Monday's a Bitch

(link at left)
All In The Family

1. Which member of your family do you get along with the best?

My oldest sister, and her kids: both the closest and furthest from my age.

2. What aspects of your personality do you think are a direct result of the way you were raised?

Conscientiousness, practicality, anxiety, guilt.

3. What's the stupidest fight you've ever had with a family member?

Oh, so very many...aren't they usually over tiny things that explode into every aspect of the relationship that has ever bothered you? The last argument I had with a family member (outside of my annoying b-i-l, who doesn't count because he's an instigator) was with Mom about 5 years ago. During the course of it I told her, loudly, that I never felt good enough for her. We both ended up in tears. No clue what started it.

4. Who in your family do you look the most like?

I'm a watered-down version of my dad. My oldest sister looks the most like him, then the middle sister, and then me.

5. Do you relate to the characteristics associated with your place in the birth order? (i.e. Only children are regarded as being typically selfish and youngest children are often babied. Check out the Wikipedia article on birth order for further info).

Yes, but I'm such a mishmash of Birth Orders that it is somewhat meaningless: I'm the youngest, but also effectively an Only, and an Oldest with my nieces so close behind me.

Firstborn traits I share: serious, conscientious, directive, goal-oriented, aggressive (I prefer to call it assertiveness...), rule-conscious, exacting, organized, responsible, high achieving, competitive, and anxious.
Youngest traits I share: the baby of the family, often babied or "pampered" more than the other siblings [which] can lead to dependence, and selfishness, [can be] manipulative and control-seeking if their sibling(s), [or] parents are overbearing or bossy.
Only traits I share: pampered and spoiled by their parents, particularly the mother, [have] learn[ed] to be children on their own, they learn to depend on themselves, and they have no problem being loners, [n]aturally introverted only children may show extroverted qualities if he or she wishes to make friends.