the man or the woman that will commit to a relationship with them... despite all those books they've bought to try to figure out mars and venus and the whole freakin' galaxy...

I’m not saying I don’t recognize there are some cases where divorce is the only option: people love to go off on tangents saying how terrible it must be not to be able to get a divorce when you live under physical threats and abusive behavior... blah, blah. I'm not talking about that. Never was.

if what you’re saying is you are getting married with the possibility of parting ways somewhere down the line in your mind, and you choose to say those vows out loud... i mean, that says a lot about you then, doesn’t it?

Again, it is a problem of definition. If you want to engage in a relationship with somebody without all the attachments, the vows and everything, you can. But that's not marriage. It is something else. You may call it whatever you want: a joint venture, a civil union.. but it is definitely not marriage.

Marriage hasn’t got old. It is what it has always been. it hasn’t changed at all. you have. 

It only means you don’t like it, which is totally fine with me. 

source: photo

what if i wasn't a mortgage analyst...

... and decided to do something else instead?  

don't get me wrong: i love my job.  it's just sometimes i find myself thinking about life and its endless possibilities. 

what if i had become an artist instead?  (not that i've got any hidden talents whatsoever.  just please consider it a merely hypothetical thing)

if i could choose another job, any job, i'm sure it would be something that required just a little more creativity than pressing a bunch of buttons on a keyboard.  maybe something related to arts in general, like screenwriting or acting.  or maybe i'd even pursue a career as a music producer.  then i'd put lady gaga out of business with the blink of an eye and unveil hundreds of more talented people like adele. 

i'd most certainly choose something fresh and fun and i'd definitely travel all around the world for work - that'd be a great experience! 

i could also work as a private investigator.  who wouldn't like to do that?  it must be the least boring job ever!  i'd be chasing unfaithful wives, big time stuck up politicians and small time crooks trying to make a living.  it'd be so exciting!  i'd finally learn how ridiculously wealthy actors manage to go broke.  i'd also be able to successfully suppress my urge to be an artistic photographer by taking pictures with telephoto lenses and remote triggers.  i'd find the time to read the newspaper from cover to cover while waiting for my victim to step inside the restaurant with his mistress, not to mention i'd get to wear classy trench coats and big sunglasses.  fun!

bed-and-breakfast owner.  that's what i'm gonna be.  when we move to a small town to the north of spain, we'll buy a big house made of stone. we'll live a peaceful life close to the woods and have enough money so we don't freak out we don't have that many guests.  

but all my friends have normal jobs.  except, maybe one. remember that episode of f.r.i.e.n.d.s. when they were playing a game about who knew each other best and nobody knew what Chandler did for a living?  that's my friend S.  i thought i might have a general idea of what she does, but i couldn't find a name for it.

i had to call her this morning cause it's her birthday [happy birthday, S.!] and i took the opportunity to ask the question.

- well, she said, i used to be a private equity executive, but now i'm a consultant. 
- could you be just a little more specific?
- i solve problems and create opportunities. 
- right, right..  

it must be awesome to do something even your friends can't understand.  i mean, it's like.. super secretive stuff, the female version of clark kent.  whatever it is, she's very good at it!  she loves what she does and she obviously makes unbelievable amounts of money.  she probably works 26 hours a day, which is not that cool, but she's always flying here and there to compensate.  i admire her so very much.


any dream jobs?

stress and the city

First of all, I'd like to thank you all who commented and/or sent me emails on the last post I wrote and special thanks to MarieHarmony who was kind enough to feature me on her blog.

It was so cool to see how many of us bloggers think alike. I had been feeling a little weird lately due to this urge I've got to move to a small town for a better simpler life. I thought the problem was... you know, maybe me.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is my former lover: Madrid. Isn't it beautiful?

See, when I was younger, I used to think living in a big city would be THE very best thing in the world. You know.. new possibilities, interesting new people, endless entertainment, nightlife and fun. Not to mention the anonymity of big city life which definitely has its advantages.

So I moved to this big European capital, which (despite having traveled a lot) still is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to. I won't say I didn't have any fun. I loved it! Until very recently when I started thinking I might be happier somewhere smaller, less expensive, less noisy, less crowded.. where life goes by slower. 

*   *   *

I've done a little googling here and I have officially decided I have no idea where this Liebster award comes from. The best explanation I got was this one.

Then I though - hey, who cares about this Liebster guy anyway?? (Sorry, man!) This is too cool to miss, so I will participate. :) 

The Rules are:

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks for the award and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog. (Oh, I'm not that good at following rules, so I chose only 4)
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogsphere - other bloggers.
5. And, best of all - have fun and spread the love.

[I should also point out there is no obligation to continue this award. If this is not your cup of tea, don’t worry! :)]

And the award goes to...

This girl is ultra talented.

She's the sweetest blogger.

Norwegian! Talk about following someone from up north :)

She's super nice - also lives in Spain.

a small village

I sometimes dream of living in a small village with cobblestone streets where everybody knows everybody.

My father-in-law used to run this famous cafe/bar in the small town where my husband grew up as a child. And by famous, I mean everybody in town knew them because of that bar.

Their neighbors had this smallish delicatessen right in front of the bar. He tells me that, by that time, these neighbors didn't have a coffee machine so they always had breakfast there. They got free coffee and my husband's family got lots and lots of the most delicious, fresh pastry. Everyday.

See... it's not that I'd like to live in a small town so that I can have free coffee or anything. But isn't it cool to be able to live a much simpler life? ...

... in which you get from other people things you lack and give them other things they might need instead? (you know, like maybe.. real conversation?) I know.. you must be thinking that the concept of trade as commercial transaction is nothing new and humanity has been doing that since the beginning of time. I know that too; I just seem to find beauty in simple life.

I actually think I'm through with the big city.

About the picture: there are plenty of places like this in Spain (I bumped into this picture here by chance, but the artist says it was taken somewhere in the south of France, which only adds a lot more charm to it)

follower fever

How many followers should a blog have? Well, I've been thinking about that for quite a while now... See, many people say blogging is not all about followers, that only leaders need followers and all that jazz. Maybe blogging isn't all about followers, but it definitely is all about readers, isn't it? 

Let's face it: there is absolutely no reason for writing on a blog if nobody is reading you. Otherwise, you'd be just fine with a paperback diary or something. See, I'm a blogger and a blog reader. I love blogs in general and I have my favorite blogs' new posts delivered by RSS to my email account (which I check on a daily basis and makes the whole reading a lot less time consuming). And I try to comment on every nice post I bump into - that's because I want the author to know I was there. 

It is so awkward when my real life friends say: "Oh, and by the way, I always read your blog", which totally sounds like an apology for not doing it, not even once in some cases. Though I must admit I actually made them do it in the beginning (who hasn't? anyone? no? ok, then.. I'm sorry, friends!), now I understand they don't have to read my blog if they don't want to (yep, it took me some time to figure that out!). Then I realized most of my real life friends are not at all interested in my blog and that, maybe, I should simply focus on a different kind of audience: strangers. 

Making new online friends is the coolest thing! I really like to see Blogland as a huge party where communication flows and everybody has fun rather than a static place where you only go for a specific purpose and leave right away. A blog with no readers is like a party for one. It might be interesting at first if you have a hermit-like personality (not judging - I'm a lot like that sometimes), but c'mon... you'll eventually feel awkwardly isolated. 

I guess sometimes people say that the number of followers doesn't matter either because they already have a big blog or maybe they have just started one and they're too proud to admit they'd love it to grow. Maybe some are trying to encourage beginners to keep on writing no matter what, even if there's nobody to comment on your posts. The thing is: every blogger wants to know that people read what they publish. I guess it is that simple. 

So, let's go through the three basic ways of showing appreciation to a blogger here in Blogland: 

1. First and foremost, the nicest way of showing someone you like their blog is to follow it publicly. This is what we love the most! It's such a great encouragement for a blog owner to see one more follower there, to watch their own little community grow. I've read about that many times on many different blogs, so I guess I know what I'm talking about here. It has the power of lifting you up and it's the very best cure for blogger's block.

2. comments. Who doesn't like to read comments? Comments make Blogland go round and you know it! So, bloggers, let's try to leave a comment to all the posts we read, will ya?

3. e-mails. I got my very first personal email from a reader last week and I'm very, very happy about it! Sending a blogger an email is like… buying them a very nice gift. They'll love it, I'm sure they will. 

I am not teaching anybody anything and I am not a superblogger in any way. In fact, my blog is only about five months old. I just want you all to know that I care. I propose we celebrate a Blogger's Appreciation Week. How about that?

This blog's newest followers

PS. I'm thanking every new follower by either adding a link to their blog to my posts or placing their button on this blog's sidebar for as long as possible. :)

I hate cooking. (there, I said it! Again.)

Do you know what people say about small mistakes having huge consequences?

We often eat lunch slowly while talking and watching the news. The thing is, yesterday, when we started clearing the table and walked in the kitchen (the kitchen door had been closed), there was so much smoke we could barely see though it. We had left the pan with cooking oil on a hot burner. We opened the windows, burned scented candles, left vinegar on a bowl... basically tried everything we knew to make that horrid smell go away.

I have never been responsible for any major kitchen unpleasant incidents before, you know - well, except this once that I left a sandwich in the microwave for too long many years ago. It wasn't fun either and it probably caused the kitchen to smell just as bad. Burnt bread smells like... well, burnt bread. But that's not the point. The point is I hate cooking. I've said it before, I know that. Only now I know I'm not alone: I've just ran into an article about this old book for people like me. However, I don't think any kind of self-help literature could ever change my innate anti-cooking feelings...

And I am not sure I'd like them to change to begin with.

I actually believe people like me must speak out!

Stand up, cooking haters! Fear not!

Say it loud and proud: I hate cooking!  

I remember the first time my friend M. came to visit me after I had moved out from my parent's house. This happened many years ago and I used to have this very hectic schedule then. I worked long hours and the busyness of life didn't leave much time for me to worry about food. She is an awsome cook and I told her I managed to get by without cooking that much. I also told her I was used to eating out most of the time and that I bought lots of frozen foods too. But when I said I didn't even know how to make plain white rice, she was so shocked she couldn't stop laughing at me. She took me by the hand to the nearest supermarket, bought some rice and chicken and taught me how to cook my first meal. 

And that's how I ended up cooking the same meal almost everyday for over a month, so proud I was of my new cooking skills. :)

But I quickly got tired of it and went back to my unhealthy non-cooking habits.

Not that my mother didn't cook, just in case you're wondering. Of course she did. She still is the best cook on the planet, you know. But I never wanted to have anything to do with the kitchen. And by the time I moved out, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give my cooking skills a minus 3. I guess nowadays it'd something like a 2. :)

Anyway, I hope the Ghost of Cooking Future won't be haunting us much longer.

I hate cooking. (there, I said it!)

We left cooking oil in a pan on a hot burner while eating.

I was ready to write a super nice post this afternoon, but I'm not in the mood for it anymore. I guess I'll be delighting myself with the new skunkish aroma in the house instead.

... And did I mention I hate cooking? I did, didn't I? 

success .: the making of :.

You've probably already heard the story of the Mexican fisherman. But in case you haven't, here it is:

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish. 

"How long it took you to catch them?" The American asked.

"Only a little while." The Mexican replied.

"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" The American then asked.

"I have enough to support my family's immediate needs." The Mexican said.

"But", the American then asked, "What do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said: "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, señor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. And instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked: "But, señor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied: "15-20 years."

"But what then, señor?”

The American laughed and said: "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, señor? Then what?"

The American said slowly, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos…"

***

from Stuff no one told me 

I was talking to a friend the other day about our plans for the future. She had been laid off a couple of days before and she was really disappointed at how (she thought) her career was heading nowhere. At some point of the conversation, she said something like: "Sometimes I feel I am never gonna be somebody". That statement really caught my attention. I mean… Really, dude??? Come on! Really??

I do understand why people care that much about their jobs. I do, really. Because I am ambitious and I do care. But I also know there is more to life than work and money. A lot more. My priorities in life are totally different at this point in my life, I guess - not that I am saying I am a better person for that. But I would never think I am a failure because I didn't turn out to be freakin' chief executive of a great company. I have heard the want-to-be-somebody speech from other people before. I know what they mean: there is nothing wrong with it per se. But I also feel like some people forget they should also succeed in their personal life (first - and if they have one). Or else they will be miserable all the same. Only they won't see it coming until it's too late – and it comes with interest.

Don't get me wrong: I think it is okay to want to become the next Bill Gates, the same way it is perfectly all right (and just as respectable) to be a stay-at-home mom or dad. I just don't understand how failing to be the best could ever cause anyone to believe they are losers.

I like what I do, you know. I don't wake up in the mornings in a bad mood because I have to go to work and I am really grateful not only because I have a job right now, but also because I am able to do something that I like. It feels a lot better that way. However, I don't work because I love to work. And neither do I work only because I have to. I do it because work should be part of everybody's life at some point. It defines your character, it helps you grow and accept responsibilities. Earning my own money has always been liberating and fortifying, but that's about it.

Now, luckily for me, work is only work: I work to live, I don't live to work. Work is only a small part of my life and it is a means to an end. If I lost my job or if my career didn't go the way I wanted, I would never feel that bad. I love life and everything in it. I guess things get a lot better when you have a successful personal life. It helps you think everything will be okay, even if it doesn't seem to.

My name is Bates, Norman Bates.

I was listening to one of the episodes of This American Life podcast (totally recommend!) the other day. They were talking about psychopathic traits and a psychological test for determining if you are a psychopath. They said this test is used in the US prison system in order to determine if a prisoner should be sentenced for a crime, released after doing his/her time or if they’re ready for parole. They ask many questions so as to search for the fundamental and distinctive characteristics that would eventually put an individual under the ‘psychopath’ classification.

Here are some examples of the questions they ask:

- How would you teachers describe your behavior in high school? (Should I be freaking out already? By the way, my answer for that one would have to be: rebellious, irresponsible and underachiever. I didn’t do poorly by any means, but I could have done a lot better, I guess). I had better stop answering the questions here for the sake of my reputation...

- As a child, did you get into a lot of fights?

- When you were young, did you ever do rowdy things outside school like vandalize, break windows, set fires, hurt animals?

As a non-practicing psychologist but yet very curious person, I dig a little deeper to find out which are the basic psychopathic traits so I could see what a regular psychopath should be like. I will share them with you just in case you run into one on the way to the grocery store. 

There are different ‘check lists’ according to each researcher, but basically the first one I found is a collection of narcissistic factors while the second focuses more on behavior. 

Persuasiveness/ superficial charm and good intelligence

Grandiose sense of self-worth 

Pathological lying 

Cunning/ manipulative 

Lack of remorse or guilt 

Emotionally shallow

Insensitive/ lack of empathy

Failure to accept responsibility for own actions 

According to this list, I'm totally convinced most politics are psychopaths.

Socially deviant lifestyle

Constant need for stimulation/ tendency to boredom

Parasitic lifestyle

Poor behavioral control

Promiscuous sexual behavior

Lack of realistic, long-term goals

Poor judgment and failure to learn by experience

Fantastic and uninviting behavior with drink and sometimes without

Impulsiveness

Irresponsibility

Juvenile delinquency

Early behavioral problems

Many short-term relationships 

According to this one, absolutely all teenagers are psychopaths.

I’ll confess to fit almost every trait to some extent. Does that make me a clinical science fair case? But still, I’m far too neurotic to be psychopath. 

Anyway… just in case you are wondering, the test rates each item on a score from 0 to 2. The sum total determines the extent of a person's psychopathy which means: even under the most favorable circumstances, you will always be only two steps away from being a psycho.

sweet things

swimming
photographs
getting real emails from friends
puppies
good wine
norah jones
orchids
a date with my husband 
blackberry
birds
laughing
brownies
unexpected incoming money 
snowy nights 

unpleasant stuff

hangovers
insects
food poisoning
Miami Vice
running out of shampoo
nosy neighbors
raging toddlers
big pills
hurting shoes
b.o.
unstable internet connection
cheap perfum

Sunday night blues