Personality Types

Look, guys! A post NOT about podcasts. Full disclosure, though, I learned about the Enneagram Institute while listening to a podcast interview of Nadia Bolz Weber, one of my favorite writers and theologians. I decided to look up what type I am, because... who doesn't love a Buzzfeed-type quiz? No quiz, but I read through the descriptions and discovered I'm a 6. Hm. How... average of me. With a few exceptions, the personality description is pretty spot-on.

YES!

• "they will defend their community or family more tenaciously than they will defend themselves." If you don't believe me, ask my kids.
• "they think--and worry--a lot!" Uh, hello. Have you read this blog?
• "[they] are always aware of their anxieties and are always looking for ways to construct “social security” bulwarks against them." Oh, the systems and strategies I have...
• Addictions: "Caffeine... for stamina, but also alcohol and depressants to deaden anxiety."

Not Really...

• Indecisive. I actually tend to make unilateral decisions a bit too often. Probably annoys the crap out of my husband. I've decided not to ask him, though.
• ..."'belief'... is difficult for Sixes to achieve." Nah, I'm good with trust, faith, convictions, and positions, as long as it doesn't have to do with having those things in myself.
• Fear of abandonment. Oh, gosh no. This independent introvert is cool with alone time.

The word that keeps jumping out at me in these descriptions, though, is "anxiety." That's my biggest challenge in life. If I could just tame it... Pharmaceuticals have helped tremendously, and I thank God every day that I live in a time and place where I have access to decent mental health care. I'm fully aware that not everyone can say that, and my heart goes out to those who struggle, like I do, with anxiety (and sometimes depression) but don't have the resources to alleviate it.

Now, I realize personality types are just a tad more scientific than zodiac signs, but I still love them. I'm also fascinated by the Myers Briggs personality types. I'm an INFJ (Introvert, INtuitive, Feeling, Judging). It's a rare personality type, supposedly, but I've met a lot of others who also fall into this category. This link takes you to some tests to determine which one you are.

Maybe some people don't like to be so easily pigeon-holed, but as my Enneagram personality type would attest, I like the certainty and security of knowing that a) I'm not alone; b) someone has figured me out (because I've yet to do so); and c) I'm not so weird, after all.

Well, maybe that last one is a bit of a stretch in my interpretation of the data.

Which Enneagram type do you think you are? Which parts of the description fit you best? Which parts aren't quite as relevant?

Podcast-Inspired Discussion: Ten Things that Scare Me

One of the great things about listening to podcasts is that podcasters love to share their favorite podcasts. Okay, some of them have to promote other shows produced by the same company they work for (kind of like network shows and cross-promotions), but the good production companies tend to make a lot of good shows, so the tips their podcasters give usually pan out for me. Consistently solid companies are Panoply, Gimlet, Radiotopia, PRX, and NPR, among others. I was listening to On Being (a podcast sure to be discussed multiple times on this blog, since Krista Tippett does the BEST interviews of the most fascinating people) when they promoted another podcast called "10 Things That Scare Me," a mini podcast. They billed it as a great exercise in empathy. Oh, man. That's right in my wheelhouse. I'm all about empathy.

That empathy was put to the test when the podcast featured Anthony Scaramucci (former Trump administration member) as one of its guest. Ugh. But you know what? His list, in addition to confirming he's a conceited slimeball, was enlightening, and he and I actually share a couple of fears, like that he'll return to Washington someday. Ha! Anyway, the episodes are only about five minutes each, with the guest literally listing ten things they're afraid of, adding a little bit of exposition here and there. It's, in turns, funny, heartbreaking, endearing, and poignant. And the host of the show always shares one thing at the end of each episode that scares her. They're usually hilarious, but at the same time, very relatable. There's a real comfort in knowing we're not alone, even in some of our strangest worries. Check it out on the podcast app I'm sure you've downloaded by now so you can listen to all of my recommendations. Or........... visit the 10 Things That Scare Me website.

And here's my TEN THINGS THAT SCARE ME list. I'd LOVE it if you'd share a similar list for yourself in the comments to this post.

1. Tornadoes.
2. Walking out of work or the store to find my car's been stolen.
3. My kids never leaving home after they become adults. I mean, I love 'em, but... absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?
4. Our landline voicemail inbox, which is always full. (Yes, we still have a landline, for emergencies.) I never check the voicemail. Just so you know...
5. Food poisoning.
6. Dying last in my family. My husband and I argue about this all the time. He says there's no way I can die before him, because he'll be lost. He has a point; I know all of the account passwords. Still, I'm terrified of having to bury him and my kids and living to be super-old. I know I won't be one of those active, fun, fit old people, still bee-bopping around in her nineties. I'm already past my bee-boppin' days.
7. And on that note... Alzheimer's or dementia.
8. Snakes.
9. Ruined vacations. It happens so rarely that we have the time, opportunity, and money to go on vacation, so when the stars do align, and we're able to go, I fear all the things that can go wrong. We've been relatively lucky, but last summer, it did rain for much of our beach vacation. Oddly enough, though, it turned out okay. We napped during storms and watched a movie or two, then took advantage of the dry times. We're a pretty resilient bunch.
10. Skunks.

Podcast Review/Recommendation: The Box of Oddities

Two days a week, I wake up to my alarm and immediately get out of bed. One of those days is Monday. The other is Thursday. What could possibly get a sleep lover like myself to greet the day so eagerly, especially a Monday? I'm glad you asked. Because the answer is, The Box of Oddities  podcast.

Where else can I learn about goo falling from the sky in a small Washington town? How else would I know there's an island off the coast of Brazil that's covered in snakes? Who, besides hosts Katrina Walls and Jethro Gilligan Toth, would not only share so many of my bizarre interests but would be enthusiastic enough about them that they'd research four topics every single week and produce a podcast for self-proclaimed "freaks" like me? The answer is... nowhere. Actually, there are other podcasts that offer a peek into the bizarre and the unexplained, but this is the best one I've found. In the year or so they've been producing their show from their home in Bangor, Maine, the married couple have discussed such a wide range of topics that I never get bored. From Salvador Dali to aliens, from mystery pop machines to mansions with dead-end staircases, this show delves into the best and worst of humanity, technology, psychology, history, entertainment, and more. It's a smorgasbord of information for the curious-minded.

In addition to the fascinating and diverse topics Kat and J.G. (yeah, we're tight like that... no, we're not) cover twice a week, their personalities and chemistry are fabulous. J.G. has an incredible radio voice, and Kat's laughter is contagious. Their interactions are sometimes hilarious; other times, they're frighteningly familiar to anyone who's been in a relationship for any length of time--and still hilarious. The two are delightfully quirky, but not over-the-top. It never feels like they're trying too hard. Their delivery and rapport is effortless.

So, I'm proud to call myself a "freak" (the affectionate name they've given their fans), and I fly my freak flag high. I only wish I could attend their live show this coming weekend in Nashville, TN. But maybe they'll venture closer to me at a later date. A freak can dream...

If you're interested in sampling the show, here are a few of my favorite episodes:
Box 036: Mark Twain Skid Marks
Box 010: Screamed at by a Hobo
Box 046: Eat a Banana
Box 096: Bowling with God

I mean, they're all good, but these will get you started.

And here's a link to my first podcast review/recommendation post, where you can find links and suggestions for finding the perfect podcast listening service for you.

ASMR - Awesome Scalp and Mind Ruffles (or actually... Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response)

Have you ever heard something that gives you a pleasant shiver? Do you find yourself zoning out when someone nearby is whispering or shuffling papers or pouring a fizzy drink? Do certain sounds make you pleasantly limp? You might be experiencing one of my favorite things, ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

Sleep.org describes it as "...a feeling of euphoric tingling and relaxation that can come over someone when he or she watches certain videos or hears certain sounds." I, personally, experience it most when I hear someone whisper, especially with words that contain sounds made with the front of the mouth (tip of tongue, lips). D's and P's and Ch's are especially brain-tingly for me. There are a couple of co-workers of mine whose voices are in a particular tonal range that they set off my ASMR sometimes when I talk to them on the phone. Of course, I've never told them this, because... that would be weird. But I have to work really hard to stay focused in conversations with them. If I let myself drift at all, I risk nodding off.

If everything I've described above is totally foreign to you, then you may be one of the many people who have never experienced ASMR. Don't worry; you're not alone. It's not like you're weird if you don't enjoy listening to people whisper or watching people fold towels. On the flip side, it's really common if those things do please you. It's a brain thing. Brains are cool. And hard to understand sometimes. That's what makes them so fascinating, though.

My favorite ASMR artist (that makes me giggle) is Harris from Sleep Whispers. His is the first ASMR podcast I ever listened to, and it was kind of a fluke that I found it. I didn't even know what ASMR was at the time. I just knew I was having trouble falling asleep, and in this day and age, there's always "an app for that," whatever "that" may be (in this case, insomnia). I searched Podcast Addict for relaxation casts, and his popped up. "Sleep Whispers" was intriguing to me, so I tried it. And after I got used to the slightly strange/creepy vibe of listening to a man whisper everything he says, I LOVED IT. The best part is, I never made it to the end of an episode before falling asleep. Yes, that's a good thing.

Over the months, Harris has revealed his true identity, Dr. Craig Richard, a bona fide professor who heads up ASMR University. He even consulted on a commercial that aired during Super Bowl LIII last Sunday. You can watch it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXmlN9BAddg

Did it give you the shivers? Did it make your head tingle? Did it relax you?

I prefer audio ASMR, but a lot of people watch the YouTube videos. In fact, it is CRAZY POPULAR out there. Thousands and thousands of videos by ASMR superstars. That makes me giggle, too.

How about you? Is this something you enjoy? Do you want to learn more? Explore the ASMR University site to get a comprehensive introduction to the topic. Dr. Richard has a link to his and other ASMR audio and video clips. Do you already have a favorite artist? Share in the comments!