In a nutshell

After a teasingly warm and sunny workweek, we've had dreary, dismal weather all weekend: cold, grey, rainy. Nonetheless, M. and I decided to make a brunch excursion to Coolidge Corner, tired as we were of being cooped up indoors for so long. Despite the pluvial weather, there was a line out the door at Zaftig's, and we opted to try a new deli, Michael's ("The Corned Beef King") just down the street. Not bad, indeed, quite good, but not Zaftig's. Afterwards we made our obligatory rounds at the Booksmith and TJs. In the bookstore we were drawn to the "dealing with your job"/"finding a job" section, as we retain our membership in the ranks of the academically frustrated and underemployed.

I was drawn to this book, which I first mistook for a potential candidate tome to be handed out to each new university employee: Dealing with Difficult People



Upon reading the subtitle, I realized it was the wrong book.

E: "I don't need '24 lessons for bringing out the best in people.' I want '24 lessons for punishing the worst in people!'"

M. skimmed a book intended to help find the right job for you, based on your Myers-Briggs personality type; from our experiences in this year's academic job market, professorships may not be the right jobs for us. She's an ENFJ/P, I'm an INTJ/P, almost affirming the "opposites attract" maxim. We are both situated midway along the "Judging/Perceiving" axis, though M. would surely attest that I am more judgmental (not one to suffer fools, gladly or otherwise, am I) and less perceptive (particularly in matters of fashion and household cleanliness) than the inventory reveals. My ideal jobs, whether J or P, seem just right: mathematician, writer, software entrepreneur, judge. Hers seemed wrong: flight attendant? receptionist? At home we realized that we'd looked up the wrong type: ESFJ, not ENFJ. The new suggestions made more sense: actor, diplomat, executive management, politician, social worker, teacher--college level humanities.

We amusedly browsed the subject on the web, finding more possibilities and role models.

E: "Famous INTJs include Neils Bohr, Isaac Newton, Dwight Eisenhower, John Maynard Keynes, Friedrich Nietzche, Peter the Great...."

M: "Well, I'm in between Oprah Winfrey and Martin Luther King, Jr."

E: "So I'll rule the world, and you'll make people feel better about the situation."

M: "Honey, that's our relationship in a nutshell."