Eeyore

I sat there as she handed out the papers, filled with words that did not yet mean anything to me. Trying to fill them out spontaneously, all the while trying to do it from the real me (as separated from the me that I aspire to be, the person that I want others to see, and the me I expect others actually see). It's hard! How much of a person's personality is made up from their inner character, versus made up of what's reflected back to them from others?

The results came in, and there was a sweeping win... for Eeyore.

Now I watched Winnie the Pooh a little bit when I was little, but Eeyore was definitely not up there on my list of favorite characters. I remembered him as gloomy, sad, depressed, anti-social and a damper on any party inclinations.

As we went around and told what the results were, it came around to me and as the last person to answer, I spoke a word that had not yet been said: "Eeyore." I wonder if Eeyores are scarce... or what?

I felt a little bit better when the explanation sheets came around. Other titles, such as "Beaver", "Compliance/Cautious", and "Analytical", made me feel a little bit better. Reading through the description was cool, as it is with any personality test, because it kind of laid out how I ticked. Not all the way, but a large part of it.

I like organization, high standards, and analyzing. I get easily depressed, and remember negatives for a long, long, long, long, long...did I say long?... time. I need affirmation from those around me about my feelings and actions. I get down when I am not organized and life is not on a time-oriented schedule. I am afraid of making mistakes and having no one understand me or the motives for my actions.

I get along well with those who are serious, intellectual and can actually carry on a decent conversation. On the other hand, flibbertigibbets are one of my worst pet peeves. I react to stress by withdrawing and getting unusually silent (that is... unusually silent for me), or else getting lost in a project or book (that I can do alone!).

There are lots of other characteristics, but some are more of a flattery form, so I'm not going to write about them... it's kind of cool to be unique, though. I admit that it will be hard with so many Tiggers around to get my own space and fill up my "quiet quotient" every once in awhile.

And yet... it's just another box... and I can't allow myself to be shoved into that. I am definitely an Eeyore, but occasionally can very outgoing and energetic, especially around kids. Which (I'm hoping) will especially come out this trip.

Who knows? At least Eeyore is good at getting rid of other people's prickles!