I received a question in my in-box last night from a friend who is working on a related photography project: What five qualities do I think are essential to the “perfect man”? I mused on it as I rode the train in this morning and wrote back the following:

Five qualities of a perfect man? Do you mean aside from the cliches of honest, kind, funny, loves dogs and babies? All very important, but let’s assume most average men have those qualities already. Off the top of my head:

1. Has a creative outlet–doesn’t necessarily need to be an “artist,” but should have some creative ability like music, writing, painting, etc.

2. Has a sense of adventure, i.e., spontaneous, open to/curious about new or unexpected experiences.

3. Good problem-solver–should be adaptable and able to deal when things don’t go as planned.

4. Very intelligent–doesn’t have to have a string of degrees, but should be well-read, able to think critically, be curious about a wide range of subjects.

5. Should, through work or volunteer activities, work toward bettering his community, preferably in a hands-on way, not just giving money.

So, I put it to my readers (not really a meme, just a general survey question): What five qualities are essential to your perfect man/woman, aside from the obvious?