So, apparently today during the normal water test, E.Coli tested positive in Portland's Washington Park reservoir. Gross.
http://www.katu.com/news/local/City-of-Portland-issues-a-boil-water-notice-for-parts-of-town-163294436.html
If you don't know much about E.Coli, here is a wiki link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escherichia_coli
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Exercising Fun Facts...is it possible, or is that an oxymoronic statement?
So, as I try to motivate myself, I thought a good way to go about it would be to write some more useful tips on exercising!
Did you know that 30 minutes before or after you work out (I tend to go with after as I don't want to make myself sick) is when your body absorbs the most out of your food. You can do what I (sometimes) do and have a glass of superfood after working out to make sure your body absorbs all it needs.
Busy mom or dad? Work a lot? Only 20 minutes in your day to work out? Try working TWO muscle groups together...WHAT? It's easy, and very tiring, but very beneficial as you will get your heart rate where it needs to be in order to burn of calories, PLUS you build muscle which will more efficiently burn away those pesky pounds!
So I, like many a militant trainer out there, recommend doing at the very minimum, a 20 minute circuit routine. Why do I recommend it? Because I've done it and it works relatively quickly. Why should you trust me? You shouldn't! I only know what I say works because I do it - I've not done any training to train others. Just take my advice and try it out if you want.
First start with a 2 minute warm up. Loosen your muscles so you don't strain or pull anything. This includes arm, knee and hip circles and a few jumping jacks to elevate your heart rate.
Now what you are going to do is THREE minutes of strength training. Usually you do 1:30 of two different exercises so you don't get too tired. Now for this, you MUST work a large muscle group and a smaller muscle group. What does this mean? Work your arms and legs - squats and shoulder presses; side lunges and lateral raises; lunges and biceps curl. Whatever you do, be careful.
Next, TWO minutes of cardio. Don't want to use a machine for two minutes? That's fine. Here are some ideas for cardio: butt kicks (run in place and kick your butt), jump rope or double jump rope, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, etc. Loads of stuff to do without a machine. Figure out what you want to do and again, pick two different exercises and perform them for one minute each.
For the last cycle, ONE minute of abs. That's right, core lesson - can't have a well balanced healthy body without throwing some core workouts in there. Don't forget not just your upper abs (crunches). You absolutely have to do your oblique and lower abs to get rid of everything. Reverse crunches especially get rid of that weird lower pooch.
Rinse. Repeat. Well you don't have to rinse yet, but repeat the THREE, TWO, ONE system for 20 minutes (about three cycles), and you will feel great. In a quick amount of time you will feel stronger, which makes you feel better, which will keep you on Motivation Express...maybe!
If you want to challenge yourself, or loose weight at a more rapid pace, you can do this cycle for longer than 20 minutes. With this type of exercise you will burn about 200 calories, which doesn't seem like a lot. You can work that off on a treadmill or an elliptical just as fast. HOWEVER, the cool thing about this workout that you can NOT get from the machines is muscle buildup. Muscle buildup is one of the key things for your metabolism to speed and keep at a higher fat burning rate for a longer period of time than just running.
Of course a combination of a circuit workout and other things (like running) is what would probably be the ideal workout, but if you have to choose, the THREE, TWO, ONE 20 minute system is more beneficial long term. Plus it's not as hard on your knees as running on a treadmill.
That is my other helpful tidbit of workout knowledge; it is better to run outdoors than in on a treadmill because of the damage a treadmill can cause to your knee joints. But it is better to run indoors than not do anything at all; after all a healthy body means a healthy mind, which results with your happiness in life.
Don't forget to cool down and stretch! I read somewhere that stretching helps sluff off body fat faster than not stretching. Whether that's true or not, it's important to stretch your muscles so you don't tear or damage yourself! Happy workout!
Did you know that 30 minutes before or after you work out (I tend to go with after as I don't want to make myself sick) is when your body absorbs the most out of your food. You can do what I (sometimes) do and have a glass of superfood after working out to make sure your body absorbs all it needs.
Busy mom or dad? Work a lot? Only 20 minutes in your day to work out? Try working TWO muscle groups together...WHAT? It's easy, and very tiring, but very beneficial as you will get your heart rate where it needs to be in order to burn of calories, PLUS you build muscle which will more efficiently burn away those pesky pounds!
So I, like many a militant trainer out there, recommend doing at the very minimum, a 20 minute circuit routine. Why do I recommend it? Because I've done it and it works relatively quickly. Why should you trust me? You shouldn't! I only know what I say works because I do it - I've not done any training to train others. Just take my advice and try it out if you want.
First start with a 2 minute warm up. Loosen your muscles so you don't strain or pull anything. This includes arm, knee and hip circles and a few jumping jacks to elevate your heart rate.
Now what you are going to do is THREE minutes of strength training. Usually you do 1:30 of two different exercises so you don't get too tired. Now for this, you MUST work a large muscle group and a smaller muscle group. What does this mean? Work your arms and legs - squats and shoulder presses; side lunges and lateral raises; lunges and biceps curl. Whatever you do, be careful.
Next, TWO minutes of cardio. Don't want to use a machine for two minutes? That's fine. Here are some ideas for cardio: butt kicks (run in place and kick your butt), jump rope or double jump rope, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, etc. Loads of stuff to do without a machine. Figure out what you want to do and again, pick two different exercises and perform them for one minute each.
For the last cycle, ONE minute of abs. That's right, core lesson - can't have a well balanced healthy body without throwing some core workouts in there. Don't forget not just your upper abs (crunches). You absolutely have to do your oblique and lower abs to get rid of everything. Reverse crunches especially get rid of that weird lower pooch.
Rinse. Repeat. Well you don't have to rinse yet, but repeat the THREE, TWO, ONE system for 20 minutes (about three cycles), and you will feel great. In a quick amount of time you will feel stronger, which makes you feel better, which will keep you on Motivation Express...maybe!
If you want to challenge yourself, or loose weight at a more rapid pace, you can do this cycle for longer than 20 minutes. With this type of exercise you will burn about 200 calories, which doesn't seem like a lot. You can work that off on a treadmill or an elliptical just as fast. HOWEVER, the cool thing about this workout that you can NOT get from the machines is muscle buildup. Muscle buildup is one of the key things for your metabolism to speed and keep at a higher fat burning rate for a longer period of time than just running.
Of course a combination of a circuit workout and other things (like running) is what would probably be the ideal workout, but if you have to choose, the THREE, TWO, ONE 20 minute system is more beneficial long term. Plus it's not as hard on your knees as running on a treadmill.
That is my other helpful tidbit of workout knowledge; it is better to run outdoors than in on a treadmill because of the damage a treadmill can cause to your knee joints. But it is better to run indoors than not do anything at all; after all a healthy body means a healthy mind, which results with your happiness in life.
Don't forget to cool down and stretch! I read somewhere that stretching helps sluff off body fat faster than not stretching. Whether that's true or not, it's important to stretch your muscles so you don't tear or damage yourself! Happy workout!
Songs and stuff
Isn't it so interesting the way that some people have with words? Their speech, their writing, their singing, whatever it is, people have come up with some pretty eloquent and articulated phrases that resonate within your self, and somehow really move you as a person. Then pen really is mightier than a sword within that sphere.
I've been thinking a lot about how songs in particular just do something--magic, ya know? I love how it has been a tradition of various cultures (Russian, Italian, German, Chinese, Mayan, Mexican, Gaelic, Celtic to name a few!) to pass stories through songs. Most of the main stream pop culture songs have drifted away from that tradition, but if you enjoy music and are somewhat of a connoisseur (and you enjoy more of a story rather than a dry hump song), it can be relatively easy to find good, heart singing music.
One of my favorite artists that does this is Anais Mitchell (www.anaismitchell.com). She has a CD that has been out for a while now, entitled "Hades Town." It is amazing! Not only are the vocals, music, etc., just spectacular, but she also tells this really cool story of Orpheus and Eurydice. It's got a real solid southern bluesy sound to the album, and it is totally rocking! I've not had anybody I make listen to the CD dislike it. One of my favorite songs on the album is "Gone, I'm Gone," and here is why: The way Anais sings it is so unique, but the lyrics (which I believe she wrote herself) are unnervingly beautiful to listen to, and it speaks to a unique human characteristic.
"(Eurydice)
Orpheus my heart is yours, always was and will be.
It's my gut I can't ignore; Orpheus I'm hungry.
Oh my heart it aches to stay but the flesh will have it's way.
Oh the way is dark and long, but I'm already gone; I'm gone.
(Fates)
Go ahead and lay the blame; talk of virtue, talk of sin.
Wouldn't you have done the same in her shoes, in her skin?
You can have your principles when you have your belly full,
but hunger has a way with you. There's no telling what your gonna do
when the chips are down, now that the chips are down...."
It's mainly the first verse that I put up here with the "unique human characteristic" (desire) that I referred to. Within it she talks of how there is a longing and desire within each of us to do something that maybe we shouldn't. Even though we know it's wrong while we are doing it, we may continue to do so. And it's not just focused on this one character Eurydice, but her second verse asks of Orpheus, what he would have done in her place? Would he not have done something similar if there was something equally as tantalizing to him? Obviously the original story reflects The Bible's Adam and Eve story (it's everywhere!) But I like how Anais makes it into a question of "what would you have done in that situation? Probably the same damn thing!" So, shut the front door people and think about it!
I've been thinking a lot about how songs in particular just do something--magic, ya know? I love how it has been a tradition of various cultures (Russian, Italian, German, Chinese, Mayan, Mexican, Gaelic, Celtic to name a few!) to pass stories through songs. Most of the main stream pop culture songs have drifted away from that tradition, but if you enjoy music and are somewhat of a connoisseur (and you enjoy more of a story rather than a dry hump song), it can be relatively easy to find good, heart singing music.
One of my favorite artists that does this is Anais Mitchell (www.anaismitchell.com). She has a CD that has been out for a while now, entitled "Hades Town." It is amazing! Not only are the vocals, music, etc., just spectacular, but she also tells this really cool story of Orpheus and Eurydice. It's got a real solid southern bluesy sound to the album, and it is totally rocking! I've not had anybody I make listen to the CD dislike it. One of my favorite songs on the album is "Gone, I'm Gone," and here is why: The way Anais sings it is so unique, but the lyrics (which I believe she wrote herself) are unnervingly beautiful to listen to, and it speaks to a unique human characteristic.
"(Eurydice)
Orpheus my heart is yours, always was and will be.
It's my gut I can't ignore; Orpheus I'm hungry.
Oh my heart it aches to stay but the flesh will have it's way.
Oh the way is dark and long, but I'm already gone; I'm gone.
(Fates)
Go ahead and lay the blame; talk of virtue, talk of sin.
Wouldn't you have done the same in her shoes, in her skin?
You can have your principles when you have your belly full,
but hunger has a way with you. There's no telling what your gonna do
when the chips are down, now that the chips are down...."
It's mainly the first verse that I put up here with the "unique human characteristic" (desire) that I referred to. Within it she talks of how there is a longing and desire within each of us to do something that maybe we shouldn't. Even though we know it's wrong while we are doing it, we may continue to do so. And it's not just focused on this one character Eurydice, but her second verse asks of Orpheus, what he would have done in her place? Would he not have done something similar if there was something equally as tantalizing to him? Obviously the original story reflects The Bible's Adam and Eve story (it's everywhere!) But I like how Anais makes it into a question of "what would you have done in that situation? Probably the same damn thing!" So, shut the front door people and think about it!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Are you sexy and do you know it? Do you work out? (Part One)
I am
sure every single one of you who is about to read this has tried to lose weight
at some point and time in your life (or perhaps if you are a skinny Minnie,
tried to gain muscle). Whether or not you buy into those gimmicky lose
weight fast schemes is your prerogative; personally the only thing I think
works is the tried and true method of exercise…and patience. Like seriously it is the most annoyingly
frustrating thing because first, your body has to adapt to the new lifestyle
that you are throwing at it. Second, you
have to continue, which is probably the hardest part for at least 6 weeks in
order to see major change. Finally, you
have to keep it up, performing various forms of exercise so your body doesn’t
adapt to one type of work out (this causes your metabolism to slow down,
boo!).
I
don’t know what else to blog about so here are some helpful starter tips if you
want to run. I might do a mini series on
working out so maybe there will be more insights, not just about running. Now remember, this is just from personal
experience. I’ve never been trained by a
professional (nor do I care to be), and this is just what I have found works
best for me through experience and a little bit o’ research.
1.
Before you start
running, you should time yourself how long it takes you to walk a mile. You can do this on a treadmill, or outside by
calculating a route with google maps (www.googlemaps.com).
2.
Start running at
intervals. If you push yourself to hard
to fast, you will get super discouraged.
I walked for five minutes, and then jogged lightly for five minutes
until I finished my mile. However, I
only started this after I felt comfortable enough to try.
3.
Increase your time for
jogging until you can do a mile. Then try
increasing your speed.
4.
By doing this you will
be able to jog a mile in no time.
a.
If you want to
increase your speed, the best way to
do it is every two days (if you are on the treadmill) click up the speed by 0.1
mph.
b.
If you want to
increase your distance, then the best
way is that every three days you increase it by 0.2 miles. Or you can shoot for lower. It doesn’t matter, what is important is what YOU
are comfortable with, not your neighbor!
Something that I found super
important for running is good posture – especially
when running on a treadmill we tend to get bad form, which is not only bad for
the muscles we build, but it’s bad for our respiratory system!
1.
When you are running
on the treadmill, keep your eyes straight ahead and don’t look down. If you do, it curves your spine and creates
an almost hunchback look! (Plus you might end up tripping and fly off the
treadmill.)
2.
Keep your arms at a 90-degree
angle, moving your shoulders back and forth.
Your hands should be in a slight grip with your thumbs on top.
3.
Don’t push it too
fast! You will just cause more harm to
your body – it creates a huge amount of stress, and stress like that is WRONG
for anyone.
4.
The last tidbit I have
is to remember to work on your abs while running. It’s important to have lumbar support if you
are going to be serious about running.
Do the following set and you will be golden: 30 seconds of crunches, 30
seconds of side crunches, 30 seconds of reverse crunches, 30 seconds of scissor
kicks, 30 seconds of bicycles (works all major muscle groups) and 30 seconds on
a modified plank. (That is where you are
on your elbows instead of in a pushup position; I think it focuses it more
centrally.)
Anyway, like I said, I’m no
professional, but I do hate running and appreciate any tip I generally come
across. Have fun!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Who Are You?!
So I just took this really interesting (if you are into this sort of thing) test evaluation for my new job I got. They wanted me to take it so they can see what personality type I am. *Insert eye roll here.* They claim it will be better for them to know how to work with me. But I got to admit, I am a sucker for these self evaluation quizzes. I love saying "ah yes, that IS who I am; wow, that is so like me I didn't even know it!" Hopefully I will successfully paste the link so y'all can take it too, and if you are interested in learning more about me, I am an "Innovator-Merchant," which means I deal with my life through love and wisdom...who knew?
Be wary my "Who I am" is lengthy, interesting though...also the grammar in it is terrible, but no one is perfect.
http://members.taylorprotocols.com/Tools/CVIGift.aspx?GiftHash=f82f3065-119a-1030-b8c1-f1940f8d9956
Who you are at the deepest innate level of your human nature is the most important element in your life. Who you are at this deep level, is, after all, the only thing you really contribute to this world. It is through right assignment and effective choices that you make your highest and best contribution. This is the universal mission of all people.
The more you learn about who you really are, and how to optimize your presence in this world, the greater will be your success, happiness and life effectiveness.
Your dominant Innovator value energy is balanced by your Merchant secondary value energy. Your actions are routinely, almost equally, guided by these two core energies. In times of distress you will usually rely on the conflict strategies of your dominant core energy. In less critical conflicts you may use either conflict strategy given the situation.
You like to maintain a good mix of people, activities and things in your life. You like to communicate with visuals and descriptions. To invent new systems, processes and things is pure pleasure. You never quit. You have wit and creativity in your thinking. It is important for you to watch, look and listen before you act. Complicated situations and problems are not a threat to you.
Finding the best solution is one of your primary contributions. Your tastes are varied and diverse. You like to consider all the options. Rapid and clever exchange of ideas is a personal joy and a method of work for you. You are able to see the ways things are, and you know what to do about it. You are seen as a valuable resource for leading people toward the right ideas and the right direction. Acting foolishly or illogically is not a common experience for you.
Your use everything that is available to meet requirements. You value and rely upon your mental abilities. Understanding others and working with them is a key asset of yours.
Absolute proof, knowledge and understanding are not required in order for you to act. Nothing feels right when the people you value are distant or are in conflict. You want to receive good rewards and appreciation for time and energy spent. No potential plan, idea or possibility gets by you. A core strategy for you is to work effectively with others. You like to work and others enjoy working with you. Share your knowledge and information with others; you enjoy it and others appreciate it.
You are good at getting others to work for and with you. You like a new charge in your life and you like to be the charge in the lives of others. You like to trust people and to share yourself with them freely. You enjoy lots of different people and activities. Charm and enthusiasm are part of your arsenal for success. Too much formality is boring and restrictive. Motivating others with your visions and ideas is very satisfying.
Talking with others is your way to learn and to teach. Being of high value to others and seeing high value in others is a prime concern. You seldom feel defeated; you see good potential in most situations. You have the ability to help people feel hopeful and courageous. Your commitment to others and to your own life is an encouragement to others. It is important for you to see people and things as they really are.
The power of innovators comes from their unwillingness to accept that there is anything they can't figure out.
They are willing to put their ego at risk over and over again, staking their reputation that they will be able to come up with a plan, a solution, or an idea that will make things better.
Then, to top things off, innovators love to develop systems which insure the continuation of their plans. These systems are the "monuments" of innovatorcreativity just as much as a pyramid is the monument of a builder.
They are highly creative in their approach to problem solving. They inevitably are able to come at things from a new angle by adding elements, systems, or technologies that no one else has thought to add to the mix in order to achieve a true innovation.
While the solutions and systems that innovators create can be well founded and practical in concept, innovators themselves are not highly practical in their approach. They do not make good implementers because they want to perfect everything before acting. Taking action to them means coming up with another innovation, again delaying the implementation of their systems or new products.
Innovators love to have people around. This is not for team building. This is an audience for their creativity and a way for them to bounce new ideas around. They love to explore their latest ideas with people. They are so fascinated with each personally conceived "potential" solution that they want everyone to appreciate each and every subtlety. Just when they have their audience convinced that this new solution is brilliant, they love to add, "Wait, what if we...?"
Innovators may create problems just for the pleasure of working them out. Builders lean on innovators but often leave them standing in the hallway, halfway through an explanation about a possible solution. Banker's constantly feed challenges to an innovator's proposed strategies, keeping the innovatorcharged with new problems to face. Merchants listen attentively to innovators and lean on them constantly. This makes the innovator feel "heard." Since the merchant would never consider leaving an innovator standing in the hallway, innovators and merchants often become great friends. Their brainstorming parties can be endless. If left unchecked, they can actually become an endless drain of company resources.
Innovators are invaluable. They create new products and put together systems to solve production and administrative problems. They are never defeated and are able to come up with new strategies and approaches when everyone else has given up. They enjoy this so much that they hate making decisions, and they occasionally add confusion to the system by always inventing a better way. Nothing is ever good enough, especially if it was conceived by someone else, or if the solution has been in place for more than a few months.
Entrepreneur innovators can be highly successful. They are the people that create the mousetrap that brings the world to their door. The problem is, they really believe the world will come to their door. And since they love the process of problem solving more than the process of actually building and selling something, as soon as one product or service idea is implemented, they are off to create another better solution.
Active innovators need a builder in them or around them to insist that they settle on one solution and complete it. They need merchants who will actually make someone else understand the value of the "solution" being sold. And they need bankers who will support them by completing the details, help them control costs and make profits.
Innovators can be very stubborn people. They may refuse to be moved until they feel their solutions are perfected. And since they also value assessment very highly, they not only like to create a new solution, but they want to be the one who assesses its appropriateness, its correctness, its cleverness and its perfection. In fact, they are certain that no one else could ever understand all the subtlety and complexity of their solution so they hate to let others really get into it and explore, for fear they may have overlooked some small detail.
Decisions for an innovator become a marathon of adding one more consideration into the equation, testing its full ramifications and announcing, "I can see how that will fit." Then, when everyone else considers the decision to have been made, the innovator may announce another level of considerations that must be explored prior to finalizing the decision. Innovators can be infuriating to merchants and builders who want to move on.
Innovators are very perceptive and open to change if they see and understand the tensions they cause. They are willing to act differently if they can only see how the different action is going to produce better results. For this reason, innovators and builders make wonderful teammates. They tend to keep good balance in the drive for action versus the drive for perfection.
The adaptiveness of innovators is also highly prized by all other players. Innovators make little distinction between what problems they are asked to solve. The process of deriving a solution is sufficient to make them happy. Innovators are a key element in every business situation where change is occurring. Their resourcefulness brings new methods, tools, systems, and mechanisms to bear. Innovators are always opening new opportunities for success.
An opposite tendency is also true for many innovators. They tend to become highly skilled at solving certain types of problems. Innovator engineers, for instance, may be geniuses when designing a new electronic circuit, but more like absentminded professors when it comes to developing business solutions for their departments.
When innovators are out of control, they get stubborn. They look for another way to go around you or to make you reconsider. They reconsider and may go on the defensive and resist making a decision. They may add another wrinkle to the equation to confuse you. They deny facts, challenge the validity or relevance of existing data, and refuse to take action, or sometimes just quit which may infuriate other core energy groups.
When all else fails, innovators resort to interrogation. They like to confuse the issue with side questions and tangents. They know how to ask questions, which are more accusation than question. They know how to get under the skin of other people, asking questions that shame and embarrass, that show the ignorance of others, or simply make others feel ignorant or confused and inadequate. Interrogation is just as powerful a strategy as the intimidation ofbuilders, the "poor me" victim caretaking role of merchants, or the aloof, resistant, judgmental positioning of bankers.
This constant creativity makes the innovator/merchant an invaluable resource in companies where technologies are changing rapidly or competition puts new demands on the marketing and sales systems of the company. Innovator/merchants are often chosen as sales representatives. They can sell anything because they build relationships, understand their products, and know how to make them fit into a broad range of customer needs.
Innovator/merchants are not put off by any problem of any magnitude. In fact, their sense of personal esteem is often based in the size, oppressiveness and worthiness of the problems they have before them. They look for opportunities to demonstrate their prowess at problem solving or at turning around difficult relationships that are at risk.
Innovator/merchants like to be needed, either for their solutions and technologies or for their humanity, creativity and love. This need drives them to achieve relationships that are vision-based and growth-oriented, and to develop products or systems that enhance the richness of the relationships that are formed.
Innovator/merchants are go-anywhere, do-anything kinds of people. They are even able to function for extended periods of time in remote if not somewhat isolated situations as long as the sense of connection and personal worth is maintained for the merchant side of the core energy. For the innovator, the absorption into the problem-solving aspects of any assignment will carry him a long way as long as there remains an opportunity to observe others evaluating and appraising his work once it is finished.
Innovator/merchants, despite their ability to sustain themselves independently, thrive in a team environment. They are excellent team builders and great teachers. They are masters of context and relevance. They not only are good at planning a curriculum and basing it in logic and reasonableness, but they consider the bigger picture.
They pay attention to their environment, entertainment, energy levels, and motivation. They enjoy creating exciting and provocative learning situations.
An innovator/merchant can be an incredible sales person or a powerful entrepreneur if he is balanced with just enough builder characteristics to actually complete the task at hand.
However, innovator/merchants, unrestrained, can be unproductive for themselves and society. They can get lost
in the rapture of exploring big picture considerations. The merchant is constantly thinking of new possibilities for projects and new adventures, and the innovator thrives on such challenges.
Innovators hate to bring the process of problem solving to a close. Solving problems is their highest form of pleasure, arguably valuing this game above sex and movies. So an innovator/merchant keeps new things coming and everything that was stirred up before "in the works." If you are aninnovator/merchant, be certain that you surround yourself with high energy builders who will push you to "get it done" and a few levelheaded bankers who will help ground your ideas by asking you the kind of questions you may be unwilling to ask yourself.
Innovator/merchants are constantly caught up in the seduction of new ideas, such as improving people systems. However, this concept and the strategy to create it are more important than the implementation itself to the innovator side.
Innovator/merchants, as company leaders, never quit selling and never quit solving the future. They sell themselves and others even when everyone has already agreed. There is little attention to detail, and since the next new idea takes 110% of all energy, things may be constantly left up in the air.Merchant/innovators tend to be able to keep so much energy swirling around them that they attract others. Builders and bankers also enjoy a symbiotic relationship.
But innovator/merchants may create as much disappointment as they do opportunity. No one can win from working with them for long, unless there are significant constraints in place, and a strong team of builders and bankers around them to enforce them. If you are an innovator/merchant, and you are reading this, you must have just a little builder or banker in you. Make sure you nurture that part of yourself--NOW!!!
Be wary my "Who I am" is lengthy, interesting though...also the grammar in it is terrible, but no one is perfect.
http://members.taylorprotocols.com/Tools/CVIGift.aspx?GiftHash=f82f3065-119a-1030-b8c1-f1940f8d9956
WHO I AM
Your scores indicate you have INNOVATOR/MERCHANT tendencies. When you enter a room there is more wisdom and love energy suddenly in that room. You are the presence of lovingwisdom. This is your assignment, to be the effective presence of loving wisdom. You look at the circumstances and situations around you through the eyes of compassion and truth. You operate from reason and intuition, seeing the way things are. Asking questions and deriving the right responses, best strategies and most workable solutions. This is balanced by your intuitive and reasoning capacity to see who people really are. You try to understanding their needs and wants. You work to nurture and support them and yourself. Your highest and best contribution can only be made in situations in which there is a significant and constant need for lovingwisdom.
Who you are at the deepest innate level of your human nature is the most important element in your life. Who you are at this deep level, is, after all, the only thing you really contribute to this world. It is through right assignment and effective choices that you make your highest and best contribution. This is the universal mission of all people.
The more you learn about who you really are, and how to optimize your presence in this world, the greater will be your success, happiness and life effectiveness.
Your dominant Innovator value energy is balanced by your Merchant secondary value energy. Your actions are routinely, almost equally, guided by these two core energies. In times of distress you will usually rely on the conflict strategies of your dominant core energy. In less critical conflicts you may use either conflict strategy given the situation.
Your unique dominant INNOVATOR core energy causes you to rely upon the following strategies for success and fulfillment.
Your cornerstone core value is wisdom. Understanding and compassion are central to your life strategy.
Strategic thinking is your forte. People see your ingenuity and resourcefulness. You pride yourself in seeing and understanding people and situations. Development of effective responses to situations is one of your primary contributions. You consistently observe and measure the worth of people and things. If different things can be brought together from different resources, you will do it. You strive to cause people and things to function well together.
You like to maintain a good mix of people, activities and things in your life. You like to communicate with visuals and descriptions. To invent new systems, processes and things is pure pleasure. You never quit. You have wit and creativity in your thinking. It is important for you to watch, look and listen before you act. Complicated situations and problems are not a threat to you.
Finding the best solution is one of your primary contributions. Your tastes are varied and diverse. You like to consider all the options. Rapid and clever exchange of ideas is a personal joy and a method of work for you. You are able to see the ways things are, and you know what to do about it. You are seen as a valuable resource for leading people toward the right ideas and the right direction. Acting foolishly or illogically is not a common experience for you.
Your use everything that is available to meet requirements. You value and rely upon your mental abilities. Understanding others and working with them is a key asset of yours.
Your unique secondary MERCHANT core energy supports your dominant INNOVATOR core energy.
Your second cornerstone core value is love. Building and sustaining relationships is central to your life's strategy. You are constantly working to know and understand the truth about yourself and others.
Absolute proof, knowledge and understanding are not required in order for you to act. Nothing feels right when the people you value are distant or are in conflict. You want to receive good rewards and appreciation for time and energy spent. No potential plan, idea or possibility gets by you. A core strategy for you is to work effectively with others. You like to work and others enjoy working with you. Share your knowledge and information with others; you enjoy it and others appreciate it.
You are good at getting others to work for and with you. You like a new charge in your life and you like to be the charge in the lives of others. You like to trust people and to share yourself with them freely. You enjoy lots of different people and activities. Charm and enthusiasm are part of your arsenal for success. Too much formality is boring and restrictive. Motivating others with your visions and ideas is very satisfying.
Talking with others is your way to learn and to teach. Being of high value to others and seeing high value in others is a prime concern. You seldom feel defeated; you see good potential in most situations. You have the ability to help people feel hopeful and courageous. Your commitment to others and to your own life is an encouragement to others. It is important for you to see people and things as they really are.
INNOVATORS-Your Dominant Core Energy
Innovators are the solution creators in this world. They can always think of another approach. "There's got to be a better way," is more than their motto; it is pre-programmed ROM chips in their brain's reticular receiver. Innovators enjoy the challenge of a problem, especially on a large scale. They are problem solvers. They enjoy this so much that they hate to settle on any one solution --"There's got to be an even better way." The statement, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" has no place in their awareness.
The power of innovators comes from their unwillingness to accept that there is anything they can't figure out.
They are willing to put their ego at risk over and over again, staking their reputation that they will be able to come up with a plan, a solution, or an idea that will make things better.
Then, to top things off, innovators love to develop systems which insure the continuation of their plans. These systems are the "monuments" of innovatorcreativity just as much as a pyramid is the monument of a builder.
When everyone around them is in a panic, the builder shouting orders, the merchant whining or up selling, and the banker preaching justice or patience, theinnovator tends to isolate, grab a computer or white board and set to work.
They are highly creative in their approach to problem solving. They inevitably are able to come at things from a new angle by adding elements, systems, or technologies that no one else has thought to add to the mix in order to achieve a true innovation.
While the solutions and systems that innovators create can be well founded and practical in concept, innovators themselves are not highly practical in their approach. They do not make good implementers because they want to perfect everything before acting. Taking action to them means coming up with another innovation, again delaying the implementation of their systems or new products.
Innovators love to have people around. This is not for team building. This is an audience for their creativity and a way for them to bounce new ideas around. They love to explore their latest ideas with people. They are so fascinated with each personally conceived "potential" solution that they want everyone to appreciate each and every subtlety. Just when they have their audience convinced that this new solution is brilliant, they love to add, "Wait, what if we...?"
Innovators may create problems just for the pleasure of working them out. Builders lean on innovators but often leave them standing in the hallway, halfway through an explanation about a possible solution. Banker's constantly feed challenges to an innovator's proposed strategies, keeping the innovatorcharged with new problems to face. Merchants listen attentively to innovators and lean on them constantly. This makes the innovator feel "heard." Since the merchant would never consider leaving an innovator standing in the hallway, innovators and merchants often become great friends. Their brainstorming parties can be endless. If left unchecked, they can actually become an endless drain of company resources.
Innovators are invaluable. They create new products and put together systems to solve production and administrative problems. They are never defeated and are able to come up with new strategies and approaches when everyone else has given up. They enjoy this so much that they hate making decisions, and they occasionally add confusion to the system by always inventing a better way. Nothing is ever good enough, especially if it was conceived by someone else, or if the solution has been in place for more than a few months.
Entrepreneur innovators can be highly successful. They are the people that create the mousetrap that brings the world to their door. The problem is, they really believe the world will come to their door. And since they love the process of problem solving more than the process of actually building and selling something, as soon as one product or service idea is implemented, they are off to create another better solution.
Innovator Challenges
The most deadly sin of innovators is their desperate need to continue perfecting a product or system long after it would fully serve its purpose. They get hooked on a specific solution or an interesting problem long after there has been a resolution to the problem.
Active innovators need a builder in them or around them to insist that they settle on one solution and complete it. They need merchants who will actually make someone else understand the value of the "solution" being sold. And they need bankers who will support them by completing the details, help them control costs and make profits.
Innovators can be very stubborn people. They may refuse to be moved until they feel their solutions are perfected. And since they also value assessment very highly, they not only like to create a new solution, but they want to be the one who assesses its appropriateness, its correctness, its cleverness and its perfection. In fact, they are certain that no one else could ever understand all the subtlety and complexity of their solution so they hate to let others really get into it and explore, for fear they may have overlooked some small detail.
Decisions for an innovator become a marathon of adding one more consideration into the equation, testing its full ramifications and announcing, "I can see how that will fit." Then, when everyone else considers the decision to have been made, the innovator may announce another level of considerations that must be explored prior to finalizing the decision. Innovators can be infuriating to merchants and builders who want to move on.
Innovators are very perceptive and open to change if they see and understand the tensions they cause. They are willing to act differently if they can only see how the different action is going to produce better results. For this reason, innovators and builders make wonderful teammates. They tend to keep good balance in the drive for action versus the drive for perfection.
The adaptiveness of innovators is also highly prized by all other players. Innovators make little distinction between what problems they are asked to solve. The process of deriving a solution is sufficient to make them happy. Innovators are a key element in every business situation where change is occurring. Their resourcefulness brings new methods, tools, systems, and mechanisms to bear. Innovators are always opening new opportunities for success.
An opposite tendency is also true for many innovators. They tend to become highly skilled at solving certain types of problems. Innovator engineers, for instance, may be geniuses when designing a new electronic circuit, but more like absentminded professors when it comes to developing business solutions for their departments.
When innovators are out of control, they get stubborn. They look for another way to go around you or to make you reconsider. They reconsider and may go on the defensive and resist making a decision. They may add another wrinkle to the equation to confuse you. They deny facts, challenge the validity or relevance of existing data, and refuse to take action, or sometimes just quit which may infuriate other core energy groups.
When all else fails, innovators resort to interrogation. They like to confuse the issue with side questions and tangents. They know how to ask questions, which are more accusation than question. They know how to get under the skin of other people, asking questions that shame and embarrass, that show the ignorance of others, or simply make others feel ignorant or confused and inadequate. Interrogation is just as powerful a strategy as the intimidation ofbuilders, the "poor me" victim caretaking role of merchants, or the aloof, resistant, judgmental positioning of bankers.
Innovator/Merchants
Innovator/merchants are problem solvers first, needing constant puzzles to solve but working well with others.
They see the big picture and lead from creativity. The power of an innovator/merchant is derived from an inexhaustible well of creativity. This creates a deep sense of optimism. If the merchant'sdream or vision is not being realized, the innovator can kick in and come up with appropriate solutions. When the innovator's solutions do not align perfectly with the merchant's vision, a new vision is deftly formed which can encompass the solutions and systems that the innovator has conceived and still accomplish all of the basic values foreseen and desired by the innovator/merchant.
They see the big picture and lead from creativity. The power of an innovator/merchant is derived from an inexhaustible well of creativity. This creates a deep sense of optimism. If the merchant'sdream or vision is not being realized, the innovator can kick in and come up with appropriate solutions. When the innovator's solutions do not align perfectly with the merchant's vision, a new vision is deftly formed which can encompass the solutions and systems that the innovator has conceived and still accomplish all of the basic values foreseen and desired by the innovator/merchant.
This constant creativity makes the innovator/merchant an invaluable resource in companies where technologies are changing rapidly or competition puts new demands on the marketing and sales systems of the company. Innovator/merchants are often chosen as sales representatives. They can sell anything because they build relationships, understand their products, and know how to make them fit into a broad range of customer needs.
Innovator/merchants are not put off by any problem of any magnitude. In fact, their sense of personal esteem is often based in the size, oppressiveness and worthiness of the problems they have before them. They look for opportunities to demonstrate their prowess at problem solving or at turning around difficult relationships that are at risk.
Innovator/merchants like to be needed, either for their solutions and technologies or for their humanity, creativity and love. This need drives them to achieve relationships that are vision-based and growth-oriented, and to develop products or systems that enhance the richness of the relationships that are formed.
Innovator/merchants are go-anywhere, do-anything kinds of people. They are even able to function for extended periods of time in remote if not somewhat isolated situations as long as the sense of connection and personal worth is maintained for the merchant side of the core energy. For the innovator, the absorption into the problem-solving aspects of any assignment will carry him a long way as long as there remains an opportunity to observe others evaluating and appraising his work once it is finished.
Innovator/merchants, despite their ability to sustain themselves independently, thrive in a team environment. They are excellent team builders and great teachers. They are masters of context and relevance. They not only are good at planning a curriculum and basing it in logic and reasonableness, but they consider the bigger picture.
They pay attention to their environment, entertainment, energy levels, and motivation. They enjoy creating exciting and provocative learning situations.
An innovator/merchant can be an incredible sales person or a powerful entrepreneur if he is balanced with just enough builder characteristics to actually complete the task at hand.
However, innovator/merchants, unrestrained, can be unproductive for themselves and society. They can get lost
in the rapture of exploring big picture considerations. The merchant is constantly thinking of new possibilities for projects and new adventures, and the innovator thrives on such challenges.
Innovators hate to bring the process of problem solving to a close. Solving problems is their highest form of pleasure, arguably valuing this game above sex and movies. So an innovator/merchant keeps new things coming and everything that was stirred up before "in the works." If you are aninnovator/merchant, be certain that you surround yourself with high energy builders who will push you to "get it done" and a few levelheaded bankers who will help ground your ideas by asking you the kind of questions you may be unwilling to ask yourself.
Innovator/merchants are constantly caught up in the seduction of new ideas, such as improving people systems. However, this concept and the strategy to create it are more important than the implementation itself to the innovator side.
Innovator/merchants, as company leaders, never quit selling and never quit solving the future. They sell themselves and others even when everyone has already agreed. There is little attention to detail, and since the next new idea takes 110% of all energy, things may be constantly left up in the air.Merchant/innovators tend to be able to keep so much energy swirling around them that they attract others. Builders and bankers also enjoy a symbiotic relationship.
But innovator/merchants may create as much disappointment as they do opportunity. No one can win from working with them for long, unless there are significant constraints in place, and a strong team of builders and bankers around them to enforce them. If you are an innovator/merchant, and you are reading this, you must have just a little builder or banker in you. Make sure you nurture that part of yourself--NOW!!!
Movie Review: Moonrise Kingdom
I never really used to watch movies for two reasons; it's expensive
to go and watch a movie in the theater, and I really, truly enjoy a good
book. However, in an effort to be
"more couply" (as if there could be such a thing for us!) my partner
and I have been doing random and fun movie dates. It really helps that www.Groupon.com entices
us by offering affordable movie tickets!
When we went to exchange our groupon for the
movie ticket, we were tormented whether or not to see “Moonrise Kingdom” or
“Rock of Ages.” A snap decision led us
to “Moonrise Kingdom” and it was excellent!
It’s really important to me that movies have continuity and flow, but also
that they are concrete and sound in the plot.
Thankfully, this movie matched my criteria and exceeded my
expectations! I really didn’t know what
to expect from the movie as I have no TV and no commercials. I will let you judge it for yourself!
But I am opinionated so I will drop on you a
little of what I thought of the movie.
So, be warned, it was a little darker than expected. It is a story about these two children, how
they meet, and an adventure they go on.
The movie takes place in 1965. I
believe - although since I didn’t write the script I have no solid foundation
for this hypothesis - that it is somewhat, if not completely a social
commentary on today’s youth and family dynamics. They also threw in a little bit about
bullying since that is such a big social issue and people are really (and
finally) wanting to put a stop to it. A
lot of what I took away from the movie is that children today are presented
with this big issue, maybe dilemma, of having to grow up much too quickly. They have to face real life situation and
adult situations all the time. What a “child”
is and when they are expected to be more adult has drastically changed in the
last 100 years, and I felt like this movie touched on that.
Go see this
movie! I guarantee that you will enjoy
it as long as you have some sense of style and class. ;)
Regards,
Jackie
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