Say Something Funny.

Something funny. Nah, just kidding. Two weekends ago I took a comedy class. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "But Amy, you're so naturally fumny, why do you possibly need to take a class on the subject of comedy?"

Well, after reading Tina Fey's book Bossypants I was deeply moved and inspired and I took a few moments to re-examine what I wanted in my life and how I could get there. Around this time, I was also distracted by a copy of "The Onion" on the kitchen table and I saw that Philly has an Improv Theater.

PHIT the Shit!

I checked out the advertised group online and low and behold they not only had classes but one of the classes coming up was going to be taught by current Saturday Night Live writer, Christine Nangle. The site said April 30th to May 1st...

"That's this weekend and it's in a few days." I thought. "...and it's $200. Hmmm..." I reasoned, "Well, I still haven't asked for anything for graduation...maybe this could be my present."

Long story short, my dad very kindly paid for the class and the class was amazing!

Something Christine Nangle wrote and starred in. 

There were seven other people taking the class plus the writer/teacher. For class I had to have a few things written. Over a few days I whipped something up based on the Asch Experiments. It wasn't the funniest thing ever written but was amazed that I even finished it. Other people's stuff was great too but my favorite thing about the class was being able to ask Christine questions afterwards. Her answers gave me hope that there is security in working hard.  I think I learned from her that eventually things will work out. It may take longer than you want or expect and it may happen in a way you never predict but it will happen.  Or at least, I hope that is what I learned. 

Whew!

I'm finally all caught up on my blogs! Well, that's almost true. My book blog is still almost 2 months behind but I need to read more books to fix that problem. Considering my movie and my vegan blog were both about a month and a half behind and this blog was lagging a couple weeks, the improvement feels immensely satisfying.

Catching up required about three nights of working until at least 5 in the morning. This past week has felt productive though strange in terms of hours. It's like I get off work and I have another shift.  Since writing is something I enjoy, it's a entirely different feeling.  A good one!  I enjoy the feeling on being able to sit, be warm, eat, drink, and use the bathroom as needed.  And I love the feeling for doing something I love.    

Is it deceitful to play catch up and change the post dates? I hope not. I don't want to be deceitful, I just want to be up-to-date!

Send Me On My Way

After looking for jobs for months, I suddenly have three solid possibilities open to me.  Although I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, I have hope that one of these things will work out.

About a week ago, a friend of mine told me that a paper they work at has positions open for paid internships.  Although I don't have an English or Journalism degree, I have always loved writing, particularly now that I am writing more days than not.  In an effort to counter the fact that I don't have a more applicable degree, I started to write three sample articles.  One article on wedding planning in our current financial climate, one article about veganism, and one article on a foreign exchange program my friend is in.

I setup interviews via Facebook with friends of mine who were engaged or were married.  It's a bit crazy to me that people my age are getting married.  Am I at that age already?  During the interview process, I was humbled by how much detail my friends went into.  It was more than I could have asked for and at the same time what I asked.  In doing this I also realized, I could do this for a living.  I find it interesting, creative, and fun.  Everything something should be that takes up most of a person's time.

After working on the wedding article, I got to work on the foreign exchange article.  My friend from grade school is currently in Korea teaching young kids English.  I asked her about it and in doing so, I got interested.  So I went to the website and signed up.  Soon after, I got an email and then a phone call.  Going to Korea to teach for a year seems like a far away possibility that is quickly becoming more likely.  I've thought from time to time that I would like to teach.  I'd like to help people on an everyday basis.  With teaching I could do that.  While I am hesitant to go for a whole year, if the opportunity presented itself I couldn't turn it down.  I would go in a heart beat and I know that I would love it!

While emails and phone calls were being exchanged about this Korean teaching program, I got a response to a job inquiry I sent out almost three weeks ago.  This job was for a part-time position at a New York Hostel.  The job was to check people in and out, make beds, and other minor chores.  After the hostel owner emailed me, I called the number he provided.  We talked about what type of person he was looking for and I brought up my idea which was working part-time in exchange for place to stay.  The man thought it over and felt that this could be arranged.  We've gotten in touch since then and found that we have a similar diet (he's on a mostly raw diet and I'm vegan).  If this job worked out the way that I am hoping, I will work at the hostel 20-hours a week and be able to spend the rest of my time looking for a full-time job.  This could be great for me!

Things seem to be looking up.  It's funny that all these gigs presented themselves at the same time but I can't say I'm surprised.  And I'm embarrassed to say that after all this, I know that I will miss things that I have taken for granted.  C'est La Vie. 



P.S.  Blogger changed their picture uploader and I haven't been able to add images since.  Boo!       

Typing About My Type

Since a high school psychology class, I have been fascinated by Carl Gustav Jung's (a.k.a. C.G. Jung) and Myers-Briggs personality test.  A visit to Jung's Wikipedia page will tell you that he provided the basis for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.  Jung researched people and their personalities and concluded that there were eights basic kinds of people in the world.  During his studies, Jung was assisted by Katharine C. Briggs.  While Katharine C. Briggs collected all of the data that Jung discovered, her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers had the idea that all of this information could be used to help people.  Isabel felt that if people had a better understanding of what they were good at and what they had to work on, they would be better equip to succeed in the workplace and in personal relationships.  So, Isabel Briggs Myers spent her lifetime adding on to Carl Jung's research.  In doing so, she decided that there were 16 personality types.     

When I first took this personality test in my 10th grade psychology class, I thought that the test had me down perfectly.  Over the seven years since then (Shit, has it really been that long?) I have revisited my interest in the test, and with every search I find more information that seems even more specific and more accurate.  One search that really impressed me told me that I was most likely a vegetarian.  True!

So who am I?

I am INFP meaning I am an Introverted Feeling with iNtuition who Perceives the world around me.  The word that describes me best is "Idealist".  My polar opposite would be an Extroverted Thinker with Senses and Judges the world around them.  But let's get back to me.

According to my various books and Google searches, as an INFP, I am flexible and easy-going unless one of my personal principals is violated.  I hold myself to a strict, moral code but generally I don't impose these beliefs upon others.  I see everything for how it could be rather than how it is.  I am seek out the beauty and good in things and I fantasize about the future.  I am inclined to be creative and uninclined to understand topics based on pure facts.  It's in my nature to be curious about things and have a lifelong sense of wonder.  I always have the desire to learn new things and have different experiences.  All of the qualities make me restless and sometimes fickle.

The book Type Talk reports that as an Introvert, people may see me as anti-social because I am unable to devote large amounts of time to sociable activities.  I need time to myself to recharge for although I have an endless amount of energy for the many things I'm passionate about, being with other people depletes my energy quickly.  The book also mentions that at times, I feel guilty about all the me time I need, and living with extroverts may increase this guilt.  I am a difficult to get to know but I can be extremely warm and open with the few I choose to open up to.  I have a great deal of empathy and see both sides to any story.  Things are never black and white to me.  At the same time, I take things too personally and it is common for my type to be hypersensitive.               

I am unhappy in a job that is routine and meaningless.  I require a fulfilling career more than a big paycheck.  This career should involve something that "provides a noble service to aid society".  Without a clear purpose in my job, I become resentful and maybe even rebellious.  For these reasons, INFP are most often drawn to jobs in writing, health care, or psychiatry.  I work well when I am working independently.  I am a perfectionist and sometimes I can have a control problem.

I have also found through websites and books that INFPs often have unhappy childhoods and "a subtle and tragic motif running throughout their lives."  I don't know how a test could know this but it's true.  It is common for my type to feel lonely and isolated because on the internal nature of my personality and because INFP account for 1-5% of the population.  My happiness depends on my finding a balance between my ideals and the reality of the way things are in the world.             
 

People like me include Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkien, actress and activist Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana, and co-founder of this personality test, Isabel Briggs Myers. 

To see what your personality type is, go here.  You can also visit this site, this site, or this site, to read more about INFPs or your own personality type.