Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Six "Little Knowns"

Ok... So Caleb "tagged" me. That means I'm supposed to share six things about myself that may not be common knowledge. After much deliberation I've come up with six things that you may not already know.

1. I can fix stuff. That might sound really weird, but I know how to use some tools and I can usually figure things out enough to fix them. Not big things... Just small household stuff, like vacuums, toilets and office stuff. I can hang shelves, and I've built stuff. My mom and I used to fix everything ourselves (unless it was beyond repair) and we used to move everything and assemble everything on our own. I know how to change the oil in my scooter and I built a huge picture frame once... The funny thing about all of that is that I love to play the damsel in distress. Not because someone will come and rescue me, but because if someone else does it I don't have to. (besides, don't guys like to be "needed"?)

2. I'm sensitive. Although I am very confident in who I am and how God has made me, I get my feelings hurt very easily. Now, let me clarify a bit. I don't get offended often, but I get my feelings hurt easily. I want people to like me, and I don't ever want to offend anyone with my words or actions, but when I do offend people, or when someone doesn't like me I take it very personally. Usually, if you hurt my feelings you'll never know. I'll talk it out with God, and sometimes cry about it, but then I get over it. One other thing that falls under the whole sensitive subject is that I love Hallmark cards, but I can't go to Hallmark because I'll read cards for a long time, and I hate crying in public (i.e Hallmark cards make me cry)

3. I give off the image a ditsy bubblegum girl, but I am not at all. Some of the misconception comes with my personality, but there is an element of it that is intentional. People generally don't like deep, challenging, or thought provoking conversation so until I know how deep I can go with someone, I'm happy to play the bubblegum girl. The thing is though, that I'll wade in knee deep waters with anyone, but my hope is that eventually we will swim in immeasurable depths. It's sad to discover how few people are actually willing.

4. I took a DISC test and my results conflicted. The two personality types that I represented the most were polar opposite personality types... Not only were they polar opposites but the scores for the other two personality types, that each could have been complementary to one of my personality types, were really low. My Prof called me conflicted... But the test was dead on. (but rest assured, I don't have MPD!!)

5. I hate health insurance. I know that some people really need it, and I'm totally cool with that, but I'm pretty dang healthy and I rarely get sick. You're probably thinking "uhh... don't get health insurance, smart one!" But that's the thing... My University requires that I have health insurance. SO DUMB!! (and to top it all off, it doesn't have a vision plan... and that's the only doctor I visit every year without fail...) I know this sounds more like I pet peeve than anything (and, well it is a pet peeve) but the reason insurance irritates me so much is that America has cultivated a false sense of security with insurance, Social Security, 401Ks and all of those kinds of things... But how many people, despite having all of those benefits, lose everything in the blink of an eye??!!! Jesus is the only thing anyone will every truly be secure in!! If you need to go to the doctor a lot and insurance helps you out, then get insurance, but I have no use for it and I still have to pay through the nose to have it... So dumb...

6. The last little known fact is a fun one! When I graduated high school I went to school to study music with the intention of making it to Broadway. I have decent enough voice to at least be in chorus lines and I love theatre. I did plays in high school, and I thought that was what I would spend the rest of my life doing (until God took over and gave me a different direction). I still have little fantasies of performing on stage, and when I see a new musical, or hear a new soundtrack, I get stuck in performance land... If anyone wants to know the way to my heart, tell me how great I am in a Hallmark card that will make me cry, and then take me to a musical... Yes, it is that easy (assuming that Jesus has apprehended your life and you've surrendered it... well and some other details... ok, not as easy as I thought...)
Sometimes I ask God if he'll ever let me perform again. Maybe someday.

Anyway, that's it. six little things about me that you may, or may not, have known... I think I'm going to pick Jamie next.

5 comments:

christianne said...

jessica, i can really appreciate what you wrote in #2, 3, and 4 -- being a sensitive person, giving off a certain image to test the waters because most people don't like to go deep, and getting conflicting results on a personality-type test. reading these things about you, i felt like i was reading about myself. that was really weird, but it was also really cool and somewhat freeing, if that makes any sense.

i took the myers-briggs about seven years ago, and my results were pretty conflicted because i could see myself in different scenarios on opposite sides of the spectrum. maybe this had something to do with having an ability to live in shallow and deep waters -- i call it my "chameleon skin," being able to be all things to all people, depending on what the situation required. it's only years later that i finally think i'm settling into my own skin, sloughing off the chameleon skin and tendencies more and more, as i grow more brave to be who i really am.

anyway, thanks for sharing. it's neat to meet a kindred soul in these areas.

Jessica said...

Hey Christianne!! Good to hear from you! You know, it's kinda funny actually. I had to argue with the prof that I really felt the test was accurate. To this day I still think (well, pretty much feel certain) that God just wired me really uniquely. I think it's great!! I do see how it makes things difficult sometimes, but when it comes down to it, I think that God knew what he was doing and has a purpose for it.

kirsten said...

jessica, this was really great to read & it was fun to have more insight into who you are.

i love what i can learn & see about myself in a personality test. i've taken both the MBTI & the DISC profile & i'm with christianne - i could see aspects of myself on opposite sides of the same spectrum also. on the MBTI scale, it's amazing how far i can range between introverted & extroverted.

anyway ... this is about you!!

it was fun to read about your passion for musicals. while i have no talent for singing, i LOVE musicals & can remember all the lyrics from my favorites. ;o)

Caleb said...

You've given yourself up now I know that you can fix your scooter without my help. Don't even try the "i'm not strong enough" crap either because you threw down with the tire wrestling the other night.

I'm going to have to take a different road than you on the insurance due to the frequency that I visit the ER.

Jessica said...

K - My favorites are Wicked and Rent.... I think I would straight pee my pants if I had front row Broadway seats!! I just saw Les Miserables for the first time like a week ago... I'd love to see that one again... and Lion King! I hear it's great! And the music to the Beauty and the Beast musical is AMAZING!!! And Parade... It's so amazing! It only lasted on broadway for a couple years but the music is so moving!

C- well... I know how to change the oil and stuff, but I still can't fill up the freaking tires at the gas station... And I understand the whole insurance thing for some people... But I'm a weenie and I don't go to the doctor unless I'm dying or need my eyes checked... I guess it's a sore spot for me... I will stand firm though on the matter that for a lot of people, insurance (among some choice other things) provides a false sense of security that really doesn't make anyone any more secure. Insurance might keep you from having to pay outrageous hospital bills, but it doesn't mean you won't die... having insurance (or those other things) doesn't make you safer! And that's what I don't understand about people who have it just to feel safer.