I'm just a clock.

I've always been interested in psychology, pop or otherwise, and I'm constantly curious about what makes people tick.  I'm also a long-time self-analyzer,  and I've known since college that my Myers Briggs personality type is ISTJ.

(If you want to find out your Myers Briggs type, there's a REALLY shortened version of the test here.)  

Now for those of you who don't speak pop psychology, that means I'm Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging, or in a nutshell, kinda dull, pretty rigid, and sort of dreary.

Ahem.

Anyway, not too long ago, I ran across a graphic on Pinterest that listed all the different personality types by Disney character, which I thought was fabulous and funny and probably pretty accurate.  

Oh yes!  The Lion King!  My hubby is an ENFJ.  MY HUBBY IS THE LION KING!  Or Jesus.  Or Gandhi.  Whatever.  While that seems slightly intimidating, that right there is a good person to have in your corner.

And next up there's Tarzan.  I don't personally know any ISTPs, but how awesome would it be to be so brave and adventuresome?

Oh look!  It's that dude from 101 Dalmatians!   He's so kind! So talented!  Such an animal lover.  How amazing it must be to live in his brain!

Well hello there sir!  I have no idea who you are, but you sure do seem suave, debonair, and self-assured, which are all traits I strive for daily.

Oh Belle, I love everything about you! I have always wanted to be you!  Also? You have the best library I've ever seen.

You gallant steed! Your ESTJ values shine through everything you do!  You're my people-loving counterpart! 

Flynn, you're such a scoundrel, but in a totally lovable, charming way.  

And Pocahontas, you're the epitome of the phrase "still waters run deep!"  You will always do the right thing, no matter the cost.

Oh you fabulous INTJ rat you! You are solving all the world's problems, aren't you?

Peter Pan!  An ESFP of course.  A good friend of mine is an ESFP, and I love being around her, because it's all laughs, all the time!

Ah, yes.  The INTP.   Milo is a perfect representation of your skills, your intelligence, your passion for your subject matter! 

My bestie is and ESFJ.  OH MY GOODNESS!  MY BESTIE IS MARY FREAKING POPPINS!  How awesome is that?!?!?!

Well, hello Cap'n!  You're so quick witted, so good fun... so... swashbuckling!

Oh Tiana!  Your work ethic is one to be admired!  And you're so positive about everything!

Look!  Arial's an ENFP, of course.  She has a personality that's larger than life, and a strange love of shiny inanimate objects.

Oh, they must have saved the best for last!  I'm up next!  I can't wait to find out what Disney character I, an ISTJ, am the most like.  I bet it's someone fabulous!  I bet it's...  Oh my goodness I can't stand it!  Ok, I'm....

A clock?

I'm a freaking clock?!?!

Not only am I a CLOCK, but I'm a clock who, after being cursed to become a clock, still hangs around, mopping and cleaning and whatever.

I'm a mopping clock.

A clock who really should be a person, but instead of doing anything about that, I hang out picking up after a grumpy beast.

Seriously?  I'm the most boring Disney character ever.  EVER.  I'm not sure I even qualify as a Disney character... SINCE I'M A CLOCK.

Ok, now you know how I feel about my Disney counterpart...

How do you feel about yours?

Underdog.

In choosing which prompt I wanted to write about today, I decided to repost something I originally wrote last fall.  I've never done that before, and if you're a longtime reader, feel free to move on along... But I felt like it was a good enough story to share (again).  And it's a perfect fit for the prompt:

Write a post inspired by the word: brave.

When Cooper was an infant, then a toddler, I was secretly worried about his willingness to interact with unfamiliar people.  For the longest time, he was totally uninterested in anyone who wasn't in his nuclear little family, and he wouldn't even make eye contact with people he didn't know well.

But he was a charmer and a talker around me, R and Zachary, so I figured it might be something that would work itself out.

And ever so slowly, he has started to come out of his shell - just a little.

He's still reserved and quiet around people he's unfamiliar with, and I've never even had to bother with the whole "don't talk to strangers" routine, because I know darn good and well he will absolutely NOT ever no matter what talk to you if he doesn't a) know you and b) like you.  He won't even usually answer when spoken directly to unless I tell him pointedly "Say hello, Cooper.  That person is talking to you."

Not long ago he and I were standing outside somewhere, waiting - always waiting - on something, and a man with a dog walked up.  The indifference Cooper shows toward many people does not extend to dogs.  He loves them joyfully, gleefully, every one of them, in every doggy shape and size.  He looked at me, and I could tell that he wanted me to smooth the way for him to be able to pet the dog, so I asked for him.  "Could my little boy pet your dog?" 

The man, who was friendly enough, smiled and said "Sure, here ya go," then yanked on the dog's chain to get him (or her, I don't really know) to sit down.  "Sit!" he commanded, and when the dog didn't respond immediately, he smacked him on the rump, then the nose.  "SIT!" he said again.

Cooper looked up at me, totally appalled.  He pulled on my hand urgently until I leaned down, and then he whispered "Him HIT that doggy, Mama.  That's not NICE."

Oh lord.

I hemmed and hawed and stuttered around for a minute, trying to think of the right thing to say and/or do.  On one hand, it wasn't really any of our business how this man got his dog to sit, but on the other I have spent way too many hours teaching my boys kindness and gentleness and how we NEVER, EVER hit to let this one little moment undo all that work.

It was a decision Cooper took, quite firmly, from my hands.

Much to my surprise, he pulled away from me and walked right up to the man and the now-sitting dog.  He looked the man directly in the eyes.   "We don't HIT!" he said, his whole little body shaking with rage at the injustice of it, and possibly with fear at the thought of confronting this strange man.  "Hitting is not TIND (kind).  We NEVER, EVER, EVER hit.  OTAY?"

His message delivered, he reached out and gently, so, so gently began petting the dog, as he had been told he could.

As soon as I was able to make a getaway, I scooped Cooper up, mumbling incoherently to the man "Thanks for letting him pet your dog we have to go stand over there now because I need to be as far away from you as possible." 

As we were walking away, Cooper looked back over my shoulder toward the dog owner and held up a finger to reiterate his point. "Member," he said.  "We NEVER, EVER hit, you got it?" 

After I got some time and distance between us and the hitting dog owner, and got over my own shock at the (imagined) horror of a confrontation with a stranger, I started to get some perspective on the whole incident.  It made me realize that my boy is brave and strong and has a good, good heart, and that I don't need to worry at all that he's slow to warm up to people.  I realized, too, that it makes me so proud that he's willing to stand up for what he believes to be right and true.

I know now that he will speak when it matters.

Even if his voice shakes when he does it.

Let me tell you about my Spicy Black Bean, Corn and Guacamole Dip

I am obsessed with avocados right now.

OBSESSED.

Here's the truth - I love the things all the time, but I refuse to pay more than $1 each for them, so that usually means I get about a three-four month window to enjoy them.

Now is my window.

I'm taking full avantage of it.

I made a batch of this the other day and decided to taste of it.  Then 15 minutes later when I came out of my guacamole eating trance, I saw the vestiges of a bag of tortilla chips and two lonely black beans in the bottom of my bowl.

I've made it twice this week.

Give it a try.  You'll be glad you did.  And if for some reason you're NOT glad, bring it to my house and I will eat it all up.

[Printable Recipe]

WHAT YOU NEED:

6 ripe avocados, diced
1 can Hot Rotel, drained
1 can Mexicorn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
4-5 green onions, thinly sliced
fresh cilantro, about 1/3 cup, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
one teaspoon coarse salt

WHAT YOU DO:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Mash about half the avocados with a fork and stir well.Refrigerate and allow flavors to mix for at least an hour before serving.

 Eat it all with tortilla chips.  DON'T SHARE!

You can store it in the fridge for a day or two, but the avocados will turn brown.  It still tastes the same, though.