A Bit More About My Family

First and foremost, my parents are sweet and decent people. My mother is a pleasant-looking woman. She is about medium hight with fair hair and soft gray eyes. Her hair is curly. Her faint enigmatic smile makes her charming. True, you can notice some wrinkles when she smiles. This sweet smile changes her into a beauty from a fairy tale. Mum is kind and of a gentle disposition; however, she may be firm, if necessary. She is practical and full of common sense, therefore she manages our household very well. Her skillful hands can do everything. Mum can cook, bake, and decorate the rooms. She can also knit and sew. She can drive a car and entertain guests. In addition, she is good at singing and dancing. Mother is always dressed in quiet good taste. She usually wears suits and dresses. Her favoutite colour is mauve. Her clothes are neat and well cared for. Though she cares for fashion it is not a dictator to her. Hence, her style is always suitable for her age and position. She is very tidy. Her motto is: if you can’t have the best make the best of what you have. What strikes one about her is her quietness. She is a bit reserved and keeps her ego and emotions to herself but she is not gloomy. Mum isn’t very talkative (though I can’t say she is taciturn), but she is an excellent listener. Her eyes, smile, nods and gestures make a speaker feel at home. It’s a talent, you can’t deny that. She can put herself in the other people’s shoes and encourage them. She cares much for the people’s views, even if they are quite different from hers. All her remarks are tactful and inoffensive. Her voice is flexible and deep. She is a reliable friend.

My Dad is a tall, handsome man. He is a bit lean and looks broad-shouldered. He has straight jet-black hair touched with gray at the temples. Dad is begining to grow bold. His face is determined and humorous. His clever hazel eyes express honesty, resourcefulness, and readiness to help. His forehead is broad, and his features are regular and clean-cut. He wears a moustache and a neatly trimmed beard. Dad impresses everyone as a very energetic person. He is just bubbling with energy. Few people can match his enthusiasm, his zest for life, and his talent of doing everything he does well. He is easy to deal with, because he treats people excellently and has a keen sense of humour. He loves a good joke. Dad is strong-willed and persistent though Mother says he is obstinate. Another trait I’d like to dwell upon is his decisiveness. He is always capable to make up his mind and to decide to take action in critical situations. Father takes a keen interest in politics and has an envious memory for figures, names and dates. He never evades serious topics. He is a good speaker and a wonderful mixer. He is sociable and polite. He is consistent in all his actions and is always true to his personality. Though Father often repeats that life is seldom black and white, he prefers black and white colours. His favourite saying is “life is just what you make it” so you may call him a realist. He detests indirectness which seems hypocrisy for him. As you see, appearances are not always deceptive.

How can I describe myself? Whenever people see me for the first time they say that I am a male replica of my mother. However, Mum doesn’t see any resemblance at all. She is sure I’m Dad’s split and image. Both of them are right, I think. Undoubtedly, my eyes are Father’s, and the shape of my face is Mother’s. I’m endowed with the features that are not mine. The only exception is my mole which gives me a certain resemblance to an organ-grinder’s monkey. I am of average height (168 cm tall) with a tolerant figure. I have a good head of hair, but it is between dark and fair. My eyes are full of good-humoured mockery which is a weapon of self-defense. I’m not going to paint my character in bright colours. I am not an angel, of course. I’d like to inherit mother’s reliability, generosity, and modesty. I feel I lack persistence, and I must confess that I am not very industrious and diligent. I am quite aware of my strong and weak points, my strengths and deficiencies. Sometimes I am selfish and want to be the centre of the Universe. I am lazy, absent-minded, careless, and stubborn at times.To tell the truth, I may be unfair, and I don’t like criticism. Yet, I hate airs and graces. I never pretend and never go back on my word. Sometimes Mum calls me a troublemaker but I shut my ears and am deaf to her criticism.. I like outdoor life. What I hate is housework. Household chores and I are total strangers.

My brother is a restless boy. He is always in a hurry and always busy. We call him Mr. Know-All because he is fond of reading serious books on psychology, philosophy and religion. He is a bookworm who is sometimes ashamed of his scholastic abilities. He never idles. He likes solving crossword puzzles and never misses a concert, a new film, or an exhibition. He is a member of a number of societies and clubs. My brother is gifted, and everything comes easy to him. He is good at sport and music. He plays tennis and is a good basketball player. Thus, you may draw a conclusion that he is rather tall. I’m sure he will choose an academic career. He is hard-working and intelligent. As his head is full of various ideas and dreams you may call him romantic. His recent enthusiasm is the computer. As to programming, he is not a beginner. Unmistakably, Victor is the apple of our parents’ eye. Though they clearly favour him, I have no grudge against him. I am not envious. He is ambitious, and I am not. He is shy, and I am a good mixer. He is quick-witted but not witty, and I always have a joke up my sleeve. I am never lonely, and he is alien in a company and feels outside the ring. I am a leader, and he is a follower. He is melancholic, and I am a sanguine person - I am never in the dumps (in the blues). Victor is slender. He looks both athletic and distinguished. He has a swarthy face, a strong chin with a dimple, and a straight nose. His brown eyes deeply set under his thin brows are serious and thoughtful. Those scrutinizing eyes of his attract girls’ attention. They even call him Prince Charming, but he is too deep in his books to notice that. He is too rightful and predictable. He takes life too seriously, so even his ideas of fun are unadventurous. There is absolutely nothing spontaneous about him, and it is boring, I guess.

Being an elder son in the family, I have never regarded myself as inferior to my brother. I have never downgraded my assets and emphasised my shortcomings.

All the members of our family are as different as chalk and cheese. We do not have much in common. We have different ideas, preferences and views but we live friendly together.

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