Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Me, taking the "Getting to Know Yourself" Quiz

This is from the Happiness Project website.

If something is forbidden, do you want it less or more?

Depends on who is doing the forbidding and why. I don't usually spend a lot of time thinking about forbidden things, but I am very passionate about having the right to make my own stupid decisions and the government staying out of my life as much as possible.

Is there an area of your life where you feel out of control? Especially in control?
Laundry makes me feel out of control, or at least hopeless of ever having a handle on it. I feel out of control sometimes when I think something really needs done, or I just really want to do something, but the Ninja Time Lord isn't on board with it. I'm sure he feels the same way sometimes.

If you unexpectedly had a completely free afternoon, what would you do with that time?
I'd probably spend a little bit of time making myself feel good by doing something I'm supposed to do, like exercising or cleaning, and then spend most of the time rewarding myself by eating brownies and dancing to way too loud music or watching tv I can't watch in front of the kids. If I'm having a really great day, instead of the tv I pull out my painting, knitting, or sewing supplies.

Are you comfortable or uncomfortable in a disorderly environment?
I can be comfortable in a disorderly environment if I have my focus in one area: a book I'm reading, the computer, paperwork, sleeping, etc. If I'm having to move about or am jumping from task to task a disorderly environment gets under my skin and can drive me mad. (I answered this question thinking about my house...outside of my own house my frustration is directly influenced by the amount of responsibility I feel for the place. In other words, if it isn't my problem, it doesn't bother me.)

How much time do you spend looking for things you can’t find?
Far, far too much. Mostly it's my kids' clothing/shoes. But at least once a week I have to go on a cleaning spree just to find a particular piece of paper or my husband's keys.

Are you motivated by competition?
A little bit. I'm more motivated by teamwork.

Do you find it easier to do things for other people than to do things for yourself?
O yes. Yep. Sure do.

Do you work constantly? or think you should be working?
No. Yes. LOL I believe that I could always do better, but I don't give myself a very hard time about it, most of the time.

Do you embrace rules or flout rules?
Yes. I'm sorry, but that is either a one word answer or a blog post of it's own. Perhaps I could say that in most instances, I embrace rules and flout convention, but I will also reject rules in favor of my own common sense.

Do you work well under pressure?
Yes.

What would your perfect day look like? 
Too many options for a "special" day, so a perfect average day would look like me getting up on time, going for a walk, coming back, waking the kids, making breakfast, the morning routine getting done quickly, eating, doing the prayer and starting school on time, finishing by noon, eating lunch, doing a few chores with the kids help, and then either going to the YMCA to swim or pulling out my crafting supplies and going at it till supper time. Supper, evening routine and prayers, then playing a game or reading a book to the kids till they go to bed. My perfect day mostly consists of what we do anyway, except without the yelling, whining, or dawdling that all of us do. 

How much TV do you watch in a week (include computer time spent watching videos, movies, YouTube)?


Too much. I've actually been keeping track of this lately, trying to come up with a realistic amount to cut back. Right now, I'm watching an average of 90 minutes a day. More when the NTL is home, because I tend to watch with him, even if it's not something I would usually watch.

Are you a morning person or a night person?
If I get up early I get more done and have a better day. But it is much easier for me to stay up late than get up early.

What’s more satisfying to you: saving time or saving money?
Good question....I think saving money, because while I am very bad at it, having a bit stashed away makes me feel pretty good, and I haven't figured out a way to "stash" time.

Do you like to be in the spotlight?
Sometimes? Only for good stuff, and only if my makeup is done. LOL

Is your life “on hold” in any aspect? Until you finish your thesis, get married, lose weight?
In some ways it's on hold till I have this baby; in other ways it's on hold till we have some money saved up and some debt paid off; in other ways till we can move onto some land. I put some real effort in living life in the ways I can, right now, though.

What would you do if you had more energy?
Paint the house, decorate it more, take the kids out to the YMCA and parks more

If you suddenly had an extra room in your house, what would you do with it?
HAHAHAHA. I wonder how many rooms I would have to have before I would think of one as "extra?" I would love to have a dedicated craft or school room though. But, honestly, I'd rather have less stuff and a smaller house to clean.

What people and activities energize you? Make you feel depleted?
Cleaning house and never feeling like it is good enough depletes me badly. Usually hanging out with friends energizes me, but sometimes it can be a drain, if the conversation is just about "what's going on with everyone." I like dancing and singing, even though I stink at it. Exercise usually energizes me, though I rarely enjoy doing it. Pinterest and magazines and nonfictional books about my interests can inspire and energize me, so long as I don't spend too long looking at them. Writing and painting energizes me. Acting energizes me. I like gardening and knitting and sewing, but they tend to deplete me. Sex usually energizes me.

Is it hard for you to get rid of things that you no longer need or want?
No, because I tend to want everything I have! I'm getting better about it though; I want a clean uncluttered house more than I want to have that bag of dryer lint or that magazine or that pile of unused fabric. I am also learning the joy of NOT looking through boxes and bags of stuff that I haven't looked into for years before just tossing them. Sometimes I shiver to think of what I may have accidentally thrown away, but it's worth it. I haven't regretted it yet.

Do you get frustrated easily?
Seriously, do they expect the answers to these questions to be a solid 'yes' or 'no'? Of course it depends, but I believe I go into things with high expectations, get very frustrated, then breathe and re-balance and can keep going much longer and "better." So long as I don't shriek or throw things in the frustration period, it all works out okay.

On a typical night, what time do you go to bed? How many hours of sleep do you get?
I go to sleep between 11 pm and 2 am on a typical night and get up between 6:30 am and 9 am. My goals are to be in bed by 10:30 pm and up by 6:30 am.

If at the end of the year, you had accomplished one thing, what is the one accomplishment that would make the biggest difference to your happiness?
It feels wrong to say anything other that "have a good delivery and a healthy baby" since I'm due in August, but while every child is an increase to my happiness I don't know how "different" it would be...does that make sense? Having a clean, organized, and somewhat decorated house I would feel okay with friends seeing would be huge. Huge, I say.


I would love to hear y'alls answers, or if anyone else recognizes themselves in my answers. Don't leave me all alone here!

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