Hard headed. Both my Dad and my hubby-to-be have called me that on several separate occasions.
I prefer “spirited and independent” 
My mother says I “have such strong opinions” (in a tone that clearly indicates that it’s a bad thing). So does she; it’s just that mine are different from hers, and I express mine.
When I was in college (graphic art major), one morning I arrived early to the studio and had ideas for our latest project spread all over the room, agonizing over which approach to choose. One of my classmates (whom I will call “Lyle the Effeminate Heterosexual” because his name was Lyle and he was just like that guy on SNL) came in and watched me for a bit, and then said I didn’t have to worry so much because I had a certain level of quality in my work, below which I never let myself go.
And you know, I think he’s still right. Cheers, Lyle!
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I’ve been told I’m judgmental. 
I remembered one more. One of my old bosses said I was the most easygoing person on earth. Another one that doesn’t quite fit.
All the compliments were apt, the insults less so.
I’m 5’9" and 185lbs, I don’t think I’m a big guy but I also don’t think I’m a small guy. anyway, my buddy commented once that “Damn dude, for such a little guy you sure have a big walk”. Since he said that I’ve heard it from others too. I guess I walk like the Terminator or something.
My best friend in high school told me that people think I’m an asshole the second I walk into a room. Before I even say a word or look at anyone. I just have the face of a dick.
Oh, it’s possible to be intimidating even given those stipulations. 
My philosophy, and I have taught my children and grand children: No one else can define who you are. If someone thinks you are the best person in the world and you are not…so what? If they think you are the worst person in the world and your not, so what? You are who you are, and only you can define yourself. If a person doesn’t like you it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you,they may have different tastes,do not know the real you,or it could be that you by being a good person makes them think they cannot compete. One doesn’t get upset when a donkey brays so let them rant if they wish.
Monavis
Circumcised or un? 
My dad said something sort of the opposite a couple of years ago: “I liked you better when you had an opinion”, by which he meant that he liked me better when my opinion was closer to his.
My friends normally say I’m All in, all the time.
A guy I worked with once said that I needed a Prozac Candy Necklace.
In other words, I can be a bit hyper.
Absolutely the nicest thing a friend has ever said about me: “People are drawn to TheMerchandise. She has a glow.”
Absolutely the most accurate thing a friend has ever said about me: “Oh, TheMerchandise doesn’t hate you. She’s not ignoring you. She just doesn’t see things outside her head sometimes.”
One of my best friends recently told me that I’m “somewhere between admirable and frightening”. I thought that was nice.
I’ve been told several times that getting me to do something I don’t want to do is like repeatedly running head-first into a brick wall.
I’ve also gotten eleanorigby’s “you say what everyone else only thinks,” and the general observation that people like me are the ones who give little redheads a reputation for being willful and mildly psychotic.
Never would have guessed that from the extremely busy user name.
One of my best friends of the last 20 years or so recently told my wife “when I first met pravnik I wasn’t quite sure if he was really, really smart or functionally retarded.”
I think I leave that impression on people, too. I’m pretty sure I walked in on a conversation where someone said something similar about me today.
My mother describes me, correctly so, as “already having met everyone he cares to meet.”
I’ve been told I’m competitive…I WIN!!!
Good call!
I’d like to think I get along well with people; I like talking to folks and finding stories, but apparently I can come off as intimidating.
One week after arriving at my current posting (Kabul) two seperate people, who didn’t know each other, told me to my face, “well, I just hope I never make you angry, and I hope we can work well together.” Same phrasing, it was uncanny.
When I was doing visa interviews I was told I had "the look of death,"so apparently I come off as quite stern.
I did once have the pleasure of walking by my boss’s office and hearing him say, while reading something I had written, “Jesus Christ, stay out of his way.”