I just love answering questions I find on the internet. Here’s a list I found over at the Happiness Project. “Want to know yourself better? Ask yourself these questions”, the title orders. Okay. I’ll play. Here goes:
Q: If something is forbidden, do you want it less or more?
A: It depends on the thing forbidden. If the thing is some dangerous object (like a nuclear weapon) or something that belongs to someone else (like their jewelry) I don’t automatically “want” it. If it’s something that I have a right to as a human being (for example, the right to not be forced to get married in order to be treated like a full human being) then of course I want it.This question is much too black and white for such a complicated subject.
Q: Is there an area of your life where you feel out of control? Especially in control?
A: I feel gradations of control and lack of control in all situations. For example, I control my car when I’m driving it. On the other hand, I can’t make it fly or go faster than the speed of light.
Q: If you unexpectedly had a completely free afternoon, what would you do with that time?
A: Probably the same thing I do with expected free time: sitting about like a lump, reading the internets. I’m quite lazy.
Q: Are you comfortable or uncomfortable in a disorderly environment?
A: That depends on what exactly is being disorderly or orderly. Right now I’m typing this in what is basically a junkroom. But I’ve got my things about me, big windows to let light in, it’s not too hot, and there is no one giving me grief. If on the other hand I’m in the office on a bad day, and it’s full of complaining people and everyone’s in a bad mood, but the place is all neat and spotless, I am very uncomfortable.
Q: How much time do you spend looking for things you can’t find?
A: Way too much time but a lot less than I used to. I learned that just chilling often results in my remembering where the thing I lost was.
Q: Are you motivated by competition?
A: No. I’ve no interest in worrying about what other people get up to.
Q: Do you find it easier to do things for other people than to do things for yourself?
A: That depends on the thing. Some things I do for other people because they don’t know how to do it and I do and it’s easier just to do it myself. Other things they can damn well do for themselves. As for doing things for myself, well, how else will anything get done? I don’t have a bevy of servants at my beck and call. This question isn’t worded well. It would make more sense if it was like this: Do you find it easier to do things for other people or to let them do it themselves?
Q: Do you work constantly? or think you should be working?
A: This is just bad wording. I don’t understand what it means. I work, I relax. So do other people though some might work more than others. Also, people need to sleep.
Q: Do you embrace rules or flout rules?
A: All of them at once? Why all these binary either/or questions? Anyway, I tend to try to follow the rules, unless they are egregiously stupid. But I also try to keep away from situations with stupid rules (i.e., sports).
Q: Do you work well under pressure?
A: No I do not. I can do it, but being pressured means I often end up being sloppy and making mistakes. Don’t pressure me, people.
Q: What would your perfect day look like?
A: Kind of like the one I had today (sitting around in front of the computer, drinking tea) only with more productive writing gotten in (that is, no tweeting or blogging).
Q: How much TV do you watch in a week (include computer time spent watching videos, movies, YouTube)?
A: I can’t even measure that little bit. I did watch a classic Doctor Who serial last week on Youtube. Otherwise I don’t even “watch” Youtube as most of my collection is for the songs.
Q: Are you a morning person or a night person?
A: Night.
Q: What’s more satisfying to you: saving time or saving money?
A: Neither I’m afraid.
Q: Do you like to be in the spotlight?
A: No.
Q: Is your life “on hold” in any aspect? Until you finish your thesis, get married, lose weight?
A: Yes. I’m between living-on-my-own situations.
Q: What would you do if you had more energy?
A: Write more.
Q: If you suddenly had an extra room in your house, what would you do with it?
A: Darkroom for film developing! Only I’m in an apartment, and it’s not mine so any unexpected extra room wouldn’t just be mine to decide what to do with.
Q: What people and activities energize you? Make you feel depleted?
A: In general, people deplete me and solitary pursuits (reading, writing, taking photos) energize me. I am not a “people” person.
Q: Is it hard for you to get rid of things that you no longer need or want?
A: It was, but it’s getting easier every year.
Q: Do you get frustrated easily?
A: Yes.
Q: On a typical night, what time do you go to bed? How many hours of sleep do you get?
A: One-o’clock AM or so. Not enough hours of sleep.
Q: If at the end of the year, you had accomplished one thing, what is the one accomplishment that would make the biggest difference to your happiness?
A: If I had (shouldn’t that be “have”?) finished polishing up my novel draft enough to get it published.
Q: And here’s another question for you. What questions would you add to this list, to help other people know themselves better? It’s so important, and so elusive.
A: There was nothing here about what books you read, just something about tv.
The Twisted Spinster 