MetaChat - What's the most meaningful compliment someone has given you, recently or otherwise?

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14 January 2011

What's the most meaningful compliment someone has given you, recently or otherwise? I loved Eideteker's "good things" post from the other day. Up with good!→[More:]
This morning I got a completely unsolicited compliment, in front of my boss and other assorted poobahs, from someone I respect very highly -- someone whom I thought merely knew my name and tolerated me.

I went to a meeting on short notice because someone was sick. All the campus arts bigwigs were there, including this girl/woman (S.) who runs a big community outreach program. Outside of the university, she also started a musical theater company that brings in actual Broadway people. She has her shit together more than anybody I know in this town, and she doesn't mince words. She knows everything and everybody. She kind of intimidates me. (Also, she has Tom Wopat's number in her cell phone.)

So I introduced myself as someone who would be covering more arts stuff. When we went around the table, S. said, "Hey! I sang with you a long long time ago!" and turned to the whole room and said, "She didn't mention that she's also a wonderful singer."

And if that wasn't enough, half an hour later she brought it up again. "Yeah, she's got a beautiful voice." Which was just... wow. Meant a lot.

How about you?

post by: Madamina at: 15:14 | 16 comments

I loved Eideteker's "good things" post from the other day.

That right there is pretty good. =)

(You still owe me pics of you enjoying your new fleece!) ;)

Any compliment that goes beyond the normal is really appreciated. You can really tell when someone has put thought into it, and I always endeavor to compliment people for nonroutine things. If someone's gone out of their way or made an effort on something, it's the least you can do. Too many people do things automatically and unthinkingly. We need to encourage and reward folks who take a moment to use more than just their lizard-brain.

posted by Eideteker 14 January | 15:22

Even though it wasn't actually about "good things" but "something cool"?

(And yes, I totally do!)

posted by Madamina 14 January | 15:24

I told my husband how old my college classmates looked at our last reunion, then made a rueful comment about how I was sure I looked that way to people too. There was a long pause, and then he quietly said, "Well, I think you're a stone fox."

I may never get over that one.

posted by bearwife 14 January | 15:28

Though FWiW, I always love to know that I've made someone smile or laugh, even if that's a pretty basic thing.

(Getting close to 5,000 favorites on MeFi, which to me is like 5,000 hugs/hi-fives/knowing winks. Not cause it's like a competition and stuff (OMG MOST FAVORITES); just cause it gives me warm fuzzies.)

On preview: It was totally about good things! So HAH. Sucker. =p

posted by Eideteker 14 January | 15:28

Yeah, Eideteker, that thread was a great idea! So is this one! High-fives, everybody!

My oldest sister sent me an email thanking me for the support I've given her in recent years (while her husband was terminally ill, and since his death, and in grappling with our different family issues), and told me that I'm helping her in ways I didn't even know. It made me burst out crying.

An excerpt: "My sister, you have taught me so much. You are one of the most thoughtful, kindest, and most giving people I know. [...] Many of the careful steps I am learning to take to improve my life have come from thinking about the things you point out oh so gently."

posted by Elsa 14 January | 15:37

Elsa, your sister knows you better than I do, but that excerpt matches up well with what I perceive about the way you are here on the internet too.

posted by bearwife 14 January | 15:57

Also incredibly touching: The Fella was admiring the ottoman I made and the chair I refinished and reupholstered, and he said, "You're a genius! You can do ANYTHING!"

I laughed and agreed that I was pleased with this project, but he stopped me and reiterated: "No, I mean it. You're a genius. You know that, right? I'm so impressed by you. You can do ANYTHING." He went on and on, telling me that when we first met, he knew I was book-smart, but that he's continually impressed by how capable and inventive and knowledgeable he sees me being. Man, that knocked me out, especially coming from him ---he's so intelligent and knowledgeable and can-do.

On preview: awwww, bearwife, that's really sweet. Thank you!

posted by Elsa 14 January | 16:07

Well, today I got a nice raise. I'm taking that as a compliment.

posted by amro 14 January | 16:09

My boyfriend went to my favorite knitting store in Portland to buy a gift certificate for me over Christmas. After he had me open it, he said that the person (Star) who sold it to him said, "Oh! [Sil]! She's a honey, we totally love her here."

I thought that was sweet of him to say (and believe) that, but while I know a couple people there, there's only one person that I speak to enough that I'd've believed that (not Star, I didn't think she knew who I was).

Except that I went to the store as a reward for a difficult week, and Star was there knitting. When I walked in, her face lit up and she said, "O hey Heather. Get anything good for Christmas?"

Really made my week, and I really needed that! That will make me smile for a long while. Just typing it up is making me smile. Gosh, I love that store, the people are so cool there. I really need to take the time to go knit there and hang out rather than just browse.

posted by Sil 14 January | 17:21

The woman training me at my new job said I was doing really well and she thought I was a great fit! That was extra-nice since I've had a really bad cold the past few days and have not felt particularly adept.

posted by leesh 14 January | 18:23

My boss told me on Thursday and I will be able to keep working for 6 months after my official retirement, which means that I will be double pay for that period. This is not unique with public employees, but it is sort of a measure of your perceived worth in an organization.

posted by danf 14 January | 19:24

A rapidly growing division of my company, which I am the sole employe responsible for, was described as a black box by the company president. Black box meaning client requests go in, happy clients come out, and no one but me ever needs to give it a moments thought.

posted by Twiggy 14 January | 20:12

My boss keeps giving me high profile projects. She's always been generous with the "thank yous" and is always quick to pass along a compliment from a higher-up. But I feel really gratified and pleased that she shows her faith in me by assigning me to most of the biggies that our department gets. I like the work a lot, and feeling like I get to work on the prize jobs these days is to me a real compliment. It's like, yes she can tell me I do good work but she's showing it by trusting me to make our department look good. And that means a lot to me.

Thanks, Sue!

posted by Kangaroo 14 January | 20:49

My lab partner told me today that I have a very good imagination and it totally made my day. I don't know why, but I think something about the way he phrased it as a statement of fact rather than as a compliment made it that much more flattering.

posted by martinxs bellbottoms 15 January | 00:49

'Your new cv is really great' from my recruiter!

posted by By the Grace of God 15 January | 08:37

I was looking at a framed picture that my husband has of us in his office the other day. It was a professional photograph taken at my sister-in-law's wedding a few years back. I commented that I liked how my hair looked in the photograph, and he said, "I like everything about you in that photo! You look so hot! I love that I have a hot wife!" In real life, he normally doesn't say things like that, and I really enjoyed hearing that my husband thinks I'm "hot".

posted by msali 15 January | 09:18

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