Sunday, September 27, 2009

GOALSEARCH

EXERCISE #1: What Is Your Touch Stone?

Dream: writer

Touchstone: influence and prestigue

Role Model: Gore Vidal

Target: Guest spot on Real Time with Bill Maher

EXERCISE #2: What Is Your Personality Type?

Personality Type
Extroverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Perceiving (ENFP)
(Extroverted Intuition with Introverted Feeling)

On completing the Myers-Briggs test online, I discovered that there may be some aspects of my personality that may keep me from succeeding in the way I want to. I have to be aware of my strengths and weaknesses in order to maintain a happy, fulfilling lifestyle. Other than that, there wasn't much insight that I gained from the test. As an ENFP, I already had a firm understanding of the various aspects of my personality. The most intriguing part of the test is its accuracy.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF

Exercise 4: Pick a Color

I am GREEN. I am relaxed, intuitive, and perceptive.

Exercise 5: The Private-Eye Game

The person who lives in this apartment keeps a cluttered home. He either collects things or has trouble getting rid of things. He owns a lot books, most of which deal with social philosophy, politics and religion. He might like geography, clues to this being the globe on his work desk and a sizeable map of the world on his bedroom wall. He shops at Jewel rather frequently, which is evidenced by a collection of a Jewel receipts kept near some scattered change on a television stand. A keyboard with a songbook by Gavin DeGraw opened up to "Nice To Meet You Anyway" tells me that he likes that kind of indie, alternative soul genre of music. He is either learning how to play or plays already, but some dust on the keys of the piano tell me that he hasn't sat down to play for a while.

For the most part, I would say that this person has a casual, nonchalant attitude about life. There is absolutely nothing meticulous about his home: his furniture seems a bit mismatched, piles of clothes inhabit the bedroom floor, scraps of paper are on the kitchen countertop. His favorite area is most likely couch, shown by the laptop mounted on top of a book containing Shakespeare's entire collected works lying on the black coffeetable; a nearly-empty cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee sits next to the laptop, and a pile of books are stacked next to the couch itself.

Seeing Yourself As Others See You

Version No. 2: Creating Your Cheering Section

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was both highly intelligent (curious, objective, and open-minded) and acutely emotional (compassionate, empathetic, and sensitive). He was deeply troubled, but constantly conquered his bouts of despair to achieve many great successes. Always seeing himself as the underdog or the outcast, he was able to sympathize with the abused and exploited. With a profound talent for speaking and the writing, he was able to combine a massive intellect with a huge heart and express the most articulate ideas on the social issues his country faced during his lifetime.

Stevie Wonder

Stevie is a musical genius. He has overcome childhood blindness to be one of the most prolific musicians of all time. I plays a variety of instruments, including the piano (which he mastered by age 8) and the harmonica. His music changed the face for music forever. Not only is his music legendary, but so, too, is his songwriting. Like Shakespeare, he has helped define true love for millions of people. He describes the world around him with a vividness most people with sight would be hard-pressed to even come close to equaling.


Robert Kennedy

Robert Kennedy, the younger brother of former president John F. Kennedy, was a loving and insightful individual. In many ways, he was in the 1960s what Abraham Lincoln had been in the 1860s: strong reason matched by a powerful emotional intelligence. Bobby Kennedy came from an extremely privileged lifestyle, but due to his endless pursuit for justice and equality, he dedicated his life to making the world a much better world than you had found it.

Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle is also a very smart and caring person. Other than the fact that he just might the funniest human being on the planet, I think he possess a deep soul. He's a very laidback individual, and only expects people to treat him as he does them: with respect, dignity, appreciation, and compassion that every human being deserves. It would also be good to have someone around who can make me laugh nearly instantaneously.

Abraham Lincoln: "He's a quiet person, possibly unsure of himself. He has a very unassuming posture. He loves to smile, conveyed by the ease in which he does it. He seems kind and patient with people."

Stevie Wonder: "He has a light voice. He laughs a lot, and utilizes a variety of different laughs. He's always talking about society: either politics or religion. But he also makes time to be funny, telling jokes, using different voices, and inventing different characters."

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

WHAT DO YOU LOVE?

PART I - INTERVIEW WITH MY GRANDMOTHER

1. What was I like in the first 5 years of my life?

"You were a very happy little boy. You played a lot. You liked to play a lot, especially after your little brother was born. You liked to play with the dog I used to have at the time. You asked a lot of questions."

2. What things did I love, what games did I like to play, what did you think was unique about me?

"You used to like everything. Whatever someone would give you, as soon as they told you that you were going to get something, you became very happy. You were very exciteable. You liked to play outside in the backyard. You liked to play with a ball with your little brother and another little boy from the neighborhood. You also loved to be with your mom and help her with whatever she was doing."

3. What did you think I would become when I grew up?

"I always figured you'd grow up to be a lawyer or something like that, because you talked a lot as a little boy. So it just made sense to me that you would grow up to be a lawyer."


PART II - INTERVIEW WITH FRIENDS

1. What do you think are my greatest gifts/strengths?

My cousin Junior: "Your ability to express yourself in writing."

Oscar: "You're great with people... Your interaction with people is a great ability."

Jenny: "I would say your greatest gift is your humor, because you always make everyone laugh and your mind because it's one of a kind in every way."

Monica: "I would say honesty. You have the gift of seeing beauty in almost everything."

Maria: "You're passionate. You are very expressive and open."