I agree re: beauty, Dach - some of the most beautiful women I know would never be supermodels/film stars, but that doesn't mean they're not beautiful. And I make sure I tell them they're wonderful and gorgeous.

Maya, IKWYM about beauty being in the eye of the beholder: my mother was so down on my looks growing up that I look at old pictures now and think how dreadful I look. Apparently she thinks I look pretty there - but only told me how dreadful I looked at the time. I really can't be arsed with the whole beauty nonsense any more. Fine, I'll put on mascara and lipstick most mornings, but that's to look female, not pretty.

Saša, DS's godmother (and my best friend) is Austrian, the name came because I wanted a nice name for bumpling that other people didn't already have.