Never Take A Dare

I guess I should talk.  I took an extremely stupid dare today.  My cousins were over, and we decided to play Dare.  (we are not allowed to play truth or dare, but we figured Dare was ok).  We made Dare teams: Eliza and Ashley, Ericka and Shannah.  We took turns daring each other to do certain things, and if they didn't, they had to do such and such a thing.  We played this in an alley between two huge feedlots, each stacked (literally) 18 inches deep in poop.  A veritable breeding ground for dares!  Ash and Liza had to walk the length of the feedbunks, balancing on the edge of the aforementioned, which was about an inch thick, without falling off.  They did, so they had to (in penance) climb INTO the feedbunks and crawl 20 feet down them inching like a worm. They did it without complaint. After all, it could have been worse. 
So, after various dares, like hanging upside down for 20 seconds straight, riding our little colt that bucks if you put a blanket on him (we did not do that one), singing "I Love You More" to the cattle as loudly as you can (we didn't do that either), and hanging off a rope ladder and singing (this one was in bad taste, this was not my idea), "Burp and Barf and eeeeeeeeeeee..." (Hold the eeeeee for ten seconds, please)  We got to me and Shannah's dare. Walk through three feet of poop wearing our good tennis shoes.  I did it. 
My mother was shocked to see me come running in the house barefoot, saying "Don't worry, Mom, they got my shoes out."
And I am surprised we did. We all gave a shriek, envisioning what our mothers would say.  Or do.
So I ran through 18 inches of poop barefoot. Serves me right. As I was approaching the feedbunks to get out, I heard Ashley gasp with delight. I whirled. She said, "Look in the poop! Hookworms!"
I gasped and ran faster yet, my feet freezing. I gave a howl on the way down the alley, with only one sock on.  The girls were busy hookworm watching and digging out my tennis shoes. My mother was angry. I wonder why.
She ordered me to go wash my shoes immediately. Later, when I told her about the hookworms, she made me take that antibacterial stuff and wash my feet with it.  Ick.  I also found out that hookworms are too small to be visible, and they were actually ringworms. What a relief. That sure made me feel better. NOT.

My Top 10 Favorite Quotes

1.  "From the moment I met you, your arrogance and vain conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others, has persuaded me that you are the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry."
- Elizabeth Bennet to Mr. Darcy after his proposal in Pride and Prejudice

2. "Did you see all the diamonds those ladies wore?" sighed Jane.  "They were simply dazzling. Wouldn't you love to be rich, girls?" "We are rich." said Anne staunchly. "Why, we have sixteen years to our credit, and we're happy as queens, and we've all got imaginations, more or less.  Look at the sea, girls- all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen.  We couldn't enjoy it's loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.  You wouldn't change into any of those ladies if you could....you know you wouldn't, Jane Andrews.
-Anne Shirley to Diana Barry and Jane Andrews in Anne of Green Gables

3. "Liar! Liar!" shrieked suddenly from the now open trap door.  Miracle Max whirled. "Back, Witch--" he commanded.  "I'm not a witch, I'm your wife-" she was advancing on him, an ancient tiny fury- "and after what you've just done I don't think I want to be that any more!"
-The Princess Bride

4. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or others of their daughters."
- Jane Austen, in Pride and Prejudice

 5. "Your son has behaved abominably!" Lucy said angrily.  "No, he has not behaved abominably," said Mr Emerson.  "He has only tried, which is what he ought not to have done."
-A Room with a View


6. "It is true neither of us have anything to tell," Marianne stated. "You because you share nothing and I because I conceal nothing."
-Marianne to Eleanor in Sense and Sensibility

7. ".....I don't expect to be a bride myself, I'm so homely nobody would ever want to marry me-unless it might be a foreign missionary.  I suppose a foreign missionary mightn't be very particular."
- Anne of Green Gables

8. "Even although we meet as strangers now, I still love her with an inextinguishable love.  It makes me very sad at times to think of her.  But really, Marilla, one can't stay sad very long in such an interesting world, can one?" 
-Anne, referring to her former best friend, Diana, in Anne of Green Gables


9. "Dr. Jones?" Elsa inquired. "Yes." He answered.  "I knew it was you. You have your fathers eyes."  He smiled.  "And my mother's ears. But the rest belongs to you." 
-Indiana Jones, upon meeting Elsa in Indiana Jones.


10. "A lady's imagination is very rapid. It goes quickly from admiration to love, then from love to matrimony." 
-Mr Darcy, speaking to Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice

Personality Types

Here is a personality test that I took....I am an otter with beaver tendencies. It's very interesting.

Gary Smalley Personality Types Inventory

(from Making Love Last Forever, Ch. 10: Understanding Personality Types: A Key to Lovability)

How to Take and Score the Inventory

1. For each temperament type, circle the positive traits (in the left column) that sound the

most like you – as you are at home. It will probably help to cover the right hand

column as you take the inventory, to help you focus on the positives. Do not score

yourself as you behave at work. (If you want to evaluate your “at work” tendencies,

take the test again later, with that environment -- or any other – in mind.) For now,

ignore the right hand column.

2. For each trait, add up the number of circled traits (in the left column) and then double

that number. This is your score.

3. To graph your temperament “mix”, mark your score for each temperament type on the

graph with a large dot. If you want, draw a line to connect the dots.

Lion

Temperament Characteristics

Likes authority. ………………...Too direct or demanding

Takes charge……………….…..Pushy; can step in front of

others

Determined. …………………... Overbearing

Confident. …………………..…. Cocky

Firm ………………………...…...Unyielding

Enterprising. ……………..….... Takes big risks

Competitive. ……………….….. Cold blooded

Enjoys challenges. …….…..…..Avoids relations

Problem solver. ………….….... Too busy

Productive. ……….……….…... Overlooks feelings; do it now!

Bold. …………………….……... Insensitive

Purposeful; goal driven…..….... Imbalanced; workaholic

Decision maker. ………….….... Unthoughtful of others' wishes

Adventurous. ………………… .. Impulsive

Strong 'willed …………………...Stubborn

Independent; self reliant ……....Avoids people; seeking help

Controlling. ……………………...Bossy; overbearing

Persistent. ………………….….. Inflexible

Action oriented. ………………...Unyielding

"Let's do it now!"

Lion Score (Double the number circled): ___________

Otter

Temperament Characteristics

Enthusiastic. ……………….…… Overbearing

Takes risks. …………………..… Dangerous and foolish

Visionary …………………….……Daydreamer

Motivator. ……………………..… Manipulator

Energetic. ……………………….. Impatient

Very verbal. ………………………Attacks under pressure

Promoter. ………………………… Exaggerates

Friendly, mixes easily…………… Shallow relationships

Enjoys popularity…………..….…. Too showy

Fun loving. …………………..…… Too flippant; not serious

Likes variety. ………………..…… Too scattered

Spontaneous. ……………….…… Not focused

Enjoys change. ………….……..… Lacks follow through

Creative; goes for new ideas. .…..Too unrealistic; avoids details

Group oriented. ………….….…… Bored with "process"

Optimistic………………….….……Doesn't see details

Initiator. ………………….….…….. Pushy

Infectious laughter……….….…… Obnoxious

Inspirational……………….…..…. Phony

"Trust me! It'll work out!"

Otter score {double the number circled}: _________

Golden Retriever

Temperament Characteristics

Sensitive feelings. ……..…….… Easily hurt

Loyal. ………………………….… Misses opportunities

Calm; even keeled. ……….….… Lacks enthusiasm

Nondemanding ………….…...… Weakling; pushover

Avoids confrontations. .………… Misses honest intimacy

Enjoys routine …………….…..…Stays in rut

Dislikes change. ………….….… Not spontaneous

Warm and relational. …….….… Fewer deep friends

Gives in. ……………….……...… Co-dependent

Accommodating. …….…….…… Indecisive

Cautious humor. ……….….…… Overly cautious

Golden Retriever (contd)

Temperament Characteristics

Adaptable. ……………………..… Loses identity

Sympathetic. ………………..…… Holds on to others' hurts

Thoughtful. …………….………… Can be taken advantage of

Nurturing. …………….………..… Ears get smashed

Patient. …………………………… Crowded out by others

Tolerant. ………………….……… Weaker convictions

Good listener. …………………… Attracted to hurting people

Peacemaker. ………………….… Holds personal hurts inside

"Let's keep things the way they are."

Golden retriever score (double the number circled): _____

Beaver

Temperament Characteristics

Reads all instructions. ….….…… Afraid to break rules

Accurate………………….………. Too critical

Consistent. ……………….……… Lacks spontaneity

Controlled. ……………….……… Too serious

Reserved …………………………Stuffy

Predictable. ……………………… Lacks variety

Practical. ………………………… Not adventurous

Orderly…………………….……… Rigid

Factual…………………….…..….. Picky

Conscientious. …………….…..… Inflexible

Perfectionistic …………….………Controlling

Discerning. ………………….…… Negative on new opportunities

Detailed. …………………….…… Rarely finishes a project

Analytical. …………………………Loses overview

Inquisitive……………………...…. Smothering

Precise. ……………………..…… Strict

Persistent …………….………...…Pushy

Scheduled. …………………….… Boring

Sensitive. ……………………...… Stubborn

"How was it done in the past ?"

Beaver score (double the number circled): __________

Lions are leaders, decisive, bottom line, problem-solvers, not conversational.

Otters are fun-loving, entertainers, net workers, motivators, creative, talkers.

Retrievers are loving, nurturing, loyal, good listeners, encouragers.

Beavers are hard-working, detailed, accurate, focused on quality.

Consciously work to become more aware of your natural tendencies. Go for a

healthy balance, tempering any extreme problem area, focus on your

strengths and learn to cultivate the strengths of less dominant personality

traits.

Some suggestions for each personality type:

Lions: Be softer and more gentle and include others when making decisions.

Otters: Think before you speak, and consider consequences before you act.

Retrievers: Practice saying no and making firm decisions.

Beavers: Learn to relax and don’t expect others to do things just like you.

For a more in depth study on personality development, please read

The Two Sides of Love, Gary Smalley and John Trent.