Patrick's Place

(Link in meme-roll)
Saturday Six

1. What's the largest denomination of paper money you've ever held in your hand?

I believe I have touched a $1000 bill, although perhaps it was a $500.

2. What's the largest denomination of paper money you currently have in your wallet or purse?

I rarely have anything bigger than $20s

3. When you read a newspaper, are you more likely now to read a print edition, a mobile edition or a web edition?

I don't read newspapers, except the headlines and about every 10th article that are in my RSS feed, which is local news only.

4. How often do you use paper plates instead of traditional plates when eating at home?

Only when having large numbers of guests at a casual do: cookout, Super Bowl party, etc.

5. Do you send paper Christmas cards, online Christmas cards, or have you abandoned the practice altogether?

We didn't do them last year at all. Not sure about this year, but I'm thinking not. I don't see the point, what with Facebook.

6. When you were in school and your teacher gave a test, which type of questions did you most hope to see on the paper: multiple choice, fill-in the blank, true/false or essay?

Well, essays took time, but I really did fine on all tests, regardless.

Color Quiz

I took this nearly 7 years ago, and again 5 years ago, and I'm copying Amy and redoing it just for giggles.  As usual, I've italicized the parts I think fit.

Your Existing Situation

Needs excitement and constant stimulation. Willingly participates in activities that are thrilling and offer adventure.

Your Stress Sources

Feeling empty and isolated from others and trying to bridge the gap between herself and others. Wants to live life to the fullest and experience as much as possible. she cannot stand any restrictions or obstacles put in her way and only longs to be free.

Your Restrained Characteristics

Finds satisfaction in sexual activity, but is emotionally detached which prevents her from becoming too involved.
Feels she is carry more than her share of problems. she is flexible and laid back, sticking to her goals and working to overcome any difficulty.
[She] is able to find satisfaction through sexual activity, but can be restless and emotionally distant so she never really gets too involved with others.
Current events leave her feeling forced into compromise in order to avoid being cut off from affection or future cooperation.

Your Desired Objective

Is very intense person who seeks excitement and sexual stimulation. Wants others to see her as an exciting and interesting person, who is also charming and can easily influence others. Uses her charm to increase her chances of success and gain other people's trust.

Your Actual Problem

Fights resistance or limitations, and insists she is free to develop in her own way. Rewarded by accomplishing things on her own, with little to no help from others.

Your Actual Problem #2

Is afraid she will be held back from obtaining the things she wants leading her to act out with a hectic intensity.

_____________________________________________

While considerably different in parts from previous results, this has aspects that are pretty close and aspects that couldn't be more wrong.

Sensational?

(Found at Amy's)
BBC Sensation Seeking Test

Thrill and adventure seeking - you score 5 out of 10
This consists of items expressing desires to engage in sports or activities involving some physical danger or risk such as mountain climbing, parachute jumping, scuba diving, speeding in a car, etc.

Experience seeking - you score 5 out of 10
This descibes the desire to seek new experiences through the mind and senses by living in a nonconforming life style with unconventional friends, and through travel.

Disinhibition - you score 1 out of 10
This describes the need to disinhibit behaviour in the social sphere by drinking, partying and seeking variety in sexual partners.

Boredom susceptibility - you score 2 out of 10
This indicates an aversion for repetitive experience of any kind, routine work, or even dull or predictable people. Other items indicate a restless reaction when things are unchanging.

Your total sensation seeking score is 13 out of 40


More on sensation seeking
Sensation seeking is a personality trait expressed in behaviour as a tendency to seek varied, novel, complex and intense sensations and experiences and to take physical risks for the sake of having such experiences.

These experiences could take the form of extreme adventure activities such as skydiving, snowboarding and mountain climbing. But the trait can also express itself in high drug, alcohol or tobacco use.

Men generally score higher than women on the total score and on all the subscales except Experience Seeking. Sensation Seeking Scale scores increase during childhood, peak in the late teens or early twenties, and thereafter decrease steadily with age. [my emphasis]

People with similar scores on the Sensation Seeking Scale also tend to be more romantically compatible with each other.

Divorced males score higher than single and married males, and divorced and single females score higher than married females.

Hmmm, I guess I got dinged a lot for appreciating all kinds of people--not just the popular, exciting folks--and for not needing to drink or do drugs to have fun. OK, so that's perfectly fine then.

Synes-what?

63%

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites

Monday's a Bitch

(Link in blogroll)
Vroom Vroom Beep Beep

1. What's your main means of transportation?

Unfortunately, it's my truck. I wish we were a little closer to places we could walk...but we aren't.

2. What was your first car?

The first car I had pretty exclusive use of was my mom's Toyota, but the first car that had my name on it was our Toyota pickup, purchased a couple of years after we got married.

3. How old were you when you got your driver's license?

I think it was about 6 months after I turned 16. I wasn't ready on my birthday, and then winter arrived, so I waited till I was more confident and there was less snow.

4. How many times did it take you to pass the test?

Are you kidding? I've never flunked a test in my life! :-)

5. Do you name your cars?

Not really. Like my dad, I frequently refer to them as "Betsy."

Serious stuff

(swiped from Amy)

I have issues with...

excess discipline domination travel fame

Take Word Association Test

Indeed.

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Eysenck's Test Results

Extraversion (52%) medium which suggests you are moderately talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting. Neuroticism (60%) moderately high which suggests you are worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious. Psychoticism (40%) moderately low which suggests you are, at times, overly kind-natured, trusting, and helpful at the expense of your own individual development (martyr complex).

Take Eysenck Personality Test (similar to EPQ-R)
personality tests by similarminds.com

I hope I'm not a martyr--I don't want to be my mom!

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Career Inventory Test Results Extroversion 63% Emotional Stability 16% Orderliness 63% Altruism 56% Inquisitiveness 56% You are a Persuader, possible professions include - entertainer, recruiter, artist, newscaster, writer/journalist, recreation director, librarian, facilitator, politician, psychologist, housing director, career counselor, sales trainer, travel agent, program designer, corporate/team trainer, child welfare worker, social worker (elderly services), interpreter/translator, occupational therapist, executive

Take Free Career Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Well. There ya go.

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Maslow Inventory Results

Physiological Needs (10%) you appear to have everything you need to survive physically. Safety Needs (17%) you appear to have a very secure environment. Love Needs (40%) you appear to be semi-content with the quality of your social connections. Esteem Needs (54%) you appear to have a medium level of skill competence. Self-Actualization (63%) you appear to have a high level of individual development.

Take Free Maslow Inventory Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

"...a medium level of skill competence"??? WTF?!

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Cerebral Personality Test Results

40% Cerebral Scoring highly suggests you are likely to be very inquisitive, exploring, scientific, contemplative, self-examining, and philosophical. Low scorers, will generally tend towards the opposite of the above. They will tend to be more conventional, less curious and analytical, less focused on the big picture / global variables, and more comfortable identifying as part of maintream culture.

Take Free Cerebral Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

So I'm medium cerebral. Maybe I shouldn't take these sorts of tests within 10 minutes of going to bed, eh?

Beach-y

What the Beach Test Says About You

You like people, but you're careful about who you get close to. Friendship is important to you... so important that you aren't just friends with anyone. You fall in love with ease and confidence. Even if you've had bad experiences in the past, each new love is a reason to start completely over. You are deeply passionate about several things in your life. You're not passionate about much... and the few passions you have are truly obsessions. Your sense of humor is sarcastic, snarky, and realistic. You're not exactly happy-go-lucky.

The Beach Test

OK, whatever. However, is it just me or does that third paragraph make NO sense at all?

Karma

The Karma Test

My Result: noble nature

Doing good deeds seems to be their strong suit and such kind actions are an important way that they've earned their karma up to this point. By giving their time to the people and causes they care about most, they enhance life for their community as a whole. Being willing to lend a hand strengthens their current relationships and may come back to them positively in the future. In their concerted efforts to do what they can for the greater good, they generate positive karma for themselves and the universe.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=karmaogt&c=50652

...and, God knows, a little good karma can't hurt!

Monday Memepile

(All of the following memes can be found in the blogroll, to the left)

Monday's a Bitch
Crackin' Up

1. What's your favourite brand of cracker?

Wheat Thins.

2. Do you like crackers in your soup?

When I was a kid, we always had to have soda crackers in soup. We don't even HAVE soda crackers in the house, and I almost never put them into restaurant soup, unless it's deadly-boring-tasting without them.

3. What's the best kind of cheese to put on a cracker? Or do you have a different favourite cracker topper?

I'm in a phase of Merkt's Swiss Almost cheese. But anything cheesy will do. I love cheese. We may not have Saltines in the house, but we definitely have cheese!! Cheddar, Swiss, Wensleydale, Leicester, Gouda, mozz, you name it....

4. Have you ever set off firecrackers? For what occasion?

I'm not a fan of fireworks. Too many gory stories of people blowing their fingers off, I guess. I like the big shows, but even then, I'm always ready to take off running or call 911 in case of a misfire.

5. Have you ever seen The Nutcracker ballet?

Not all the way through in one sitting. I have seen The Firebird Suite, which I loved, but also found really hard to understand. Not exactly boring, but well toward that end of things. I'm uneducated. However, I love Baryshnikov and Nureyev, so go figure.... ;-)

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Manic Monday

Who is the black sheep in your family/group?

In my family, it has always been my brother, although it's entirely possible that at this point I've been added to the "Hopeless" list. At work, it's CT.

If you were a character from a book, what character would you be?

Can I PLEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZE be Laura Ingalls?? Otherwise, I'll settle (ahem) for Kinsey Millhone.

What's your favorite accent?

Italian. And Russian. I don't know why.
My least favorite: New Jersey, extremely nasal Midwest (sorry, peeps), and French.

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1) If you could have participated in any political march (protest or support or other), which one would you have chosen.

I don't do big crowds; they really terrify me. I wish I could honestly say I would have participated in any of the various marches on Washington, but I wouldn't have. I would love to have heard King speak in the 60s, though.

2) Talent show tonight!! Give us a preview of your act.

The way I feel right now, it will consist of me sleeping on stage. Otherwise, I guess I could show y'all how fast I type.

3) What architectural wonder would you like to be in charge of, or own?

It would be awfully cool to work in the Library of Congress, or in the Winter Palace (St. Petersburg). Frankly, I'd love to work somewhere in the Vatican, too, but that's clearly not happening. I wouldn't want to own any 'edifice' though--upkeep is a bitch!

4) What is the hardest test you've ever taken?

I keep flunking parenting tests. Another failure this morning.
Academic tests: the History GRE. Lowest score I ever received on ANYthing, ever.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. Public Domain Photo

I like the 'messiness' of the rockets compared to the clean lines of the architecture and light around it. The whole photo screams 1960s to me--Star Trek, boxy buildings, the whole schmear. I think I've seen this in real life...?

I wish we were still sending rockets into space, not just the shuttle. The moonshots were very cool, very positive-thinking, very America-patriotic-woo-hoo, and very "someday I could do that." I guess kids today dream about the shuttle, but the Apollo program just seemed way cooler for some reason. Kind of the difference between Conestoga wagons across the West in 1850 vs. a cross-country railroad trip in 1870. Both cool, but the wagons seem so much MORE cool to me.

Wow, I feel dumb now!

Your Score: Well Adjusted!

You are ...

71 Nerd,
7 Blonde,
26 Windows
29 Linux

Computers don't scare you. You use them for what they are ... a tool to accomplish what you need to do. You may even have fun with them and the computer world. You are what everyone should tend to be. Congratulations! The questions were not so easy :)

Birth Order

The Influence of Birth Order

My Result: Youngest child because of your creativity

People who stand out as youngest children due to their creativity are likely to have a tendency to think in unconventional ways and are able to see things from a variety of perspectives. Chances are that when they find themselves involved in activities requiring creativity they feel enthusiastic and positive. They are likely to be passionate, creative and original in their ideas and aspirations.

Similar to other youngest children, you likely have an astonishing ability to generate original ideas. From an early age, your natural tendency was probably to stand out from your older siblings through your unique contributions. By comparing yourself to your older siblings, your creativity naturally evolved through your desire to be imaginative in choosing your goals and your approach to achieving them. Like other youngest children, you tend to be especially innovative when feeling optimistic or when undertaking tasks that bring you joy and satisfaction. [like, who doesn't??]

Take this test >

Or, maybe not so much...?

Body Type

Ayurveda Body Type Test

My Result: Vata-Pitta

Vatas tend to have a narrow frame, are either very tall or very short, and are typically very thin. Characteristically Vata skin tends to be dry, cold, and rough, although it tans easily and rarely burns. The secondary representation in the Pitta dosha influences Vata-Pittas to be energetic, ambitious, and aggressive. Or they may sometimes have a tendency to be irritable, self-centered, and arrogant. When this happens, it can be traced back to the influence of their Pitta dosha. When their Pitta dosha is in balance, they are bright and adaptable, and usually successful. Their Pitta influence brings out the potential to grasp the most profound self-knowledge.

Take this test >

OK, so like...not! :-)

Holidays

What's Your Holiday Wish?

My Result: Enjoy Time With Family and Friends

You'll be home for Christmas — that much is true. And while you love getting gifts and attending parties, the true meaning of the season for you is spending time with the people you love the most. While you may not be a total homebody, a caring soul like you can't wait to revel in the little details the season offers.


Whether you get a kick out of baking cookies with your favorite cousin or picking out a tree with the folks, you enjoy taking part in traditions and carrying them on. And whether you see it as sentimental or maybe a little sappy, it's as sweet as you are. So don't change a thing!

Take this test >

Bit sad that in the whole test, not once was religion mentioned.

Spending

The Spending Style Test

My Result: Savvy Spender

People who are Savvy Spenders likely have a great deal of self-confidence around money. They trust in their ability to make good decisions, they're less prone to spend solely to make themselves feel good in the moment, and they're not overly swayed by bargains or by name brands. They're neither cheap nor extravagant, and they are good at maintaining a practical middle-ground.

Take this test >

Why thank you! :-)

Chakras

The Chakra Test

My Result: First Chakra

This chakra is located at the base of your spine and is usually called the root or base chakra. The first chakra represents evolutionary life force and is associated with both physical energy and overall vitality. In your case, this chakra appears to be clear and unblocked so that positive energy can flow from it freely. Radiating positive energy from your first chakra indicates that you've cultivated higher wisdom concerning important life lessons associated with this energy center. You likely experience a solid feeling of safety and security in your day-to-day life. You seem to know on a deep level that those you love are truly there for you. Having strong first chakra energy means that you aren't apt to be as swayed by life's small ups and downs as many people are. Your positivity in this area also shows that you generally feel grounded and understand that your life's foundation is solid.

Usually, powerful first chakra energy is connected to having a strong bond with your family. It can even date back to the early stages of life when you felt well loved and protected as a child. In fact, you're one who likely still sees the world in terms of what you learned growing up. As a result, you're probably generally in agreement with your family of origin, particularly about important matters. At times when you don't agree with loved ones, your level of acceptance is usually quite high. Your first chakra energy shows you to be an individual who, for the most part, is at peace with people's differences and with your relationships overall.

At the same time this positive energy is being conveyed, you are showing signs of an energy disruption in your Fourth Chakra. This blockage could be due to emotional abuse or a high level of difficulty you experienced during childhood. When a person is hurt as a child, it's easy to see who the perpetrator is and who is the victim. However, identifying hurts doesn't always make them go away. It can sometimes be difficult to let go of past injustices without getting angry or feeling that life has dealt you a bad hand. But more importantly, in some cases such trauma can actually set you up for further negative experiences. Such a pattern is known as retraumatization.

Retraumatization occurs when individuals who have been emotionally hurt lose the ability to protect themselves from future harm. In some cases, people fail to build up the boundaries necessary to keep those who would hurt them out of their lives. In others, they may simply never fully heal, so that future problems become more painful. Whatever the case in your own life, taking steps to grieve and move on from past pains, as well as learning to protect yourself from new ones, can help you clear your fourth chakra to feel greater love and openness in your life.

Take this test >

So...ok, then. I guess I'm good with that.

Career

Career Interest Inventory

My Result: Writing and Journalism

People who are drawn to writing and journalism typically desire to communicate with people outside of their personal circles. Whether it's their own personal beliefs or not, they have a knack for articulating a message in a way that resonates with other people. They understand and appreciate the power of the written word and its abilities to shape other people's ideas. Many people in these professions may see themselves as interpreters in some way. They are able to put into words what some of us can only feel.

Take this test >

OK. That works for me.

City

My score on The "If I were a City" Test:

Moscow

(You scored 6 Like others and 8 Like yourself!)

Moscow. Alleged to have ten million people but probably a lot less. Does have more billionaires than any other city. Humongous underground enconomy, gangsters cruising about like robber-barrons of old Wall Street (but with more guns): the world is changing and Moscow is riding the wave of new money and old power unleashed. Possibly riding into a brick wall, we will see. Chechens set off bombs in the subway, journalists defend the Chechens, the secret police kill the journalists, and no one cares because we are all going to get rich really soon! I don't even care how to spell chechenia because my cell phone is so much smaller than Iurie's.

(OkCupid Free Online Dating)

I don't mind being Moscow, and I tend to agree with the assessment (which I why I'm not making urgent plans to travel that direction anytime soon, but mostly "Iurie" is spelled "Yuri." :-)

Kingdom

from Kwizgiver

Many years ago there was a period of time that is often casually called "Medieval." It was a time, so the story tellers tell us, of tiny kingdoms, brave knights and ferocious dragons.

Transportation and travel were both crude and difficult, usually necessitating that each kingdom be as self sufficient and self reliant as possible. So it was very important that within each kingdom all the major crafts and professions of the day were ably represented to insure the survival of the kingdom. In the English language we still see remnants of some occupations in the familiar surnames such as Carpenter, Miller, and Baker.

Interestingly enough, beyond the specific title the vocation also took on its own greater personality. This personality preference can also give a broader understanding of the basic complementary style and types necessary to the kingdom's survival, or perhaps any organization's success. Although the specific vocation influenced the name, it was no accident that certain personality types and styles gravitated to certain occupations. The personality of these jobs suited the inclinations of the job holders, and the predecessor to modern day job descriptions was born. The successful matching of a job-holder's personality to the personality and unique requirements of the job was necessary to the kingdom's survival, or perhaps any organization's success. The successful kingdoms more than likely were able to blend the differences into a powerful and formidable entity. With today's diverse workforce, the corporate kingdom that acknowledges and nurtures these personality preferences could become an organization as successful as the Camelot of old.

Even though we now appear to have the freedom to explore many different career alternatives, we still have a medieval vocational personality within each of us. This personality, properly identified and understood, can motivate our success but, if ignored, may set the stage for our ultimate failure. Since times appeared to be simpler then, let us return to the kingdoms of medieval Europe and see what we would have done then, regardless of what our names are now.

Your distinct personality, The White Knight, might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. Don Quixote was a White Knight as was Joan of Arc, the Lone Ranger and Crusader Rabbit. As a White Knight you expect nothing in return for your good deeds. You are one of the true "Givers" of the world. You are the anonymous philanthropist who shares your wealth, your time and your life with others. To give, is its own reward and as a White Knight you seek no other. On the positive side you are merciful, sympathetic, helpful, giving and heroic. On the negative side you may be impulsively decisive, sentimental and misdirected. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.

I think the underlying concept here (of Medieval "types") is hooey, and I'm not sure if this is mine.

I can't stop singing the song of this title from "The Music Man": My white knight, not a Lancelot nor an angel with wings, just someone to love me who is not ashamed of a few nice things. ... All I want is a plain man, all I want is an modest man, a quiet man, a gentle man--a straightforward and honest man--to sit with me in a cottage somewhere in the state of Iowa. And I would like him to be more interested in me than he is in himself, and more interested in us than in me. And if occasionally he'd ponder what makes Shakespeare and Beethoven great, him I could love 'til I die. (And yes, I know those lyrics by heart--mostly--and would sing them to you if you were here, so consider yourselves lucky!)

Here's Kristin Chenoweth singing it:You can take the test here.

Oh hell YEAH!

Your Score: Harley 883 Sportster

You scored -1 moxie, 3 zeal, and 1 pomp!

You scored dead center average, lacking any of the personality quirks that normally drive people to motorcycling.

However, if you do ride, statistics would suggest that you are destined for a Harley-Davidson, probably something in the Softail line.

You might have noticed that's a lot of moolah for an (arguably) obsolete piece of machinery, and you're too rational and attitude-free to need the Biggest and Baddest that the marketeers tell you to buy. A far more reasonably priced taste of the Harley Kool-Aid is the 883 Sporty, a fun little beast that leaves you with plenty of cash to customize.

On the other hand, the only reason I'm bringing up the Harley-Davidson product line at all is due to the fact that Harley is the choice most people think of when they consider getting into motorcycling, and that's mostly because they don't know much about the alternatives.

Thought experiment: if you were the only person left on earth, and you could pick any motorcycle you wanted, what would you choose? Best looking or best engineered? Your test results don't really point in any direction strongly, so I'll try to nudge you towards substance over style.

Consider: a FXST Softail weighs 629lbs dry, the base version starts around $14k, and will make 75-80hp -- after you tweak it with pipes and a jet kit. A Buell XB12R weighs 395lbs dry, costs $10.5k and makes 103hp, stock. An Aprilia Tuono R weighs 417lbs, costs $12k, and makes 125hp, stock. (We won't even mention the bang for buck of the Japanese competitors.) Still a fan of retro-classic styling? Then at least consider Harley's V-Rod, which mixes in some modern engineering into the equation (596lbs, 125hp, $17k).

While the Sportster is a reasonable compromise, you may discover that you enjoy the added feedback provided by standard-style bikes such as the Suzuki SV or the Ducati Monster. (If you must hang with the Harley crowd, they'll be less likely to give you grief if you choose the Buell, though.)

You have the potential to be a great rider. Take the MSF class, and choose a bike that won't hold you back!

Link: The Motorcycle Personality Test written by iocaine on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I would NEVER (be allowed to) ride a rice-burner!

[disclaimer: I own H-D stock]

Grief

Your Score: Shirt Sleeve Griever

You scored 51 Openness, 16 Reexperiencing, 16 Attachment and 3 Self Concept!

Everybody around you has a good idea if something has happened to you - which is a good thing, if in fact you have enough social skill and intimacy building abilities to capitalize and use this external support system to be with you in this time of need. If not, you have a long road of therapy - nightmares, visions, and isolation to face ... high risk for pathology; your strength is your visibility to others, who will seek to help you in turn.

Link: The 4 Variable Grief/Trauma Test Test written by divncom on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Let's hope....