WATCH YOURSELF

One of the things that I like, even very much admire, about my apartment mate, is that she is a profoundly decent person. Straightforward and very considerate of other people. Which is marked by an innate diplomacy -- she doesn't realize that about herself -- and discretion.
She is, however, far too likely to question her own actions.


As a grumpy and somewhat brash Dutch American, I do not have that nearly as much. There have been times when diplomacy and tact have not been my most marked characteristics in interpersonal exchanges. And I rarely undervalue myself.


In my case that sense of "I should have said" hindsight is often more likely to be "I should perhaps not have said that quite that way".

My apartment mate is less socially comfortable than I am (sometimes I'm a ruddy butterfly). But I would say that she is a considerably nicer person, and more pleasant to deal with.
Just don't be blatantly wrong and an idiot; there will be strongminded push-back.

I am more forgiving of (apathetic about) stupidity that she is.

She does not tolerate fools gladly.




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