Two

One day I'd like to write a book about all of the ways of dividing the world. Over the years I've heard and thought myriad times the expression, "There are two types of people in the world..." Two come to mind at the moment: "Two types of people: those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't" (from the film For Gillian On Her 37th Birthday). Two types of people in the world: those who like olives, and those who don't (my own). A new one just came to mind. There are two types of people in the world, those who will be engaged by the following paragraph, and those who won't.

I really enjoy diet ginger ale and wonder why it's hard to find, at least in my neighborhood. I saw it in my local grocery on Tuesday night (when a friend drove me home from work and went in to say hello to the owner who is one of his best friends) and bought two large bottles. And as snow falls outside, and I sit in my warm apartment typing away, I want to tell you that drinking cup after cup of diet ginger ale is a rare joy. It's amazing to me that such a small thing can bring such pleasure.

Which leads to one of the things I want to riff about (I feel like it's been a week or two since I wrote a personal piece as opposed to parsha, etc.) If you go down about 5 posts, you'll see that the untitled post that includes some thoughts on personality tests, you'll see that there was a recent comment. I'm going to include it here (in part), front and center, because it got me thinking and I want to reply in full:

I was reading your comments about DISC. I took the assesment for the first time a few months ago, and it turns out I an an S. This was a very validating and empowering experience for me. Those traits of mine that I had been insecure about ,suddenly I was proud of! If i understood your comments correctly (you can tell I am married to a social worker!) it sounds like you were displeased with your letter. If so, I encourage to embrace your letter and be proud of your DISC identity! I'd love to hear your response...B'yedidut,Noam


First let me say - which will sound unrelated but really is related - that I don't think people are aware of or use the in blog search engine enough. If you search INFP, or Meyers - Briggs in the top left corner of this blog you'll discover the other times over the years that I've written on this topic. Personality types is something I think about quite a lot.

I was not displeased with my DISC results. The truth is that I didn't take the DISC test (except I have a vague memory of taking it many many years ago at a school meeting, but I didn't take it recently). My friend Dara told me what she thinks I might be and when she explained the groupings it wasn't hard for me to figure that I'm probably within the latter two groups, certainly not in the first. I have done the Meyers-Briggs and got a clear answer of my letters within that. Also, I am a big fan of the color personality test.

I find that these tests, for me, are usually spot on. I like these tests. I like knowing who I am. I guess my dear friend Noam (it was nice crying with you too) sensed between, and maybe in the lines, that there is - for me some struggle. Sometimes I'm very proud of being the type that I am, sometimes (as Paul Reiser would put it) not so much. (Did I ever share here that the dad of two of my students is one of Paul Reiser's best friends?)

I think we need to embrace who we are, and that's one of the points of these tests. I also believe that we have to seek balance. An INFP is extremely sensitive and emotional and would be well served by balancing some of those chesed type traits with some from the gevurah side of the menu. (I would like one day to make a test with Jewish phrases like chesed and gevurah.) I have a lot to say on this topic, but this will hopefully this will do for now.

On the topic of the search engine, please search the word Shmot if you want to see things I've said here on Shmot (it might be spelled Shemot, but I don't think so) over the years.

OK, I'm not done with the personality topic. The Gemora comes to mind, which says that there are people with certain inclinations (born under certain signs). The Gemorah says that someone with an inclination to spill blood should be a shochet or a moheil. Fascinating - to me. The Gemorah acknowledges personality types and says that you should do work that suits you well. That sounds to me like the first personality test/job counselling ever. (That reminds me of the time in HS that we met with someone who gave us a test and then told us what jobs would suit us. A dear old HS friend, a reader of this blog, was told that he should consider being a florist, which he did not take well to.)

I caught Mickey Rourke winning the Golden Globe for best actor (you can see it here, if you don't mind watching a version of someone who held their video camera in front of their TV). There was something very raw and real about him and his words.

I have been reading movie reviews assiduously since I was about ten (and discovered the stack of mini review filled New York magazines sitting next to me in the backseat one morning on the way to grandma's house). In 1980 I discovered Siskel and Ebert from the back of The Morg lounge. I stood and watched Ellen Burstyn in Resurrection, not knowing what it was. Then the camera pulled away from the scene being shown on a movie screen and panned to two men sitting in the theater who proceeded to argue over whether or not it was a good movie.

Siskel is no longer with us, but Ebert is hanging on. He gave The Wrestler a good review and said it's as much about Rourke about the title character. You can read his review if you go to IMDB and put in The Wrestler and click on external reviews.

I had written a good deal more and it somehow got erased. Gam zu letovah. G-d Bless.