Friday, October 27, 2006

Personality? Nah.

So, the other day my roommate and I were sitting around watching TV, and they kept running these ads for eHarmony and how you can get a free personality profile. Well, we were intrigued to find out what we are like, so we decided to get our computers and do it. I'm bored now, so I thought I'd post my profile. I think it's pretty good, but the problem I had with the questions was they asked things like, pick three of these terms that your friends would use to describe you. Well, I don't really know how my friends would describe me, so I had to answer what I thought my friends thought about me. Which is weird. Anyways here it is. I just noticed that it says I'm lucky alot.

In Agreeableness you are best described as:

USUALLY TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

Words that describe you:

* Perceptive
* Realistic
* Demanding
* Down-to-Earth
* Hardnosed
* Judgmental
* Pragmatic
* Skeptical

A General Description of How You Interact with Others

You are clearly a compassionate person; you believe that you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and you know that friends help their friends. But with you compassion is just one side of the coin; the other being a side that also expects others to hold up their end of the bargain. So you help others but it is with the expectation that others don't take advantage of you or try to put one over on you. In short, you expect others to treat you as you treat them.

And for those people who do ask for help when they should have taken responsibility for themselves? This is the time when your more hard-edged side comes out. You are skeptical of people when they expect others to bail them out of trouble; if they got themselves into the bind, they should work their way out of the trouble. If it's an emergency, or if it's a friend who has been there for you when you have had hard times, you are there in a quick minute. But you are a discerning person and to you there is a big difference between an emergency and a self-inflicted wound. You just look at the facts: how the situation developed, how serious the situation, and how they can or cannot get through things on their own. The history you have with the person and with similar situations will inform you whether this is or is not a time for you to get involved.

You also have some limits when it comes to being with people. Sure some people need to be with others all the time and seem to get recharged by helping out most anyone else. But that's not you. You know that you do best if you spend a fair amount of time on your own. Not that you are a loner, just that time spent by yourself is not wasted at all with you. You've come to understand that if you don't take good care of yourself, eventually you'll be not good to anyone, including yourself or others.

So your compassion is tempered by realism. Your sympathy for people in trouble is balanced by a critical evaluation of how they got themselves to the place they are. And you've learned to take good care of yourself, so you have something to give to your friends or others truly in need.

On the Openness Dimension you are:
CONTENT

Words that describe you:

* Sensible
* Realistic
* Conventional
* Sincere
* Simple
* Firm
* Earnest

A General Description of How You Approach New Information and Experiences

You find that you are usually more comfortable with ideas and beliefs that you have held for a long time. These values, which for you are tried-and-true, provide you with practical solutions to life's problems, and with straightforward ways of engaging in intellectual discussions and debates. You've tested these positions over time, you know them well, they work for you, and you trust them. You like the way these solutions provide consistency and value to your life.

You've always been teachable as well. Whether in textbooks or classrooms, or through a wide variety of personal and interpersonal experiences, you've explored and tested the values and ideas you hold dear. Along the way you've grown to recognize ideas and beliefs that fit with your life. When this happens, you open yourself to learning what it is that this can teach you. Most of the time evaluating new information strengthens what you know and trust; the "next new thing" usually proves too shallow or too impractical to dislodge you from what has served you so well.

On Emotional Stability you are:
SOMETIMES STEADY, SOMETIMES RESPONSIVE

Words that describe you:

* Adaptable
* Engaged
* Able to Cope
* Passionate
* Perceptive
* Flexible
* Receptive
* Aware
* Avid



A General Description of Your Reactivity

In some ways, you've got the best of emotional worlds. When emotions rise up from inside you or are brought forth from a conversation by a friend, you know how to engage them. You deal with sadness, fear, joy, anger - whatever comes up - in ways that are perceptive and flexible. You can adapt to whatever level of emotion is appropriate to the moment. At other times, you are able to cope with your emotions in a more reserved manner. Because you are aware of what does and does not make emotional sense in a particular situation, you will decide when it is an appropriate time to express your emotions and when it would be best to keep them to yourself.

All of this gives you a rich emotional life. You are free to express your passions about certain subjects with appropriate people. But you are also emotionally adaptable; if the conversation needs to be more cerebral, you'll keep it "in your head" and talk calmly through whatever issue is on the table. This emotional awareness serves you well. You seldom get in over your head, either by opening up to the wrong person or by triggering in someone else's emotions they may not be able to deal with.

Your approach toward your obligations is:
FOCUSED AND FLEXIBLE

Words that describe you:

* Casual
* Informal
* Compliant
* Reliable
* Organized
* Solid
* Dependable
* Uncommitted
* Genuine



A General Description of How You Interact with Others

When you take on a task at work or at home, you are reliable; you get the job done. In an organized way, you define the goal, lay out a plan, figure how long the task will take, and get to work "solid and dependable you".

But and this is important you're not a slave to the plan. You're committed to it, but not chained to it; the connection is more casual and informal. You know that sometimes "the best laid plans" fall off the tracks; when this happens, you clean up the train wreck and start over, undeterred.

Though not happening often, when plans change, you're okay with it. In fact, sometimes you change the plan. It's too nice of a Saturday to finish organizing the garage. Let's go for a bike ride instead. True, the next rainy Saturday will likely find you back in the garage, but for now the work can wait.

What an interesting combination of qualities in you're organized, but casual; solid, but compliant; and dependable, but informal. At home and at work, people know they can rely on you. You take great satisfaction in knowing that people think of you as disciplined and responsible, but you also know that you have something of a free spirit in you, and when this spirit moves you, off you go, following the impulse of the moment. You are rightly proud of your work ethic, but you also enjoy your willingness to lay the tools down, crank up the music and play like a child.

When it comes to Extraversion you are:
SOMETIMES OUTGOING, SOMETIMES RESERVED

Words that describe you:

* Moderate
* Amiable
* Laid-back
* Temperate
* Relaxed
* Poised
* Civil
* Uncommitted
* Pleasant



A General Description of How You Interact with Others

Lucky you! You enjoy your own company as much as you enjoy the company of others. You are a great conversationalist and thrive in the wonderful kinds of connections you know how to have with your family and friends. You also equally enjoy your own company, whether sitting in a favorite chair with your book and soft music playing or meandering in the woods by yourself. You like coming home to your family or your roommate; but if no one is home, you find quiet, solitary time to be just as pleasurable. What a great combination to enjoy being outgoing and to be just as comfortable being reserved. Lucky you!!

Because you are so amiable and relaxed, you are comfortable with almost any group of family or friends. Whether they are pumped up and lively or calm and subdued, you remain at ease. If someone needs to take over the conversation, you are comfortable taking the lead; you can also lay back and let someone else be in charge. If the conversation gets rowdy, your moderate demeanor will often draw it down to a more temperate level. If someone in the group loses their cool, you will most likely maintain your poise, and if they get nasty you know how to keep a civil tongue.

You may find yourself out of balance on occasion. If you're alone too much, you may need to get in touch with someone. If you spend too much time with your family and friends, you may need to sneak off for a day by yourself, to putter and read and clear your head of the noise of too much conversation. When you're at your best, you live with a rhythm of time with others, time alone, time with others, time alone It's a satisfying, comfortable balance. Lucky you!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Fantastic!

So Fright Night got put off, due to cold and rain. But instead Vanessa and I went out to dinner at White Spot, and then did some hilarious and random grocery shopping at Safeway. Last night I noticed them setting up all these trailers for a movie or tv shoot. This morning my roommate had a midterm at 8:30, and she saw them setting everything up to shoot, so when she got home she looked up on the internet what they were filming. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, baby! Yeah! Unfortunately though, it was too cold and rainy to stalk Chris Evans or Ioan Gruffudd or Jessica Alba. So that's my story for today.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Logos, Pathos, or Ethos

So, I'm currently sitting in English, and since I'm bored I decided to write a post. Don't worry mom - the teacher's just explaining how to make an emotional appeal about baby seals. Anyhoo, my week is starting to look up. Tonight I'm hitting Fright Night down at the Pacific National Exhibition with my stand partner Vanessa and her friends. I don't really know what it involves, but I think there's scary rides and Halloween-type stuff. And on Saturday not only am I going to an anti-war march, but I'm playing a gig with Vanessa. But get this - on the violin. Ahaha! Vanessa's friend Aida is letting me use her spare violin, and I'm going to play 2nd violin. It should be hilarious. That's about it.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Bored now

So, I got some flack from my mother over the weekend for not writing anything recently. It's only because NOTHING'S GOING ON! Seriously, my life is boring. The high point of my week was when I left campus for three hours on Saturday to go down West Broadway to buy rollerblades. And that is the only time I've left campus in the past week. Also, I went to the theatre in the Student Union Building on Saturday night to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2. As you can see, Saturday was an exiting, fun-filled day. Last week I wrote my research essay for English, and this weekend I was working on my Poli Sci paper that's due tomorrow. That's really about it. I know, I'm bored just writing about it.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

I Forgot

My total reasons for posting was because I discovered that TVSquad.com had hired Wil Wheaton to review old TNG episodes for them. And although he's only done two, they're really frakking hilarious! This is my favourite quote, from the review for The Last Outpost:

Troi suggests they talk with the Ferengi, and Picard is all, "Uh, we just did, stupid! They ignored us." And then Troi is all, "Hey, you're stupid! You should go try again and suck up to them a little bit." Then Picard is all "Hey, Geordi, what do you think?" And Geordi is all, "I'm just gonna shrug because I got all 'woo-eee' about that plan that didn't work." So then Picard is all, "Well, does anyone have any other ideas? Because right now going to suck up to them is about the best you guys have given me." They're all, like, dude, and they leave. So Riker comes up and is all, "Hey, what do you want to do, man?" And Picard goes, "I totally want to surrender, because I'm, like, scared. Will you hold me?" And Riker is all, "Ewww gross!" And then Picard is all, "No, seriously, dude. If the shit gets too heavy, I want you to blow it up." And Riker is all, "Damn, Gina. That is crazy!" And then Picard is all, "True dat, biotch."

Uni-suckity

Well well well.....so in every one of my classes, before they hand back our assignments, they have been giving little pep talks about how university is harder than high school, and we should expect our marks to dip accordingly. And my TA in Poli Sci said that most people in our class should visit the writing centre for help with our essays. Well, I say stick it suckahs! I got my in-class summary back in English. A. I got my midterm back in Poli Sci. 83. And my essay. 95. I sort of feel bad for other people I know who are not doing so well. Anyways, those have been the bright points in my week, seeing as how on Wednesday I caught the sickness that's going around. Today was the worst, as everything was making me sneeze, my nose is totally plugged, and even though I've gotten 9 hours of sleep the last two nights, I'm totally exhausted. But at least it's not whatever they all caught at Mount Allison University. Though, on the bright side, at least they cancelled school for everybody because of it. I have to research and write a paper this weekend, so that's fun. I'm really craving a burger right now, but I'm too tired and lazy to walk the 5 blocks to get it.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Sniff Sniff

So, I finally caught the cold that's going around town. My roommate was sick last week, and a bunch of people in the orchestra are sick too. It started with a sore throat yesterday, and today I woke up with a serious sore throat, and stuffed up sinuses. And I was tired for no reason, probably because I'm sick. But I don't have anything until 2pm tomorrow, so I can sleep in, eat, and practice all in time for class! I got my in-class test from English back today, and I got an A. I don't really know what I was expecting, but I also think that alot of people in my class suck because the teacher said the average mark was around 68, so if I got an A (85-89), that means a whole lotta people sucked big time. I have noticed in all my classes though that quality of writing is a big issue, especially since about half or more of these kids speak English as a second language. Anyways, I get both my paper and midterm back tomorrow in Poli Sci - and mom, I don't care. As long as I pass, I'm happy. Quit pressuring me to get good marks. It doesn't help my stress levels. And besides, I'm not really sure that you have to bug me, because c'mon, when have I ever failed anything? So now I'm going to take my pillow and blankie, and collapse in front of the TV for a while. sniff.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Oh Yeah, Turkey Baster!

So Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I continued my tradition of Zapf family Thanksgivings with dinner at Michelle's aunt's house. And then after dinner, we had a hilarious game of mafia, because their 84 year old neighbour tried to play, but she was so confused by the whole game it ended up forfeit....good times. Our concert on Friday went pretty OK - we managed to make it through West Side Story without totally falling apart, so that was nice. I then went to the bar and drank a pitcher by myself, on an empty stomach. Good times. So it's back to the grind on Tuesday, with my first quartet rehearsal of the year. So tomorrow I should probably look at my music...

Thursday, October 05, 2006

OK

So, I've been a little negligent in terms of my blog this last week, but I swear not a lot really happened.. Jack came on Friday, and there was a really great showing of students. I sat around all weekend, and it was quite relaxing. Then on Monday, I hurt my shoulder somehow and was pissed off about that. One of those annoying things where all of a sudden you're like, 'wow. my shoulder really hurts.' But you don't know how you hurt it! Today I had my poli sci midterm, which I was a little worried about but I feel OK about now. I'm pretty sure I passed - and isn't that what matters? Soo...I have no big plans for Thanksgiving. I'll probably just sit around, and maybe if I'm feeling lonely hit up the Rez's Thanksgiving dinner on the weekend. Tomorrow is the UBC Symphony Orchestra concert - it will be interesting to see if we can make it through our pieces without stopping..... Oh dear god.