How One Thing Leads to the Next

Hopefully you’ll appreciate the heading. It reminds me of a ‘back in the day’ phrase many might know its connotation. If not, then you might appreciate where this post goes when it gets there.

I happened by a social forum today where I happened to read an array of interesting questions. One of the questions asked writers how their personality type related to their writing habits. I answered, but not because I had an answer, but rather because the name Myers-Briggs caught my attention. I remembered taking the test, and a few others, several years ago during team-building exercises. According to the Myers-Briggs test I scored in the INTJ box, or rational NT. From what I recall, writers, inventors, and I believe scientists were in that group. But really, I don’t know what it all means, and certainly do not understand the correlation to my writing habits.

But after quibbling out an answer I go on and do like I suppose any NT personality would naturally be inclined to do; and that’s look further into what’s being said about NT’s today. Back when I received my little folder the list of attributes attributable to each group were three to four words wide, and five to six bullet points deep. Accordingly, I was among the masterminds; quiet, reserved, logic oriented abstract big picture viewer quick on making decisions. That could be me, I recall thinking, though I did toy around with selecting attributes from other boxes I liked too. But of all the choices to pick from, not that I had a choice since the scantron had already secured me to a box, but of all the choices on this short list, there was nothing that mentioned what I came across here today…where my one thing leads to the next.

The quiet, reserved abstract big picture viewer got caught up reading about INTJ relationships, its strengths and weaknesses, and more. And not that these items were not in some form on the hard copies I saved somewhere, but I was quite surprised to learn that I’m not naturally good at expressing feelings and affections, and hold back on parts of myself, and probably taxing on a relationship, all of which are probably true.

The in-depth descriptor described on; on to the ‘Lovers’ part, which in a fog (so-to-speak), I closed off of the personality reading and sort of drifted back to the book I had been reading. Now the kicker here is, up to this point in the book, with only a quarter-panel left to go, 99% of the story centered around a teacher teaching in a small rural town rigid on genteel customs. But lo-and-behold, with this big NT picture dappling over me, wouldn’t it be fine timing that I would pick up the book at the part where the author is being given detailed instructions on how to handle a date!

I had to laugh. It wasn’t but a second before when I was shaking my head after reading about NT’s analyzing every d$#!$! thing, and here, back in the book, I find myself trying my earnest to ignore the fact that the author had gone out on three or four dates with a woman, after proceeding with caution…going through all the stages to ‘lavish her with praises’ and ‘whetted her thirst’, to reach the point where he was ready to take her to a… labu hotelus!?!

Let me first emphasize. I really, really am enjoying this book. It has whetted my appetite, and dined and refined me. But to avoid analyzing another thing, I’ll just leave things at one vacant plea, in hopes of a scrupulous answer. ‘What is the point of proceeding with caution on a date to end up at a ‘love hotel!’’ Come ooonnnn, help me out here! I don’t get it!!!

And Oh, (* *), if you have the answer, please email me. Remember... I'm quiet, reserved, and shy.