So I have spent my life assuming that I’m pretty breezy. You
know, not letting things get to me, get me down, or really even noticing most
of what goes on. Because being oblivious and being breezy sometimes are
interchangeable, I’m not sure if you knew that.
Anyway. I pretty much thought this until a few years ago,
when CB came into the picture on his actual breezy, patient horse, and started
referring to me as Type A. Which I’m pretty sure he meant as a sort-of
compliment, but I took it to heart because all I knew was that Reese
Witherspoon, Beth, and Courtney have described themselves as Type A, and at
least two of those people care way more about germs than I do. Reese and I
haven’t spoken in real life yet, so I can’t confirm her status on sanitizer.
And so I eventually googled Type A and Type B personalities,
just so I could prove CB wrong (in a breezy, totally don’t really care sort of
way) and came across these definitions:
Type A
The theory describes "Type A" individuals as
ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, sensitive, impatient,
take on more than they can handle, want other people to get to the point,
anxious, proactive, and concerned with time management. People with Type A
personalities are often high-achieving "workaholics" who multi-task,
push themselves with deadlines, and hate both delays and ambivalence. It is
therefore understood that "Type A" personalities are suited to
smoking as a mechanism for relieving stress.
Type B
The theory describes "Type B" individuals as a
contrast to those with Type A personalities. People with Type B personality by
definition generally live at a lower stress level and typically work steadily,
enjoying achievement but not becoming stressed when they do not achieve. They may
be creative and enjoy exploring ideas and concepts. They are often reflective.
Well, there you have it. Clearly not Type A, you guys – I’ve
never been a smoker and my mechanism for relieving stress is making lists and
organizing my sock drawer. #You’vebeenserved,Wikipedia.
Also, Type B sounds like the people who don’t seem to be
bothered by things like deadlines, returning emails, or wearing shoes at work –
all things that annoy me to the point of distraction on a day-to-day basis.
Which is when it hit me: I don’t know myself at all.
However, luckily I’m married to someone who totally does,
and so it’s helpful when he points out things and makes them sound funny
instead of insane.
You see, CB has started compiling a list that he likes to
call “The List” (being creative is one of the five things he’s good at). It
consists of people that I apparently
get slightly annoyed with and mention to him every day once in a while. Like the girl who lived above
us and wore heeled shoes ALL OF THE TIME indoors. I began referring to her as
Tenderfoot and couldn’t focus on my favorite tv shows when she was busy walking
around with her shoes on her in own home. It was distracting, and apparently so
was I, as I’d point the noise out to CB who was like “Oh, I hadn’t noticed.”
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE.
Or the girl in my office who walks around with her cell
phone in-hand ALL OF THE TIME – when she’s walking through the halls, when she’s
making coffee, when she’s going into the bathroom – it’s distracting and
somehow intensely irritating to me. However, CB doesn’t quite understand why
this would bother me.
Me: “Because it’s unprofessional.”
CB: “Ok, but how is she actually impacting your day?”
Me: “By being annoying.”
CB: “Right. But….maybe just don’t let it bother you so much?”
Me: “It’s like you don’t know me at all. I literally can’t
even focus on my task at hand when I see her with her phone, texting and not
even watching where she’s going.”
CB: “You have spent a lot of your energy being annoyed by
her and she probably doesn’t even know it.”
Me: “Because she’s too busy texting! This is exactly my
point.”
Or the girl in my office who decides sometimes just not to
wear shoes and, instead, walks around the halls with her socks on. To the point
that I actually thought I would shame her into realizing she doesn’t work in a
barn (where you should also definitely wear shoes, FYI) and was like “Ooops!
You don’t have any shoes on!” and she was like “Oh yeah, it’s way more
comfortable that way.”
Um yes, and so are pajama pants, but I refrain from wearing mine
to the actual office because we are adult professionals.
CB: “Yeah, that’s weird that she’s not wearing shoes.”
Me: “Weird? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?”
CB: “Again, though – how does this affect you?”
Me: “It’s just bad precedent. And weird behavior!”
CB: “God I couldn’t even imagine if you were her manager.”
Me: “I’d put her on probation.”
CB: “Without warning?”
Me: “I mean, ok, I’d probably give her a verbal warning. But
you shouldn’t have to warn someone to PUT THEIR SHOES ON.”
CB: “You’re getting loud.”
And then yesterday, I had this exchange with a friend as we
were walking into the gym.
Me: “Did you see that girl at the counter when we were
checking in?”
AK: “Yeah, why?”
Me: “She’s my least favorite person in this gym.”
AK: “I can’t wait to hear this.”
Me: “She leaves all of her stuff all over the locker room,
treating the woman who brings in and folds the towels like her maid. She leaves
her wet towels just laying on the floor, takes up the entire bench with her
giant bag and stuff, and won’t make room for you if you have a locker next to
her. I legitimately spend a lot of time while here thinking about how rude she
is and how I wouldn’t want to know her in real life.”
AK: “And do you sometimes glare at her? Because she gave us
a look as we approached.”
Me: “Maybe. I can’t help my glare-face sometimes. But also,
she just looks like that, I think.”
AK: “I love hearing your list of people you can’t stand.”
But anyway, I’ve digressed slightly. The point here is that
I didn’t know this about myself. I didn’t know that I was Type A, I didn’t know
that I was easily bothered by things others don’t even notice, and I didn’t
know that I spend most of my days exhausting myself over things that have zero
effect on me at all. It's difficult to be Type A and have ADHD all at the same time, you guys.
Which is why I’m such a sleepy person, is what I've explained over and over to CB, and so
we should really all just marvel that I’m awake as long as I am. Because now
that no-shoe-wearer is walking around, I’m barely keeping it together.
Happy Wednesday!
