free time

I've always hated free time.

I love being busy. I also like complaining about how busy I am because I want people to know how busy I am. This sounds bad, but its true.

Student Teaching has been one of the most hectic experiences of my life. And now it's practically over. I'm one day away from finishing. That's right. I have to make a test, give it and grade it. And then I'm done. I still have one evening class left (we meet just two more times, once to turn in a project and the next time for the final), but yeah.

This weekend has been blissful. And I've had free time.

I finished stats for my softball time. I organized a potluck and made a casserole (Special K, yo!). I had a game night at my house last night. And this morning, I made breakfast for four of the most awesome guys around, James Oliver, Bill Lenz, Mike Stratte and Jeff Andersen. Mancakes. Hashbrowns. Scrambled eggs. I've cleaned the house. I've been running. I've read.

And I'm almost getting antsy again. I really need to find a job.

enneagram

Personality types have always intrigued me, both in terms of self-analysis or making guesses about others. In the 8th grade, I took a very basic test which noted that I was a strong sanguine and choleric, with barely a drop of phlegmatic. As a high school senior I took a similar test which showed increasing phlegmatic. In college, I've taken the Myers-Briggs three times and each time score something similar to an ESTJ (T and F are always switching...). I've read the analysis and while it's decent, I've never felt as though it fully defines me.

However, last night, I discovered another analysis while reading a recent Donald Miller blog. It takes your Myers-Briggs analysis and offers a more distinct analysis. It takes personality types and puts them on a 9 point "circle" (sorry mathematicians...). Technically, I would align at either an 8 or a 3, however after reading the descriptions last night with my housemate, Mike, I'm convinced the 8 is more fitting.

I've never felt so defined by an outside source. As I read, I felt that it almost completely specified who I am. "Independent." "Assertive." "Passionate." "Vision." "Action." "Challenges." It went on to say that:

"In brief, Eights want to be self-reliant, to prove their strength and independence, to be important in their world, to have an impact on their environment, to have the unquestioned loyalty of their inner circle, and to stay in control of their situation. Eights do not want to feel weak or vulnerable, to feel out of control, to be dependent on others, to have their decisions or authority questioned, to lose others' backing, or to be surprised by others' unexpected actions."

I've been called blunt. I embrace it. And I prefer others to be blunt with me. The enneagram showed why I struggle with people who aren't... You may be wondering about the arrows. They show how your personality can change in certain situations. When I get stressed, I often turn into a 5, a Thinker. This is atypical of 8's, who normally like to be in charge. Instead, they pull away for as long as it takes to regroup and strategize. I resonate with that. To grow, 8's become a 2. 2's are more emotional, something 8's don't want to publicly embrace. But, usually after saying something regrettable, 8's must confront their emotions, usually apologizing and becoming vulnerable. That's how we grow. This all describes me to a T. We read it about Mike, and it described him too...

I'd recommend you all take your Myers-Briggs Analysis and visit the enneagram website.

political disenchantment

I grew up a staunch Republican. Someone who thought he'd grow up and vote Republican forever without a second thought. But I'm disenchanted. I'm disenchanted with a party that preaches cutting spending, but brings in so much less revenue that the budget still isn't balanced. I'm disenchanted with a party that gives subsidies to oil companies while firing teachers. I'm embarrassed that Barack Obama's birth certificate was allowed to dominate the news for weeks without any evidence given to support otherwise (and I've been thinking this since 2008, when I specifically campaigned for John McCain at Walla Walla Republican headquarters). See this article for more. I'm embarrassed that a man without any political experience can suddenly be a contender, especially since that was the main complaint against Obama. I see hypocrisy. I see a party willing to give corporations huge subsidies, forcing them to pay no taxes, while making the middle class pay more.

I'm not saying I'm a Democrat either. I see a party that's focused on much good: primarily helping the common man. However, they have no financial aptitude, spending our country into the ground. Side note, the only president to balance the budget in the last 50 years was Bill Clinton, a Democrat.

Extremists have hijacked both parties. Where is a fiscally-minded moderate to go? It's time for a new political party. It's time for the two-party system to die. As for the 2012 election, I have no idea who I'll vote for. I want a balanced budget first and foremost. However, I'm sure that if it was Obama vs. Trump/Palin, I'd vote Obama and if the other side won, I might have to move...