One More Thing...
Seven Things I'd Like to be Sometime
(But Probably Never Will)
I read about someone once who was described as a "bon vivant", which means "a person having cultivated, refined and sociable tastes, especially with respect to food and drink". That's me, in a nutshell, I thought. But I could never be one of those, because the name sounds far too effeminate. So in my never-ending quest for self-improvement, I began taking note of other cooler-sounding terms that were used to describe people I admired, in hopes that one day they could be used to describe me. Here are a few I came up with:
Raconteur - One who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit
This is the coolest sounding one of all. And in my line of work, what could be better? But in order to pull it off, I'm thinking I need to work on my look. Perhaps I should take up pipe smoking and start wearing more corduroy.
Magnate - a person of rank, power, influence or distinction – often in a specified area
Donald Trump is a real estate magnate and Rupert Murdoch is a newspaper magnate. I've worked in both fields, but made no progress whatsoever. I guess the more unattainable the goal, the better it sounds.
Heretic – one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine
I have a ways to go on this one too. I was not a rebellious child at all, and I've toed the line for the most part as I've gotten older. But I like to think that I make up my own mind about things – at least until someone tells me otherwise.
Expatriate – one who leaves one's native country to live elsewhere
I'm actually quite happy living right here in little old Columbia County. But I met a man once who was introduced as a British expatriate, and for some reason I thought that sounded totally cool. I decided I wanted to be one too. But then I found out I couldn't.
Prodigy - a highly talented child or youth
It's a nice thought, but time ran out on that long ago. Let's try the next one.
Curmudgeon - a crusty and ill-tempered old man
That's more like it. The word sounds better than the definition. But I'm not getting any younger, and after a couple more winters like the one we just had . . .
Tour de France Champion – Yeah, right. There aren't enough steroids in the world.