I'm an 'Avoider'

There are four types of people (according to the test that neatly categorizes everyone into little boxes) under the heading “Confrontation Styles.”

I fall smack in the middle of the “Avoider” box. And I mean middle – I won’t even venture near edge of that box to peek over and see what the Antagonists are doing on a dreary Sunday afternoon. Nope! I stand safely in the middle surrounded by millions of other Avoiders, right beside Waldo where no one can find me. I learned this about myself a few years ago when I attempted to manage people (for which I discovered my skills are as suited as a tutu is for a hippo. BIG thumbs down. The whole ‘if you’re happy - I’m happy! if you’re not – I will be over there’ philosophy doesn’t work that well in a management role. Who knew?)

I bring this up because I was reminded of this personality trait again this week. It was a little over two weeks ago when I secretly became addicted to that Big Brother reality show. It got so bad that I heard myself making excuses to leave social gatherings early. Which was difficult and mildly amusing in itself, you see over the years I have developed a habit of consistently being amongst the last-to-leave folks. A habit which has never allowed me to learn how to exit anywhere gracefully!

So I’d be out and after a few hours I’d see the time, panic, mutter some ill-thought-out-excuse, “hey, I have to go I think I left my blender on”, grab my coat and run out the door like I was escaping from Alcatraz. I’d get home with seconds to spare, settle into my couch and indulge my guilty pleasure of spying on strangers in the Big Brother house.

This Tuesday however, I decided that show is no longer for me. I’m sure that’s not surprising to those of you who know my flea-length attention span, but it wasn’t that I got bored so much as uncomfortable. In the span of one hour (minus commercials) there were tears, drunken slurs, screaming matches, and scandalous name-calling.

Halfway through I turned off the TV, crawled back to the middle of my box and closed the lid.

If you ask me, the world could do with a little less yelling.

happy friday!

Q: What is an algebra?

A: What a mermaid wears under her dress!