Pajiba

Not sure how positive to hear this actually is, but my last check up with the VA, the nurse that weighed me, looked at the scale and then promptly said "Wow, you hide that well."

I was working at a comic book store in Universal Studios, training a new hire. She was 19, very high spirited, and had not had her soul broken by a job in customer service yet, so she was a breath of fresh air for everyone.

A 5-6 year old girl had lost a quarter in one of the capsule machines, and asked her mom for help. I grabbed the new hire (Barbara let's call her) and brought her back to see how to take care of this problem, as it was a recurring one. When this happens, I always open the machine and let the child pick out whichever 2 cent piece they want instead of leaving it to chance. The little girl picked out her favroite Disney Princess, smiled and said thank you without any kind of prompt from her mother. I turned back to Barbara, and asked her if she had any questions. She had the biggest, most sincere smile on her face, and she looked at me and said "You're a good man."

I have never been called that before. I was 26 at the time, but I'd always thought of myself as an idiot man-child, and been treated as such. I couldn't say anything back to her, as I could feel myself getting choked up by what is still one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.

Someone once told me that I looked like Che Guevara (that was back in 2005 when I let my hair and beard grow for several months).

I've had many people tell me that I had a beautiful singing voice, and I loved hearing that.

However, the best, most nicest thing anyone ever said to me was when a girl I went to high school with (a popular, gorgeous, everyone-loved-her kind of girl) said "I wish I could be like you. You aren't afraid of anything."

The idea that a girl like her, and seriously she was the kind of person you couldn't help but admire, wished she could be like me was humbling.

A young woman friend of mine, after encountering my father, told me "Wow, you're going to be good-looking when you get old."

(Oops, I just re-read the rules...I thought this was the "most backhanded compliment" thread. I'll see myself out.....)

"Horse cock." I may put that on my resumé.

I never know what to say when I receive a cock-liment, but here's my two go-to lines:

"What? This old thing?"

or

"Thanks! I work out."

There must be pictures, otherwise it didn't happen...

After a really painful breakup, I was AIM chatting with a male friend and pouring out my epic woe and self doubt, and he explained why he thought I was better off for having ended the relationship.

"Well, you're exotic and you're brilliant but you also make a point to keep that subdued, and ___ didn't really seem like a guy who could interact with all the aspects of your mind, as nice a guy as he is. it seemed like you were on a slightly higher level, even if you didn't show it all the time....the parts that you subdue are beautiful, you shouldn't hide them away, you should throw them out there, when i said that i was a fan of yours, it's because i see that side of you and I don't see it in too many others."

I copied and saved it because it made me feel so...~*good*~, and I still read it from time to time if I'm feeling down on myself.

"you're the best person I know"

(me) "what?"

"You're decent, and good, and kind. I wish more people were like you"

"oh. ok. ...Gee, you can really see far from the top of this ferris wheel, can't you...?"

I had a boyfriend who was lovely, but not forthcoming with compliments:

Ms. Julien – Could you at least let me know that you don’t find me completely repulsive?

Fabio* - I’ll go you one better. I don’t find you repulsive at all.

*names have not been changed to protect the innocent

"I just realized that you have the perfect personality for the job you are doing."

That job involved being bitchy most of the time and scathing, well, when bitchy didn't do the trick.

Mr. Julien and I had gone out shopping together and separated for an hour or so. When we met up again, he told me that he had been sitting in a window eating a sandwich and this incredibly gorgeous woman had walked by and he thought "Wow" and then he realised "hey, that's my wife!". It's nice to find out that your spouse thinks you're empirically-attractive. It's nice when he likes it that you say things like empirically-attractive too.

When I was a teacher, I had a student tell me that I had not only taught him the subject, I had changed him as a person. That was pretty cool. Of course, I'm assuming a "for the better" in there.

I was at a friend's house where we were discussing those who are on our lists o' five people we get a pass on. So I naturally also brought up the list of the five women I would become lesbian and leave my husband for, at that top of which list is Catherine Zeta-Jones. And my friend replied with, "Of course it'd be Catherine Zeta-Jones, it would be like having sex with yourself."

Now, other than sharing a hair- and eye-color, I look nothing like CZJ. Hence, it was one of the nicest and least-deserved compliments I've ever received.

An ex-boyfriend once told me that I was the type of woman that made a man want to be better than he was, and think that he could do it too. That meant a lot, especially since we were already ex by then.

A'ight, then...

Once upon a time, I weighed 310 lbs.

Then, this one time, I decided to, y'know, be wise, and crawl out of the fuckin' Bottle, and actually act upon the knowledge I had accumulated since my sophmore year of high school, and I started eating properly, and exercising (heavy weight/strength-training, with a generous side of cardio) five days a week.
Which brought me to the Next time, fifteen months later, when I weighed 192 lbs.

And there was much rejoicing on my part, and just a little bit of OMFG comin' at me from friends/family.

And all of a sudden I was the Health Guru within my "circle"; all kinds of fuckin' compliments on my appearance and drive, and requests for "aid" (teach me! teach me!) flyin' at me, all the live-long day.

And there was much rejoicing among my group of friends, who themselves benefited from the fruits of my own success, as I paid it forward.

And, I bought a bundle of new clothes (out of necessity), and since my job allowed for somewhat casual dress (a nice polo and khakis were OK M-Th, and jeans and sneakers were OK in my department on Friday), I leaned a bit upon Tommy Bahama, and I started to wear a scent.
And lo, from the crowd of [mostly] age 40+ women, among whom I was a minority, as a male (late 30s at this time), I was greeted with regular comments in the realm of, "Gawd, you smell good!"
(courtesy of AXE, by the way (which at the time, I had no idea it had such negative associations as it has today)... Phoenix at times; Clix at others), from close friends and complete strangers. I was, like, "Whoa."

BUTT (I like big butts)...
Since, at the end of 2007, I left a job with which I didn't mesh (to which I was promoted in March 2007), and remained unemployed for most of 2008 (which wasn't the plan), I once again find myself at 300+ lbs (yay for depression and drinking!).
Thankfully, the people with whom I work now don't realize that I was in pretty decent shape a few years ago; they don't have the contrast at which to guffaw. They've only ever known me as the big guy they see now.
The positive being that, when I find the energy to overcome the inertia (and I will), I can wow these people just as I once did the other folks...

This morning I put on a new stripy shirt to show my husband and he said

"Weird. You look french."

"French?"

"Yeah...you look all french"

I think he meant French in the cartoon sense. So tonight I made fondue with ham and bread and spoke in bad french and drank rose with icecubes. Cleary Good compliments inspire cheese dinners.

I have always been very self-conscious about my breasts, and I was kind of nervous about that third date. When he took my shirt off for the very first time, I was just hoping he wouldn't find my puppies too ugly. But he just stared wide-eyed for a few seconds, breathed out a gruff "wow" and dove right in.

I married the guy.

Once when I was waiting tables, a guy told me that his daughter (maybe 3 or 4 years old) wanted to say hi to me because she thought I was a Disney princess, but was too shy. Totally shallow, but I'll never forget it.

Someone once told me there was compassion in my touch. That person turned out be an asshole, but the compliment always stuck with me.

As someone who performs physical exams on other people, I always make it point to say everything is "normal". I learned this is medical school, when a senior physician pointed out to me that I had told a female patient "everything looked good" after performing a breast exam. I did not mean it in the "raow! you look goooood!" sort of way, but in an "everything is normal" way. The female patient was unfazed, I think that is because I am female as well. So, not to piss on anyone's egos, but, yeah.

As far as best compliments - the first time I overheard a patient telling her friends "Dr GothDoctor is the BEST doctor!!!" That was pretty cool.

Job: Doing IT support at work, I get instant gratification from customers almost daily, which drives my "works for the government and everything takes 1-2 years" wife crazy. One day I am driving home with my wife at the end of the day and end up helping a client over the phone. My wife then hears the client shriek with joy and begin clapping that I have now solved their problem. A nice moment.

You take a punch pretty well
You don't bruise that easily
You fall well

Do you see a theme here?

Well, I don't want to get too specific here, but once I did a part in a play, and the local critic said he never liked the character until he saw me do it. And that was in the paper!

-Ralphie

For most of my youth the people around me treated me like I should be wearing a helmet, so when my most respected teacher told me I had a great mind... I nearly started crying. I still hold that compliment near to my heart.

Nonsense, I have not yet begun to defile myself.

I'm sure I've had nice compliments, but can't really remember them right now.

I think I should compliment people more, though. It seems to mean a lot to people.

"I think it's magnificent that you are here."

Context involved and intensely personal.

Hey, , compliments to you for this lovely comment diversion.

I am a Music Ed Major and I am about a year out from my degree and certification. I started my college career at a community college where I got my associates in music and then I moved on to a private college with a kick-ass music ed department (the strategy being, only pay two years for a really good education). I have never been the most confident person in the world, and when judging others' viewpoints of me, I tend to assume the negative.

So last year was my first full year at this fancy college. All year I had quietly been assessing my standing in the department as not being very good. Well, in the spring term (we are on a trimester system), I had to take an intro into conducting course taught by the department head. Our final was 1-on-1 conducting with the instructor and when I finished my piece, she walked over and said, "That was wonderful, I am extremely happy you are here, and I can't wait to see what you will accomplish next year."

That was huge for me. This year, I have been so much more confident in everything I have been doing and I really feel comfortable here.

Two of my favorites:

"Your English is perfect." (English is not my first language.)

"You look 25 to me!" (I'm in my late thirties.)

This one has stuck with me.

Back in Theatre School, I was cast in a mostly non-speaking part where I basically had to show up as the main character's wife and look alternately stoic and troubled at the decisions he made. It was also a highly stylised, artsy-fartsy piece and I basically came up with all my own movement and physicality, most of which was largely ignored by the director. I was super insecure and inexperienced then and could barely keep it together on stage.

At the cast party, one of the girls from the crew who I barely spoke to came up to me an said : "Whenever you're on stage, I can't take my eyes off you."

It's still the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.

Wandering drunkenly back on campus one morning around 8 AM (like I do), singing along to my headphones, and not paying attention to much of anything other than the music in my head and trying to make similar sounds.

Suddenly, one of my favorite professors/the head of my campus's theater department (we've got a really good musical theater program) is standing...right there. I get all red-faced and shut up, like I do.
She stops me and says "Why the HELL did you never audition for a show here? I've never heard a voice quite like that."

This made me remarkably happy, as I used to sing a lot, and in front of people. However, before this, the last comment I received about my singing voice was when the choir director threw me out freshman year, saying "You're hitting all of the right notes, but you're hitting them wrong".

I did a play my senior year of high school, and made quite a few friends who were a year or two younger than me.

Fast forward two years...I'm enrolled in an improv class, but the first meeting is on the same day that I have rehearsal for a show that I'm in about an hour away. The instructor knows this, and knows that I may miss the first class or two. However, I get out of rehearsal early and head to class to catch the last half hour or so. I walk in through the backstage entrance, and when I walk out on stage, the class all has their backs to me, looking at the teacher who is talking out in the second row. He says "Oh hey, Munkymack" and the class turns to look and everyone says hi, like they are really happy to see me.

About a week later, one of my classmates, who I had met in that High School play (The Scottish Play, in case anyone is wondering) tells me "when you walked into class, every head turned to look at you and you completely owned that room...it was such a cool, 180 degree change from the nervous, awkward guy when we first met."

That was 11 years ago, and I still think about that.

Also, the first time I got down and dirty with one of my exes, she slid her hand beneath my waistband, then looked up, cocked an eyebrow, and said "Niiice."

Walking back to meal hall in first year university, one of my friends from class commented that I was so "unexpectedly unconventional". She was laughing because I told her about my weekend spent in a plaster mold, posing semi-nude for an artist. I was a studious science student at the time (happily coupled with the man I would marry) who answered a campus ad for models out of the blue.

I aim for bewildering on a daily basis now.

It's hard to think of the best compliment I've *ever* gotten, but the most meaningful one came recently. All of you women who have had children know the feelings that come with a changing body - feeling unattractive, bloated, etc. And I'm sure a good number of you men with children remember your wives expressing these feelings. Well, recently I had gone through all of my maternity jeans to find that only two pair still fit, and of course they were the two least flattering I bought a decent size lot of clothes off Craigslist). I was....upset (read: in tears in the middle of the floor with jeans strewn all over, lamenting my big fat hips). My husband comes in the room to see what's wrong and tells me that no matter what I think he still thinks I look sexy, especially when I bend forward a little bit because my belly pulls on my waist line gives me even more of a curve than usual.

I can't even tell you how much better I felt after that. This was a month and many inches on my belly ago and it still makes me feel better about this crazy shit of growing a kid in my body and stretching it out to cartoony proportions.

A guy told me that I was beautiful last night. First time any guy has ever said that to me (well, you know outside of the relatives) and honestly I feel ridiculously special right now.

Anytime I work my ass off at something or do something outside of the box and someone (once again not a relative) acknowledges and/or praises me for it I get all kinds of giddy.

I got carded when I was 35.

It's hard to think of one, but I blame the fact that I have Dory-like memory, because I know I've gotten some awesome compliments over the years. But since I can't think of them off hand, I'll go with the most recent.

At a bachelorette party, the Maid of Honor, Kasey, introduced me to her 3 friends from Texas. Hung out with them most of the night and had a blast. Next day, one of them puts a picture of us up on facebook. First comment on it is from Kasey, telling her "you guys have made a friend for LIFE."

It meant a lot to me, because I've never been entirely sure about me and Kasey. It was nice to know she thinks of me that way.

Two are tied for first place.

1. Wow. Wade, you are the best.

2. You're amazing. You always help out in any way you can, and come by all the time. We really value everything you've done and we're grateful for all your help. We'll never forget you, Conrad.

You know people really mean it when they don't even know your name.

When my wife and I were expecting our first child, I told a co-worker that I really liked, admired and respected that we were having a kid. She offered her congratulations, and then with a warm smile said, "That kid has no idea how lucky it is to have you as a father." Wow. It just floored me to hear those words come out of her mouth, and I still look back fondly on that compliment to this day.

After a night out, my little sister wasn't feeling too well, I was trying to make her as comfortable as possible and one of her friends (who is an only child) commented "I wish I had an older sister like you." The tone of his voice almost killed me, it was so honest and sad.
Sometimes when you feel like there's nothing going right and that you're a failure; it's good to hear that you're doing something right, know-what-i-mean?

ZombieNurse, I get what you are saying. I had the same kind of moment with the same kind of girl not long ago. Actually, strike that, woman. AND she's a bit older than me, and so immaculate, which I feel so far off from most days.
The nicest thing anyone's said... Well the top spot goes to my favourite boss ever, who told me I was the sweetest and kindest grown up he'd ever met, even though I think I'm a shrill bitch, but Zenath comes in a close second with a whole list of things.

I hate myself. I'm not stating that for any reason other than the truth. It's a serious affliction, one that I only really share with my best friend.

I was once told from the sweetest and most timid women I have ever known that I am one of her favorite people. Like, ever. I still sometimes tear up when I think about this.

I just recently realized that the girl I have a crush on is one of my favorite humans. Ever. I hope I can tell her that some day.

*Sam*, that was sweet.
Hang in there, it gets better!
Hugs and chocolate chip cookies!

A couple of years ago in the sixth grade remedial reading class I taught, we were adding "emotions" vocabulary by saying how each student felt in my class. I'll never forget the response of one boy, who struggled with almost every word and who had a home life no one would envy (his 14 year old sisters new baby by their 13 year old cousin kept him awake most nights). He said he felt "safe" in my class. I work so hard to create that feeling for my students that it was a nice validation.
A couple of months later, testing determined that he would be put into special education, and therefore would not be in my class, since he would not be taking the "regular" state test. He was able to take an elective instead. He was furious and yelled down the hall, "I don't wanna take Art! Mrs. _____ is the only one in this school who ever cared about me and I wanna stay with her!" It was all very melodramatic and probably a little overwrought, but damn, I have to admit it felt good to hear.
They let him come back.

My boss has told me several times that he couldn't run the place without me. I work in an office that's been open for 25 years, and he says I'm the best receptionist he's ever had (I've been there five years and pretty much run the place).

I worked with a lady who once told me that I was "in this world, but not of it." Aside from hearing my 2 year old say "I love you," that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.

Also, Alex Trebek said I was smart.

I just got a non-shallow story to replace the shallow compliment I posted above.

A friend of my husband's was in town for a wedding, and as I am currently unemployed, I was hanging out with him while he was doing last minute wedding errands (he was the best man).

He behaved really rudely to a cab driver and a salesperson at a shoe store, and I called him on it, both during the rudeness, in a diplomatic, calm way, and afterward, in as direct a way I could without resorting to bitch-slapping. He actually told me if I kept talking we were going to have problems in the future.

Forward to a month later. After a period of random craziness in my life and doubts about myself which was posted on facebook for all my friends to see, he posted that the thing he liked best about me was my "ability to feel compassion for those others might easily dismiss."

It meant a lot to me.

My friend (she's 5'10" tall) once stopped at a deli on her way to work, and some guy, in flirting with her, said, "I like your height."

She never stopped at that deli again.

I recently took a bunch of photos for a local band. They had a Demo release party this weekend and they thanked me a hundred times for the pictures. I took that in stride until I opened the CD with one of my photos as the cover. They "special thanked" me in the liner notes. That totally made my week.

My dad recently told me my photography is really quite good. It meant a great deal to me because he knows a thing or two about photography (his father was a professional and he was a very serious amateur), and he isn't given to just handing out compliments, you have to earn them.

So, when I moved to Texas I got stuck in a shitty high school that didn't want to help me out in any way and made me take classes that I already took. I was a Junior at the time and one of those classes was full of Freshman. All Freshman actually. That particular class (World History or American History, I don't remember as I had to take BOTH at the same time.) was being taught by a completely new, not from this town, student teacher.

I always did my work and finished early, and didn't throw the attitude I could have at him. Of course I was always bored out of my mind, and grumpy every time I was in there, but I never exploded.

One day though, as the bell had just rung and I was bolting for the door, he stopped me and calmly thanked me for being such a good student. That he appreciated it, and couldn't ask for a better student to teach for the first time.

At the time I didn't care and just mumbled a, "You're welcome" and dashed out of the room, but now that I've been out for almost two years and applying for colleges, it makes me feel good.

Another little side story about him. As I said I always did my work, and always finished with half an hour left of class, even with the hardest assignments. One day I wasn't feeling so hot, and kinda just sat there, and didn't really do my work. All he had given us to do was a...Cross Word Puzzle, a pretty big one but easy, right?
He knew how I did my work, and walked over and asked about it. I told him I didn't finish (and class was almost over), and he just said "Didn't finish!? What?" then leaned over and gave me all the answers. ALL the answers. I thought it was hilarious, because the other students in the background kept asking him what the answers were to various problems, and he would just shrug at them.

I'll always remember that. Nothing special, but I really like it for some reason.

A guy once told me he would drink my bathwater. I wasn't exactly sure how to take that compliment so I did what anyone would do and gagged.

A guy once told me he would drink my bathwater. I wasn't exactly sure how to take that compliment so I did what anyone would do and gagged.

Well, it is lewd, crude, rude, and socially unacceptable, but that's what passes as a compliment from a crass, no-class, punk-ass troglodyte.

When I was 14 my best friend's dad told me that I was built "like a brick shithouse." I spent the next year trying to figure out what that meant and if it was a good thing or not.

I was at the hospital to have some tests done and the tech came out to get me. She checked the chart, checked my hospital ID bracelet, then took me back to the room. When we got there, she checked the chart again, checked the bracelet again, then said "excuse me just a second, I'll be right back". When she came back in, she chuckled and said, "Sorry, I just had to go check with the front desk. Your information said you were a 40-year-old woman and I just didn't believe it - you look like you're in your late 20s!" I had to refrain from kissing her right on the mouth for that!

I wouldn't go enter a pageant on that endorsement, but still...

They have sack pageants?!