The other night I organized a little girls' night with some friends. One of them asked me what "color" I was. As it was all the rage during my tenure at BYU, I thought back to what I had been labelled as. I remembered falling under the yellow label, but with a solid streak of red. She said that was what she would have guessed (I'm sure that the fact that I had planned a party might have helped in the diagnostic).
I checked it out online yesterday to see if I have changed now that I'm a little older. The problem is, they phrase all of the questions as "When I was a child, I was..." I guess the person I was at age 10 that I can only remember in the most vague way is the person I will always be. So I was still yellow (they just give you one label, not allowing for any nuance of other shades. I was very disappointed.)
So last night I brought up the topic with Ryan. You should do it some time, because you consistently get a distainful reaction about the utility of "personality instruments." He was actually asked last year to do a class with the youth on it for youth conference because the stake YW president thought it would be fun. He couldn't bring himself to teach such rubbish (not his words, but possibly his feelings), so he went with something else, leaving all the kids with no label to slap on themselves and proudly identify with. He did a real diservice to those youth.
We went on to have a lively conversation about Ryan being a blue, me being a yellow, etc.
This morning in the shower, I was thinking real deep. I was thinking about what things in life I would love to to become great at. After going downstairs, I decided to ask Ryan what would be on his list. He immediately responded, "Being able to keep secrets and feeling at peace in my life." My yellow self responded, "Hmm. My top two were tennis and photograhy." So let's not throw that color code out the window quite yet.
I checked it out online yesterday to see if I have changed now that I'm a little older. The problem is, they phrase all of the questions as "When I was a child, I was..." I guess the person I was at age 10 that I can only remember in the most vague way is the person I will always be. So I was still yellow (they just give you one label, not allowing for any nuance of other shades. I was very disappointed.)
So last night I brought up the topic with Ryan. You should do it some time, because you consistently get a distainful reaction about the utility of "personality instruments." He was actually asked last year to do a class with the youth on it for youth conference because the stake YW president thought it would be fun. He couldn't bring himself to teach such rubbish (not his words, but possibly his feelings), so he went with something else, leaving all the kids with no label to slap on themselves and proudly identify with. He did a real diservice to those youth.
We went on to have a lively conversation about Ryan being a blue, me being a yellow, etc.
This morning in the shower, I was thinking real deep. I was thinking about what things in life I would love to to become great at. After going downstairs, I decided to ask Ryan what would be on his list. He immediately responded, "Being able to keep secrets and feeling at peace in my life." My yellow self responded, "Hmm. My top two were tennis and photograhy." So let's not throw that color code out the window quite yet.
8 comments:
Of course those were your responses. I know it's a big surprise, but I'm yellow with a secondary red too! I remember Ryan giving us his spiel on the uselessness of personality tests so it cracks me up that they asked him to do it at youth conference.
my top two things would be everything computers (particularly graphic design) and running - assuming that meant I loved to do it. It would do me much good to be good at it and still hate it like I do now.
You really are so deep. : )
So, so funny. I can picture the whole interaction down to the disdain (rolled eyes) on Ryan's face from A-Z of that conversation. When, oh when will he embrace that people NEED labels, and CAN be pigeon-holed?? j/k, Ryan, j/k.
I was a yellow-white with plenty of blue. And some red. So I guess I really can't be pigeon-holed.
My top two would be dancing, and singing so I could really stand out at family game night.
Oh singing. That's true. I'm changing mine from running to singing. Then I could have gone to NY and become a Broadway star (sigh). I really missed my calling in life.
Amy you are hysterical, but your sister in laws are good follow-ups. What's this from Lisa - since when hasn't she had input on such a discussion. I can't believe I have just spent an hour reading blogs. That wasn't even on my to do list for the day, put it is the most fun thing I have done.
all right. one week is up. that's as long as I'm going to give you before I start harassing you from now on.
Hello!! Anyone there?? Harass, harass, harass.
WRITE ON YOUR BLOG!!!!!!
Post a Comment