ISTP

That's it. I have been condensed down to a four letter indicator and slapped with the label- Introvert-Sensing-Thinker-Perceiver. I never placed a lot of stock in categorizing people, even though I do know that some labels have validity, such as 'tyrant' or 'pederast'. That said, I looked on the Internet today for a little more information on this type from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. (For the unannointed, the MBTI is given to entry level FSOs at orientation.)

It turns out that I found some very interesting things about this person. He can get bored quickly. He needs variety and adventure in his life. He shines during critical incidents. His type can tend to gravitate towards jobs in law enforcement (!) and the military. Hmm.

In spite of some startling revelations during my informal research, I am still one of those cynics who knows that horoscopes are written so ambiguously as to give everyone a sort of "Hey, that's me for sure!" feeling. Even so, reading about the ISTP actually gave me a start once or twice. I know that the MBTI has been proven to be statistically valid, but the test itself seems so simplistic that it defies logic that it could actually be accurate. (ISTPs, by the way, are also analytical, objectively critical, and interested in how and why things work.....)

Now, on to the fun horoscopy stuff-

Famous ISTPs include Rowan Atkinson, Clint Eastwood, President Zachary Taylor, Michael Jordan, Chuck Yeager and Amelia Earhart.

ISTPs make up 5.5% of the population.

Now it's time to log off and go fly my model helicopter. I'm bored.

Suit

I stood at attention and raised my right hand and said the words for the third time in my life today.

Sailor, police officer, diplomat.

I looked around in the building during breaks, in awe of what I had become a part of. I am even more in awe of the people I am surrounded by. There is quite a bit of substance behind all the paper credentials. I am torn between a feeling of humility that these are my peers and a feeling that I somehow fooled someone to be here.

On a lighter note... after 23 years of wearing everything from wool choker collars to bullet-proof vests, this suit thing ain't so bad. For the first time in my life, I had to consider the color of my socks before leaving for work.