I've been looking into the ISTP possibility pretty often over the last few weeks, but everytime I do a personality test it comes back as INTP. I would say I have my ISTP moments. These two are the closest whenever I take a personality test, usually with my N about 60% to 70%. I do have a "have to try it once" spirit but it mostly comes from this weird idea that if I fear something then I have to do it even more. There is a possibility I'm starting to swing towards ISTP since I sobered up... or away from it. I could argue it both ways.
As far as my relationship goes, we clash and it used to be really bad, to the point where we did separate for about 9 months, but for the past year since I've quit drinking we've come together in a way where I can say it's been the best of our 6 years married together. Yes, she does see the world very differently than me, but we have a healthy respect (now) for each other and how we respond to things and it keeps us grounded to an extent. It drives me nuts sometimes, but I make special effort care about things like holidays and familiy because it means so much to her, while she respects the fact that while I'm cold to many things I don't place value in, she knows me well enough that merely attempting for her means that I'm really trying. She gives me space for my intellectual side (though I could go for less talking to me when I'm reading) and understands that being quiet isn't a personal attack on her. Other than that she sort of balances me out and I get much of my joy from seeing her happy. She gets excited in a way that gets me excited. Her ideas of gender roles allow me to have the control in our relationship that keeps us focused on the big picture. Plus we've been together for 10 years and I simply feel comfortable with her even if she gets mad at me for not wanting to cuddle. Honestly, it's not always easy though and it continues to be something we work on. I don't want to sell you on some idealistic idea that we are perfect together, we are only together because we both work at it.
Well, I typed more there than I expected.
Honestly, I don't do as well as I would like in the military, but I do well enough and while intellectually it's not entirely my speed, I do very well in regards to getting invovled in complex systems. I can get lost in them for days. It's a huge bonus because I work in a rate that has tons of techinical systems to sink my teeth into. Electrical, Hydraulics, High Pressure Air, and the dozens of other weird things that come along with my job, which I don't want to talk about on this forum (It's one of the downsides of my job). My quality of work is top notch, I get deep into books, love finding odd bits of information, have an odd love of processing statistics, and I have a slight tendancy to be a cynical prick to people who don't know what they are talking about, which is somehow a positive in the Navy. I tend to do poorly in situations "we do this because this is how we do this" and I generally am disinterested in the agressive patriotism, the alpha male bullshit, and the high school mentality.
Long story short, I like the job and don't give two shits about most of the people to the point where I am very thankful they have their names on their shirts. I currently plan on leaving the military at the end of my contract with about 12 years in.
Music is my main passion. I get lost in making it for days and while I rarely finish anything, I find that making electronic music is so open ended in terms of possibilites and options for sound design that it really doesn't matter if I finish anything at all. Just being involved in my work makes me happy. My favorite activity outside of that is driving around by myself (or with my dog, who is generally my best friend) and listening to to music. I feel like music gives me the abiltity to experience emotions that I don't really understand. I DJ, but I'm sort of like a nerdy librarian of music knowledge rather than a big party guy and I just like to share music that I think is great with people. I often get people who are surprised to find me to be introverted because it's not what is projected on stage.
Once again I typed more than I intended. Other than all of that I'm a nerdy jock who plays rugby, still picks up comic books every week, gets way too involved in documentaries, and works out regularly (with my headphones in, I hate people who talk to me at the gym.) Seattle is very nice. I grew up in Virginia and it's great living in a place with a more interesting culture and less humidity. Plus the mountains are pretty.
That is all for tonight. Sleepy time.
