a catch or a fumble?

Although I think I have reasonable self-esteem, I still couldn't help but wonder why I have recently been desribed as a "catch" lately.

One was Elizabeth*, who spotted me in Best Buy a couple of weeks ago when I was checking out the gaming systems.  I had finally decided to replace my obsolete Playstation 2 and was attempting to choose between an XBox or Playstation 3.

She commented that I would be really popular with her ex-husband's (Nerdy Husband's*) doctor friends, as they always complained that their girlfriends/spouses didn't like playing video games.

This all got me wondering what constituted a "catch" to the opposite sex, and which of these attributes I offered. And no list would be complete without a comparative "not a catch" list.

This is what I came up with:

Pro-catch attributes:

• Not needy or jealous
• Doesn't drink - an economical and convenient designated driver
• Prefers flowers to pricey gifts
• Doesn't insist on dragging males to clothing stores
• Doesn't force males to stay home on weekends
• Can cook reasonably well if incentivized
• Doesn't want children, but tolerates existing ones
• Can hook up her own stereo, DVD player, and gaming system
• Owns a reasonable collection of draughty lingerie
• Rumored to have a sense of humour

Anti-catch attributes:

• Likes riding motorcycles after midnight, sometimes sans helmet
• No money or inheritance
• Usually sleeps until 10 - 11 a.m. on weekends
• Occasionally quiet to the point of moodiness
• Not tidy (but can finance regular house cleaning)
• Excessive cats in household at times
• Needs occasional solitude, both in and out of domicile
• Watches practically no television
• A bit of a tree-hugger
• Not particularly thin

I still have no idea how this measures up, but I make no apologies for the anti-catch attributes.  

* See Key to Characters at right.