Imperatives

"Must Love..." read the theatre ticket stub that I found in the bottom of my purse recently. In the Diane Lane/John Cusack movie, the imperative was of the canine variety, but it gave me reason to ponder my own social situation.

In the search for a partner, I find my list of absolutes has become more simplified...or has it? Could it be because the pool of appropriate candidates is considerably smaller as I tiptoe toward the dreaded "middle age"?? Is it because I've softened in my needs and wants or, more likely, I've gotten tired of looking for Mr. Perfect and will shrug my shoulders and accept Mr. Pretty Good? (Geez, I'd hate to think that!)

What are my prerequisites for Mr. Perfect?? (let's keep a good thought that he's out there)

Okay, must.....

• be single. (just wasted four hours on Saturday talking to a toad who is not only MARRIED, but expecting his first child!!)
• not smoke. If I want to smell like an ashtry, I'll hang out in bars (at least until the smoking ban passes!)
• love to travel. I believe there is no better way to know yourself and accept others than to meet new friends on their own soil. The experience is enriched exponentially when the new friends speak a new language!
• love baseball. There is, of course, a stipulation for this: can NOT be a fan of either the White Sox (hate-filled, crude, drunk, disrespectful, inbred, and completely void of sports knowledge) or the St. Louis Cardinals (my Cubs loyalty would not allow this).
• be in reasonably good physical condition (she said as she looked down at cellulite-dimpled thighs and a no-longer-flat stomach.)
• be able to straddle that fine line between self-confident and cocky. Is there anything LESS attractive than a grown man with no confidence?
• have a slightly bent sense of humor. Like a fine red wine, dry is good.
• be financially stable. Blockbuster and a pizza is a fine date...when you're 17.
• love his family, even if that family is only a few friends and a dog. Some blood relationships are not ones we'd choose and I won't blame a guy if his brother is a drug-addicted habitual liar.

I used to think that blond and blue-eyed were attributes on my "must-have" list, but since my would-be suitors have aged, blond men have gone gray (or bald), so this shallow ideal has been eliminated. (Of course, if my doctor..he of the cornflower blue eyes and sandy blond hair....invited me on a date, I'd have to reconsider. ;-))

Am I asking for too much?