Check

There's a very popular personality test in the business world called Meyers-Briggs.  This theory separates individuals into sixteen separate categories and apparently can be helpful as one tool in determining which people might be the best fit for different kinds of tasks.  For instance, someone who chafes at authority could be a liability in a tight hierarchical structure or a strong extrovert probably should be assigned to a job that requires that he work from home.  

I've taken this test a few times and I always come out as an INTJ, one of the least common personality types.  Once, I tried to force the answers a little bit, change things around to see if I could alter my type just slightly.  Didn't budge.  Now, I'm not someone who believes the world can be neatly fit into little boxes so I take this information with a grain of salt, whatever that means.  Still, I ascribe to the theory that I have some base material to work with.  If I'm a formless lump of papier-mache I can try to mold myself into a small statue of Adonis but I'm never going to transform into a small granite statue of Adonis and - let's face it - Adonis is probably not going to be the end result of any sculpting that I do.  Horseface Steve, maybe, but not Adonis.

Still, I looked up the psychological classification of an INTJ and I was stunned at how accurate it was.  I always knew I was an introvert, someone who "generally prefers interacting with a few close friends rather than a wide circle of acquaintances, and expends energy in social situations (whereas extroverts gain energy)."

Check.

Apparently INTJs also tend to "be more abstract than concrete.  They focus their attention on the big picture rather than the details."  I can't tell you how often I decide to do something, collect a lot of information, then bog down and quickly tire of all the the little, miserable, fucking useless bits of detritus that make up the project.  If SuperK doesn't follow through and there's even one hindrance I lose interest and move on to the next thing.

Check!

And we "tend to value objective criteria above personal preference or sentiment.  When making decisions we generally give more weight to logic than to social considerations."  Ah, can you come up with a more sanitized way to say: "Doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks of him?"  Sometime I feel kind of cold and calculating and that's probably because I'm a little cold and calculating.

Check!  Check!!

"INTJs tend to plan their activities and make decisions early.  They derive a sense of control through predictability which to creative types may seem limiting."  Uh, can you say "control freak?"

Checccccccckkkkkkkk!!!!

The point here, I think, is that I can't reinvent the wheel.  One of the most complimentary things my wife ever said about me was in response to the question: "What is Seaweed like at home?"  I had probably done something borderline in a public place.  "This is what he's like at home," she said.

I realize I've gotten a little hypothetical here but I really do think it's important to know who I am as best as I can.  I'm never going to be a different type of person - I can learn to behave differently but not to be someone who I'm not.