• No fast food
• No pizza
• No Wawa
• No alcohol
• No candy
• Don’t eat out unless there is a function
• Do not pick up trackables

One of the things I remember from my training as a teacher is to phrase rules in the positive. Instead of “No this” or “No that”, rules should be stated as “I will do this” or “I will do that”.

Yeah, I didn’t do that here.

Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
I saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much, much more
I did it, I did it my way

Paul Anka, My Way

As a matter of fact, I have absolutely no regrets.

None. Zilch.

Oh sure, I can reflect back and cringe at some of the things I have done. But who can’t? Looking at what an 18-year old does through the eyes of a 57-year old will cause one to cringe.

But here’s the thing: 18-year olds should behave differently than 57-year olds. If I still did now what I did then, well that is where regret would lie.

Why no regrets?

I believe I am a composition of all the things I have done and experienced. That includes those cringe-worthy moments of yesteryear. I rather like the man I am today. I wouldn’t be that guy if not for doing and experiencing what I have prior to today.

I would never herald the shotguns of PBR I drank on the steps of the Beachcomber, the relationship I had in college, or the time at Tony Roma’s. But it all helped produce the man I am today. I learned from those experiences. I developed my ethos from dealing with the consequences of those things. And that is good.

While I can’t speak for others, I suspect many will attest to learning from the missteps of youth. Rather than have that negatively impact me four decades later, I allow it to be a source of nourishment.

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself then he has naught
Not to say the things that he truly feels
And not the words of someone who kneels
Let the record shows I took all the blows and did it my way

Paul Anka, My Way

The other day I wrote about a personality test I took at the behest of my son. In those results, I was told I was 100% introverted. In some ways that is not surprising.

Yesterday I was at the grocery store. I turned down an aisle. Ahead of me was a woman I know who I have not seen in a couple years. I immediately did a 180° turn and left the aisle. I did not want to have the small talk conversation.

How are you?
I’m fine. What are you up to?
blah, blah blah

Yes, introverted.

But 100%? I don’t think so.

This morning I watched a fascinating video about the difference between Colorado and Wyoming, two very similar states in size, terrain, and water, but vastly different in population.

While watching that I recognized that while I am introverted and prefer to be alone most of the time, I still want things and people available to me at times.

This comes up as I am on the precipice of retirement. I will be relocating in a year or two. Where to, I haven’t a clue. But it is not going to be to a town of 300 far away from anything else.

I want museums, geocaches, sports teams, and concerts to be available to me. Ethnic food and other things to enrich my living are desired. While living in the mountains would be wonderful, to be isolated there is not me on any level.

I am introverted, I just don’t think I am 100% so.

Fritz took a Myers-Briggs personality test at school. He has become infatuated with it and the free online version from 16 Personalities. He asked me to take the test.

I scored Logistician: ISTJ-A.

Logisticians are practical and fact-minded individuals, whose reliability cannot be doubted.

100% Introverted
Introverted individuals tend to prefer fewer, yet deep and meaningful, social interactions and often feel drawn to calmer environments.

74% Observant/26% Intuitive
Observant individuals are pragmatic and down-to-earth. They tend to have a strong focus on what is happening or very likely to happen.

87 % Thinking/13% Feeling
Thinking individuals focus on objectivity and rationality, often dismissing emotions in favor of logic. They tend to see effectiveness as more important than social harmony.

65% Judging/35% Prospecting
Judging individuals are decisive, thorough, and highly organized. They value clarity, predictability, and closure, preferring structure and planning to spontaneity.

71% Assertive/29% Turbulent
Assertive individuals are self-assured, even-tempered, and resistant to stress. They refuse to worry too much and tend to be self-confident when striving to achieve goals.

Essentially, I agree with this save the last bit. I do not think I am resistant to stress. I do manage it far better these days.

Strengths

• Honest and Direct 
• Strong-willed and Dutiful
• Very Responsible
• Calm and Practical
• Create and Enforce Order
• Jacks-of-all-trades

Weaknesses

• Stubborn
• Insensitive
• Always by the Book
• Judgmental 
• Often Unreasonably Blame Themselves

Loyalty and deeply committed come up in the explanation of the logistician. I think those are both accurate traits that describe me.

I seem to have missed the boat on careers that logisticians seek (lawyer, judge, military, etc.). In the explanation, it was stated:

This makes sense, as they not only offer the stability that Logisticians seek, but are in line with their principles and conservatism, establishing clear societal roles.

Ah, but that perfectly explains being a teacher from my perspective. I sought to provide a societal role, hence why I changed careers to be a teacher.