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WARNING: THIS BLOG WILL ONLY BE SUITABLE FOR HARDCORE STATIC READERS:

I'm wondering whether this blog is long overdue. Maybe this represents what should have composed an introductory statement when I first began. Maybe I should just keep my self-interest and indulgence to myself.

If I did, there'd be nothing to write about. So, here goes:

Thanks to a Facebook friend sending it along in my direction, I found myself doing one of those Personality Tests of the Myers-Briggs sort. These are the results (complete with paranthethicals by me).

THE CHEAT SHEET

General breakdown -

7% Introverted

1% Intuitive

11% Thinking

19% Perceiving

THE FACTS OR WHATEVER

• INTPs are known for their quest for logical purity, which motivates them to examine universal truths and principles.
• They are constantly asking themselves and others the questions 'Why?' and 'Why not?'
• Clear and quick thinkers, they are able to focus with great intensity on their interests. (Such as themselves?)
• They appreciate elegance and efficiency in thought processes and require them, even more so, in their own communications. (I do tend to hate long, rambling stories.)
• They may be seen as unwilling to accept what everyone else regards as truth. (And sometimes seen as simply mocking!)
• While often low key in outward appearance and approach, the INTP is 'hard as nails' when challenging a truth.
• INTPs do not like to deal with the obvious.
• They are at their best in building conceptual models and developing unusual and complex ideas. (The topic of the blog, notwithstanding.)
• As children, INTPs are inwardly focused, often enjoying their own thoughts more than the company of others. (This is quite the understatement, but it's always been sharply contrasted by my class clown persona.)
• They are full of questions, sometimes voiced, most often not. (Was I adopted? Was I an accident?)
• INTP children often challenge and even stump their elders. (I was not difficult! My sister was the difficult one. That's what I was always told. My guess, based on experience, is that she was assured of the exact opposite.)
• They enjoy fantasy, mysteries, inventing, thinking and doing things that may be somewhat atypical for other children of their age, and they sense their uniqueness early on.
• If INTPs are fond of books or games, it is likely that their choices will be the current rage. (Doesn't that contradict the previous statement referring to the atypical nature of little me? I'm beginning to think these things are bunk.)
• If and INTP is fond of music, it is likely to be of an unusual sort.
• INTPs tend to either respect and go along with society's rules, or to question and rebel against them. (The bunk factor just went up a touch farther. This phrase feels like a cop-out. It would explain a lot of my borderline bi-polar struggles, however.)
• Their response to these rules depends on how the rules might affect them.
• When INTPs do not like the rules, they are quick to find the flaws in the rule makers' thinking, regardless of their status, position in the hierarchy, or renown.
• As young adults choosing careers, INTPs either set a course and work toward it quietly yet forcefully or continue to resist and rebel against society's expectations and irrational rules. (I think I ended up doing both.)
• They may either focus in depth on a major interest or move from one interest to another without showing others - friends, colleagues, and bosses - their reasons why.
• It is the process, the quest, that has been most interesting to them. (Interesting, indeed.)
• Once they have found the answer, they do not often share it because the answer is obvious, and documenting the obvious is redundant.
• This attitude includes a tendency not to respond or speak up in groups, because the INTP feels that what he or she was going to say seems so obvious that no one would want to hear it. (There's a lot to this. Wow! Maybe that explains why I tire of telling the same story multiple times. I've found myself deliberately telling tales differently or leaving out different bits of information just to keep myself interested.)

... I DOUBT ANYONE IS STILL READING THIS ...

• As INTPs mature, they continue their quest for logical purity, but now it includes more balance in their activities.
• The INTP is a relentless learner in areas that hold his or her interest.
• They often seem 'lost in thought,' and this characteristic appears very early. (...and becomes perceived as "being secretive" by one's nuclear family.)
• INTPs enjoy the life of the mind and the learning process, regardless of whether that process takes place in a formal sense. (I'm a college drop-out that used to always wait for an opening to phrase the circumstances as: yes, I finished college. I generally don't care anymore. I have a harsh criticism for the piece of paper and supposed esteem that comes from a degree.)
• They are often characterized as life-long learners. (This is due to my feelings of inadequacy against those who had a capped and gowned exit from their institutions of higher learning. Yeah, right.)
• In school, well-rounded INTPs work on their assignments with a great deal of inward energy and interest that is usually not apparent to others.
• They tend to connect unrelated thoughts. (Oh, yeah! I often have to explain why thoughts have cohesion in my mind. You should try being on my team in Catch Phrase.)
• As learners, they are able to find logical flaws in the thinking of others.
• They analyze these flaws and find ideas for further study. (Hell, I keep good tabs on my own flaws!)
• They go to great depths in their analysis.
• In taking exams, they prefer theorectical questions.
• When INTPs view a test, teachers, or subjects as irrelevant, they may respond as follows: 'I know what I need to know about this topic; I may even know more than my teacher. The teacher made this test, and this test is dumb. Therefore, my teacher is dumb, and I will not do the test.'
• Because of such reactions, the INTP's academic record may include successes or may be filled with failures. (Here's another one of those cop-out bits. The explanation of the extremes seem questionable to me.)
• INTPs contribute a logical, system-building approach to their work.
• They like being the architect of a plan, because of the scheming and thinking involved, far more than being the implementer of that plan. (Hello! Writing!)
• Implementation tends to be drudgery.
• They are content to sit back and think about what might work, given their view of the situation.
• INTPs may ignore standard operating procedures.
• The hours that they spend are not what is important to them, but rather the completion of their thought process. (I know at least one other person who doesn't think work should account of an automatic 40-hour chunk of time.)
• When their projects are of interest to them, they can become mesmerized and may even work through the night. (I've been a nightowl since I was a little kid!)
• When their projects are not intriguing, their work is considered drudgrery, and the INTP finds it difficult to stay motivated. (I'm starting to feel that way about finishing this blog. If you actually are reading this, then I simply don't know what's wrong with you. It seemed intriguing when I first began this post. Now I might as well be underlining a book and sharing my scribblings with the world.)
• INTPs usually find a place in their work for using their logical and structured thinking.
• They enjoy work that allows them to abstract, to generalize beyond the data, and to build models.
• Flexibility is desired because INTPs like to 'do the job when they want to do it and as they want to do it.'
• They also prefer occupations in which the hierarchy is minimal and not important. (I do suppose indie filmmaking versus Hollywood filmmaking does make sense in this regard.)
• This attitude seems from their firm belief that, to be legitimate, a hierarchy should be built on the competency of individuals who are logically placed according to their talents.
• Some occupations seem to be more attractive to INTPs: biologist, chemist, computer programmer, computer system analyst, lawyer, photographer, psychologist, researcher, surveyor, writer and other occupations that allow them to use their logical thinking in appropriate ways. (I really sucked at science. I cheated on at least one eighth grade science test, I fell asleep during sophomore chemistry two rows back, and I somehow flunked college oceanography. Interestly, I got a perfect A in college Astronomy.)

LOVE

• For the INTP, love has three distinct phases: falling in, staying in, and getting out.
• These phases relate to their thinking preference and its need for order and sequence.
• An INTP characterized falling in love as a stage of complete loss of rationality that may last a year or less.
• When an INTP falls in love, he or she falls hard - an all or nothing phenomenon.
• At this stage, INTPs are likely to be very lively, almost giddy, in their new love.
• The experience rushes over them and carries them along. (What part of this is exclusive to my personality type. Isn't this really the definition?)
• They do not structure or control it but simply enjoy and experience it.
• They do many loving things and they are curious about their loved one and are able to overlook his or her flaws.
• They may bravely ignore the realities of distance, weather, and time to be with the loved one. (Nice. The wife and I are exceptions to the long-distance relationship thing!)
• As relationships progress to the staying-in-love phase, INTPs begin to evaluate their structure and form.
• They may withdraw at this point because they are moving toward their more customary inward style.
• Outward demonstrations of affection lessen, and the giddy state changes. (Guessing this is when I usually put pen to paper.)
• Interactions are more matter of fact, perhaps even impersonal.
• INTPs take their commitments to their partner seriously; however, they may not discuss these commitments at any length with their partner or with other people, because their commitments seem so obvious to them.
• Falling out of love, which may not always occur, results from an analysis of the real expectations and needs of the relationship.
• Often an undefined line is crossed that neither partner knows about ahead of time.
• However, the INTP knows after the line has been crossed, and then the relationship deteriorates or ends.
• If INTPs recognize their emotions and needs as valid, they are able to sever relationship ties fairly cleanly.
• However, if they misjudge their own needs and those of their partner, the breakup can be messy, perhaps affecting other aspects of their lives for a long time.
• If the INTP shares some common interests with the former loved one, the relationship continues but on a different level.
• When INTPs have a reason to continue relationships, they do.

PHEW, THAT'S ALL.
Supposedly that's me. I'm sure nobody got through the whole damn thing.