This blog is done, go to my new blog!

This blog is done...I'm doing all my new posting at http://alphabetaparkinglot.blogspot.com.

I know, the url used to have dashes in it, but now it doesn't. Thus, I repost here.

Find me at Alpha Beta Parking Lot--check it out! I've actually posted to it, and there are words to be found there. Lovely, lovely words. Follow the nice link. You know you wanna... :)

FAFSA, flan, and White Castle

This is duplicated from my other blog, but I guess everybody didn't follow me over there. Maybe I'll save this for theological thoughts or something.

The FAFSA deadline is in...oh, about 2 hours. So I'd better get cracking.

Unfortunately, when stuff goes down around here, I can't really post about it. This is why my blog has kind of been limping along.

I suppose one thing I can tell you guys about is a hilarious (ok, hilarious for around here!) conversation comparing the flan we'd just had (made by a fellow student) to the Trinity. The flan is eggs and custard and caramel and yet is one flan. The flan has one source (the student who made it, A.), and is known through the dinner crew.OK, I guess you just had to be there.

In other news...Today we did our annual White Castle run. It's organized by fellow student R., a third-year. They've been collecting money for it from fellow students all week. There were 2 vanloads of us. We got Pathmark brand sodas, chips, Twinkies, and Hostess cupcakes, and then went to White Castle and got 400(!) burgers, and then en route to the homeless shelter we put all those in brown bags. Then we got to the homeless shelter and gave them away. They were all gone less than 10 minutes, and they were really grateful. It was AWESOME! Talk about the true spirit of Lent.

the blog is moving...

New blog at

alpha beta parking lot

because it's easier than changing the fonts and name again on this one.

(The name comes from a Cake song.
Cake is a rock band. They rawk.)

Besides, if a blog can be called "BoingBoing" or "Fark," I figure "alpha beta parking lot" makes oodles of sense.

See ya on the flip side.

hellfire and that such

I said earlier that I wanted to use this as a chance to spout off theologically, which I don't much allow myself to do in public. What I'm writing here is just my opinion...the Greek word is theologoumena. I wonder what the plural of that is?

OK, first point. I believe that all will be judged on the last day, by Christ. Second point: you are judged on the basis of what you know. Using the tired example of the tribesman in a mud hut, this tribesman in a mud hut has never heard of Christ. I don't think that person would be judged in the same way as someone who has. Or supposing you have heard of Christ, but what you've heard is inaccurate. Or maybe you've heard bits of accurate but not enough to make a whole picture. Do I know how God is going to judge you? No I don't. God is the judge. Not me. Thank goodness. I wouldn't want his job.

I want to be saved. I am being saved. Salvation is present continuous and future. You can't speak of it as the past participle, 'have been saved', unless you modify it with the other tenses. I am being saved, and I hope that I will be saved. But I can no longer use Protestant language of "I'm going to heaven for sure!". I can't say that! I'm not God. "Let he who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (I can't remember which Gospel that verse is from.)

My personal motto and favorite prayer is "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner."

I'm leaving the name alone for now...

I thought about renaming it "Theoloblog" but it turns out that's already taken.

I'm going to turn this into the site for my musing on matters theological and philosophical. I do a lot of listening to other people's opinions and nodding my head, uh huh, uh huh. It's hard for me to put forth an opinion verbally. I can do it in writing. But matters theological only make their way obliquely into my emails. I don't want to step on toes, hurt feelings, whatever. I keep a running commentary in my head.

Like tonight, I got invited to this thing, I thought it was going to be a birthday party. It turned out the first part was, well, not a Bible study exactly...a study on the topic of peace, and at the end everybody usually prays for world peace. Yeah, THAT'LL happen. It turned into a party later, and that was good. But I was kind of annoyed to have not been forewarned. It is hard to muster enthusiasm for a study of this kind when you are taking 19 frikin hours of theology already. What, more? Between chapel and classes I am doing "God stuff", so to speak, all day long. I have no objection to a free-flowing discussion- they happen naturally around here- but something organized annoys me.

I confess I was also annoyed by the opinion of the, er, sponsor of the evening. She seems to believe that all religions have functional equivalence. I don't agree. I think that Christianity is the best of all religions and that Orthodoxy is the best of Christianity. If I didn't believe it, I would be neither Christian nor Orthodox.

There was a discussion on another blog recently on the question of whether unbaptized babies go to hell. Interestingly enough, we discussed that in Dogmatic Theology class recently. The Orthodox viewpoint is that baptizing babies isn't freeing them of any 'original sin'-- we don't hold with that Augustinean concept--because a baby hasn't sinned yet. Baptism serves the function as initiation into the Church, into the kingdom of God. A person is only responsible for the sins that that person, personally, commits. A baby can be baptized because it is God who does the baptizing, ultimately...it does not depend on human reason but on the grace of God.

And now a true confession...my prayer life has been wretched lately. I am having enough trouble just dragging myself to church. We are supposed to go twice a day, Matins (7:30 am!) and Vespers (5 pm) on weekdays. I've only made it to Matins twice so far this semester. Missed Vespers tonight (but I had a good excuse, I was picking up an antibiotic for my sinus infection). I have to really push myself to get myself to go. But once I'm there, I like it. They are really meaningful. And aside from the whole corporate prayer thing, my personal prayer life is pretty darn lousy at the moment. It's another case of making myself carve out time and make myself do it. UGH! Time management1

I invite your comments!

NEW new name

Way of a Pilgrim sounds so...serious. Which is not what I feel like being at the moment. No, right now I'm doing what I do best, which is to say: procrastinating. And listening to the rain. I'm very good at listening to the rain, really.

The challenge here is that one can't be TOO forthcoming about all the interesting goings-on hereabouts or one will get in Trouble with the Powers That Be. Everyplace has got them, you know: why should this place be different?

The girls complained about the heat (by which I mean the lack thereof) in my dorm, and it ended in a smackdown. But we got the heat turned up. I also got the message: them that complains shall get smacked down. OK, whatever. Just like everyplace else!

The only way to have a place without problems- or politics- is to not have any people.

Way of a Pilgrim- new title, old blog, same old me

Well, for those of you who read my last post, and were wondering, "Did she actually fast?" the answer was: sort of.

I ate LOTS and LOTS of blini (russky pancakes) with sour cream (smetana in Russian). Technically, I wasn't supposed to do that, because smetana is dairy and dairy is verboten. Also, blini are made with butter, also dairy, also technically nonfasting food. But it was quick, and I was hungry, and I figured God would understand.

I haven't posted since March because April was difficult and May still more difficult. June was good, but so busy I hardly had a chance to catch my breath. (Hopefully more on that later.) July was AWFUL. I went home. It was not fun. August was better, since I was working. I was also Little Miz Stressed Out. Just couldn't deal with the thought of updating people.

But now I want to update people again. So here goes. I almost deleted the whole blog altogether, but then I figured I sort of wanted to keep the old posts, as a record of my life, or something. So I left them alone. I've always been a pack rat. :)

The reason I'm calling this blog (The New Old Blog) "Way of a Pilgrim" is because it's the title of a famous Orthodox book about a man who learns to really pray. And also because I do consider going to seminary to be a pilgrimage of sorts for me. Not sure if I'm up to it. The academics, for one thing...and having to wear a skirt EVERY SINGLE DAY for church twice a day...I can take the church- ok, I HOPE I can take the church every day- but the skirt thing? I'm going to break down and wear pants. That is TECHNICALLY allowed, but my momma didn't raise me to be wearing pants in church. That just isn't how I was raised. It's showing respect.

Evil spammers go home! Ugh. How do I delete the bad post responses and leave in the good ones? Not figuring this out.

I start seminary on Tuesday. Well, Tuesday is move-in day. I'm driving up Monday morning and staying with a friend in Long Island, and then driving an hour and a half (or so) to Crestwood, NY. Wherever the heck that is. I have only a vague idea of Places in the Great White North Yankeeland. I plan to wear my Washington Nationals baseball cap in NYC. Perish the thought of a New York Yankees hat touching my scalp. Ew! I would, however, buy me one of those NYPD hats. Or FDNY. But ballcaps aren't allowed on campus anyway. Not that I'm a big ballcap wearer.

Yes, I drive up Tuesday, and have not even BEGUN to pack...

(And If ANY of you reading this have ANY advice on how this whole blog-running thing works, I can use all the help I can get!)

Why I haven't posted since October!

I haven't posted since October because every time I used the computer last fall, I was at an internet cafe. It was enough for me to just keep up with email and the online forums that I frequent.

Anyway, I will make a sincere effort to put something here on a regular basis from now on.

For instance.

Recently I visited the kladbishe (cemetary) on the island. This cemetary is notable because St. Petersburg's native saint- St. Ksenia of St. Petersburg- is buried there. Her tomb is inside this little chapel. Her tomb doubles as the altar. There was a line that snaked around the building to get in there when I went there (around 1 in the afternoon) and when I left, the line was even longer than that. People pray leaning up against the church she's buried inside, as well as inside. You can give them a list of your friends/relatives to pray for and the priest will pray for them during the prayer service. They have them all day long, with short breaks in between (so the priest can get a drink of water, I presume!).

Lent is starting soon. Next week is what they call Maslenitsa here in Russia, from the word "Masla" which means 'butter.' Well, it also means 'oil.' For instance, olive oil is 'olivikichsky masla' (I think). In America, we Orthodox folks call that week "Meatfare Week," as in "goodbye to meat!" Next Sunday is Meatfare Sunday. The Sunday after that will be Cheesefare Sunday (goodbye to dairy products), also known as Forgiveness Sunday...Anyway, if I do it the way I'm supposed to do it, I'll basically be vegan during Lent. I have never made it vegan though. I start feeling faint and getting anemic. Maybe I'll just avoid meat and still eat dairy.

That's all for now!

In Russia for 3 weeks now!

..and this is the first chance I've really had to post here. If you've been checking this and come up empty- sorry!

Last week I switched to an easier class, went to an opera (followed by a bar), the Russian Museum, a pro soccer ("football") game, and went to the Hermitage yesterday.

Today I did laundry. And went shopping. I bought a hammer and nails and hammered the nails into my wall, after which I stuck my calendars (two) on the wall. I've been meaning to do that for about two weeks, but I finally got around to looking up the Russian word for 'hammer' and 'nail.' 'Hammer' is 'molotok' and I've already forgotten what 'nail' is.

I will start posting here more often now, since after all, what else is a blog for?

This demanded to be blogged.

Dairy Lama: The Land of Cheese Haiku

This is funny.

Wait a minute. Otherwise why would I post it?

National Lampoon's MoveOnPlease.org: Democracy Inaction

Classic Onion headline...

The Onion | Kerry Unveils One-Point Plan For Better America

The kind of thing that makes America great...

A Chicken in Every Driveway

Town in Georgia overrun by wild chickens.

More on the subject...

Opinion - Chris Floyd's Global Eye - The St. Petersburg Times. General news from St.Petersburg and Russia

On the same subject, and worth reading...

Yahoo! News - 'Enemy Contact. Kill 'em, Kill 'em.'

A depressing article, but a must-read.

TRAINED TO KILL Christianity Today, August 10, 1998

What we are doing to our soldiers to train them to kill is being done to our children by the mass media.

This is so true...

The Times May Change but Mops Stay the Same

Note to self: do not forget to bring a Swifter...

How drunk do you have to be to do this?

Police: Tenant Ate Landlady's Dog

Sick drunk bastard...

Why I do not want a hippo

Straight Dope Staff Report: Are hippos the most dangerous animal?

This is excellent.

McSweeney's Internet Tendency: Possible Follow-up Songs for One-Hit Wonders

Similar to the Movie Theater Fool...the Concert Fool.

Just One Request (washingtonpost.com)

This article explains all.

This post is so true!

Below The Eight: You Stupid, Stupid Homo Sapiens

What NOT to do at the movies...

He beats our current presidential candidates, that's for sure.

AP Wire | 07/26/2004 | Donkey Wins Colorado Mayoral Election

One of Dave Barry's better columns...

Herald.com | 07/26/2004 | Check your stupid hats and tapeworms at door

Funny actual newspaper headlines, collected by journalists

June 30 - Daily Jokes and Trivia at Pop Culture Madness

Dave Barry on 'The Da Vinci Code'

Herald.com | 06/27/2004 | `The DaVinci Code,' cracked

This parody, besides being wickedly funny, is spot-on. If you want to see what the pacing and plot of that awful book are like, look no further. Only read it if, like me, you feel compelled to keep up with the zeitgeist whether you like it or not. BLEACH!

The Da Vinci Code = lamentable tripe

...It's so bad, I'm running out of adjectives to describe how bad it is. It's a lamentable, excrable piece of tripe. Why are people reading this awful excuse for a book? It's choppy, wooden, poorly paced, and the characters are cardboard cutouts. The "romance" at the end of it is a joke. There's no leadup. All of a sudden the chick comes on to the guy. There's your romance. Maybe it's romance for dummies.

That's not even getting into the ridiculous theological part of it and how wrong the man is about church history (and I know that subject, trust me on this one). Because, fact is, I may not believe in whatever theology you are constructing your universe around, but if you can tell me a good story, I can suspend my disbelief for the duration of your book/series. But you have to sell it to me. Because it is bad fiction! Bad! Bad! Bad!

The only reason I didn't quit reading in the first chapter, where I realized How Very Bad it was, was that this was the book everybody has read and I wanted to be able to comment coherently on it. So there ya go. My coherent comment.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately!

I've been on vacation. Need I say more?

:)

Once again, a link to Gene Weingarten's chat...

Chatological Humor* (washingtonpost.com)

Read it. It's funny.

Gene Weingarten is usually funny.

The mind boggles at this.

Firehouse.com: : Car vs. Telephone Wires in Texas

Especially the fact that the driver LEFT THE CAR RUNNING!

RIP Marlon Brando

The Spoof - McDonald's Stock Collapses on News of Brando Death

Somehow life must go on...

FOXNews.com - Views - Tongue Tied column

FOXNews.com - Views - Tongue Tied - Evil Eye Contact, Angry Hermaphrodites

This column is quite interesting...

Happy Fourth of July!

...Since I sincerely doubt I'll be posting tomorrow...

Don't get burnt by any bottle rockets, ya'll.

OK, I tried changing the template colors...

...and I wound up making the background for the top title section white and the words black.

I don't want the title section white and the words black. I want the title section BLUE and the words WHITE.

WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO FIGURE OUT?!?!?

GRR.

I'd go back to my original blog colors, but that template had absolutely no links, and this one at least has links. But be forewarned: the colors and template here are subject to change! (Once I figure out how the HECK to do it.)

That is all...

Another article about icons- this one, a much easier read.

The Icon FAQ

This is pretty much a point-by-point Q and A in reference to common Protestant objections to icons. Very helpful. Read this one first!

An excellent article on the theology of Orthodox iconography...

The Iconic and Symbolic in Orthodox Iconography

It's a bit dense, but it's excellent, and well written.

A great site with links to all things Orthodox Christian...check it out!

TheoLogic Systems Orthodox WorldLinks

Gene Weingarten's weekly chat on Washingtonpost.com

Chatological Humor* (washingtonpost.com)

Funny, as usual...

I'm not against this idea.

William Safire: Time to abolish penny | The Arizona Daily Star

I dig this.

MAXIM ONLINE: What kind of people cover their bar in pennies? The lucky kind!

It's not like they're actually WORTH anything anyway...

Tea, fluoride, and your thyroid...sobering reading...

Green Tea...

...The worst thing about it is, I really like tea!

A short summary of the article: Tea is high in fluoride.
Fluoride is really, really, really bad for your thyroid gland.

Engrish.com

Welcome to Engrish.com!

This is excellent! Very funny.

And having taught ESL, I know that all those misspellings and grammatical errors are commoner than most people think...

Sorry for the lack of posts lately...

...I was away in New Jersey visiting relatives last weekend, and then I had a horrible migraine for the last two days. I didn't want to go anywhere near a computer yesterday, since all light was hurting my eyes. I wore sunglasses indoors. I'm reminded of that '80s song, "I wear my sunglasses at night." I totally can't remember another word of the song.

Apparently my settings have all gone wacky on the blog...I will have to check.

A very insightful website...

Spoons

"But You Don't Look Sick?"

I can relate to this article. I don't have to ration my 'spoons' the way I used to, but I still have to be careful so as not to deplete my reserves.

But considering a few years ago I could barely get out of bed, I am doing stellar now.

Edited to add: I should specify that I don't personally have lupus. What I have is hypothyroidism. I never got an official "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" or fibromyalgia diagnosis- even though I had all the symptoms- more often, I got idiot doctors telling me I was hypochondriac. I really appreciated that, considering I felt like the walking dead.

But it turned out I was hypothyroid. Thank God for Dr. Ilagan, who diagnosed me. I wish it had come earlier- most of my twenties were prostrated to overwhelming fatigue- but at least it came at 29, not 39 or 49.

I'm sure I'll post more on that subject later.

Successfully edited the template!

Woo-HOO!

Now I gotta add the HTML tutorial to my links section.

I have WAY TOO MUCH TO DO!

and not enough time to do it!

AAARGH!

That is all. You may resume your regularly scheduled blogging.

I could use some pointers on how to customize this sucker.

Thanks in advance...

I'm scheduled for my international travel shots!

July 28th, starring Blogchik the human pincushion. The Health Department will give me the shots. I'll get Tetanus/Diptheria (free, fortunately), Hepatitis A ($26), Hepatitis B ($35), Typhoid (Oral is $37, Injectable is $43), Polio (free), and I'll probably get a TB test. I wish I could get the TB vaccine, but they don't vaccinate for TB in this country, the more fool they. I know there is a vaccine for TB because my dad got it in Iran back in the day.

People are always yakking near my desk.

AARGH. Especially the cleaning ladies. Yak, yak, yak. They're either yakking with each other or they're yakking on the phone. Clean the dang bathroom and go away!

Ah, finally, SILENCE....

Teologic's guide to religions (below) is quite interesting..

...later on I'll post my responses to it.

I also like his 'short history of China': it matches well with what I learned in my college course on the subject.

Teleologic Blog

A heartwarming story.

Stevens Point Journal - Firefighters rescue ducklings from sewer

This is truly an inspiring game.

SheepGame

This is actually cool.

I am such a nostalgic fool.

Frozen Dairy Bar poster

This is great...

It's a collection of the "You haven't lived here if..." stories from the Washington Post. Locals recommend their favorite haunts. Of course the Frozen Dairy Bar is there...

I will probably stop there tomorrow! :)

Visitors Guide Feature

More on the Frozen Dairy Bar...

...maybe I should give it one more try. I still think it can't taste as good as it did on the old machines.

Frozen Dairy Bar Returns--Again!

By Dave Conway, 21 April 2001

That's right! The 50 year-old Frozen Dairy Bar that used to be located in a freestanding building on Route 50 near Annandale Road (the site of the current IHOP) is back! The new location is a stone's throw away from the old one in Sleepy Hollow Center between IHOP and CVS.

Those of us who remember the smooth, creamy taste of the chocolate and vanilla ice cream also remember the long lines and high prices. When the original owners returned to Sleepy Hollow Center a few years ago, the long lines were replaced by unfriendly service, stark décor, and random closings.

The new owners have been customers of the Frozen Dairy Bar since their early childhood. If you stopped by over the last six months, you probably noticed that the servings were bigger, the prices cheaper, and the service friendly. Just recently, they redecorated by turning the counter to give customers more room and by adding some décor.

Unfortunately, the taste was not quite as creamy as it used to be many years ago. The original machines had been poorly maintained, and the former owners replaced them years ago with a more traditional ice cream making machine. If you stop by now, you will taste a difference. The current owners have purchased a new version of the old-fashioned custard machine that makes a smoother, creamier ice cream. It slowly drops into refrigerated buckets and must be scooped by hand-just like it used to be!

The new owners have a passion for the local community. They are partnering with Westlawn and other area elementary schools to provide certificates for free ice cream cones, which they call Sweet Treat Awards, to students for various accomplishments. They also pay to advertise in our newsletter, and give us a coupon to boot! The more we frequent them and other businesses that advertise in our newsletter, the more likely they are to stay and provide our community with useful services. Bon appetìt!

OK, I'm going back to the Frozen Dairy Bar now...

...I gotta see if it tastes the same. Nobody else in the world made ice cream like the Frozen Dairy Bar. Nobody!

I like it that the new owner is a local who grew up with it. Ya gotta love a place like that.

From the March 27, 2003 edition of the Falls Church News-Press

Auto Paint and Body Works, or Johnston's Garage

...is famous in the area for the random figurines on the building.
A lot has been taken down in the past 14 years. The article below
tells why. The original owner of the shop retired, and the shop is
threatened by potential highway expansion. The highway expansion
has been postponed (just learned it in the Washington Post), but
it's probably just a matter of time.

Sigh. And people wonder why I want to leave this area? You get to
love something, and they tear it down. The bastards.

johnstons_garage

The 29 Diner

...is still open! It survives from the '50s or '60s (not sure which). I'm told that Greeks own it. The Greeks in Troy, New York told me this. I don't know how they know this, but I guess they all know each other. Or they know people who know people. Six degrees of separation and all that.

Fun place to eat.

Route 29 Tastee Diner

Evans Farm Inn....

...also fell prey to the developers, that horde of locusts, a pox on their houses.

I had my "Unwedding" there just before the locusts swarmed over it. The "Unwedding"? Oh, that. I was supposed to be getting married on that day, but it got called off because he was/is [a string of unprintable words]. But my folks had already reserved the reception hall, so we had kind of a family reunion party thing. It was good. It stopped me from staying home and moping and feeling sorry for myself.

Evans Farm Inn

Whitey's has also bit the dust

Although thankfully I got to see it before it went. It was a restaurant/bar that played live music.

Whitey's

Frozen Dairy Bar

What the Frozen Dairy Bar used to look like. Classic. But, alas, gone! Stupid Fairfax County developers...grrr...

Frozen Dairy Bar

Article on the current home of the Frozen Dairy Bar

The original Frozen Dairy Bar had a '50s era building and a '50s era ice cream machine, with a neon sign. It was an area landmark. An IHOP now stands where it once stood, thanks to the soulless landlord who owns the property, the asshat. I am skeptical of the new Frozen Dairy Bar. Could it possibly taste the same with a 2001 machine? I think not...

I had my first kiss at the Frozen Dairy Bar...

Falls Church News Press - June 17, 2004

random poem

I gotta breathe, man
I gotta be free
I gotta get out of here
If I'm gonna be me

I've been here too long
And I got out of breath
Sucked the life out of me
Til I was wishin for death

But baby I'm out of here
Baby I'm gone
Two more months, shed no tears
Cause I gotta get out of here

Can a non-gourmet cook actually MAKE this recipe?

It sounds awesome, but jeez louise, how complex can it be?

EPICURIOUS: RECIPE: GINGER-LIME COCONUT CAKE WITH MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

*sigh*

I am such a recipe-collector, I saved it to my Epicurious recipe box. With all the other recipes. I don't even know how many are in there. I've never made any of them. I just collect them, in the hopes that one of these days I actually will.

I collected a whole box worth of recipes from here and there. One day it wound up in the garage. I don't know if it's still there, but if it is, it's probably in awful shape. Pity. It took like 5 years to collect all that. But no worries, I've started a new recipe pile...yes, pathetic, I know...

This is the kind of story that makes America great.

Note how the crowd cheered for the Chee-to.

CNN.com - Giant Cheeto goes live - Mar. 15, 2003

Behold the Giant Dreadlock

of the World's Longest Hair...20 feet long and hasn't been washed in 6 years. EW!

Yahoo! News - World Photos - AP

Another description of an ENFJ...by D. Keirsey...

...I don't know how much of this actually applies to yours truly. I'm definitely not in the 'absolutely reliable' category...

from http://keirsey.com/personality/nfej.html

Portrait of the Teacher (eNFj)

Copyrighted © 1996 Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.

The Idealists called Teachers are abstract in their thought and speech, cooperative in their style of achieving goals, and directive and extraverted in their interpersonal relations. Learning in the young has to be beckoned forth, teased out from its hiding place, or, as suggested by the word "education," it has to be "educed." by an individual with educative capabilities. Such a one is the eNFj, thus rightly called the educative mentor or Teacher for short. The Teacher is especially capable of educing or calling forth those inner potentials each learner possesses. Even as children the Teachers may attract a gathering of other children ready to follow their lead in play or work. And they lead without seeming to do so.

Teachers expect the very best of those around them, and this expectation, usually expressed as enthusiastic encouragement, motivates action in others and the desire to live up to their expectations. Teachers have the charming characteristic of taking for granted that their expectations will be met, their implicit commands obeyed, never doubting that people will want to do what they suggest. And, more often than not, people do, because this type has extraordinary charisma.

The Teachers are found in no more than 2 or 3 percent of the population. They like to have things settled and arranged. They prefer to plan both work and social engagements ahead of time and tend to be absolutely reliable in honoring these commitments. At the same time, Teachers are very much at home in complex situations which require the juggling of much data with little pre-planning. An experienced Teacher group leader can dream up, effortlessly, and almost endlessly, activities for groups to engage in, and stimulating roles for members of the group to play. In some Teachers, inspired by the responsiveness of their students or followers, this can amount to genius which other types find hard to emulate. Such ability to preside without planning reminds us somewhat of an Provider, but the latter acts more as a master of ceremonies than as a leader of groups. Providers are natural hosts and hostesses, making sure that each guest is well looked after at social gatherings, or that the right things are expressed on traditional occasions, such as weddings, funerals, graduations, and the like. In much the same way, Teachers value harmonious human relations about all else, can handle people with charm and concern, and are usually popular wherever they are. But Teachers are not so much social as educational leaders, interested primarily in the personal growth and development of others, and less in attending to their social needs.



Mikhail Gorbachev is an example of a Teacher Idealist.

A full description of the Teacher and the Idealists is in Please Understand Me or Please Understand Me II.

Here's where the Meyers-Briggs test came from...

HumanMetrics - Internet online relationships, personality and entrepreneur tests, personal solution center

I can't imagine why they left out "free." They put in everything else, didn't they?

ENFJ Profile

ENFJ Profile

Let's see if this works. I'm going to have some editing to do!

OK, it worked. Author of the profile is Joe Butt...my, what an unfortunate name...

Apparently, today, I'm an ENFJ.

I took the Meyers-Briggs for the umpty-umpth time this morning. I usually wind up as an ENFP, although one time I wound up an INFP. This time I wound up in the ENFJ category. What does this prove, anyway? I think it's more that my self-perception has changed than my actual personality.

Your Type is
ENFJ
Extroverted Intuitive Feeling Judging
Strength of the preferences %
1 11 44 33

(So I'm 1% Extroverted, 11% Intuitive, 44% Feeling and 33% Judging. Allegedly. Whatever.)

Qualitative analysis of your type formula

You are:
slightly expressed extrovert

slightly expressed intuitive personality

moderately expressed feeling personality

moderately expressed judging personality

If you haven't checked out the Washington Post's Style Invitational...

You should.

The Style Invitational (washingtonpost.com)

Last Sunday's (June 20th) edition: Week 563: Take Two

Ugly Dress.com - Bridesmaid Dresses From Hell

Ugly Dress.com - Bridesmaid Dresses From Hell

What can I say. Wow. Check these out and watch your mind boggle.

I lucked out- I got to wear a tasteful red number with spaghetti straps to my brother's wedding. It would not qualify for this website. Thank God.

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

(My motto. All rights reserved. Copyright 2004.)

You can guess by my previous post WHY that is my motto.

I accomplished something this weekend!

I went to LL Bean and exchanged my ancient (vintage '92) battered, loved-to-death red backpack for a brand spankin new one. Although now I'm debating on returning it for the "Turbo Transit" bag they didn't have back in the day. You could fit a VW Bug in the Turbo Transit. And let's face it, isn't that the kind of bag that you need? One that can hold everything and then some?

I also bought some squish bags. Squish bags are those thingies that you can squish all the air out so you can put more stuff in your suitcase. Relevant because in 2 months I'm off to St. Petersburg. (The one in Russia, not the one in Florida.) Barring disaster. Godwillinandthecrikdon'trise.

I have too many things to juggle to get ready for this trip, and I don't like juggling. As far as literal juggling...well, I can't. I can throw an apple back and forth, though.