it's always funny to look inside yourself

Larry's Thoughts:::

Bridge and I recently took a personality exam called the Myers-Briggs and it's always interesting to see how someone can be 'scaled' based upon who you are and how God made you. My theory has always been that God created us sort of like how a someone might make a salad...you know a little spinach for health, some onion for spice, perhaps some croutons for flavor, carrots for crunchtime, and maybe a little dressing to cool you down. No matter what though it's good for you, know what I mean? Myers-Briggs pretty much matches people into one of 16 different categories based upon your personality traits- E vs I (Extrovert vs Introvert), N vs S (Intuition vs Sensory), T vs F (Thinker vs Feeler), and P vs J (Perceiver vs Judger). As you can see already, Bridge is an ESTJ- which means she is an Extroverted Sensor who Thinks and Judges. I personally think this type of person is valuable in the world or salad bowl, if you will, because they tend to bring order to chaos and sort of keep the ship in shape. However when I took the test, I came out to be an INFP- which is an Introvert who uses Intuition and Feelings to Perceive...basically the complete opposite of the ESTJ...lol

According to the Myers-Briggs folks themselves......

INFP-
Idealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them. Want an external life that is congruent with their values. Curious, quick to see possibilities, can be catalysts for implementing ideas. Seek to understand people and to help them fulfill their potential. Adaptable, flexible, and accepting unless a value is threatened.

Haha, yup that sounds like me...

Anyone who knows us knows that Bridge and I are complimentary in nature...from the beverages we drink (water vs tea), temperatures we like (warm vs cool), and even baseball teams we root for (Yankees vs Red Sox...yikes!). I've always been somewhat fascinated with compatability and what types of people are likely to do well in friendships/relationships/etc. I had been under the impression that for successful compatability, one needed to find someone else like them due to commonalities that exist. In mathematics, when you have two like's, they tend to cancel each other out. I think that in real life, that can often happen to people as well. One thing that has been prevalent in my life has been that my eyes are open to view things from another point of view, such as Bridge's. A lot of my worldview has been updated to look at things from a contrasting point of view as opposed to a comparable point of view. I see now that many of our best friends in life or those whom we love dearly are those who represent parts of us that are opposite to ourselves that create the balance in our lives that enrich it. For my own self, what makes this relationship work is that, although our personalities can be vastly different, we have the same core values. Values such as faith, friendship, integrity, diligence, and character are what make many of our friendships/relationships compatible not the personalities. It is similar to taking an alternate road to the same destination. Sometimes the road isn't big enough for two cars so you can a different path to the same place.

So here's to finding the yin to your yang, the Coyote to your Roadrunner, the hip to your hop, or anything else that enriches your life...until next time here's a song that adds a little humor to this...be well everyone!

My Personality

Bridgedette's Thoughts:

I recently took a personality test and here is what I am:
Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging .


Me, ESTJ? lol. If you know me, this is spot on for my personality! Here is a description:

ESTJs thrive on order and continuity. Being extraverted, their focus involves organization of people, which translates into supervision. While ENTJs enjoy organizing and mobilizing people according to their own theories and tactically based agendas, ESTJs are content to enforce "the rules," often dictated by tradition or handed down from a higher authority.

ESTJs are joiners. They seek out like-minded companions in clubs, civic groups, churches and other service organizations. The need for belonging is woven into the fiber of SJs. The family likewise is a central focus for ESTJs, and attendance at such events as weddings, funerals and family reunions is obligatory.

Tradition is important to the ESTJ. Holidays, birthdays and other annual celebrations are remembered and observed often religiously by this type. The ESTJ is inclined to seek out his roots, to trace the family heritage back to honored ancestors both for a sense of family respectability and for a sense of security and belonging.

Service, the tangible expression of responsibility, is another key focus for ESTJs. They love to provide and to receive good service. The ESTJ merchant who provides dependable service has done much to enhance her self image.

ESTJs have an acute sense for orthodoxy. Much of their evaluation of persons and activities reflects their strong sense of what is "normal" and what isn't. ESTJ humor is frequently centered around something or someone being off center or behaving abnormally.

ESTJs promote the work ethic. Power, position and prestige should be worked for and earned. Laziness is rarely viewed with ambivalence nor benevolence by this type.

The ESTJ is outspoken, a person of principles, which are readily expressed. The ESTJ is not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right even in the face of overwhelming odds. ESTJs are able to make the tough calls.

Occupations attracting ESTJs include teaching, coaching, banking, political office, and management at all levels.

Famous ESTJs:
Simon Peter (Christ's disciple)
John Heywood (c.1497-c.1580, collector of English colloquialisms)
James Monroe
Andrew Jackson
William Henry "Tippecanoe" Harrison
Franklin Pierce
Grover Cleveland
Harry S. Truman
Lyndon B. Johnson
George W. Bush
Carrie Nation
Elliot Ness
John D. Rockefeller
Bette Davis
Robert A. Taft (U.S. senator, son of Pres. Wm. H. Taft)
Sam Walton, owner and founder of WalMart stores
Barbara Stanwyck
Rev. Billy Graham
Dale Bumpers (U.S. Senator, D-Arkansas)
Phil Fulmer, head football coach of the U. Tenn Vols
Pat Head Summit, head basketball coach of the Lady Vols
Bill Frist, M.D. (U.S. Senate Majority Leader)

Fictional:
Lucy (Charles Schultz's Peanuts character)
Mrs. Harbottle (Herriott, All Creatures Great and Small)
Mrs. Rachel Lynde (Anne of Green Gables)
The Mayor (The Music Man)


[Some men can make decisions and some cannot. Some men fret and delay under criticism. I used to have a saying that applies here, and I note that some people have picked it up. --Harry S. Truman, Mr. Citizen "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." ]


****Here is another view****

ESTJ Relationships:
ESTJs are very enthusiastic people who are driven to fulfill their obligations and duties, especially those towards their families. Their priorities generally put God first, family second, and friends third. They put forth a tremendous amount of effort to meet their obligations and duties, according to their priorities. They are dedicated and committed to their relationships, which they consider to be lifelong and unalterable. They like to be in charge, and may be very controlling of their mates and children. They have high esteem for traditions and institutions, and expect that their mates and children will support these as well. They have little patience and need for dealing with people who see things very differently from the ESTJ.

ESTJ Strengths
*Generally enthusiastic, upbeat and friendly
*Stable and dependable, they can be counted on to promote security for their families
*Put forth a lot of effort to fulfill their duties and obligations
*Responsible about taking care of day-to-day practical concerns around the house
*Usually good (albeit conservative) with money
*Not personally threatened by conflict or criticism
*Interested in resolving conflict, rather than ignoring it
*Take their commitments very seriously, and seek lifelong relationships
*Able to move on after a relationship breaks up
*Able to administer discipline when necessary

ESTJ Weakness
*Tendency to believe that they are always right
*Tendency to need to always be in charge
*Impatient with inefficiency and sloppiness
*Not naturally in tune with what others are feeling
*Not naturally good at expressing their feelings and emotions
*May inadvertantly hurt others with insensitive language
*Tendency to be materialistic and status-conscious
*Generally uncomfortable with change, and moving into new territories

Our Last Full Week in January

Bridgedette's Thoughts:

So its the last full week of January and we are finally seeing the registration rush coming down. Here are a few of the events that Larry and I did this week.


Larry in Pink!
On Sunday January 23rd, Larry took me to see Legally Blonde the Musical at the Majestic Theater! I was SO excited!! I have seen this movie so many times I can quote it and now it has been combined with the theater..."OMG!!" (a big line in the movie). We had so much fun enjoying the musical and the downtown atmosphere at night. And I cant beleive that Larry wore PINK!!!!





Larry Tasting Cake
As the week went on, Larry and I were looking forward to our cake tasting this past Saturday. So many cakes....and Larry only had 1 fork! ha ha.




Larry at Work
That same Saturday morning, after the cake tasting, Larry had to do a 1 hour presentation at Northeast Lakeview. If you ever get the opportunity to watch Larry present, you would be in for a treat! He always finds a way to connect with his audience; and can always interject his slap stick humor into the speech. Here he is getting his Powerpoint ready.





Fortune
That SAME BUSY Saturday, we finally stopped for lunch. Our Chinese food was good, but my fortune seemed to be right on the money. There are so many things that I have questions about, some that I even allow to stop me from progressing....but I need to face those fears and allow them not to have such a big part in my life. Each day I grow and learn from those around me!




Walk Accomplished
To end our busy week, Larry and I went for a walk. We have been doing our best to walk every weekend together. These walks have been one of those catalyst times when we get the best conversations going; just him, I and nature. The weather was SO perfect too...80 degrees! After all the cold and windy days, we had to take advantage of the sun. We use the Nike+ sensor to track our walks, here is the lastest walk:




Until Next Blog!





72°F | °C
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: SW at 6 mph
Humidity: 35%

Connections.....

Larry's Thoughts:::

Work has been rather chaotic for Bridge and myself. For those that don't know, we are both community college advisors- myself at Northeast Lakeview and her at Palo Alto. I was walking down the hall at work last Friday and, with all the students waiting for advising or assistance, sometimes it gets so loud that you can't hear yourself think. But I did overhear the conversation between two young ladies talking about their respective boyfriends. One was talking about how lazy hers was and how seemingly unhappy she was, which I commonly hear young people talk about. However, the other young lady was talking about how happy she was and how theirs was a unique relationship. The part of the conversation that struck me most was when the happier young lady described how she felt as "love isn't a strong enough word".

Of all the entire conversations in that loud hallway, I was surprised that what I caught was such a powerful statement as that. I reflected on that statement for the rest of the day and over the weekend about the connections we have in life and those individuals that share our lives. Whether it be a friend, family member, child, husband, wife, or whomever, we all form connections with these people. Some are stronger than others however and formulate the people we become. Shakespeare himself said, "tis better to love and lost than to never have loved at all". However I think that it does not necessarily just refer to romantic love but the love that forms these deep connections. If we close ourselves off to love and connecting to others, we truly deprive ourselves of that which forms who we are. A child learns empathy from someone who empathized to him or her at a young age. A husband treats his wife with love and respect that in turn is given back to him by her love and respect. We become the humans that are capable of awesome and worthwhile ventures and successes by experiencing all the up's and down's that these deep connections give us.

My earliest connections were with my grandfathers who emulated to me, as a young boy, what it was like to treat others with respect, to be patient with those whom are different than myself, to be kind, and to use my intelligence in school among other things. These connections with them began to form me at a young age that I'm glad I have retained as I've grown into an adult. Sadly I lost my paternal grandfather when I was still relatively young but I did appreciate all the childhood and teenage memories I had that are still cherished by me. I was blessed to have my maternal grandfather up until last year when he left to a better place. Since I did have him for such a long time, I was able to experience what it was like to mature and grow into a man with him by my side. Losing him was more painful than words can describe but I try to remind myself that, as selfish as it is to want to keep them here, I cannot do so.

It is rather unique that sometimes these connections we form in life can defy time because we often see people mourning years and sometimes decades after someone passes on or simply leaves your life. We cling to the memories of those spouses, friends, family, etc that are no longer with us that we stay connected to without regard to how much time has passed. How painful yet how wonderful it is to be so connected to someone that the very scent of a perfume, a song played from years ago, or a visit to a special location unleashes a flood of memories that are as vivid as they day they originally happened. I think everyone should take the time to reflect on those who we are truly connected to and what connects them together. Nothing and no one should be taken for granted because the future is a book still being written. I feel blessed that Bridge and myself are connected so deeply. The funny thing is that it happened without us ever trying to make it happen but I suppose that is the truest sign of two people meant to be together. I tell her that I had to hit rock-bottom in life to fully appreciate her and the connection we have (as well as the connections I had to people like my grandfathers). I love her very much and am excited about the life we have together ahead of us because she is truly a wonderful human being and our life is one that I always wanted.

"Blessed is the person who appreciates without having had the pain but wise is the person who appreciates having had the pain."

Have a good day and a good week and remember to cherish the connections in your life!

Survived the first week back!

Bridgedette's Thoughts:



Phew!!! As expected, the first week back was very hectic!!

Lines of people trying to late register for classes, Registration systems crashing and little to no patience from students. But, Larry and I have made the best of it all....especially Larry. He has been working from 8am to 8pm for the past 7 days! Im glad that I made some yummy caldo to hold us over and a few other dinner meals so that when we arrive home, we would only have to heat it up!

San Antonio had a "cold front" blow in last week. It was nothing like what the northern states had, but for SA....it was COLD! It was a little hard to roll out of bed in the morning and putting on the layers was not that fun for me, who doesnt like the cold. The sun actually came out yesterday and is trying to come back this week too...maybe that will help some of the students be a bit more happy. ha ha.

Besides the lines of students keeping us busy, Larry and I have been planning our wedding. We are trucking along a little at a time. There is SO much to do, as Larry found out when I took him and my mom to the Bridal Extravaganza on Sunday January 9th! ;o) There was a lot to see and taste (Larry's Favorite Part). We should be sending out our Save the Date very soon!

This past Sunday Larry and I took our engagement photos. It was SO much FUN! The best part was that the photgrapher was Larry's Cousin Christina! You can view them on their website, www.twinflowerphotography.com
its under the BLOG section). I think that she did an AMAZING job capturing who we are as a couple as well as the love that we share for each other. It was a very comfortable photo shoot, even though the weather was cloudy and cold. Can you tell where we were? Its one of my most FAVORITE places....The San Antonio (Enchilada Red) Central Library!!

Growing up, I lived about 4 blocks from the Bazan Library (2200 W. Commerce San Antonio, TX 78207). I spent so many hours there that the staff knew me as I walked in...and I was no more than 10 years old! lol. Books, curiosity and learning new things are all part of who I am. I am glad that Larry is the same way. We love to spend hours at bookstores!!

Well, that's all for now. I'll keep you all posted on our lives and whats new in our world.



Wed, 19

66°/54°

Back to Work and the Daily Run Around.

Bridgedette's Thoughts:

I survived!....the first day back to work. :o)

After being off for more than 14 days, and dragging myself out of bed yesterday morning, I survived! It was a very steady day at Palo Alto, but not overwhelmingly busy (since the first day of class is not till January 18th) but there are students trying to fix and update their schedules for class, as well as meet the payment deadline of January 6th.


After leaving work yesterday, I went to the San Antonio Public Library to retrieve a book that I accidentally turned in (the book belonged to the Palo Alto College Library). I was glad that they still had it! I'm my defense, I did have 10 books out from 3 different libraries. As long as I can remember, I have always loved libraries. My Mom would always take us walking down the street to the Bazan library and we would spend hours just sitting in a corner (on the floor or at a table) and read. There was something so comfortable about just sitting still and not rushing anywhere (except to finish the book)!

I then went to CVS to pick up Larry's medicine, and as I stood in the line that was 10 people deep I remembered that it was the first Monday of the month and people were refilling their medicines and trying to meet their new deductibles....it would be awhile before I would get to the counter. 20 minutes later I had the medicine in hand and looked at the receipt to find a coupon for a FREE hand sanitizer! LUCKY DAY! If you know me, I love to have clean hands and sanitizers are my thing!

Driving home, I was happy and tired, but I made Larry and I some salad and whole wheat pasta for dinner. By 8pm, I was so tired that I just ate the salad. Larry walked in with a Redbox movie (www.redbox.com) and as he played it, I fell asleep next to him on the couch. The last thing that remember is the movie credits. Sad, I know, but getting back into the swing of things is a lot harder than I thought it would be!

Today I feel great...a lot better than yesterday, the weather is not that great, but we will make the best of it! Happy Tuesday!!

56°F |
Current: Cloudy with Showers
Wind: N at 4 mph
Humidity: 100%

Hello World!!

Larry's Thoughts:::

Ok, ok I know it has been a while since I've written on here. Ok probably a LONG while but those who know me, know that I'm a deep thinker but probably not the deepest communicator. 2011 is a new year and so I thought I'd start off the year with a few thoughts.

For the few of you left on Planet Earth who don't know by now, I popped the question to Bridge a couple of weeks ago. And not the big question of "what do you want for dinner?" but rather if she would be willing to be my wife. Yes ladies and gents, we got engaged. That was a big thing for me because, like most people, I had concerns and questions if this next milestone would change us. One of the finest qualities of the relationship we have is that a good one and, although I know change itself is inevitable, I don't want to change for the worse only for the better. I know people had been wondering about when or if we would take the plunge. It really came down to one thing-- and that was do I want to live my life without Bridge in it? The firm answer was "NO" because I truly believe my life is better with her being in it. I want to take that next step with her by my side because I believe in us, our friendship, and our love. Thankfully, after one "are you joking??", she agreed :-)

2010 was a big year for me for lots of up's and down's...I did lose my beloved Popo in February after him being ill. I loved him dearly and deeply because we had a strong connection. I remember after Bridge and I started dating, I told her that there was "someone else" and she was a little astonished. But after I told her that the "someone else" was my Popo, she understood. I was committed to making his golden years comfortable and happy so no matter what, I always made sure to get him whatever he wanted or needed. Losing him was losing a part of myself and I think I'll grieve in little ways for some time to come. Fortunately Bridge was there to help me weather through it and I'm stronger for it. On a happier note, Bridge and I took a nice vacation in June to Boston and we had a splendid time. The highlight was visiting Fenway Park and seeing my beloved Red Sox play AND getting to meet the players. I also started graduate school in August and that was something I never foresaw me doing because my goal had been to finish my Bachelors degree, which I did 10 years ago. But I knew the time had come to undertake the next academic challenge of my life and I did well having earned two A's. I'm going for a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership at Our Lady of the Lake University. This degree suited me because it is interdisciplinary in nature and applicable to virtually any endeavor I go for in life. 2010 was challenging because both Bridge and I got sick in July. I developed a staph infection in my leg which required surgery to get out. That was particularly concerning since I am a diabetic. But the docs did what they were supposed to and I made it through. Bridge got shingles about this time too and that was difficult for her because it was very uncomfortable. But, in typical fashion, she beat it and became stronger for going through it.

Overall I am curious to see what 2011 has in store. I'm always a believer in the glass being half-full and not half-empty. Attitude can take you far so here's to an exciting journey to us and to you all in the new year.

til next time...