oh, lauren

The Myers-Briggs

Posted on June 18, 2013

I am sure many of you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test. You may have taken it at work, school or for fun online.

If you haven’t, this one at HumanMetrics is pretty popular. However, I prefer these two: kisa.ca/personality and discordia-inc.co.uk/misc/mbtitest.html And John’s Personality Test is new, but it’s kinda fun.

I personally think the tests are not very accurate (as I believe they measure behavior while the theory these tests are based on revolve around how a person thinks) and they take a good amount of self-awareness to take properly, however, they are a decent enough place to start. You can help confirm your results by reading descriptions of several types. (For example, if the result is ISTJ, I suggest reading ISTJ, ESTJ, INTJ or even ISFP.)

A benefit to learning about personalities is learning about yourself and about other people – how we are similar and different, how to get long better, what drives us, etc.

Without getting into any theory today (and watch it, I may in the future – I LOVE the MBTI and Jung and the study of personality – so this is a warning!) I just wanted to share what my own type is, a little snippet about it and ask what your type is!

I am an INFJ. This stands for Introvert, Intuition, Feeling, Perceiving. INFJs are the rarest type, at about 1-3% of the population and we are nicknamed the “Counselors” and are known for being very complex.

INFJs are “old souls.” Many grow up feeling wiser than would be predicted by their chronological age. Having discovered the benefits of their Introverted Intuition (Ni) quite early in life, INFJs grow to trust its judgments and insights. They may take on the role of counseling and advising their friends and siblings, or even adult family members, from a fairly young age. [..]

INFJs see two people in everyone. They see the public persona, the outer shell, that everyone else sees. But more importantly, their Ni provides a deeper sense or impression people, penetrating appearances and reading hidden motives and intentions. Rightly or not, INFJs often feel they can see people more clearly than those people can see themselves. [..]

More specifically, INFJs are far less serious inwardly than they may appear outwardly. Their inner world is well described as playful, imaginative, colorful, mischievous, and daring. [..]

While INFJs are deeply theoretical, they don’t build their theories by consciously assembling facts in the way that Thinking or Sensing types might. Rather, INFJs see general connections and patterns by way of their Intuition; they experience everything as interconnected. [..]

INFJs also have a deep concern for quality. [..] Perhaps more than anything, INFJs love spending time engrossed in meaningful conversation. Because of their verbosity and communal nature, they are commonly mistaken for Extraverts.
– http://personalityjunkie.com/the-infj/

What is your Myers-Briggs personality type? Do you think it fits you?
What do you think about this whole system?

Posted by Lauren
No Comments

PA Motorcycle Safety Course

Posted on April 30, 2013

So, my Ewok friend, Teenahpea, said I had to write a post – she’s been harassing me and threatened to bite me, so I guess I better do it.

I have a new venture coming up in my life. I have signed up to take the PA motorcycle safety course! I passed the written permit test and have my permit in hand, and next week I go through four days of classes (with my husband, he’s joining me). The class is free for Pennsylvania residents and they provide bikes and helmets, so we just had to buy boots, gloves and protective eye wear and we’re all ready to go.

I’ve never ridden before, but I have ridden on the back of motorcycles – my dad had a Harley. Ever since riding on the back, I’ve wanted to have my own bike so it’s pretty exciting. I can (mostly) ride a bicycle (haha) so that’s good.. right? I also can’t drive a stick, so that should be fun to learn shifting (snort).

I’ve sat on a few in the show room to get a feel of different sizes and weights, so that has been really helpful. I wish I could get a chance to play around with a bike before the class to give me more confidence though.

I’ve been watching videos on YouTube, and the more I watch, the LESS confident I become, haha! It’s going to be like gym class all over again.. I’ll be the slowest and the worst. hehe Did I mention I have very little spatial intelligence?

Between my lack of hand-eye coordination, balance and general inability to be able to walk without running into things.. the fact I can’t drive a stick and I barely passed gym class – you guys are stoked right? Total confidence in me, right?

Posted by Lauren
4 Comments

Christmas Cards

Posted on December 16, 2012

If you would like a Christmas card from me or would like to exchange cards, please drop me an email with your address to orange@ohlauren.com!

Posted by Lauren
1 Comment

I’m Still Alive

Posted on November 15, 2012

[amber waves of grain..]

I am absolutely horrible at this regular blogging thing, aren’t I? As usual, stressful things happened and I just haven’t been in the mood to keep up because of that.

So, right now I’m trying to find a virtual volunteer opportunity. Websites like VolunteerMatch.org and Idealist.org have them – it could be something like keeping up a non-profit’s social media presence, or working a teen helpline, or I don’t know.. I’m curious about grant writing. I don’t have any experience with it, but I’m definitely curious at the moment. I like the combination of writing, getting to know an organization deeply, and research. Plus, it’s soemthing new. I think it would be interesting for a curious person like myself, though I worry about getting exhausted from the details. I can be detail-oriented, but I don’t think it’s natural for me. (Now, if they had a volunteer opportunity for “someone who endlessly rambles” I would be IN!)

Right now I’m looking for an organization that I particularly feel drawn to though, which is more difficult than it seems. Though I’d probably give to almost anywhere if you went around asking, lol, I think I have to have more connection than that in order to volunteer.

Hopefully I’ll come up with something and you’ll hear more about this in the future.

Posted by Lauren
2 Comments

Postcard Thursday: Kennywood

Posted on September 27, 2012

Hey! I got this postcard from Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh, PA. (Yay for another actual place I’ve been to out of my postcards!)

I have family in that area, so it’s an amusement park I’ve been to a few times! It’s a great one. I don’t know though.. having grown up right by Hershey Park, it’s a hard decision on which PA park is better. I mean, Hershey has chocolate. So there you go.

Kennywood Park
Pittsburgh, Pa.
“The Nation’s Greatest Picnic Park”
The Lagoon at Kennywood takes on magic hues at night, as thousands of lights flicker across the water among the boaters.

Check out the rest of my Postcard Project.

Posted by Lauren
3 Comments

Photos: York Fair

Posted on September 26, 2012

I finally got my quintessential “hipster” photo and can check that off my bucket list and become an official hipster. I went to the York Fair, in PA last weekend and I had a great time. I road the gravitron, which is pretty much the best ride in existence, ever. I mean come on, you can STICK TO A WALL.

But the shot I love that I got is this first one of the swings.

We are leaving for Missouri tomorrow! So, hopefully I will blog some from my phone, but we’ll see. We’re driving, so it’s going to take forever, so that’s plenty of time to send pointless photos to my blog, yes? haha

Prayers for a safe trip, please!

Posted by Lauren
3 Comments

20 Questions Day Ten: Odd Beliefs

Posted on September 23, 2012

This is going to be the last of these questions for a few weeks, because next week, we’re leaving to go visit my husband’s family in Joplin, Missouri for a week.

Do you believe in anything “odd” – UFOs, ghosts, horoscopes, superstitions, etc.?

So, umm my short answer is “no”, haha. I guess I should have written something that I could answer more interestingly.

I don’t really believe in any superstitions, but I kind of have an attachment to the number 13, since I was born on the 13th. So instead of being scared of that number, I love it, ha. Also, again not a belief, but back in 1995, I turned 13 on Friday the 13th.. of October at that. Pretty cool, right?

As far as aliens.. I guess I could see if there was life on other planets, but I kind of doubt it personally, not really sure why.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a UFO, haha.

And ghosts.. it’s interesting and creepy hearing other people’s stories. I’m not sure that I believe in ghosts, I guess I tend to think that people’s experiences generally have a psychological cause. However, if they ARE real, I don’t know what I believe they really are.. like are they good/bad? That sort of thing.

So, yeah that was my nice boring answer!

[20 Questions]

1. What age did you learn to ride a bike?
2. Do you remember your first day of kindergarten? What was it like?
3. What was your first car? What did you love/hate about it?
4. Who is/are your hero(es)?
5. What is one of your favorite memories from your childhood?
6. Do you play an instrument? If not, what would you want to play if you could?
7. What’s something on your “bucket list”?
8. What were you like in middle school? What were your clothing/music choices? (Around 12 years old.)
9. What is something adventurous you’d like to do someday?
10. Do you believe in anything “odd” – UFOs, ghosts, horoscopes, superstitions, etc.?
11. What’s something you’re interested in that no one really knows about or no one would really understand?
12. What’s your favorite nostalgic song? What does it remind you of?
13. If you could learn one new skill or pick up a new hobby, what would you like to do?
14. What’s your favorite book? Magazine?
15. What’s your religion/religious beliefs?
16. What are you going to name your children? Or, what are your favorite names in general?
17. Who was your childhood best friend? Do you still keep in touch?
18. Tell us your life philosophy?
19. Tell us a secret talent!
20. Create your own question and answer it!

Check out the other 20 Questions, grab my badge and join in!

(If you’re viewing this in a reader, you might have to come out to see the badge code..)

Posted by Lauren
No Comments

20 Questions Day Nine: Adventure

Posted on September 21, 2012

So, tonight we’re going to a Leon Russell concert in Baltimore, and I’m really excited. Except.. I’m sick – I have a cold/sore throat, and even though I don’t have a fever, I still feel like I have a fever.

But, I am determined to not miss the greatest dirty hippy singer/songwriter of all time.

If you don’t know who he is – even if you weren’t even alive in the 70s (which I wasn’t either so no excuse) – shame on you. haha

Anyway..

What is something adventurous you’d like to do someday?

This is kind of like the bucket list question, but obviously specifically about adventure. My husband answered that he would love to live in another country for sometime, and that’s something I’m interested in too, but I’m not sure if it’s really what I was thinking of when I wrote the question, even though I definitely do think it’s adventurous.

I’m thinking something more in the moment exciting, more thrill ride – like parasailing or bungee jumping. I don’t think I’d ever bungee jump, but I do think I’d go parasailing. It just seems really fun and exciting!

Or I just thought of something else. I think I’d like to go urban exploring – like exploring abandoned buildings, that sort thing. It has everything needed for my own (just decided) definition of adventure – danger, excitment-in-the-moment, going somewhere others won’t go, the possibility of getting arrested.

So, yeah, those are my answers. Also Sam’s answer is my answer too. Haha, take that.

[20 Questions]

1. What age did you learn to ride a bike?
2. Do you remember your first day of kindergarten? What was it like?
3. What was your first car? What did you love/hate about it?
4. Who is/are your hero(es)?
5. What is one of your favorite memories from your childhood?
6. Do you play an instrument? If not, what would you want to play if you could?
7. What’s something on your “bucket list”?
8. What were you like in middle school? What were your clothing/music choices? (Around 12 years old.)
9. What is something adventurous you’d like to do someday?
10. Do you believe in anything “odd” – UFOs, ghosts, horoscopes, superstitions, etc.?
11. What’s something you’re interested in that no one really knows about or no one would really understand?
12. What’s your favorite nostalgic song? What does it remind you of?
13. If you could learn one new skill or pick up a new hobby, what would you like to do?
14. What’s your favorite book? Magazine?
15. What’s your religion/religious beliefs?
16. What are you going to name your children? Or, what are your favorite names in general?
17. Who was your childhood best friend? Do you still keep in touch?
18. Tell us your life philosophy?
19. Tell us a secret talent!
20. Create your own question and answer it!

Check out the other 20 Questions, grab my badge and join in!

(If you’re viewing this in a reader, you might have to come out to see the badge code..)

Posted by Lauren
1 Comment

Postcard Thursday: Dollywood

Posted on September 20, 2012

Hey! I acquired this postcard in Dollywood. We went to Tennessee on our one and only family vacation growing up. I don’t remember much about Dollywood itself, except being dragged to boring shows, haha, and a few rides.

But I do remember seeing bears. I also got to ride a horse, ice skate and go on a helicopter ride that trip. That was the first time and (sadly) the last time I got to do all three of those things.

The colorful and fragrant beauty of over 250,000 flowers and the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains make Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee a nature lover’s dream.

Check out the rest of my Postcard Project.

Posted by Lauren
1 Comment

20 Questions Day Eight: Middle School

Posted on September 20, 2012

What were you like in middle school? What were your clothing/music choices?

Ooo, this is a fun one! Well, middle school puts me around the years of 1995-1997. I’m thinking that flannel shirts unbuttoned over t-shirts with either khakis or wide legged jeans were popular then, so that’s what I was wearing. I think it was the beginning of flare/bootcut coming back and wide-leg carpenter jeans were the first. I had a pink flannel shirt that I loved, mostly t-shirts and jeans though. And those low-cut Skechers boots, duh. I know you know what I’m talking about. And those black/white Adidas sandals with the massage things.. the ones that would make your feet in so much agony and pain you would cry.. for the first day.. then after that they were amazing and you’d live in them, sometimes even with socks on too. Yeesh, they’re still popular.

I still had long, long hair (past mid-back) and glasses then (I cut my hair to about shoulder length and got contacts in high school).

I mainly listened to pop/pop rock.. Backstreet Boys for sure, and stuff like Alanis Morisette and Natalie Merchant, Joan Osborne.. Wonderwall, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.. that normal stuff. Gangsta’s Paradise, haha. TLC definitely. I remember learning all the words to the Waterfalls rap in middle school and singing at dances. Oh, I’m thinking Boyz II Men maybe, in early middle school. I was transitioning from country from my childhood, but I started buying CDs like crazy then.

As a person, I was pretty quiet in middle school, except around my friends. I had a lot of friends, but was just a typical kid.. and no goth subculture for me, haha. Lots of boy obsession, of course, though I didn’t really like anyone in specific. I may have still liked J.T.T. then.. haha. I was pretty innocent compared to my friends, but still talked the talk with the whole middle school humor/swearing/sex talk typical stuff.

I did choir, started band in 8th grade, but there really wasn’t a ton to do in middle school. My friend taught me how to play chess then ha. Did we do Pogs then?! I think 6th grade.

I’m trying to remember middle school, it’s kind of hard. They were meh years in general, I think for most kids, though I was lucky to not have been bullied or anything like that. I had a friend in one of my classes that kept trying to tell me that I needed to get laid, though haha.

[20 Questions]

1. What age did you learn to ride a bike?
2. Do you remember your first day of kindergarten? What was it like?
3. What was your first car? What did you love/hate about it?
4. Who is/are your hero(es)?
5. What is one of your favorite memories from your childhood?
6. Do you play an instrument? If not, what would you want to play if you could?
7. What’s something on your “bucket list”?
8. What were you like in middle school? What were your clothing/music choices? (Around 12 years old.)
9. What is something adventurous you’d like to do someday?
10. Do you believe in anything “odd” – UFOs, ghosts, horoscopes, superstitions, etc.?
11. What’s something you’re interested in that no one really knows about or no one would really understand?
12. What’s your favorite nostalgic song? What does it remind you of?
13. If you could learn one new skill or pick up a new hobby, what would you like to do?
14. What’s your favorite book? Magazine?
15. What’s your religion/religious beliefs?
16. What are you going to name your children? Or, what are your favorite names in general?
17. Who was your childhood best friend? Do you still keep in touch?
18. Tell us your life philosophy?
19. Tell us a secret talent!
20. Create your own question and answer it!