Ann Redux

Ann assumes all humans are important and worthwhile. She enjoys meeting people, and although she doesn’t ultimately like everyone’s company, she is always kind, generous and thoughtful. Perhaps because of Ann’s rather conservative, Midwestern, suburban upbringing, Ann is especially attracted to unconventional, quirky people with outlandish senses of humor.

One of the most rewarding experiences a person can have is making Ann laugh. Her laugh is among the warmest and heartfelt I’ve heard, and some have been compelled to spend years trying to get her to guffaw to the extent that they become quickly concerned and even irritable when she doesn’t. This could become a burden for Ann if she realized it, and perhaps it does contribute to her preference to be surrounded by friendly, laughing people.

Ann herself manages to stay friendly and laughing, which in no small part can be attributed to her strong focus and self-discipline. Ann thrives on routine; not the repetitive, passive doldrums, but rather spirited, Carpe Diem inspired, goal-oriented pursuits. She feels life has a lot of good to offer, and keeps herself mentally and physically fit to be able to recognize and explore its natural beauty. She wakes up early in the mornings to run, and drives long hours on the weekends to walk up mountains. She loves traveling the globe and experiencing various cultures, and even spends her days helping children throughout the world do just that. While some prefer extravagant, modern societies, Ann gravitates toward poorer, more practical countries. Ann wants to make a real difference in this world, and anybody that knows her knows that she does.

Ann refuses to become lazy and indifferent. “I don’t want to like it,” she smiles. Cynics might claim she fears death, to which she’s retorted that cynics fear life. Negative people can use Ann as a barometer for how obnoxious they’re being. When she gives her husband the, “I swear to god one of these days he’s going to make me snap,” glare one knows it is time to back off. Another thing Ann doesn’t realize is that contemptible people depend on her warmth to get them through their own personal battles. Although her relentless optimism might incite them to lash out from time to time, for the most part it gives them hope that there are people in the world like her that make existence, at the very least, bearable.