when ENTJ’s and INTJ’s World’s collide!

Laura the INTJFor anyone who has enjoyed studying personality or taking the variety of tests available, have you ever wondered if personality and political affiliation are related? Well, there is a certain amount of  correlational data  to support this idea.

Hmmmm… I wasn’t surprised that my wife’s personality type skewed to the right. She is an INTJ …and 43% of all INTJ’s report themselves as either ‘Republican or Conservative’ …. this is the 2nd highest percentage on the right of all 17 personality categories (only 14% of the INTJ’s said they were ‘not political’) 

From these same researchers, allow me share some of the highlights of what they had to say about  INTJ’s:

“…When under a great deal of stress, the INTJ may become obsessed with mindless repetitive, Sensate activities, such as over-drinking…. Other people may have a difficult time understanding an INTJ…. They may see them as aloof and reserved… INTJs tend to blame misunderstandings on the limitations of the other party, rather than on their own difficulty in expressing themselves…”

Here I am the ENTJ working to develope a harmonious relationship with my spouse

Poor, poor INTJ’s… by contrast…  ENTJ’s are quite different:

“As an ENTJ, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you deal with things rationally and logically…. ENTJs are natural born leaders…. which is well-served by their quickness to grasp complexities, their ability to absorb a large amount of impersonal information, and their quick and decisive judgments. They are “take charge” people….The ENTJ has a tremendous amount of personal power and presence which will work for them as a force towards achieving their goals….They’re likely to place much emphasis on their children being well-educated and structured, to desire a congenial and devoted relationship with their spouse.”

Okay…Okay, I pulled a ‘Dan Rather’, I picked out what I wanted to say about both personality types for selfish reasons… believe me, INTJ’s are really quite interesting people. The hard truth is that for every individual — regardless of personality type — there exists specific challenges that must be met in order to be happy in life….. they just may be different types of challenges. ENTJ’s (Me), for example, must refrain from being overly absorbed in their career… or life and love passes them by.

By the way, I am an ENTJ, and we — as a group — tend to be a little less politically active than the norm with 25% of us saying we are ‘not political.’ However, the largest segment of ENTJ’s  describe themselves as either Democrat or liberal (45%).

After this ‘revelation’, Laura now looks at me with a ‘cautious eye.’ However, from what I can tell… when ENTJ’s (me) and INTJ’s get together… ENTJ’s (me) think they are in charge… but INTJ’s eventually get their way.

Roger Freberg

Jenny Craig — Army Style

Look the salad has grown!

My daughter  Kristin  has become a devotee of Jenny Craig like the rest of us. Although I tend to think with her physical job requirements in the army she modifies her coloric content upwards. I did offer one small piece of advice: “expand” your ‘free foods’ to keep you from going nuts. 

Kristin sent me the above picture from her phone that says it all. You can see a Jenny size portion of stuffed potato (very good , by the way) and a larger than average (expanded) salad stuffed with goodies.

Looks like Kristin has a good idea going… heavy exercise with a Jenny main dish and bunches of free food to keep you full. lookin’ good!

Roger Freberg

Love grows with those who help with a smile

An interesting study is about to be unveiled shortly at a Toronto conference this month that should shed a little light on why some relationships continue to grow… while others wain and still others expire. In the past, too much time — I think — has been spent to try to understand why relationships fail, so it is very refreshnig to look at the real trick … why do some relationships work?

Personal acts of kindness done with a smile go a long way to keep a realtionship warm 

Most people believe that it is the big and little sacrifices we do for each other that shows how much we care. However, this is only part of the story. What most folks don’t know — and research is beginning to show — is that sacrifices ‘willingly’ made… ‘cheerfully’ given… are the ones that endear us to others. Possibly, because we recognize that although their effort and kindness is a ‘choice’, they care more about our needs than their own inconvenience.

When someone does something ‘willingly’ for you — you know at a most profound level — that someone loves you. It is hard not to love someone in return who will move across the country, change jobs, or do the dishes with a smile. The smile makes all the difference.

So, if you are troubled about your relationship(s), ask yourself… what have I done to lighten another’s burden, to help advance some of their dreams or to put their happiness over my own? You’ve failed, if it is ‘all about you.’

As in the “Princess Bride”, sometimes the best answer to any request is”… as you wish.” And don’t forget to look them in the eye… and smile.

Roger Freberg

Jenny Craig, me and South Africa

Just me and Jenny Craig

Well, here I am at the Los Angeles Zoo. Thanks to Jenny Craig I am down  68 lbs  which feels very good. The problem is that according to the BMI (Body Mass Index) I am ‘very obese’…. which is funny since I am 6’4″ and wear a size 36 pair of shorts. However, I plan to drop a bit more.

Karen is in South Africa with her cookbook by Jenny Craig and an entire case of Jenny Craig “complete Start” cereal… so she’s all set. She said she was going to take a picture of her J.C. case, her and Capetown and send it to the fine people at Jenny Craig.

Sometimes, I think with all the feasting and famine in human history that we are naturally prone to yo-yo in our dieting… but I like it here as a thiner me… so I plan to continue losing and stay a while… if not forever.

Roger Freberg

Remember that special ‘mother’ who made you a ‘daddy’!

HappyMothers Day to everyone 2007!

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers! Often we forget to thank those wonderful people in our lives who have chosen — in this day and age — to become mothers. Mother’s Day today is remembered by most — and probably best — as a time for thanking mothers for all they do…. although the history is political. 

Happy Mother’s Day, Laura… we love and appreciate you. Kristin’s flowers and ‘bear’ was especially nice.

Roger Freberg