Monday, January 05, 2009

The 16 things post

Normally I stay away from memes. But there's one going around on Facebook where you post 16 things people probably don't know about you (or maybe it had some other purpose originally; that reflects what it's become). Anyway, I've learned some pretty interesting things about friends I haven't seen in forever, and decided maybe I could come up with a few things to write about myself. It took far longer than I anticipated; I don't do very well at things like this, it turns out. If these are interesting to you, maybe you'll post 16 or so things about yourself in turn. I'll enjoy reading them if you do.

1) I do all my brainstorming on either index cards or on graph paper; irrespective of whether anything might need to be graphed or kept in a portable form. This was done on an index card.
2) I prefer to know a great deal about a situation; as much as can possibly be known in advance, and yet I still like to decide and act in the moment.
3) I am a connoisseur of fizzy drinks - I look for new ones to try, and keep a collection of syrups to mix my own concoctions, some of which are quite good.
4) I am more empathic than I usually prefer to let on.
5) My eyes water when it is windy. When I come inside on a blustery day I often appear to have been weeping uncontrollably.
6) I am almost never reading only one book at a time, even when I go days or weeks without sitting down to read.
7) Although physical disorganization in my workspace doesn't bother me, I am a near-compulsive information manager. Part of being a Briggs-Meyer INTP.
8) I have always viewed sports and sporting events as both arbitrary and boring, but I do enjoy a good stadium hot dog, so I don't mind attending them from time to time.
9) I prefer toilet paper to be on the roll-holder such that it is 'overhand'. I didn't ever notice the difference until I read a friend's blog post where he mentioned his preference for this, and then I started noticing and then preferring it. Maybe reading this will do the same to you?
10) I believe there is meaning in dreams, and I write them down when I can and usually call my father after a particularly vivid dream to talk it over with him.
11) #11 is classified.
12) I have no form of musical talent whatsoever except perhaps taste.
13) I keep phone numbers and other important information in a small notebook (graph paper, naturally). It turns out in this particular function I prefer analog to digital.
14) Mint toothpaste triggers my gag reflex.
15) After each of my children was born I took them in my arms and sang to them to calm them down while the doctors attended to their mother.
16) I do not like monkeys. I have had nightmares about baboons.

5 comments:

Geary said...

I love your number 11! I can only imagine what it might be. The preference for the direction that toilet paper comes off the roll is gender-specific, according to an article that I read. Men prefer "overhand" and women prefer "underhand" or else have no preference according to that article. At any rate, when the toilet paper in my bathroom is "underhand" I know it was not me who replaced it last. Singing to each child as it was born is something I also did for each one, so it might be an unconscious memory. I also like to do all my planning on graph paper, but not on index cards -- that was Grandpa Cummings who did that. Maybe you picked both of them up from us. #2 describes me exactly, especially when I have to brief a group. I want to know more than anyone else there before I start. I used to like sports, but over the years have come to mirror your view. Nightmares about baboons means something. We'll have to discuss it sometime (I used to have nightmares about monkeys).

Maren said...

Yeah- monkeys stealing gold. Maybe baboons are a symbol for buffoons.

I can only tolerate tp going overhand. Might not be a gender thing.

#5: me too!

Just Katy said...

I HATE HATE HATE monkeys.

Anonymous said...

great, now i will notice the tp holder at every public restroom, analyzing my preferences.

Anonymous said...

from dreammoods.com
the "meaning" of monkeys (or baboons) in your dreams:

To see a monkey in your dream, symbolizes deceit. People are working to advance their own interest. They also represent insight and intuition. Alternatively, monkeys also indicate an immature attitude, a playful nature and a mischievous side of your personality