Knitting Cybrarian

Interesting (?!) personality test

A friend posted the results of this personality test (Motivational DNA) to her blog. Curious, I had to follow suit. Why are these tests so fascinating? I guess one wants a surprise, or some reassurance that one is normal, or perhaps above-average!

laura gayle’s Motivational DNA Type is PVI (Production-Variety-Internal): The Visionary

Visionaries are persistent, energetic and confident. They are able to organize people and projects. Visionaries exhibit strong leadership potential and react quickly to crisis. Creative thinkers, Visionaries have the ability to craft a vision and get others excited about it. They enjoy working on multiple projects at the same time and like to be involved in exploring alternative concepts. Farsighted and imaginative, Visionaries are good at finding original solutions to difficult problems. Visionaries enjoy change and thrive under pressure. They have the ability to shift gears and turn on a dime. They are confident in their ability to master new skills. Visionaries enjoy challenge and desire personal growth. Visionaries want to know that their work matters and desire to “go where no man has gone before.”

PVI Motivators: Inspiring work environment, opportunity to originate and initiate ideas, peer respect, credit for work accomplished and a strong sense of mission.

PVI De-Motivators: Rigid structure, routine, delays, time-consuming details and bureaucracy.

Quick-Start Tips for Goal Achievement:

1. Options are vital for your motivational style. Make a list of a dozen ways to accomplish your goal. Then mix it up. Do a little of everything on the list. PVI Visionaries get bored with the same old, same old.

2. Create a customized plan for achieving your objectives. If something doesn’t work for you, don’t force yourself to do it—eliminate it. Find a better way—something enjoyable that works.

3. Make a detailed record of why your goal is important to you. How will you (and others) benefit if you achieve the goal and what are the consequences if you don’t?

Quiet Sunday

Sarah and I were quite busy at the Studio yesterday, so I decided to have a quiet day at home today.  I had considered going in to work at the library, but thought I'd be better off if I enjoyed time at home.

We had another cold morning, and I enjoyed lingering over coffee.  I finished knitting Joel's new socks and I also finished a child's hat -- to be donated.  I used a basic knit hat pattern, but since I was running low on the pink yarn, I purchased a coordinating blue yarn, and added alternating stripes using the Fibonacci sequence.  The blue stripes were in seed stitch, adding a textural element too.

I made bread dough in the bread machine, and made a bit of a mistake.  I added too much water, so when the dough cycle was complete, I had a runny dough.  At this point I thought I didn't have much to lose, so I added about a cup or so of flour, restarted the cycle and let the machine run about halfway through the cycle.  I stopped the machine, and let the refortified dough rise for about 20 minutes.  It worked, and the rolls were yummy!

I also gave in to my childhood memory, and made baked macaroni and cheese, adding some sharp white cheddar to the mixture.  YUM!

Portia and I watched Braveheart and started knitting another hat while Joel made pizza dough.  I'm behind on movies and had been wanting to watch this for quite a while.

A quiet, productive day.  I hope it's good preparation for the busy week ahead!

Yes, Virginia, Coyotes are alive and well in Missouri

Friday morning I was Columbia, MO bound.  I planned to meet colleagues at a mall on the eastern edge of the metro area so I didn't have to drive into the city and deal with intense rush hour traffic.

I have a favorite route from home to the interstate and main roads east of us.  Hills, windy roads, fields and livestock characterize this route -- all of which remind me of home (Franklin County, VA).  I frequently see horses, cattle, deer and wild turkey, and as I pass over creeks in the early morning or early evening, I can smell the coolness of the water.  Takes me back to my country girl roots.

So, Friday morning I'm driving this beloved route, and at a stop sign, I notice a white-tailed deer running through the horse pasture.  The white tail was vertical, much like a flagpole, and from the stance, I knew this doe was running for her life.  I turned right and took my time -- not knowing if she was the first of a few spooked deer.  To my surprise, a coyote crossed in front of me, heedless of the car, but definitely after breakfast.  The coyote stopped at the edge of the road, sniffing for Bambi (as I dubbed her).  By then, Bambi had jumped the fence and was into the next field. 

This coyote was healthy -- I think it was a female, but I didn't get to examine it too closely.  I was stunned by its speed and how it had no concern about my vehicle coming towards it.  If you've been to the Grand Canyon, you've probably seen coyote -- the ones I saw were rather scrawny (in March) and were looking for tourist handouts.  I also saw a few in Sun City, AZ -- same time of year, and also somewhat scrawny.  The Missouri cousin looked quite healthy -- beautiful, strong, and determined to have Bambi for breakfast. 

I'll look out for this coyote and his/her family at this intersection from now on!

Monday afternoon/eve at the ER

I woke up around 4am this morning with a pain.  A pain that wouldn't go away.  I was reminded of the gallbladder pain from 2005.  Same place (about) and similar intensity.  And it wouldn't subside, move, or stop.

Fast forward to 2:20pm.  I've left a message with my doc asking what to do.  Still have the pain.  Am in the middle of a staff meeting and instead of being my usual attentive self, moving things forward, I have this instinct to say, "just stop.  your lips are moving but I'm not really here.  just stop.  leave me alone."

While I have to confess there are a few meetings where I have those thoughts, the short sessions with my staff do not fall into that category.  We usually have a good session, cover a lot of ground, and plan the next steps for whatever needs to be tackled.

My docs office called (we're at 2:20pm today) and urged me to go to the ER.  So I packed up and did just that. 

I don't always bring my knitting to work, but today I did.  Good thing.  I drove to the hospital covered by my insurance (an 8 minute drive), made a wrong turn, and backtracked.  Yeah, I don't usually have a problem with finding places I've been before, either.  Got there and parked, went in and checked in.

I found a seat and targeted a location where i thought I'd be a-out of the way, and b-unobtrusive.  ER waiting rooms often have lots of family drama, and I was having my own drama keeping back tears and trying to keep my teeth from being ground to dust.

After I brought out my knitting, I realized the man on the other side of the coffee table was still talking.  Talking on the phone.  Loudly.  Calling one person, then another.  Then he had a color commentary regarding the "Judge Joe" (or similarly titled) show displayed on the waiting room TV.  My knitting caught his attention, and he had to ask about that (after a woman across the way had asked too).  As if that wasn't enough, he inquired about how I entered the ER, and if I knew of other ways to get in.  (I had no clue, I entered from the garage). 

My name was called, and I nearly jumped with joy.  Ouch.

I'll spare you the rest of the details, except to say that I got to the ER and checked in around 2:50pm and left around 9:30pm.  I was poked, prodded, gave up blood and urine for tests and had a CT scan done of my abdomen.  Joel offered to come to the hospital, but I told him to stay at work, go home when he was ready and I would call him if there was a reason for him to come to the hospital.

When I left the ER, I was still in pain, and the bloody tests showed not a daggone thing wrong.  I'm still in pain.

But I got the better part of a hat knitted and major progress on a Starmore wrap.   Wasn't exactly what I had planned for today, though.

and if the previous one wasn't enough

Your Ideal Careers:

Archeologist
Astronomer
Book editor
Business manager
Civil engineer
Designer
Economist
Inventor
Judge
Scientist

Your Career Personality: Brainy, Logical, and Efficient

The Quick and Dirty Career Test

and NONE of these are close to what I actually DO!

oh good grief

You Should Be a Manager

You're very organized, motivated, and methodical.
Fair and objective, you can see all sides of a conflict. You are a good mediator.
You are task oriented. You do well with deadlines and schedules.
And while you can be a task master at times, you're good at managing people and listening to their input.

You do best when you:

- Must have attention to detail
- Are in charge of people

You would also be a good accountant or personal assistant. (NOT)

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

Voting, nature, knitting

We've had warm weather the past two days.  Last night when I came home I opened the sliding glass door and the front door to enjoy some fresh air.  Unfortunately this morning Portia let out her hunting meow as we walked to the living room.  She was pawing between my knitting bags and sniffing to beat the band.  As I turned, I saw something run into the kitchen out of the corner of my eye.  A mouse!

Portia was still hunting for it between my knitting bags.  Joel removed the stove drawer, and I asked him to pick her up and bring her to the kitchen as I moved things around, wondering if the mouse would dart out.  No luck.  So this afternoon I baited mouse traps.  Portia is on mouse patrol now, watching for something to come out from underneath the stove.

Joel and I were going to vote this morning, but we decided to wait.  A good thing, as I understand there were long lines at polling places all over Kansas City.  When Joel came home from work, we went and I had NO wait at all!  Joel had 3 people in front of him.   I even brought knitting, just in case I had to stand in line, but all the knitting I did was while I waited for Joel to complete his ballot.

And what am I knitting?  The Tesserae Sock by Anne Hanson.  I'm using Steinbach Wolle Strapaz in color 44, a lovely navy with a white strand twisted into the plys.  These are for Joel.  However, I'm a little short on the toe (making a little longer cuff), so I've ordered some Louet Pearl in red for the toes!

Ah, and last night while the glass door was open, I thought I heard a cat hiss outside.  I got up to see if it was one of the strays we feed, but instead I noticed that my neighbor's deck light was on.  Three deer, all does, were standing in our backyard.  They turned their heads toward me, and I froze.  Eventually I moved back, but I'm always entranced when I see deer. Something about their beautiful heads, liquid eyes and those teeny legs balancing those large bodies transfixes me.

I won't be staying up watching the election returns.  I can't change the result at this point.  I went to the polls and did what I could.  Tomorrow or even Thursday we'll have a better idea of what's ahead. 

I couldn't have sung it better...