Monday, April 03, 2006

It's All About You

When it comes to blogging, naturally, my most favorite topics are me, me, oh and me! But when I'm not busy perfecting my navel-gazing, I'm really most fascinated by other people. I love listening to you and learning about all the things that make you uniquely you. I like hearing your life stories and all the events that have shaped you into who you are today.

If you've ever read my Blogger profile, you may have noticed that I listed sociology, psychology, social psychology, trend-watching and studying pop culture as some of my interests. I majored in communications and my minor in psychology was just a few credits short of being a second major. So you get the picture... Now I want to know more about you.

I would like you to choose 4 adjectives that describe your personality/character and then elaborate a bit on each one. How much or how little is up to you. Try to avoid generic adjectives like nice or sweet. Go deep!

Here are mine:

1) Determined -- I am not what you'd call a hyper-motivated person but when I finally decide that I want something and set my sights on it, my determination knows no bounds. It's something most people don't know about me mainly because I am not often moved enough to tap into it. But when I do, make way!

2) Empathetic -- I cannot bear the idea of someone suffering needlessly or having their feelings hurt. Not wishing to overstep my bounds, I sometimes don't reach out to people like I want to, but I always feel what they are going through.

3) Restless -- I've been called a "restless soul" and I can't deny it. I'm always looking for the next thing to get excited about. For me, the term "follow your bliss" speaks volumes. Without something to look forward to, I sometimes feel very deflated and bored. Most of the time I love my life but I require a lot of stimulation and a lot of challenge in order to stay happy. The last time I had that restless feeling for too long, I sold our house.

4) Helpful -- I truly enjoy helping people. It's in my Virgo nature, I guess. The downside is that people think just because you are accommodating and helpful, that you must be a stupid sucker, which I'm not.

**Cameo's list reminded me of one that I should have included: Loyal. I am very loyal. A more loyal friend you will not find. Unless you screw me. Then all bets are off.

Now it's your turn. That includes you, lurkers! Do them here and then copy and paste on to your own blog if you want to. Instant content!

If you enjoyed this, check out Julie's Thursday Third Degree. It's similar.

posted by IzzyMom at

20 Comments:

  • I'll be first:

    1) Outgoing. I enjoy meeting people, talking, socializing.
    2) Funny. I can generally get people to laugh.
    3) Empathic. I have a good sense of knowing how others feel.
    4) Sensitive. I tend to take things personally. I have a reasonably thin skin though I like to say that I don't

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/02/2006 04:31:00 PM  

  • okay,
    #1 PARTICULAR

    #2 PASSIONATE

    #3 RESTLESS

    #4 FIERCLY LOYAL

    i started to try and explain all these and then realized i was rambling, so i think i may post about this.

    By Blogger noncommon, at 4/02/2006 07:00:00 PM  

  • Ok, Izzy, here goes:
    1. Sensitive - this is actually more physical than personality, but it has definitely shaped my personality.
    I used to think I was nuts til I read The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron. She claims that about 25 percent of the population live with nervous systems that are more cranked up than everyone else. You can spot us by the fact that we are plugging our ears when we are at a loud concert, or holding a hankie to our faces as we walk through the cologne department.

    I can hear things no one else can hear. I can smell things long before they become strong enough for other people to smell them. Standing in a spot where I can hear two kinds of music at once is enough to make me want to cry. I have almost fainted from being near people with strong perfume. And I'm not crazy.

    If you think you might be a "HSP," there is a Self-Test at the Highly Sensitive Person website.

    2. Curious
    I love learning new things, anything. That's why being a newspaper journalist was/is so much fun. I get happy learning how the town water system works, or the history of the post office building.

    3. Funny
    I love to make people laugh. Humor is my drug of choice. A good funny story is like gold to me. I love to figure out what makes people laugh and then be able to do it. My worst experiences have been tempered by thinking "Well, at least this will make a hell of a story." Remember, pain + time = humor.

    4. Kind
    I may be cranky, I may be impatient, but I really, really try to be kind. The Dalai Lama said "Kindness is my religion" and I hope to be like him. I try to help people out how I can, whenever I can. This does not extend to being a sucker or being co-dependent, though those are sometimes tough distinctions to make. But I think kindness is important above all. A lot of people say how much they feel love for someone, then they turn around and emotionally abuse them. That ain't love. Love is a doing, not a feeling.

    By Blogger SUEB0B, at 4/02/2006 07:18:00 PM  

  • Hrmmmm.....this will be interesting:

    1. Funny. At least I like to think so, anyway.
    2. Perceptive. I usually pick up on the not-so-obvious stuff that goes on.
    3. Objective. I can see (and usually appreciate) both sides of an argument. It amazes my husband that I can listen to conservative talk radio for extended periods, even though I disagree with 99.9% of it. I find it interesting to hear what people with other opinions think.
    4. Unflappable. This is a word that my old boss said she would use in any recommendation she gave for me. I take it as a huge compliment. She said that whatever crisis came up, when other people were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, I was there calmly taking care of things.

    By Blogger Amy, at 4/02/2006 07:55:00 PM  

  • Oh, and Sue, thank you for that link to HSP. I think that's me, too! I'm always complaining to my husband to turn off the lights, turn down the loud TV, what's that awful smell (that no one else notices), etc. This explains a lot.

    By Blogger Amy, at 4/02/2006 07:56:00 PM  

  • Hmmm...

    1. Stubborn - This, above all else, is my most defining trait.
    2. Steadfast - Kind of goes along with that whole stubborn thing.
    3. Loyal - fiercely, stupidly, and sometimes to a fault.
    4. Wry - Must be the Scot in me.


    Great post. I love it when people make me think.

    By Blogger Chicky Chicky Baby, at 4/02/2006 10:07:00 PM  

  • Smart, straight-forward, loving and kind. Not in that order and not all of those things all the time. :-)

    By Blogger MrsFortune, at 4/02/2006 10:56:00 PM  

  • I am:

    1) Someone who sees art in the everyday movement of life. I am someone who likes to capture and pin down moments, to preserve them in honour of their beauty.

    2) A typical pisces (although I don't necessicarily believe in astrology, I totally happen to fit my sign)

    3) A creator. I like to make things. All kinds of things.

    4) Someone who tends to be in a perpetual existential angst.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/02/2006 11:16:00 PM  

  • This is hard because I am so caught up in others that there almost is no me. But here they are without comment.
    1. Funny
    2. Caring
    3. Religious
    4. Weird

    By Blogger Dr.John, at 4/03/2006 07:47:00 AM  

  • ohh I'm not good at this..
    1. Sensitive
    2. Geeky
    3. Supportive
    4. Persuasive

    By Blogger Sandra, at 4/03/2006 09:56:00 AM  

  • I'm new to your blog...found you through A Beautiful Mess. Ok, here goes:
    1.Organized-it drives me crazy to live in a mess...I can't do it. Funny, because despite this, I am laid back and relaxed.
    2. Social- I love a good party! And I really enjoy hearing other people's stories.
    3. Trusting: to a fault. I'm an open book and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about me.
    4.Objective: I have the ability to see many sides to an issue.

    Thanks, this was fun! I'll be back! :)

    By Blogger The Domesticator, at 4/03/2006 10:14:00 AM  

  • 1. Competitive-extremely, whether it's dominos, tennis, or just about anything else.
    2. Passionate-about my kids and things I'm interested in, like karate, and politics
    3. Outspoken-you never have to guess how I'm feeling
    4. Fun-I like to have a good time and I'm usually good at making people laugh. I am fully aware that this will be a trait my daughters will not like when they're older, but right now, dancing silly is a big hit.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/03/2006 12:19:00 PM  

  • 1. Like you, determined when something matters to me. I will go to hell and back for something I really care about or if I'm told I won't be able to manage something.

    2. A good friend's tribute to me once said "Generous." I think it's true in that I think of my friends all the time. Sometimes it translates into stuff - if I see something I know they'd like, I'll get it for them. Sometimes it's things like book recommendations, help with research, making something special for a new home, etc. I think it also contributes to my being helpful and going the extra mile for patrons at the library.

    3. Curious. A great trait in a librarian, I am alwasy curious to read about people and topics and it makes me crazy that I could live forever and never read everything I am interested in.

    4. I am grateful. Maybe appreciative is a better word? For I mean that I feel grateful when people do things for me, but also that I appreciate all the amazing things around me: beautiful things, nature, great moments, people I enjoy, good writing or art, etc. These all make me feel lucky to be alive and in the place I'm in.

    Thanks, Izzy. It's intersting to be forced to think aboutwho you are inside on occasion. Contemplative Monday!

    By Blogger kittenpie, at 4/03/2006 12:38:00 PM  

  • Iz, thanks for the link.

    So...I'll try to be honest.

    1. Introverted. I can be an extrovert, but I really prefer not to be. It takes a lot of energy.

    2. Lazy. I often do not put forth the effort required by a task, even when I claim to care about it.

    3. Critical. A more unpleasant version of "objective". I love to think and dissect and discuss stuff to death.

    4. Curious. I love to learn. If I could be a professional student, I would. This is also probably why I prefer to read non-fiction.

    By Blogger Julie Marsh, at 4/03/2006 04:32:00 PM  

  • I am:

    1. Smart: Did I also mention how modest I am?

    2. Lazy: Very much so.

    3. A Good Listener: Which is why I blog. In real life I'm a listener.

    4. Diplomatic: To the point that it's sometimes mistaken for spinelessness. It's not the same.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/03/2006 04:55:00 PM  

  • Argumentative. What, you got a problem with that?

    Dedicated. The B-side of this is "mulish," unfortunately.

    Booksmart. Savvy? Not so much. But I've got lotsa factiods in this here head.

    Witty. Perhaps "sarcastic" would be a better choice, but this is the word Daddymatic used when I asked him, and since it sounds so much nicer than mine, that's what I;m going with.

    Fun post, Izz. Thanks.

    By Blogger the stefanie formerly known as stefanierj, at 4/03/2006 07:24:00 PM  

  • Hmm:

    1) Sensitive. Overly so. To me this is a broad term encompassing insecure, empathetic, and acutely observant about/reactive to things around me.

    2) Analytical. I love to investigate, learn, and apply knowledge. As long as I have some sort of problem to solve, I am happy.

    3) Loyal. If you are someone I care about, I'll do anything for you. If you wrong me, I consider it the ultimate sign of your disloyalty.

    4) Moody. I try not to let it rule my life, but my downs are bad and my ups are good. I'm trying to make peace with it.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/03/2006 07:46:00 PM  

  • This is harder than I thought.

    Let's see:

    1. Smart. I love learning - about everything
    2. Observant - Comes from moving so much. I have good reads on people
    3. Honest/Expressive. I try to live an authentic and upfront life.
    4. Easily Amused/Quick Witted. I find many many things funny. And say many funny things. And make many funny faces. I'm like a carnival side show...

    Won't BlogHer be a blast?

    By Blogger Dawn, at 4/03/2006 08:31:00 PM  

  • Thanks everyone who played. It's been really interesting to see what adjectives you chose to list :-)

    By Blogger IzzyMom, at 4/04/2006 02:46:00 AM  

  • 1. Imaginative
    2. Cheerful
    3. Contemplative
    4. Compassionate

    Runners up: Dedicated, Generous and Honest

    You've inspired my latest post (Thanks!) which explains a full description of each trait.

    By Blogger ms blue, at 4/04/2006 03:43:00 AM  

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