Some of my pros, and some of my cons

Everyone has his or her own likes and dislikes. I’m curious about how those differ among different people.

After a little reflection, here are some of mine — it was satisfying to jot them down, both the good and the not-so-good.

THINGS I COULD USE LESS OF:
• People who bash or ridicule others’ beliefs regarding religion
• TV announcers who use incorrect English
• Political candidates who duck questions on issues
• Inordinately loud motorcycles, trucks, cars and lawnmowers
• Parents who scream at their kids and yank them around in public (and in private)
• Political extremists
• People who cut in line
• Road rage
• School bullies; in fact, all bullies
• Spin doctors
• Multi-million-dollar political contributions, especially anonymous ones
• Public obscenity
• Attempts to make voting difficult
• City folks who make fun of rural and small-town folks
• People for whom cutting taxes is the most important public goal
• People who ignore cost as a public policy factor

THINGS I APPRECIATE:
• Sensitive law enforcement officers
• Tolerance of others’ weaknesses and disabilities
• Reasoned and rational political discussion
• Good parenting
• Generosity
• A sense of humor
• Civility
• Pie
• Comfortable summer evenings on the screened-in porch
• Tolerance of my rudimentary French
• Selfless volunteers
• Ray Charles and Oscar Peterson music
• Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
• Canoe trips
• Good friends and good neighbors
• My family, nuclear and extended
• The opportunity to write stuff like this