Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Inner Workings

So, for those of you who might want a glimpse inside my psyche (a risky proposition, I know) take a look at this:



It's basically a map of my personality. Hover your mouse over any section to see what it means, or click on the link to test yourself. If the map doesn't satisfy you, here's the summary:

You are a Benevolent Realist.

About YOU
You are a Realist
  • Your attention to detail, appreciation of how things function, and awareness of the world around you make you a REALIST.
  • Routines are reassuring to you—you feel safer and more at ease when sticking with familiar things.
  • You like to stay close with those around you, seeking comfort from familiar faces.
  • You are interested in processes—how things work, what they do, and why—not just how things look.
  • Sometimes you doubt that you can find solutions to problems, although you have a good sense of why things happen, and can use that knowledge to find the best way to do something.
  • You are down to earth, concerned more with practical, detail-oriented things than with dreamy or ambiguous ideas.
  • You have a good sense of your abilities and weaknesses, and don't let your ego get in your way.
  • You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.
  • You prefer to have time to plan for things, feeling better with a schedule than with keeping plans up in the air until the last minute.

If you want to be different:
  • Appreciate that your skill set can be useful in many ways; your attention to detail and your familiarity with the inner-workings of things are valuable assets.
  • Try looking beyond the earthly qualities of things in order to expand your perspective, without losing your grounding in reality.


How you relate to OTHERS
You are Benevolent
  • You are a great person to interact with—understanding, giving, and trusting—in a word, BENEVOLENT
  • You don't mind being in social situations, as you feel comfortable enough with people to be yourself.
  • Your caring nature goes beyond a basic concern: you take the time to understand the nuances of people's situations before passing any sort of judgment.
  • You're a good listener, and even better at offering advice.
  • You're concerned with others at both an individual and societal level—you sympathize with the plights of troubled groups, and you can care about people you've never met.
  • Considering many different perspectives is something at which you excel, and you appreciate that quality in others.
  • Other people's feelings are important to you, and you're good at mediating disputes.
  • Because of your understanding and patience, you tend to bring out the best in people.

If you want to be different:
  • You spend a lot of time taking care of others, but don't forget to take care of yourself!
  • Sometimes you can get over-committed, and when you sacrifice spending time with those close to you, it can make them feel unimportant.

I think this is pretty fascinating, and eerily accurate. Anyway.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Master of Disguise?

I have a trait that seems to be a serious failing...but when I think about it, I really like it: I really suck at being a fake friend on any level. If I like you, I like you all the time, not just to your face, and not just in secret. I have had more than a few friends over the years that insist that I be less than myself in public when around them. That grates.

I don't do the whole "secret friend" thing. If you're going to be my friend....then be my friend, and have the guts to deal with the consequences. If not, DON'T be my friend! It will be less stressful for everyone! I like having friends, a lot. But I hate lying. I hate helping other people lie. Please don't make me do it. I understand that everyone has secrets, shameful or otherwise. I'm not asking people to hang out their dirty laundry for all to see. But if you are embarrassed or ashamed to be seen with me, around me, talking to me, hugging me, etc., then it's probably not gonna work out!

Next is a tangent (sort of), that has arisen from knowing SO MANY people who have big, big things to hide.

Dear Parents (and future parents), please hear this loud and clear: if your child does not believe that they can come to you with anything - and I mean anything, whether it's a son who is gay, a daughter who is pregnant, a child who has done drugs, a kid who's stolen something - if they don't believe that you will still love them no matter what, then you are teaching your child to lie to you. All kids lie to their parents, but hopefully the parents teach them better. This is how we fail at teaching them better! Kids should never be afraid or doubtful that their families will reject them. Before we rail against gay marriage, teen pregnancy, drugs, or anything else destroying the family, let's look at the foundation of that destruction: fear and judgment in the home! I know you are afraid your child might ruin his life; don't help him do it! LOVE HIM! Whatever mistakes she has made, her life still goes on, and can get better, if you LOVE HER! It's so so so easy! And yet it is the parents who fail to let their children know they love them, and cultivate the type of human beings that LIE to their parents about their relationships.

All we need, folks, is love. Just listen to the Beatles. Read the scriptures. Study the great men and women of history. Pay attention to the urgings of your conscience. Just love. Love. It's the solution to every problem. That's all we need.