Sound like me?

Just took a little personality test thing. I'm a total sucker for this kind of thing. If you are too, here ya go. http://www. 9types. com/newtest/homepage. actual. html


The Peacemaker (the Nine)

Peacemakers are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.

How to Get Along with Me

* If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don't like expectations or pressure.
* I like to listen and to be of service, but don't take advatage of this.
* Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit.
* Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It's OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally.
* Ask me questions to help me get clear.
* Tell me when you like how I look. I'm not averse to flattery.
* Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings.
* I like a good discussion but not a confrontation.
* Let me know you like what I've done or said.
* Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life.

What I Like About Being a Nine

* being nonjudgmental and accepting
* caring for and being concerned about others
* being able to relax and have a good time
* knowing that most people enjoy my company; I'm easy to be around
* my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator
* my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now
* being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe

What's Hard About Being a Nine

* being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive
* being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline
* being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally
* being confused about what I really want
* caring too much about what others will think of me
* not being listened to or taken seriously

Nines as Children Often

* feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant
* tune out a lot, especially when others argue
* are "good" children: deny anger or keep it to themselves

Nines as Parents

* are supportive, kind, and warm
* are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective

Feeling small

Feeling small, and stealing idea's from Jayne's blog.

I took a trip to Northern California not long after I graduated. (Which was a year ago now. My my!) I love the Redwoods for so many reasons. I went by myself, which meant, quiet.

Quiet.

Total. Complete. Quiet.

For a while, the only time I was alone was when I was in my car. I would drive and drive and drive, just to be by myself. And while I could turn off the radio and find an isolated road, it was not... quiet. Take a hike into the forest? Quiet. I am melting a little just thinking about it. silence.




And it is so BIG. The ocean is so big. The trees are big, the sky is big, the mountains are big. Nature does a beautiful job of putting one back in ones place. "You think your problems are important? Think again." (For example, the photo below. You see the peninsula of sand. On the bottom left side of the main part of the peninsula you see a darkened area. Not a shadow, but seals. The little sandy area this side of the peninsula... boulder at the point... there are people on both sides, fishing.) The world is big. Real big.



And we are but a speck in time. Here is some petrified wood.


Have I mentioned that small feeling? I could easily walk into this tree without ducking. I am 5'6. How neat.



Alone time is not given enough credit. True quiet is underappreciated. Feared actually. Who wants a lull in the conversation?

I do.

Congratulations!

My Dearest Lance,

Congratulations! You passed PLU!


Sometimes you were up,


Sometimes, you were down.


But we all know how talented you are,


So there was never any doubt.


Love you lots, and job well done my friend.

Because... he ties the antlers together... with tape.

And there you have it.

Happy holidays everyone!

Bristle Bots

I'm not sure why I found this so hilarious, but I did. I had a video posted, but it was large and obtrusive and blurry, so here is a nice, neat link to the bristle bots. (When viewing the bot in action, I like to mentally add an array of sound effects... *weeeeeeee!!* or *vrooooom- beep beep!* for example. Don't be afraid to be creative!)

Let me tell you a story

Wednesday, November 26, 2008. I am sprawled out on the living room floor trying to figure out an easy-yet-delicious Thanksgiving meal for two. I am on the phone with Joel. "What is the difference between 'salted' and 'unsalted' butter?" and "You really don't think stuffing pairs well with Thai-style beef or Mandarin Sole?" Fine. Steak and potatoes it is. I've got to figure out a way to haul all this stuff up to Mt.Rainier anyway. James and I are going to be kicking it at one of his client's cabin/houses for the holiday.

I get a call. It's James. No more cabin in the woods. Would have been cool to know before now, but, I'm calm. Calmer than you are. Calmer than you are.

I am at the grocery store, on the phone with my mom. "What the hell is 'light cream'? There is whipping cream, light whipping cream, half and half, half cream half light cream, heavy cream, dense cream, fluffy cream, yo mama's cream…. no goddamned 'light cream'." Hold on, I've got a call.

Its Caitlin! Really? Caitlin?

Long story short, I get to be a bridesmaid. ☺

Shit… "Mom? You still there? Frozen green beans are fine right? You just what… throw 'em in some boiling water for a bit right? Mom? Mom, how do I bake a potato? It looks easy, but do I wrap it in something? Rub anything on it? How hot? How long? I don’t have any toothpicks… will a chopstick work? Wait, different recipe…what does 'sift ingredients together' mean? I don't have anything to 'sift' with. All I remember is that Mrs. Mahacheck said sifting is very important. She also said that nobody wants green muffins, so fold gently. I fucking hate cooking."

New call. "Lance? Lets get drunk. I'll make you dessert."

Thursday, November 27, 2008. Thanksgiving day. Hung over. Shower: check. Teeth brushed: check. Coffee: check. To be totally honest with you, I don't even know what I did the first half of the day. Whatever. James came by! We. Sat. And. Did. Nothing.

Time for action. Satellite Coffee: open Thanksgiving day from 10-2. Free French press and cookies: check. Walk in Wrights Park: check.

Now it gets exciting. Hold on to your shorts ladies and gentlemen. What I am about to say will surely blow your minds.

We….went…to…a… movie!!

No really, it was fun. I recommend the flick. Australia. (http://www.australiamovie.com/) I fell out of love with Nichole Kidman, back in love, out of love, back in love… I think I still love her. I do. I love the woman. Add her to my "Celebrity 'TO DO' list."

Time to eat. Now. I am not sure if it is possible for the average human being to mess up green beans. I, Kara Ann Gjesdal, managed to accomplish just this task. I will just say that the salt came out MUCH faster and in FAR greater quantities than I had anticipated. We joked that if you imagined them to be green bean flavored pretzels, they would still be too salty.

We finished our dinner, we conversed. I started to get a bit… antsy. I was having difficulty finishing sentences. I could not focus. On anything. At all. My eyes darted, my fingers moved without me telling them to. I began to panic.

I kicked James out. ("Happy Thanksgiving, hope you had a lovely time, and now you need to leave.")

I closed the door behind him, hit the floor, cried for about 1 minute, had a full fledged anxiety attack, cried for another minute, took a walk, took a bath, and melted into bed.

The rest of my day was uneventful. As was the rest of my weekend. Uneventful in a fabulous way. I LIKE uneventful. I did not get food poisoning, I did not get in a fight with anyone, I did not cut myself while shaving, I did not get trampled by the black Friday crowds.

Yaaayyyyy ME