If I were a Rich Man...

I am one of those traditionalists who believe I should tip a little or a little extra during the holidays, but my more realistic husband disagrees...strongly. So I decided to try to find the protocol to back up my arguement for next year. There was not much solid information out there, but I did find this site...and all I can say is we'd be broke! Will I ever find a happy medium?

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/Advice/TheFineArtOfHolidayTipping.aspx?page=1

No Surprises Here!

My coworker went to a training course and shared the Myers-Briggs test she took. So I found one that seems pretty darn good, just for fun and free online. Ryan and I both took the test, and it was pretty darn accurate. I learned a lot about my husband and also that we really are complete opposites. I have a new understanding for why some of the things he does bug the crap out of me (and vice-versa I'm sure).

Below you'll find a summary of our personalities. You'll have to check it out for yourself! Please let us know what your personality type is. While it's not a completely new concept to me, I have a new found fascination with it!

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Ryan has personality type: INTP - Portrait of the Architect

Strength of the preferences:
Introverted 33%
Intuitive 75%
Thinking 25%
Perceiving 56%

One of the tip offs that a person is an INTP an obsession with logical correctness. Errors are not often due to poor logic, but usually a result of overlooking details or incorrect context. INTPs are pensive, analytical and may venture so deeply into thought as to seem detached, and often actually are oblivious to the world around them. Precise about their descriptions, INTPs will often correct others (or be sorely tempted to) if the shade of meaning is a bit off. INTPs are relatively easy-going and amenable to anything until their principles are violated, when they may become outspoken and inflexible. They prefer a reserved albeit benign ambiance, not wishing to make spectacles of themselves. A major concern for INTPs is the haunting sense of impending failure. They spend considerable time second-guessing themselves. The open-endedness conjoined with the need for competence is expressed in a sense that one's conclusion may well be met by an equally plausible alternative solution, and that, after all, one may very well have overlooked some critical bit of data. An INTP arguing a point may very well be trying to convince himself as much as his opposition. Mathematics is a system where many INTPs love to play, similarly languages, and any complex systems. Understanding, exploring, mastering, and manipulating systems can overtake the INTP's conscious thought. This fascination for logical wholes and their inner workings is often expressed in a detachment from the environment, a concentration where time is forgotten and extraneous stimuli are held at bay. Accomplishing a task or goal with this knowledge is secondary. They especially enjoy games...including Risk, Bridge, Stratego, Chess, and word games. Famous INTPs (take note they're all men): Socrates, Descartes, Pascal, Sir Isaac Newton, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Gerald Ford, Albert Einstein, Henri Mancini, Bob Newhart, Rick Moranis (Honey, I Shrunk The Kids) and Tiger Woods

Erin has personality type: ENFJ - Portrait of the Teacher

Strength of the preferences:
Extroverted 11%
Intuitive 38%
Feeling 50%
Judging 100%

ENFJs are idealists, abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in achieving goals, and directive and extroverted in interpersonal relations. They like to have things settled and arranged, preferring to plan engagements ahead of time and are absolutely reliable in honoring commitments. ENFJs are the benevolent 'pedagogues' of humanity. ENFJs are very much at home in complex situations which require the juggling of much data with little pre-planning, often dreaming up, effortlessly and endlessly, activities for groups to engage in, and stimulating roles for members of the group to play. Even as children, the ENFJs may attract other children ready to follow their lead and lead without seeming to do so. ENFJs expect the very best of those around them, and this expectation, usually expressed as enthusiastic encouragement, motivates action in others and the desire to live up to their expectations. ENFJs take for granted that their expectations will be met, their implicit commands obeyed, never doubting that people will want to do what they suggest. And, more often than not, people do, because of the extraordinary charisma. ENFJs value harmonious human relations above all else, can handle people with charm and concern, and are usually popular. ENFJs are not social as educational leaders, but are interested primarily in the personal growth and development of others, and less in attending to their social needs. ENFJs bring infectious energy to their intimate relationships, and they make passionate and delightfully creative companions. However, the intensity of their wishes can create interpersonal conflict. They can overwhelm loved ones with exuberance, that everyone wants to be helped along the path of self-discovery. Then, when their loved ones resist their pressure or fail to meet idealistic expectations, they can feel frustrated, disillusioned, or even betrayed by the persons they care most about. ENFJs believe in their dreams, and see themselves as helpers and enablers, which they usually are. The ENFJs focus is expansive, often juggling an amazing number of responsibilities simultaneously and have a tremendous entrepreneurial ability. They are apt to neglect themselves and their own needs for the needs of others. ENFJs often take on more of the burdens of others than they can bear. ENFJs are found in no more than 2 or 3 percent of the population. Famous ENFJ's: Lincoln, Reagan, Pope John Paul II, Maslow, Ross Perot, Sean Connery, Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith, Craig T. Nelson, Diane Sawyer, Randy Quaid, Tommy Lee Jones, Kirstie Alley, Michael Jordan, Johnny Depp, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Saget, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ben Stiller, Peyton Manning, Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, and John Cusack; TRADEMARK: "The first shall be last"

Plowing My Way to Work

So who do you suppose is in charge of keeping up the roads when it snows? Could it be the Virginia Dept. of Transportation? I wonder if they got that memo? And exactly how much advance notice do they need to do their job...because I knew last Saturday that it was going to snow today. I'm so glad our car tax of $600 per year is put to good use! Are you freaking kidding me?

Let me back up...since last Saturday, I had planned to wake up this morning a little early in case it started to snow because it would cause traffic to move a little slower. I didn't leave the house as early as I'd hoped, but I left for work at 7:00am to be there by 8:00. It had in fact started to snow, but there was less than 1/4 inch on the ground. The roads were a little icy, particularly in the neighborhoods so I knew it would be slow, but I had no idea what I was actually in for over the next couple of hours.

As I made the second turn away from house, I suddenly realized that my worst nightmare was about to occur. There was one car turned sideways in the middle of the road and another slid around it. When I approached 267, the toll road 25 minutes later (2 miles), I realized it was going to be a long morning. ...deep breaths and Christmas music were my plan to keep calm.

When all was said and done, I had traveled exactly 10.8 miles in exactly 1 hour and 45 minutes, which means that my average speed was 6.17mph. After those initial 10.8 miles, my final 8 miles went much more smoothly because it hadn't begun to snow much inside the beltway and everyone was stuck on the highways. I had decided to take a few back roads when I could. My final trip time was 2 hours and 20 minutes to drive 18 miles!

Along the way this morning, I saw 11 accidents, ranging from fender benders to cars that had spun 180 degrees and crashed into the Jersey Wall, to an SUV that was completely flipped over (I wonder how fast that guy was going). It was by far the craziest traffic morning I'd ever witnessed. It was honestly like something from an 'end of the world' movie!

After VDOT received much of the blame for the nightmare traffic, for neglecting to be proactive (ultimately they were stuck in the same traffic everyone else was because they decided to start treating the roads after rush hour had started and there were accidents all over the place...really smart guys), they reported that they don't treat the roads until after it starts to snow. I suppose that translates to after several serious accidents have occurred.


We now have several inches of snow and the temperatures are dropping into the 20's tonight. And did you know they don't actually plow anything in Virginia, they just throw sand with some chemicals on top of it...you know, so it can be a big frozen mess in the morning. I can't wait until tomorrow morning! At least Ryan is taking me to work so we can crawl in the HOV lanes where most of the accidents occur because people drive way too fast.

At least the snow is peaceful and beautiful - I do love the snow...I just love it more in Pennsylvania where they know what to do with it and people know how to drive in it.

Chistmas Outside Pictures

Heading out to Ryan's work Christmas party, after
a long day of decorating the outside of the house

Where's Ryan?

Oh, on the roof!

Our house, all decorated for the holidays.
The hard work was definately worth it!

Our Christmas Moose, isn't he cute?

His head turns side to side.

Christmas In-House Pictures

I made a wreath for the door, but it is too thick to allow

the door to close and too heavy for the wreath holder

to hold it...still working on it.

Foyer

Stairs

Our tree - check out the angel, she's as big as the tree!

Living Room

Even the TV gets decorations...since we don't have a mantle.

Dining Room Table Centerpiece - I made that too...

Everything needs a decoration -

No, we haven't turned it on.

Great Weekend

We had a great weekend, and I actually feel pretty relaxed today. On Friday, I did my monthly deep cleaning and we put up our Christmas Tree, hence the awful rash all over my hands and arms from the annual allergy in our home, wouldn't be the same without it! This year's tree is much larger than those we've had in the past. The angel comes a quarter inch below the ceiling. I'm still not quite finished decorating, but nearly there.

On Friday evening, we went to JT and Silvana's to meet her friends and parents, which was really nice.

Saturday we decorated the outside of the house all day. It was so awesome to have a house to decorate. It was not anywhere near as annoying as most claim, but I can see how it may be after a few years. Ryan worked his butt off to hang lights from the gutters and windows. I did the bushes, the porch pillars and the window ledges. I actually got on a ladder! The place looks pretty good if I do say so myself. We're hoping to spark a healthy neighborhood competition. I'll post pictures of all the decorations and lights once I download them from my camera.

On Saturday evening we went to Ryan's work Christmas party which was fun as usual. There weren't as many people as past years, particularly from Ryan's team, but Connie and Jelani were there since Jelani works for Ryan's company now, so the conversation was interesting at least.

Yesterday we parted ways so that Ryan could hang out with Rob for the day in DC and I could go help create Connie and Jelani's baby-registry with Connie and Sandi. We both had a really relaxing day and we met later in the evening so we could have a bite to eat and watch the first half of the Steeler game (at Glory Days in Reston). Then we headed home to watch the rest of the game. The Steelers didn't look so hot, but they got the job done I suppose. At least the defense was blocking for Ben this week and he even made a pretty cool touchdown (ahhh...Big Ben!). Willie Parker needed a break (3-5 fumbles - I lost count, 2 right in a row). They better step up their game next week and hope for a healthy Polamalu if they don't want to be embarrassed by New England. I have faith though!

I can't wait until next weekend - Friday I'm off to go shopping with my grandma, Saturday is shopping with the girlie's at Tyson's, and the Steelers' big game is on Sunday! Ahhh...the holidays!