'A sense of humor is also a plus'

Don't ask me why, but I was looking through the "careers" section of the CIA's web site and came across the job listing for a clandestine service operative. These folks are the ones who deal directly with human intelligence--recruiting sources, gathering information, and generally keeping their ears to the ground.

A spy, in short.

I just found it interesting (in the way that I find many ordinary things interesting) that there was an actual want ad for this job... and besides that, the ad suggested that applicants be able to laugh easily.

Operations Officers are given great amounts of responsibility and trust early in their careers. While they work in teams, they often need to “think on their feet”, using common sense and flexibility to make quick decisions on their own. OOs have demanding responsibilities, often requiring them to work long hours so it is essential that they be psychologically fit, energetic, and able to cope with stress. They must know themselves very well and a sense of humor is also a plus.

Sounds interesting. And I like laughing. Unfortunately, my Arabic skills are limited to being able to say "hello," "thank you" and "the boy drinks."