Ramblings of an Introvert
Oct. 19th, 2007 12:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helblondeA pop headology magazine that we have been receiving mysteriously (er, the why of the receiving is mysterious; neither one of us signed up for a subscription. We've been getting them in the mail, which isn't mysterious at all.) had an article about introversion a few months ago that I thought was very interesting. In essence, they hypothesized (well, theorized, since the writers use the research of others) that introverts are exhausted by extensive contact with others because they do more behavioral analysis throughout the contact. Constantly analyzing the nuances of communication is draining just like any other concentrated thought process: short bursts, no problem; over a greater period, a bit of a strain.
It's an interesting theory. I'd like to hear more about the research. At the least, it's refreshing to hear about psycological research that doesn't make it sound like we introverts are antisocial freaks.
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Since I haven't posted anything of substance recently, here's a random sampling of my week:
- I ran across two weird stereotype archetypes. The first was a fellow I happened to drive by on my way home from work. Except for his height, he looked exactly like the WWII anti-Japanese posters with the unflattering pictures of Hirohito: bald, buck-toothed, big ears that stuck out, round glasses with thick black frames, the works. The second is a guy who has recently become attached to our team at work. Fortunately, he will only be periferally involved, since having him on conference calls is going to be really distracting. His voice sounds like every bad movie falsetto I've ever run across, especially the Elizabethan period pieces.
- My team was taken out to lunch by one of our executives, since we were Team of the Quarter (tm) last quarter. They gave everyone Target gift cards, which I thought was mighty nice. They even gave one to me, and I've an evil consultant. My only complaint: why did lunch have to be pizza? Why not an Indian buffet? Or someplace with good salads? I don't think there's anyone under 30 on the team. A heathy choice for lunch would be great. Still, it was kinda cool to get to meet people I've only interacted with on the phone and through email.
- I channeled moriven at one special moment for me at the lunch. One team member asked another [Asian first name, last name Smith by marraige] whether she is Vietnamese, which sent her off on a rant of how she's Chinese and how tired she is of everyone assuming that she's Vietnamese because of her name. So I say "what, Smith?" She gave me that look, and said, "Yeah, helblonde. Smith." Tee hee hee.
- The boss man was up for the lunch. He was pretty nice and he kept his swearing reigned in. He only called one person a naughty name and that was "booger". (No, not during the lunch. That would have been really amusing in from of our friendly neighborhood executive.) This is great progress, IMO.
- Sadly, after dealing with the big team lunch and then working directly with the boss all afternoon, I was too tired to handle going to the wake.
- I love MS Project 2007. It has some new features that are pretty cool. It's nice and strange to be in a room with a bunch of IT managers and to be the one who knows the most about using the Project software.
- I'm being trained on the Project server systems that the company is rolling out. I'm a bit weirded out by this. Why use a precious license on an evil consultant? I think this means they want to keep me around. That might be okay with me.
- The facilities folks have finally given us all the information about where they're moving us. Well, most of the info. I have a general idea where I'm going, but because of the way they label the cube farm, I won't find the exact cube until Monday. I'm guessing that means that I'll get to wander around in the general area until I find my stuff.
- I hope that the parking lot at the other end of the building has spots that I can park in that don't require me to go over speed bumps. I disapprove of speed bumps. There are 4 spots outside of the speed bump area on this end of the building. I treasure them.
- I like the cooler weather. I've gotten to get out my shawls a couple of times. I like wearing them in the office since they're easier to pack than a sweater, can be wraped around my head in case of rain, and when I walk around the office with one around my shoulders I can pretend it's a cape flapping behind me. I know: "no capes".
- The kitties have come to an understanding. They trade off crying at our door inthe evening. I've needed kitty loving this week. I'm glad they're there. I sure wish they were actually ours, cuz I'd sure love to sit on the couch giving scritchies. As it is, we're very careful to only give the lovin' outside.
- Old kitty has become much more adept at zipping in the door, either by opening the screen or by zooming past us as we walk in ourselves. Yesterday she hopped into my truck as soon as I drove up and opened the door, then she walked me all the way around the house and zipped in to the front door when I opened it.
- Arrgh! Flies. There's only one left in the truck from Crown last weekend. Blech.
- In the past couple of weeks we got a flat panel TV to replace the dead one. This week we got the mount and have mounted it up on the wall. Over the weekend, we're going to shampoo the carpet (I swear it's not actually gray) and then rearrange the furniture. I'm so thrilled that the TV no longer has to be a part of the arrangement. I think we'll open up a lot of space in the living room, too. Oh, and yes, we will still be connecting the TV as an alternate computer screen so we can continue to be mesmerized by the photo screensaver.
- Having a teddy bear at work is a good thing (tm).
It's an interesting theory. I'd like to hear more about the research. At the least, it's refreshing to hear about psycological research that doesn't make it sound like we introverts are antisocial freaks.
**************************
Since I haven't posted anything of substance recently, here's a random sampling of my week:
- I ran across two weird stereotype archetypes. The first was a fellow I happened to drive by on my way home from work. Except for his height, he looked exactly like the WWII anti-Japanese posters with the unflattering pictures of Hirohito: bald, buck-toothed, big ears that stuck out, round glasses with thick black frames, the works. The second is a guy who has recently become attached to our team at work. Fortunately, he will only be periferally involved, since having him on conference calls is going to be really distracting. His voice sounds like every bad movie falsetto I've ever run across, especially the Elizabethan period pieces.
- My team was taken out to lunch by one of our executives, since we were Team of the Quarter (tm) last quarter. They gave everyone Target gift cards, which I thought was mighty nice. They even gave one to me, and I've an evil consultant. My only complaint: why did lunch have to be pizza? Why not an Indian buffet? Or someplace with good salads? I don't think there's anyone under 30 on the team. A heathy choice for lunch would be great. Still, it was kinda cool to get to meet people I've only interacted with on the phone and through email.
- I channeled moriven at one special moment for me at the lunch. One team member asked another [Asian first name, last name Smith by marraige] whether she is Vietnamese, which sent her off on a rant of how she's Chinese and how tired she is of everyone assuming that she's Vietnamese because of her name. So I say "what, Smith?" She gave me that look, and said, "Yeah, helblonde. Smith." Tee hee hee.
- The boss man was up for the lunch. He was pretty nice and he kept his swearing reigned in. He only called one person a naughty name and that was "booger". (No, not during the lunch. That would have been really amusing in from of our friendly neighborhood executive.) This is great progress, IMO.
- Sadly, after dealing with the big team lunch and then working directly with the boss all afternoon, I was too tired to handle going to the wake.
- I love MS Project 2007. It has some new features that are pretty cool. It's nice and strange to be in a room with a bunch of IT managers and to be the one who knows the most about using the Project software.
- I'm being trained on the Project server systems that the company is rolling out. I'm a bit weirded out by this. Why use a precious license on an evil consultant? I think this means they want to keep me around. That might be okay with me.
- The facilities folks have finally given us all the information about where they're moving us. Well, most of the info. I have a general idea where I'm going, but because of the way they label the cube farm, I won't find the exact cube until Monday. I'm guessing that means that I'll get to wander around in the general area until I find my stuff.
- I hope that the parking lot at the other end of the building has spots that I can park in that don't require me to go over speed bumps. I disapprove of speed bumps. There are 4 spots outside of the speed bump area on this end of the building. I treasure them.
- I like the cooler weather. I've gotten to get out my shawls a couple of times. I like wearing them in the office since they're easier to pack than a sweater, can be wraped around my head in case of rain, and when I walk around the office with one around my shoulders I can pretend it's a cape flapping behind me. I know: "no capes".
- The kitties have come to an understanding. They trade off crying at our door inthe evening. I've needed kitty loving this week. I'm glad they're there. I sure wish they were actually ours, cuz I'd sure love to sit on the couch giving scritchies. As it is, we're very careful to only give the lovin' outside.
- Old kitty has become much more adept at zipping in the door, either by opening the screen or by zooming past us as we walk in ourselves. Yesterday she hopped into my truck as soon as I drove up and opened the door, then she walked me all the way around the house and zipped in to the front door when I opened it.
- Arrgh! Flies. There's only one left in the truck from Crown last weekend. Blech.
- In the past couple of weeks we got a flat panel TV to replace the dead one. This week we got the mount and have mounted it up on the wall. Over the weekend, we're going to shampoo the carpet (I swear it's not actually gray) and then rearrange the furniture. I'm so thrilled that the TV no longer has to be a part of the arrangement. I think we'll open up a lot of space in the living room, too. Oh, and yes, we will still be connecting the TV as an alternate computer screen so we can continue to be mesmerized by the photo screensaver.
- Having a teddy bear at work is a good thing (tm).