Which Four-Letter Acronym are You?

Via Laura Spencer's Writing Thoughts blog:

Michael Haislip is conducting a little experiment to see if there's a correlation between a blogger's Myers-Briggs personality type and their blogging style.

I took this particular personality test for the first time over a decade years ago, because a project manager I worked with believed that knowing each individual's personality type would allow her to better tailor her communication and interaction style with each team member. I remember testing as an ENTJ back then.

A few years later, I took the test again as part of yet another team building exercise, and surprisingly, I tested back as an ExTJ. Apparently, my answers had placed me smack in the middle of the iNtuitive-Sensing spectrum, so the facilitator used the letter X instead of an N or S.

A friend of mine who specializes in personnel development reassured me back then that it's only natural for the test result to evolve, especially over the span of many years, because people adapt and grow over time.

So when I saw Michael Haislip's blogpost tonight, I gamely took the Jungian Typology test online. I guess I shouldn't have been completely surprised to see a new four-letter combination -- I'm now an INTJ.

The Typelogic.com website offers a write-up on the various personality types, and I must say that their write-up of the INTJ personality type does describe me with frightening accuracy.

Out of Character

I did something a bit out of character today.

I contacted a total stranger because I felt he was making really spot-on observations and comments in a public mailing list. For once, I let curiosity get the better of me and I fired off an email because this guy was like a lone voice in the wilderness on that mailing list, and there was real meat in his insights.

The happy result after a quick flurry of e-mail exchanges? We're now contacts on LinkedIn.

* * *

For most of this evening, I've been trying to figure out why I feel really pleased about the way things turned out. I guess hovering at the back of my mind was the possibility that my first email would be perceived as intrusive; after all, it was unsolicited and I'd not had any interactions with that person before (we both mostly lurk in the list). I honestly did not imagine that we'd end up swapping virtual business cards.

There's also the fact that I rarely initiate conversations with strangers online, especially when I have no clue as to who they are. It's just not in my nature.

After some reflection, I attribute my out-of-character behavior to the fact that I've been more actively participating in conversations in the blogosphere over the past few months. I really think that my frequent participation in other blogs has re-conditioned my online interaction style enough that sending that initial email almost seemed like the natural thing to do.

* * *

I am suddenly remembering very strongly why I so much enjoyed BBSing during my college days. This new interaction is giving off pretty much the same kind of vibe as those old Fidonet bulletin boards.

What's in a name?

I've been following Molly E. Holzschlag for a while and was struck by a recent entry on her blog entitled How Private Are You?

I haven't figured out the answer to that question yet, but I'd like to think that privacy isn't dead for me, at least not yet.

* * *

A few months ago, I asked an old acquaintance whether or not he had a blog, and his response was a firm "No," adding that he had been burned early on by being way too public with his life.

Personally, I think it's a shame since he's an interesting chap with thought-provoking insights about tech matters. But I do understand why he's now more careful with his online presence.

* * *

Frankly, I'm content right now to participate in various online conversations in the blogosphere with nothing more than my tacky little M-logo as my avatar.

I may not have a full name publicly linked to that logo, but that little image gives me a consistent identity. That identity in turn allows me to comment and post my thoughts and opinions without worrying about any of it reflecting on my employer or my family. That's a good feeling.

I suppose some folks will contend that blogging this way means I don't own my own words; I'm not enlightened enough to know whether or not that's true. But since I'm blogging for myself right now, I won't lose any sleep over this particular question.

Either way, I'm glad that my real-life friends who know about this blog are kind enough to let me do things this way.

T Minus 1

I can't help but feel that we're not quite ready for tomorrow's event.

We had our first run-through at the actual theatre this afternoon, and it was somewhat disheartening. I guess I was being a tad too optimistic.


People running around getting things set-up on stage

In the past two weeks, I've noticed some interesting relationship dynamics at work in one of the teams in this production. Rather than go into excruciating detail, I think it's sufficient to say that these last 14 days have been eye-opening because I've learned new things about both old and new friends.

I've also repeatedly come to the conclusion that the best way to deal with a frustrating situation is to make sure you're not contributing to the problem.

When someone acts in a way that seems out of line, it's so easy to give into negative emotions and use that as an excuse to flake out yourself. This kind of mirroring activity really does not help at all, and only serves to make the situation worse for everyone involved.

Of course, it takes a different kind of discipline to control anger and irritation. I never said it would be easy! haha!

Twittering saved me money

Quite unexpectedly, my use of Twitter has saved me some money.

I had been browsing through my older 'tweets' last night, and I came across one particular entry, which I had twittered exactly two months earlier...



And that's when I remembered! I had received my rewards confirmation via snail mail last month, but I still hadn't gotten around to claiming the reward itself -- which was P800 (around $16) in gift certificates!

Rifled through my snail mail pile and found the confirmation letter. Apparently, I have less than two weeks left to claim the gift certificates or else I lose 'em. So my plan now is to go pick them up tomorrow over lunch.

And I already know what I'm going to spend the P800 on too. ;-P

Quest for Perfection

Read a very long but interesting article on the life story of Sergey Brin, one of Google's co-founders, on Moment Magazine's website.

Couldn't help but laugh when I got near the end of the article, which recounts a speech that Sergey delivered to a high school for gifted math students near Tel Aviv, in Israel:

"I have standard Russian-Jewish parents," he then continued in English. "My dad is a math professor. They have a certain attitude about studies. And I think I can relate that here, because I was told that your school recently got seven out of the top 10 places in a math competition throughout all Israel."

The students applauded their achievement and the recognition from Sergey, unaware that he was setting up a joke. "What I have to say," he continued, "is in the words of my father: ‘What about the other three?’"

By golly, that's just exactly what my mother would say!

In fact, she said something almost exactly like that to my sister many years ago, when she came home from school with an exam score of 98. Mom's question was -- "what happened to the other two points?" haha!

Not Worth the Effort

Lately it seems that a lot of things are not worth the effort.

• I used to be obsessive about sending handwritten Christmas cards. But it's been a three or four years since I've done that.
• I used to read fiction voraciously, but I don't think I've read more than a couple of books in 2006.
• I used to worry and get upset when the guys in my division get job offers from competitors. Now it's just par for the course.
• I used to carry a camera with me all the time and try to find new ways of looking at old things. Now my camera just sits at home.
• I used to reply to every single Christmas and New Year greeting I received via text. That's no longer the case.

Bottomline, it's getting harder to drum up enthusiam for a lot of the things that used to be so important to me.

I must really be getting old. haha!

About

I've noticed that a number of this blog's visitors have been clicking on the "View My Complete Profile" link on my blog sidebar.

I feel kinda bad knowing that the people who click on that Blogger-template-generated link are not going to get a lot of information on my profile page, so I figured it's time to write an About Page. This is it.

* * *

Last updated: May 23, 2007

About Me

I maintain a consistent but anonymous presence on the web. Here's why.

I'm a tech addict. I'm the type of person who gets excited about technology and gadgets, even if there's no immediate or obvious business or revenue-generating value. I enjoy imagining the possibilities and wondering where things might lead. It's therefore not surprising that a lot of my posts are about brands that I love.

I'm a doting aunt. I strangely, unexpectedly, enjoy this role. It's made me realize that I can be patient, that I like to explain things to inquiring minds, and that being a parent is incredibly difficult. I appreciate my parents more now.

I'm an alto. I've been singing in choral groups since I was in the 5th grade. I cannot imagine life without music. Music can literally move me to tears or make me laugh out loud. My life is richer and fuller because of it.

I'm an email and Twitter junkie. It takes supreme effort of will not to regularly check my mail and phone for messages on a continuous basis. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it, but I still slip every now and then. ;-P

I'm an inconsistent blogger. I've created no less than five different blogs since 2003, and have since abandoned many of them. Somewhere out in the blogosphere are different pieces of me. I like that they are all separate from this blog.

I'm a perennial dieter. The whole fatblogging trend was made for the likes of me! Ha!

I'm an erstwhile writer. I used to write articles for trade publications. Even managed to co-author a book that's still listed on Amazon (ah, those were the good ol' days). I still write a lot for work these days, but I don't consider writing a profession.

About This Blog

This is a personal blog, which means I blog mainly for myself. There are no fixed topics; a quick look at the categories (a.k.a. labels) listed on this blog's sidebar should be proof enough that I literally write whatever comes to mind.

I have no illusions -- there's no doubt that you'll find some of the entries here completely boring. But if some of my entries help you out in some way, I'm glad.

Repeats and Greets

A lot of the people I've talked to in the past week have said that they don't quite feel the Christmas spirit this year. I found it interesting how I've heard the exact same comment from friends in different social circles. The feeling seems to be present regardless of age or social circumstances. I find myself half-wondering if there is something in the air we're breathing or the water we're drinking that's making everyone feel this way!

It might be that my friends are all getting older... and the many "repeats" have worn away the polish and shimmer of the holidays, leaving only things that are faded, familiar, and almost chore-like. It's got a nice homey feel, yes, but it lacks the zest and the sparkle.

* * *

Earlier today in church, I remember thinking to myself that pastors must have a really hard time figuring out how to keep their Christmas sermons relevant and fresh with each passing year.

It takes a lot of effort to dig deep down inside for some new insight to re-ignite that feeling of wonder, appreciation, and love. Especially when you're preaching to people who have read the Christmas Story a gazillion times already.

I guess if there's anyone whom I expect should be able to find the Christmas Spirit every year, it would be our spiritual leaders.

Strangely enough, I find Easter a lot more moving than Christmas, perhaps because Easter is a lot less commercialized and there area very few social expectations attached to it. Plus it is traditionally a time for reflection. During the Christmas holidays, there's very little time to think when we're all running around like the proverbial headless chicken.

* * *

Merry Christmas! May we all rediscover the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season.

Ticked Off

While I can easily shrug most things or situations aside without a second thought, there really are a few things that can make me instantly lose my temper.

Things like...

• People who barely know me, and yet are presumptuous enough to assume that I will do what they say, simply because they say it.
• People who think that I don't mean what I say when I say no. How complicated can it be to understand a two-letter word?
• People who make public, sweeping generalizations about me on the basis of little or no information.
  

And nothing makes me blow my top faster than having all three types of incidents occur in the span of 24 hours.

I tell you, it's enough to make a saint swear (not that I would ever consider myself a saint).

I'm glad life isn't normally this complicated.

They said 'I Do'

One of my officemates tied the knot today. In the weeks just before her wedding, she seemed a bit stressed out with all the preparatory work. But on her wedding day, she truly looked beautiful. I am really happy for her.



Although I'd known months ahead of time that she'd be getting married, it was still a bit of a surprise to finally see the girl who used to be our company's "baby" now all grown up and married. Time does fly by so quickly.

But it's a really nice feeling to see my friends making life-changing commitments and starting their own families. There's a sense of progress there that I can share in, however vicarious the sharing may be.

To A&J, my heart-felt wishes for a long and happy marriage.

Note: this blog entry is back-dated.

Solo Lunch

I relish those rare days when I get to have lunch alone at a restaurant.

Not that I'd want to be eating lunch alone everyday, but there are times when you just want some alone time with your thoughts, a magazine, and a favorite meal -- especially when you've been bombarded with 'interrupts' for several days on end.

I am reminded of a conversation I had some time ago with some gal pals -- many were of the opinion that women who eat alone at restaurants are a sad lot, so they avoid being that kind of person at all costs.

For some reason, I've never really experienced that kind of hang-up. I guess it's because I don't spend time checking out the people seated at the other tables, and I simply assume that no one else is bothering to check out what I'm doing.

Maybe if it were the evening of Valentine's Day and the rest of the tables had couples being all lovey-dovey, I might feel a tad out of place. But for the most part, this kind of quiet time is welcome and refreshing.

Excellence

I attended a luncheon today where the corporate sponsor paying for lunch was also was the speaker for the session. Sadly, the content of the talk was pure fluff. The best description I can think of is that the speaker took their corporate brochure and converted the content to a 10-slide powerpoint presentation and called that a 'talk.'

Afterwards, my seatmate politely commented that she expected there to be more to the talk than what we saw, something I felt rather gratified to hear. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder how many of the other attendees felt the same way.

Lately, I seem to find myself in situations (like the one today) where I get the impression that the average client can sense the difference between quality consulting and mediocre consulting, but they don't care enough about the difference, and certainly aren't willing to pay for the difference.

After all, in these tough financial times, why pay P200 for a bottle of Perrier at a restaurant when they can also serve you regular tap water that's been filtered and chilled at no extra charge?

Do the extra care, attention, and thinking that we put into our consulting advice actually translate into a difference that the client will take into account when they choose a consulting services provider?

I am reminded of a recent conversation I had with a fellow choir member at church. We were talking about the many improvements that the choirs can still make (musically speaking), and how it would be great if we can actually make these changes. He shared with me his wife's reaction to this line of thinking. She asked, do you think the average church-goer can appreciate the difference between a professional choir and a volunteer church choir? And if they cannot, is it still worth it to invest so much time, energy, and emotions into pursuing choral excellence?

At what point are we making sub-optimal decisions by focusing so much on being 'perfect' that we automatically reject what is already 'good enough'?

And if we're so used to compromising and just delivering what's 'good enough,' how sure are we that we haven't already crossed the invisible line that separates 'good enough' from 'mediocre'?

I really wish I knew.

Path with Branches

One of the recurring thoughts that I've had this week is the notion that your life can be completely different depending on who you end up marrying. Meaning, you can be completely compatible with two different people, but your life will be completely different (and happy in a completely different way) depending on which person you end up being with.

Or you could end up marrying someone totally wrong for you. :-(

And that's the scary part, I think. How do you know that the person you choose is the right person? How do you know that you won't actually be happier, living a completely different life with someone else?

It's a lot like walking along a path and finding at some point that it branches off in different directions. Once you've chosen one of the branches, the way back is closed forever, and now your universe of options has shrunk to what's left of the path that you've chosen.

I sometimes think this is why people are so afraid of making commitments. It's the fear that you may choose the wrong path, then spend the rest of your life wondering where the other path(s) could have taken you.

Life is so much simpler when you have less opportunities and less options. When circumstances limit you to a simple, single path, no further thought or reflection is required. You simply go with the flow. No angst. No drama. No big decisions to make.

Having said all that, I still prefer a path with branches, though. Life seems richer that way, despite (or perhaps because of) the tough decisions that have to be made every time the road branches.

Zonked

This week whizzed by so quickly. And despite that (or maybe because of it) I feel so utterly exhausted right now -- both mentally and physically.

After the events of the past week, I can so totally relate to something that my mom often says -- how worrying about life's day-to-day logistics can be so draining, and yet at the end of the day, you feel like you've not really accomplished anything important.

That's why I have so much respect for people who are effective as Executive Assistants, Personal Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, or have similar roles. They clear away all the little obstacles that slow you down, so that you're free to focus only on the things that really require your attention. They allow other people to operationalize strategy or worry about the big picture.

Another thing I realized this week: obsessive-compulsive people tend to create their own monsters, or inadvertently create crosses that in the end, only they can bear. It's so much easier to be the type of person who doesn't care if things aren't "just so," or who doesn't mind if everything is all helter-skelter. No wonder we are frequently advised not to sweat the small stuff.

And now, I'm totally zonked. Time to hit the sack.

Semi-normal

Finally got back online today for the first time since typhoon "Milenyo" hit the country on Sep 28. Power is still out at my home, but I am thankfully able to get online at work starting today.

While we haven't fully "recovered" from the effects of the storm, it has been a rather enlightening experience for me. Had a lot of time on my hands when it was too dark to do anything and too hot to consider moving. That gives you a lot of time for reflection.

Some idle thoughts during this period:

• When I can't watch TV for days on end, it's actually not that stressful and in fact can be somewhat relaxing.
• When you're unable to communicate through phone or mobile for extended periods, you can quite literally go batty because communication is so integral to socialization and coordination of effort.
• It is quite relaxing (maybe hypnotic?) to just sit safely indoors and watch the trees waving about in high winds.
• So much of life's conveniences are so electricity-dependent, including refrigeration, cold drinks, hot showers, proper ventilation, internet, and mobile technology.
• I found it difficult to "abandon" my home despite the lack of electrical power. While people were checking into hotels in droves, I found that I'd rather stay at home where it's more uncomfortable because I'd have more peace of mind that way. Now I understand better why people will stubbornly refuse to leave their homes even when the simmering volcano just a few short miles away is threatening to erupt, and why so many people disobey evacuation orders.
• I am lucky to have many friends who are gracious and generous enough to invite me to sleep over at their homes when they learn that electricity is still out at my house.
• I am lucky to have relatives and godparents who check in on me every day just to make sure I'm okay.
• I have a lot more loyalty to Globe Telecom after this experience. Considering how long power has been out in my area, I was still able to send text and call, even though signal was (and still is) occassionally spotty. They're certainly a lot more reliable than PLDT -- my landlines have been dead more than 80% of the time in the 108 hours that I've had no electricity at home.
• There's nothing quite as thrilling as getting your portable generator repaired and returned to you on the same day that you reported a problem. ;-)
• Reading by candlelight or dim lamplight is just so plainly a gosh-darned-awful experience.
• Necessity and adrenaline can make you capable of completing tasks that you ordinarily would have thought you can't do.
• The yellow pages are the best search engine there is when you have no electricity!
  

I'm sure there are a lot more stray thoughts floating around in my head, but I guess this will do for now. :-D

Godchildren

I had a chance today to update my list of god-children.

It may sound like I have a lot of godkids, hence the need for a list. In reality, though, I just have a really terrible memory for this type of thing, so I have to rely on record-keeping and my PDA.

Anyway, I only realized today that I seem to get new godchildren at the rate of one every two years. And while I'm genuinely happy to be ninang, I must admit that each year the challenge of finding an appropriate gift seems to become more daunting. haha!

The saving grace is that they're all girls, and it's certainly much easier to buy gifts for little girls than it is for little boys.

Until now, that is. ;-) My first male godchild is very much on the way and is due to arrive late this year. A new challenge awaits! haha!

Pamana

One of my former college professors, Dr. Pablo Manalastas (aka "Doc Mana") is retiring after 30 years of service at my alma mater.

A fund is being set up in his name, according to an email that I received last week.

I had such a hard time passing his probability and statistics class! But I do remember him as a patient teacher... with occassional off-color jokes. haha!

I hope they throw him a really wonderful retirement party. Heck, if they decide to allow alumni to attend, I will go.

Inertia

There are so many things that I know I have to eventually get around to doing, but for some reason, I'm not in the mood to organize anything right now.

Things like:

• My music library. Need to look for cds that I know I should have but can't seem to find.
  
• My photo library. Get back-ups written to CD and free up some much needed disk space.
  
• My magazine subscriptions. Because the clutter on my side table is actually starting to bother me.

Inertia has gotten the better of me the past couple of months.

Maybe by mid-October, my schedule will be a little more forgiving and I'll actually be inspired to do something about all this.

Or maybe not.

A Mark Of My Own

Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest of places.

Never really felt a need to put my mark on anything before, but today I gave into the urge to create an avatar for my Twitter account. Since an avatar is only 48 x 48 pixels small, I figured I should be able to slap something together.

Since I don't have any real drawing skills, I turned to Powerpoint. Started with a simple capital letter M. Then scrolled through the fonts available on my PC and picked Script. Added periods before and after the letter, then used Word Art to shape the whole thing into a circle.

Figuring that less would be more, I chose one color for both the edges and the fill.

From there, I used good ol' Alt-PrintScreen to capture the image and paste it into MS Paint. Once in Paint, it was a simple matter to lower the letter M a bit, to create the impression that the dots are cradling it somehow.

The entire process took less than 10 minutes, including experimentation. Here's how the finished product looks:


I'm quite happy with it. :)