As I explained yesterday I'm not very good at coming up with ideas on what to write lately, so I decided to use the aid of some hardware. I bought If and a bunch of other several books in college when it was fun to talk about such random issues with random strangers. To be fully honest, I don't think I've cracked the book since then but this seems a good time as any.

So here's today's question: If you had to name the single most important quality of a good mate, what would it be?

Honesty: I think honesty is at the root of any healthy relationship. Even though it can be mean or not-so-fun-to-hear at times, but it's still better than any untruth. Maybe this is exceptionally important to me because I worry too much and am not always completely self-confident. Ask any paranoid, the stories he or she is capable of coming up with are way worse than any awful truth. Honesty is also the core of trust and once you lose trust, what exactly do you have left? If I know that my partner is being fully honest with me at all times, all the extra layers of garbage are automatically peeled off and we're communicating at the most fundamental of all levels. An honest mate is a mate who respects me and values me.

What other qualities?

Compassion: Someone I can lean on. Someone who will care for me and take the time to listen to me and understand me. Sounds cheesy but I think most people in the world want to be understood. Someone to listen to what I'm actually saying. Someone who will just hug me when there's no good option. Someone who will choose to be by my side through thick and thin. Someone who loves his family, babies and animals. Someone who's not embarrassed to kiss me in public.

Laughter: Someone who makes me laugh. Not much to say here. I love a man who can make me laugh.

Intelligence: I like people who make me think, people that give me different opinions, people who have interesting hobbies, people who can introduce me to new worlds.

How about you? What's the single most important quality that you care about?

Previously? Quiet.