Odd Compliments

"My daughter was always very pretty, but now she's cute."

-- My dad, on the occasion of me getting a perm in the sixth grade.  This was said directly to me, not about me to someone else.  It must also be said that I was scorchingly awkward, with buck teeth, terrible hair and questionable taste in stonewash during the period in question -- I think he was overcompensating a bit.

"You look good.  Like, your face looks good."

-- Best friend, last Sunday night.

"You really get right in there, don't you?"

-- Sixth grade science teacher as our class was dissecting bluegill.

"About 70% of the time, when I'm...alone...I'm thinking of you.  Remembering you."

-- The Russian, 2005.  Unclear what the breakdown was of the other 30%.  Or what his girlfriend at the time would say about this. 

"Nice sunglasses.  You're kind of a badass!"

-- 22 year old who works in my office, June 2010. 

"I've been teaching this class for many years now, and I think this is the first time someone has written about owl pellets."

-- Writing retreat instructor, March 2009.