During my senior year of high school, I started compiling a list of things I’d love to have in a mate. The list started with broad characteristics that were must-haves. Things like Christian, patient, good listener, thoughtful. Had the list stopped there, that would’ve been great. It’s smart to have some sort of criteria when seeking a friend for the end of the world. More specifically, a best friend to spend the rest of my life with. But the list didn’t end there. It went on. And on. And on. A total of 45 things I wrote down that defined who it was I was looking for. No prob. No prob? Yeah right… no wonder I’ve been single for so long!
I don’t think there’s ever been a woman on earth that could measure up to that list.
I might as well have created her from a computer, like these guys did. But Kelly LeBrock aside, this “perfect girl” isn’t out there. A girl I was dating years ago surmised that (and this is as we were breaking up) I’m looking for someone just like me. Mostly because of how and when it was presented, I became defensive. But she was right. Now comparing her comments to the list from high school, I’m about to blow your mind, so make sure you’re sitting down for this.
The list isn’t who I was looking for, the list is who I wanted to be.
Booya. Mic drop. You’ve been served. Insert any other overused phrase here. Even as I sit here typing I’m looking at this decades-old list and it’s blowing my mind. All these things I wrote down are either characteristics I already have, or ones I’m striving towards. If there were a girl out there that had all these qualities, I don’t think I’d fall in love with her. I think I’d be super jealous of her!
Then it makes sense that what I’m looking for in a mate now, now that I’m in my 30s and so much wiser and so much more mature, are much less specific. Less specific and not about me!
I look forward to finding this person. That is, if God’s ideas for me include a woman that can put up with a guy who made a list in high school of 45 things about her that’s really about him but at least he didn’t try to make her on a computer but maybe that was only because he didn’t know how because he was more into playing sports than computer programming.
-Out of the Wilderness
I don’t claim to know everything about social media, Internet or text lingo. In fact, I’m always pretty far behind the curve. Like, you’ve probably been saying bahaha for years. I get it. I typically go with a simple haha. I never lol. Doesn’t seem to fit my style. Now and then I’ll throw in a muahaha but only after saying something villainish. I live in Nashville. Maybe I should say muahahaw? Sounds more Nashvillainish. Here’s a guide to my definitions of laughing through your device:
When God created us, he included something that makes life so much more enjoyable. The sense of humor. And it’s pretty cool that there are different types. Something I find funny isn’t the same as what you think’s funny. Sense of humor can be seen in all areas of life; from TV ads like this one…
I didn’t expect this news today, but finding out that Prince has passed will most definitely send shockwaves across the world, and fill up Twitter and Facebook for the coming days. I didn’t know much of his music when I was growing up, more of a reflection on me than his music, though. In the last decade or so, I’ve come to love a handful of his songs. Another thing that I kinda LOVE is that it’s pretty much impossible to find his music without buying it. So along with this list, I’ve included links where you can listen to the track, and buy it, too. Here’s some bonus content, Billboard’s list of 
Out of the Wilderness 