A Friendly PSA: Introverts, Extroverts, Ambiverts

So I've been thinking lately, and I've decided that it's about time I had a blog post about introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts. (I bet you've never heard about that last one. Well. What else am I here for?) If only because I am an introvert, and the matter has been keeping my attention lately.

And so: a friendly PSA.


#1: Introverts

Introverts are, quite simply, people who draw energy from being alone. Like most things, this is a spectrum; some introverts absolutely hate to be around other people; others don't mind social interaction, and might even like it, but will need a recharge period afterward.

Introverts are often misunderstood or misconstrued as snobs, 'weirdos', or recluses. The reality is we like people as much as the next; we just run out of energy and need to recharge by being alone.

Notes: I am an introvert. I've been known to have trouble interacting with people, because I'd often rather read or write something than talk to someone. Awkward chatting situations abound for me. I have been known to ecstatically dance around the house after visitors leave--not because I'm glad they're gone, but because the house is finally quiet and I can go read something now.

#2: Extroverts

Extroverts are people who draw energy and recharge by being around people. Again, there is a spectrum here, and it varies.

Extroverts tend to be better-liked than introverts, at least initially, because most extroverts can actually carry on a conversation with people they don't know.

Notes: I'm... not exactly sure what to say here, since I'm not an extrovert. So I'll just point out that neither extroverts nor introverts are more important or better. They both have things to contribute.

#3: Ambiverts

Ah, yes. Ambiverts. This side of the spectrum is the side that's almost never talked about, and I'm not sure why. It's very interesting.

Ambiverts are people who display traits of both introverts and extroverts. They enjoy social interaction, much more than most introverts do, but they need a solitary recharge period as well. Because they display traits of both, they may sometimes be pidgeon-holed into one of the other categories.

Notes: My sister is most likely an ambivert, leaning toward the introvert side of the spectrum. She loves spending time with her friends, but doesn't like spending time with people she doesn't know well. And sometimes, she just wants to be on her own.

And Now: A Conversation Between an Introvert, an Extrovert, and an Ambivert

Extrovert: Hi! How are you doing?

Introvert: Um... hi. I'm good.

[Silence.]

Introvert: Oh, um, how are you doing?

Extrovert: Good. What are you reading there?

Introvert: Oh, um, Lord of the Rings. [Looks back down at book.] It's really good...

Extrovert: Hi there, Ambivert!

Ambivert: Hi! Did you like the school assignments this week?

Extrovert: Not really, but I...

Introvert: [Quietly gets up and walks away]

[10-15 minutes later]

Ambivert: [Walks over and sits down next to Introvert]

[Silence]


...And that (hopefully) sums up the differences between introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts. Of course, I'm far from an authority on the subject. If you'd like to know more, I'd encourage you to research it. It's really a fascinating subject.

Questions? Comments? Critiques? Feel free to leave a comment in the comments section.

And that's all for now!

How to Tell if Your Dog was Raised by Cats

This is my dog, Joe. Now, to the untutored eye of the ignorant layman (Calvin and Hobbes reference, yay!) Joe may look like an ordinary chocolate lab. But I'm here to let you in on the secret: he isn't. 

For one thing, Joe is the biggest wuss of a dog this side of the Mississipi, but that's (mostly) irrelevant. The BIG secret is that Joe was raised by cats. 

At least, that's my theory. It may sound crazy, but there's proof. Here's a handy questionaire/psuedo-advice-column to explain the proof and help you determine if YOUR dog was also raised by cats. 

***

Question #1: Help, my dog is purring!

Don't worry! This is a perfectly normal, if unorthodox, function of your dog's vocal chords. To most, this sound will appear to be a low growl. Your dog will probably make this sound over and over as he receives attention if he truly intends to purr. 

Clearly, this sound is/was meant as an imitation of a cat's purr, which is what your dog would have grown up hearing if he really was raised by cats. 

Question #2: My dog is afraid of cats and other dogs! Why?

If you've ever studied the behavior of a cat, you've seen that they tend to be aloof around other cats, and wary if not outright afraid of dogs. If your dog was raised by cats, he would naturally have picked up some of these behaviors. This is completely normal. 

Question #3: My dog keeps licking himself, all over his body. Why does he do this?

This, of course, is a behavior your dog would have learned from his foster mother, a cat. Cats are well-known for their ability to clean themselves; any dog raised as a cat would attempt to replicate this behavior. Unfortunately, most dogs don't really have the ability to clean themselves this way; but since most dogs also don't have the mental capacity to realize this fact, it's kind of a moot point. 

***

Of course, these are just a few of the many odd behaviors a dog raised by cats would express. These are the three cat-like traits that my dog Joe tends to exhibit; of course, your dog may be totally different. The point is, if your dog was an orphan raised by cats, you'll find out one way or the other. 

So what do your think? Was your dog raised by cats? Was your cat raised by dogs? Was your fish raised by hamsters? How can you tell? Any quirky pet stories are fine by me!

Until next time—ciao!

So Wikipedia Taught Me Something New Today

Well, I was researching the human eye earlier today, since I have to do a research paper on it for Challenge A. Since I have a rather odd, but also rather enjoyable, interest in eye colors, I eventually ended up with that article open.

So I'm reading. And I'm thinking, Well, not really anything I don't know, or really have an interest in, but hey, these pictures are cool...

And then I see this.

Apparently heterochromia is an an ocular condition in which the eyes display two different iris colors. In some cases the iris will be one color, with a certain section being a different color*. Occasionally a person is born with eyes of different colors.

This is cool/important/really interesting to me personally because the novel I'm trying to write involves a species whose defining trait is eyes of two different colors, such as having one blue eye and one brown eye. When I came up with this I had no idea that such a condition actually existed, but there you go.

After all, truth is stranger than fiction.