Saturday, January 16, 2016

Myers-Brigg INTJ - “You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” - Harlan Ellison

MBTI is mostly the Barnum/Forer Effect, but it's always fun to find things that resonate.  INTJ Personality (“The Architect”) | 16Personalities: "With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, INTJs are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. While this may be intended as an insult by their peers, they more than likely identify with it and are even proud of it, greatly enjoying their broad and deep body of knowledge. INTJs enjoy sharing what they know as well, confident in their mastery of their chosen subjects, but owing to their Intuitive (N) and Judging (J) traits, they prefer to design and execute a brilliant plan within their field rather than share opinions on “uninteresting” distractions like gossip...


 A paradox to most observers, INTJs are able to live by glaring contradictions that nonetheless make perfect sense – at least from a purely rational perspective. For example, INTJs are simultaneously the most starry-eyed idealists and the bitterest of cynics, a seemingly impossible conflict. But this is because INTJ types tend to believe that with effort, intelligence and consideration, nothing is impossible, while at the same time they believe that people are too lazy, short-sighted or self-serving to actually achieve those fantastic results. Yet that cynical view of reality is unlikely to stop an interested INTJ from achieving a result they believe to be relevant...

Rules, limitations and traditions are anathema to the INTJ personality type – everything should be open to questioning and reevaluation, and if they see a way, INTJs will often act unilaterally to enact their technically superior, sometimes insensitive, and almost always unorthodox methods and ideas...

INTJs trust their rationalism above all else, so when they come to a conclusion, they have no reason to doubt their findings. This creates an honest, direct style of communication that isn't held back by perceived social roles or expectations. When INTJs are right, they're right, and no amount of politicking or hand-holding is going to change that fact – whether it's correcting a person, a process, or themselves, they'd have it no other way...

INTJs pride themselves on their minds, taking every opportunity to improve their knowledge, and this shows in the strength and flexibility of their strategic thinking. Insatiably curious and always up for an intellectual challenge, INTJs can see things from many perspectives. INTJs use their creativity and imagination not so much for artistry, but for planning contingencies and courses of action for all possible scenarios...


Authority figures do not impress INTJs, nor do social conventions or tradition, and no matter how popular something is, if they have a better idea, INTJs will stand against anyone they have to in a bid to have it changed. Either an idea is the most rational or it's wrong, and INTJs will apply this to their arguments as well as their own behavior, staying calm and detached from these sometimes emotionally charged conflicts. INTJs will only be swayed by those who follow suit...

All this rationalism leads to a very intellectually receptive personality type, as INTJs stay open to new ideas, supported by logic, even if (and sometimes especially if) they prove INTJs' previous conceptions wrong. When presented with unfamiliar territory, such as alternate lifestyles, INTJs tend to apply their receptiveness and independence, and aversion to rules and traditions, to these new ideas as well, resulting in fairly liberal social senses...

Combined with their irreverence for social conventions, INTJs can be brutally insensitive in making their opinions of others all too clear. Judgmental – INTJs tend to have complete confidence in their thought process, because rational arguments are almost by definition correct – at least in theory. In practice, emotional considerations and history are hugely influential, and a weak point for INTJs is that they brand these factors and those who embrace them as illogical, dismissing them and considering their proponents to be stuck in some baser mode of thought, making it all but impossible to be heard...

Blindly following precedents and rules without understanding them is distasteful to INTJs, and they disdain even more authority figures who blindly uphold those laws and rules without understanding their intent. Anyone who prefers the status quo for its own sake, or who values stability and safety over self-determination, is likely to clash with INTJ personality types. Whether it's the law of the land or simple social convention, this aversion applies equally, often making life more difficult than it needs to be...

Sentiment, tradition, and emotion are INTJs' Achilles Heel. Social standards like chivalry are viewed by INTJs as silly, even demeaning. The problem is, these standards have developed as a means of smoothing introductions and developing rapport, of managing expectations, the basis of personal relationships. INTJs' propensity for frank honesty in word and action tends to violate this social contract, making dating especially difficult for them."

INTJs are bewilderingly deep and intelligent people, bringing stability and insight into their romantic relationships. They prize honest, open communication, and all factors of the relationship are open to discussion and change, but this must be reciprocated. INTJs do what they think is right, and sometimes that comes across as cold – it's important to know that INTJs don't make these decisions lightly. They spend a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to understand why and how things go wrong, especially if they've devoted themselves to the relationship, and they certainly hurt deeply when things fall apart...

...in friendship, INTJs are looking for more of an intellectual soul mate than anything else, and those that aren't prepared for that kind of relationship are simply boring. INTJs need to share ideas – a self-feeding circle of gossip about mutual friends is no kind of social life for them...

Further, having more than just a few friends would compromise INTJs' sense of independence and self-sufficiency – they gladly give up social validation to ensure this freedom. INTJs embrace this idea even with those who do fit into their social construct, requiring little attention or maintenance to remain on good terms, and encouraging that same independence in their friends...

When they are in their comfort zone though, among people they know and respect, INTJs have no trouble relaxing and enjoying themselves. Their sarcasm and dark humor are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who struggle to read between the lines, but they make for fantastic story-telling among those who can keep up. This more or less limits their pool of friends to fellow Analysts (NT) and Diplomat (NF) types, as Observant (S) types' preference for more straightforward communication often simply leaves both parties frustrated. It's not easy to become good friends with INTJs. Rather than traditional rules of social conduct or shared routine, INTJs have exacting expectations for intellectual prowess, uncompromising honesty and a mutual desire to grow and learn as sovereign individuals. INTJs are gifted, bright and development-oriented, and expect and encourage their friends to share this attitude. Anyone falling short of this will be labeled a bore – anyone meeting these expectations will appreciate them of their own accord, forming a powerful and stimulating friendship that will stand the test of time...

The real challenge for INTJs is that in order for their innovative (and to less insightful individuals, seemingly counter-intuitive) ideas to be heard, they need to have a friendly ear to bend, and developing an amiable rapport with authority figures is not exactly in INTJs' list of core strengths...

Their independent attitude and tireless demand for competence mean that INTJs absolutely loathe those who get ahead by seemingly less meritocratic means like social prowess and political connections. INTJs have exceptionally high standards, and if they view a colleague or supervisor as incompetent or ineffective, respect will be lost instantly...

Above all else, INTJs want to be able to tackle intellectually interesting work with minimal outside interference, no more, no less. Time-consuming management techniques like trust-building getaways, progress meetings, and drawn-out, sandwiched criticisms are only going to annoy INTJs – all they need, be they subordinate, colleague, or manager, is to meet their goals with the highest standard of technical excellence and to be surrounded by, if anyone at all, people who share those values...

Though they may be surprised to hear it, INTJs make natural leaders, and this shows in their management style. INTJs value innovation and effectiveness more than just about any other quality, and they will gladly cast aside hierarchy, protocol and even their own beliefs if they are presented with rational arguments about why things should change. INTJs promote freedom and flexibility in the workplace, preferring to engage their subordinates as equals, respecting and rewarding initiative and adopting an attitude of "to the best mind go the responsibilities", directing strategy while more capable hands manage the day-to-day tactics. But this sort of freedom isn't just granted, it's required – those who are accustomed to just being told what to do, who are unable to direct themselves and challenge existing notions, will have a hard time meeting INTJs' extremely high standards. Efficiency and results are king to INTJs, and behaviors that undermine these conditions are quashed mercilessly. If subordinates try to compensate for their weakness in these areas by trying to build a social relationship with their INTJ managers, on their heads be it – office gossip and schmoozing are not the way into INTJs' hearts – only bold competence will do."

But lest you get too wrapped up in the idea, worth remembering and watching...


Friday, January 15, 2016

Training.

1/15 - deadlifts, leg raises, back xt, sauna, stretch
1/14 - stretch


Daisy Ridley hitting deadlifts like a champ.













"Stranger things..."


"Saudi Executioner Thinks He Pulled Something In Shoulder During Last 10 Decapitations."

"AL MUZAHIMIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA—Complaining that he must have “tweaked it pretty good,” Saudi executioner Khalid al-Faraj told reporters Thursday that he thinks he pulled something in his shoulder during yesterday’s last 10 decapitations. 

“Around the seventh or eighth beheading I came around kind of awkwardly on my windup and heard this loud pop, and I knew immediately that something wasn’t right, ” said al-Faraj, adding that he attempted to ignore the dull pain spreading through his upper right arm and power through the rest of the executions, but he barely had enough strength left to make a clean slice on the final prisoner. 

“When I got home I took a few Aleve and put some Icy Hot on it, but this morning when I woke up I couldn’t even lift my arm and the pain had spread down to my elbow. I just hope the swelling goes down soon because I’ve got a pretty big slate on Monday.” Al-Faraj told reporters that, on the orders of his orthopedist, he would have to miss out on this weekend’s public stoning of a woman accused of adultery." - via The Onion


Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Training - "There is nothing more true in fitness and performance: master the basics."

1/13 - press, chins, dips, speed bag, stretch
1/12 - weight vest walk, stretch
1/11 - power cleans, box jumps, squats, stretch
1/10 - stretch
1/9 - treadmill, stretch


I was thinking about when I taught ESL | Dan John: "In most people’s training, and in their understanding of training (and nutrition), we should probably make some kind of Cheat Sheet, too. We can talk for hours about the nuances of bar placement for the back squat, the correct initial foot position for the Squat Snatch or touch down and turn over for 100 meter runners. And, no one cares. For the bulk of people training, we just want to know what to do. Okay, here you go: First, you MUST do the Fundamental Human Movements. I consider them to be the Push, Pull, Hinge, Squat, and Loaded Carry.

Push: Press (any kind) or Push Up
Pull: Row or Pull Up
Hinge: Deadlift or Kettlebell Swing
Squat: Goblet Squat or Barbell Squat (any kind)
Loaded Carry: Farmer Walk

If you are doing all five of these in your training, you are doing better than…well, everyone. Adding Goblet Squats and Farmer Walks will do more for your mobility, body comp and work capacity than all the silliness you see online. For low end cardiovascular work, go for a walk. If you have a dog, you have a built in training partner. Load a backpack up with some books or weights and you can get your heart rate high enough to take care of all your fat loss needs. Once or twice a week, find a hill and sprint up it a few times. That will provide those leaps in intensity that the body seems to crave and I have never met anyone who got hurt sprinting UP a hill. For recovery, sleep 8-9 hours a day. Turn off the TV or click off the net and go to bed. For nutrition, eat your veggies, drink clear water, get your protein and don’t eat like a kid. Eat food. Teaching ESL, I learned that confusion generally wells up from missing the basics. There is nothing more true in fitness and performance: master the basics."




Fitness fanatic, 48, who looks 20 years younger shows off her...| Daily Mail Online: "A woman from North Carolina claims to have found the elixir of youth...and it's a lot simpler than you might think.  Laura Gordon from Charlotte, North Carolina, is 48 but could easily be mistaken for someone 20 years younger. The fitness fanatic says the reason she looks in such good shape is down to nothing more than hard work in the gym and eating well...

Laura says: 'I'm not a fitness professional or fitness model and I've never done anything fitness for a career. 'I don't love working out. It is like a job. Being fit is your pay check and the workout is the difficult job to do.' Laura says she was 23 when she first discovered exercising. After working in an office for years and spending any free time left lounging on the sofa, she felt 'things starting to sag'.

"In order to enforce some damage control, Laura began doing home fitness DVDs. Since then, she has been working out consistently...  How does she do it? Three one-hour sessions of weight training every week. One upper body, one lower, and one mixed. Then she does five sessions of video workouts. Nutrition is vital to the toned blonde, who eats only plain, whole foods. She insists that she does not eat processed food. However, she does stress that it doesn't have to be 'all or nothing', she just prefers to not eat any junk food at all. 'When friends and relatives see me, they will always say "you're so lucky you are thin and can eat whatever you want'' 'I explain that I eat healthy food all the time, that's why I'm not fat. Please don't call me lucky for making daily sacrifices that you are not making.'"






Tuesday, January 12, 2016

**Ruffalo trolling intensifies**







"No man ought to tell another man what he's got to live for, or what he's got to die for." - Free State of Jones.


Fascinating.  Newton Knight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Newton Knight (November 1837 – February 16, 1922) was an American farmer, soldier and Southern Unionist, best known as the leader of the Knight Company, a band of Confederate Army deserters that turned against the Confederacy during the Civil War. Local legends state that Knight and his men attempted to form the "Free State of Jones" in the area around Jones County, Mississippi, at the height of the war. After the war, Knight aided Mississippi's Reconstruction government. Knight has long been a controversial figure. Historians and descendants disagree over his motives and actions, with some arguing he was a noble and pious individual who refused to fight for a cause in which he did not believe, while others have portrayed him as a manipulative outlaw. This controversy was fueled in part by Knight's common-law marriage to a former slave, which effectively established a small mixed-race community in southeastern Mississippi. The marriage would have been considered illegal as Mississippi banned interracial marriages except from 1870–1880 during Reconstruction...

Knight was reported AWOL in October 1862. He later defended his desertion, arguing, "if they had a right to conscript me when I didn't want to fight the Union, I had a right to quit when I got ready.""



"...creepy, violent, crazy: all of the things that I aspire to be."

 "Then there’s Suicide Squad, which offers arguably the most colorful group of villains ever seen in a movie. And Ayer loved every minute with them. “We all need good guys and everything — yay, good guys — but at the end of the day, they’re kinda boring,” the Fury director says. “They’re always going to do the right thing. When you’re dealing with the baddies, it’s easy to get ahead of the audience and invert expectations.”" - via 2016 brings Batman, Superman and the 'Dawn' of a new superhero universe

Sunday, January 10, 2016

"Mister Soft Owl has seen some shit."


"Reason beats nothing."

"...the influence stack goes like this:
Identity beats analogy.  Analogy beats reason.  Reason beats nothing. 

Most of the candidates are trying to make an appeal to reason, and failing, because reason beats nothing. Rand Paul has lots of reasons. Some might be darned good. No one cares. Trump says he wants to “make America great again” which is a pure identity play. Voters enjoy – at a visceral level – the idea of having a national identity that makes them proud. According to the Master Persuader stack, Trump is a full layer of influence above the others. And it shows...


But what about Hillary Clinton’s identity message? Clearly she appeals to strong, alpha women who identify with her political strength and impressive success.  But what about men? Now that Clinton has played the woman card, and said in a public debate that her gender is a selling point for the job of president, how does a man vote for that? Well, first we must acknowledge that all people are different. Roughly speaking, I would say 20% of men are alpha types, 20% are pure betas, and 60% are lifestyle betas – meaning they have made a conscious decision to control their ambitions and base desires in order to focus on the needs of their families. My prediction, based on the Master Persuader filter, is that a majority of male Democrats will abandon Clinton in the privacy of the voting booth. Remember that identity always beats reason, and Clinton has made it clear that in her view, men had their turn."

"...it's exceptionally rare to see a movie about business in which the successful people are not villains and hucksters."

What "Joy" Gets That "The Social Network" Didn't: Capitalism Doesn't Require Tragic Heroes - Hit & Run : Reason.com: "Postrel fears that because Joy celebrates an "untragic" hero who is also a women (played by Jennifer Lawrence), this paean to entrepreneurial capitalism may end up stuck in the "sisterhood ghetto" of chick flicks. Which would be a shame since it's exceptionally rare to see a movie about business in which the successful people are not villains and hucksters who make money by screwing people over. As Postrel notes, despite the intentions of writer-director Aaron Sorkin to paint Zuckerberg as diabolical in The Social Network, viewers overwhelmingly identified positively with the character because they had a clear sense of Hollywood stereotypes and they liked Facebook...

I think one of the most interesting and promising things about younger Americans (which I define generously as anyone younger than my 52 years) is that they increasingly are shucking off the stale and moss-covered ideas about capitalism that us older people were fed: Behind every fortune is a crime, don't you know, and the only way you make money is by tricking people or stealing from them. "Corporations" or businesses use up workers and then discard them, as happens in The Death of a Salesman (about the dumbest "great" play in American theater). Millennials especially have no problem with capitalism (even if they can't define it or socialism with any precision) and many want to start their own businesses. Zeitgeist shows like Shark Tank underscore that the ideas that work are ones straightforward products and services that make people better off and that businesspeople need to be straight with one another. Best of all, most millennials want to pursue work that expresses their core values. As someone who grew up in a world where such an aspiration was unthinkable—work was something you did to put food on the table and have some money left over for the weekend—that's about the most amazing development of 21st-century America."