Red Is A Flavor

There is a lot of buzz about the space program right now.  With the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, the recent shuttle launch, the retirement of the space shuttle, and the new ARES program, there is much to talk about.

Personally though, it is nothing out of the ordinary.  The space program is and has always been a part of mine and my family’s life.

Since the earliest days of Cape Kennedy, someone in my family part of the space program.  In fact, my dad was the 1st person to work 30+ year at Kennedy Space Center.  A achievement he reached before his death in 1990.  He would tell stories of the early Brevard county, when he would see astronauts around town or even when he fished alongside the President who was here for a launch.  He and my family were among the first to be “involved”.  In fact some of my family lived in Patrick AFB base housing, supporting the Mercury and Gemini programs, before military did.

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Still today, we are part of the space program. I work supporting the Spacelift Range and my brother-in-law part of the ARES team.

But it wasn’t until I joined the Air Force and move away, that I realize how much I took the space program for granted.  While living in Nebraska, John Glenn made his last space flight on STS-95 aboard space shuttle Discovery.  After the launch I was randomly stopped outside of a department store in Omaha, Nebraska by a report asking for opinions of the space program, and if we really needed it.  Obviously, when published, my opinions were in the minority compared to the other middle America’s who were asked.

When I travel now and tell people were I’m from, they always ask about “seeing the launches.  Well that, and “Ron Jons”.  I always ask them if they had ever seen a launch.  Most say no.  My response is always, “it is a must see before you die”.  I tell them of coming home from work at one time and having to hang all the pictures back on the wall after the vibrations from a shuttle launch knocked them down, or of the luminance of a night shuttle launch on a clear night.

The space program is as important to the history of America as Gettysburg and Ellis island is.  We constantly see people on the news, crying after a launch;  it is that moving.  It is the stuff you dreamed about when you were a kid, and you see in your own kids eyes when they see it.

NASA, the space center, and the launch range touches everyone’s lives around me.   While I took it for granted earlier in life, I understand now how important it is to us as American’s and as human beings.  I cherish all of the moments I was able to be part of.  The good, like the first shuttle launch on April 12, 1981, and even the bad, like the Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986.

Throughout the years, my dad saved various memorabilia from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and the shuttle programs.  A room in our house was adorned with pictures of Saturn V launches and launch patches.  Somewhere in my family’s possessions is even a piece of thermal tile from the Challenger disaster.

Below a few of the items I have.  There is much, much more.

The past weekend was our “tubing adventure weekend”.  We spent the it in Gainesville so that we could visit bothGinnie and Ichetuckneesprings.  I’ve been wanting to go to Ginnie springs since I was a kid, but this was my first actual visit.

We drove up Friday after work, and stayed at Cabot Lodge.  My highly recommended “Gainesville” home.   Located right off of I-75, it is unlike any other hotel.  It is more ski lodge, than hotel.  In the lobby common area of the hotel there are tons of big comfy sofas and chairs all around a center fireplace.  There are large wall mounted TVs mounted in various areas that provide a living room type of feel to them.  Each evening the adults are welcome to a complimentary cocktail social, and each morning you have a breakfast including everything from fresh waffles to Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

For dinner Friday, we visited another Gainesville staple for us: Texas Roadhouse.  We eat here each and every time we are in town.  They have the best food and service of any chain steakhouse.  Their bread is the closest thing the the old Quincy’s Big Fat Yeast Roll there is.  We officially have Doris and Dan hooked on them now too.

We woke up early Saturday, grabbed some sandwiches for lunch and headed to the springs.  We spent the day tubing the run, snorkeling three of the springs and just having fun.  The weather was perfect.

After the springs, I did a little research on my Netbook to try to find a unique place to eat.  Based on a few reviews, we ended up at La Fiesta, just off I-75 and the Newberry exit.  The food, service, prices, and portion sizes were awesome.  I highly recommend hitting La Fiesta anytime you are in Gainesville.

Anyway, on to the pictures…

The second day of our “tubing adventure weekend” was at Ichetucknee springs.  The last time that we had been here, was in 1991, the first year that Jennifer and I began dating.  Which oddly enough was also with Dan and Doris.

After breakfast, we packed up and check out of Cabot Lodge.  We picked up some fried chicken for lunch and headed to Fort White.  With Dan and I being of the “engineer” mindset, we had already figured out the logistics of our two cars and the separate start and stop locations.  Apparently, the only option for vehicles are the “exact” way the Parks department wants you to do it.  So after are redundant scenic route around Fort White, shuttle bus trip, and a brief back-woods-Deliverance moment, we finally got on the river.

This morning, my normal commute to work was interrupted by a little pavement, a little sliding, and a mark off my motorcycling checklist.  I laid it down and slid.

It was a little wet from last night’s rain, but nothing substantial.  I had just started accelerating from the intersection, when the car in front of me slammed on its brakes.  I stopped fast and the rear wheel broke free.  I worked the brake and got back traction, and as soon as I did they hit their brakes again.  I was still in a little bit of a wobble, so I knew it would break free again…and it did.

A choice had to be made:  hope to gain traction and control again, to have enough time to stop before hitting the car, or laying it down so that the bike would stop.  I choose the later.

I estimate I ended up sliding 20-25 feet, which was enough to bang up the bike a little bit.   But it kept running!

Two cars quickly stopped to make sure I was ok, which I was.  I quickly got the bike up and pushed it off of the street, so that I could check it and me out.

It is really amazing how logical you think in moments like that.  In that split second, I calculated odds, distance, cost of repairs, risk to myself, and more.  I even choose the “cheapest” side of the bike to go down on; the left.  If I’d had gone down on the right, I would have lost my pipes, which would have been hundreds to fix.

It appeared that everything on the bike was functional, it just wouldn’t start.  So I called Jennifer and told her what had happened, and she called to get a tow truck.  While I was waiting I took the pictures (below), and noticed that where the clutch safety switch was worn off from the concrete.  Therefore, it wouldn’t start.  I called a co-worker who has just passed by to see if he had a wire to jump the switch, and he did.  So I cancelled the tow truck, jumped the switch, started it up and drove home.

My Fix it List

• New left side mirror
• New clutch handle and switch
• Both left turn signals
• Straighten the left foot peg mounts
• Polish and buff the tank to remove light scratches
• New front fender

Bikers say that it is not “if” you go down, it is “when” you go down.  I guess it is true.

Hi.  My name is Joe and I’m a INTJ personality-type.   I am Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging.  Here is where you say, ”HI JOE!”

My entire life I’ve felt different.  Especially in social situations.  I would see those extroverts just jumping into situations without forethought, and wonder how on earth they did it.  In my mid twenties (and a quite a few times since) I learned why.  By learning my Myers-Briggs personality type.

Each and every time I have taken the MBTI Personality test, I’ve landed squarely in the top right corner.  A place shared with only 1-2% of the population.

The first time I read the results, it was creepy.  It was like the document was actually written about me, personally.  It described me perfectly.  But reading it helped me become content with myself.  Those “flaws” that I’ve always had, were definable and fit into a big picture….and INTJs like big pictures.

I have truly benefited and exploited my INTJ attributes since then.  But there is not a day that goes by that I kind of wish I was a little more “center” on the personality-type chart.   Certain components of life, just clash with me and my personality type and it is a daily struggle to get through or past them.

Small Talk

Throughout my life, I’ve continuously struggled with small-talk. I always wondered how people could gain such enjoyment out of conversations, where in my eyes, none of its participants have anticipated gains from.

A discussion topic about something that either I can gain from, or I can add to usually keeps my attention.  But I find it difficult to join the conversation, unless the topic is predefined.  Those other conversations about weather, sports teams, what’s-in-front-of-me-at-this-moment, or gossip, make my skin crawl and I often secretly make fists in frustration during meetings.

…INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation….making them easy to misread and understand
- INTJ Profile [TypeLogic]

INTJs are big picture types;  we always look at the total situation.  So, I often feel that pointless conversations wasted on me, are simply multiplied by the number of people involved.  I also think they see and feel the same way.  So the larger the group participating in a non-goal orientated discussion, the more uncomfortable I feel.

I work in an organization of roughly 30-40 people.  Being military related means that there are quite a few “office functions” beyond that of a normal office.  For instance, commander’s calls, promotions ceremonies, formal military award ceremonies, etc.

As a veteran, I feel I should attend the “ceremonies”, out of respect.  But as an INTJ personality type, I (normally) avoid the small-talk after parties.  I know in my common sense side of brain that there can be value gained, but that is not how me and other INTJs think.

In my analytical mind, I weigh the time spent on fruitless conversation verses that spent on development projects.  Goal orientated project time always wins.

Networking

How to network without uncomfortable small talk?  Welcome to my world.  With an entrepreneur spirit, the drive to get things done, and the tools to do it, networking is truly my Achilles heal.

While online social networks have greatly aided INTJs like myself by allowing us to “filter” the small talk and pick and choose our conversations, it does not replace real handshake networking.

To startup a discussion with someone, without knowing what value-added I can offer that person is a 20ft hurdle for me.  Without this, I feel like I will be perceived as only wanting something from them, which is not networking.

I truly envy the CEO, bloggers, co-workers who can find a common opener to begin a discussion, without feeling like it is all about “them”.

Television and Video Games

When I was a kid we had an Atari 2600, and I had a Apple IIc, both of which had a ton of games.  During that time, and no time since have I ever really enjoyed playing the games others enjoy.  I’ve always viewed them as working toward a goal which would, basically, self-destruct once you’ve met it.

I had more enjoyment out of coding my own games, than playing them.  The coding had an end goal with reward; a finished product that could later be improved upon.  Once you’ve played and won Donkey Kong, you done…you’ve gained nothing.

The same goes for television.  I’ve enjoyed sitcoms throughout my life, because I’ve always viewed them as 30 minute nuggets of entertainment, without any commitment or anticipated gains.  I have always enjoyed TV shows like Seinfeld, The Office and 30 Rock.  A half hour, each of which (for the most part) can be enjoyed without commitment to an entire season.

Dramas on the other hand, I’ve never enjoyed (with the exception of West Wing, in which I constantly learned stuff).  Shows like Lost, require too much commitment without reward.  Once they reveal that everyone on Lost is from outer space, what will you have gained?

I would much rather watch Biography, Nova, Current, or even Jeopardy.  I gain something from these programs; knowledge.  I feel as though my time is not wasted.

Closing

Telling an INTJ to just get over it, is about the same as telling people in depression to cheer up, or people with migraines to take an aspirin.  We are hardwired this way, and can not just change.   We can try to be more like “normal” people, we simply are not, and it will always feel like a square peg in a round hole.

It is best that we leverage the strengths of our personality, and try to build mental bridges to the other personality types.  I will never be the “life of the party”, at least without a lot of alcohol.  And I accept that.  But I will be the one formulating the strategic plan for the best layout of food in kitchen to facilitate the best traffic flow.  Accept it.

Fellow INTJs - Lance Armstrong, Peter Jennings, Colin Powell, John F. Kennedy, Michelle Obama, Susan B. Anthony