(Thank God!) Monday Mission, nevertheless.
1. Would you rather impress or influence others? Why? Which do you tend to do more than the other?
Influence, definitely. I think perhaps I do, too, though that’s pretty hard to assess.
2. Are you able to admit your weaknesses to others? How do you handle your weaknesses? (Can you accept them and see them as a strength? Do you strive to overcome them? etc.)
Well, it depends on who you mean by “others”. The easy answer is “Yes”, but I suspect that’s somewhat inaccurate. There are definitely some weakness I do not admit to, despite being aware of them. I am more likely to admit to weaknesses that can be turned into strengths. I am probably more likely to admit to weaknesses here on this blog or in writing in general than face to face, except to my very closest friends.
How do I handle them? Well, some I try to ignore, some I try to compensate for (procrastination being one, compensating, that is, by not promising too much or by making sure I have strict deadlines), and some I try to overcome. That just about covers it, I think.
3. How do you react when you are bossed around, treated as inferior or taken advantage of?
With anger. I don’t like being told what to do and how to do it, I hate people who act superior and I certainly don’t like being taken advantage of. Once any of the three happen I will go to great lengths to avoid the people and/or situations. The exception being that to some extent I have to be able to take orders at work, of course. One of my weaknesses (see, I’m admitting to it) is resenting anyone who has authority to give me orders. The conciliating factor is that I don’t much like giving orders, either (this may surprise some people, but it’s true. I like having my own way, but I don’t like to have to order people to do what I want, I’d much rather they just did it of their own accord).
4. Do you live your life to meet your own needs, or do you live to meet the needs of others? Why?
My own. Purely egoistic. I might do an altruistic thing occasionally, but it’s entirely by accident.
5. This is your Mission on Mondays, but what is your mission in life?
I haven’t decided yet. Well, apart from read all the books ever published, which is unrealistic.
6. Can you focus on your goals and achieve them, or are you sidetracked by minor distractions along the way?
I’m quite easily distracted. Few of my goals have been anything but eclectic, the sort than can be reached by meandering routes and therefore don’t suffer much from distractions.
7. When was the last time you cried? What were you feeling at that moment (anger, sadness, etc.)?
Yesterday morning I woke up crying from a rather distressing dream involving americans and – of all things – cruelty to animals. Some sort of illustration served up by my subconscious to remind me that I’m not happy with the current situation in the Middle East, I assume, though there might be quite a different explanation. The feeling? Sadness and frustration.
BONUS: Who can it be knocking at my door?
The big, bad wolf.
Voice in my head: my own, singing Kveldssang for Laffen (which I used to sing to my brother as a lullaby years and years ago)
