OUTSTANDING

I know this should be a terrific word. A wonderful image always comes to mind with this one.

The idea of something that goes beyond normal. That is other than average. A joy that truly excels.

Perception is the problem. An issue of what you define as outstanding. And that is never the same for two people.

So if you are say on a deserted island a coconut for a banquet might be looked at as outstanding. But not in the big city.

So that is again a matter of how you view it. And you don't have to be on a deserted island to view a coconut as an outstanding.

I have known a few who would have put a coconut in that category. I would hardly be happy to spend time with them though.

However in my city such little details often end up taking place with no problem. We have a surplus of outstanding deficiency minds.

Which does have its good and bad points. On the plus side it means people are easy to please.

They can be made content with a dull form of outstanding. Heck, they may even take time to thank you for it.

And this simply gives me a certain latitude in terms of what I have to accomplish. Yep, that is a great option.

The down side is for the few who really have standards, it is a problem. For they won't be satisfied with crumbs.

You really have to work hard in order to please them. Which can be such a pain. Because they will not be the kind to accept any old lie.

Now what I do is to be sure that I take time to feel the person out. To make sure that I don't let them force me into some commitment I don't want to make.

And that is all part of the game. Which is where I try to get the people with low outstanding together with the ones that have high demands.

Then you try to get them to both meet in the middle somewhere. Never an easy task, but I'm happy when it works.

Course I lie about when it doesn't.