Comments on: Is There any Cure for the Eclectic?

By: Janelle

Janelle — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:12:16 +0000

I'd be glad to meet you, too, Tim, but we're already friends. I couldn't figure out how to log in with Twitter to put my pic here, but this is a Janelle that you know.

I'll give you a pass on not figuring out who was behind the enigmatic grey figure last night, though; it was pretty late in your time zone.

By: Tim George

Tim George — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:03:59 +0000

Glad to meet a fellow jack-of-all-trades. Not eating broccoli is matter if principle with me. I've made it 55 years without it and feel I would be untrue to myself to change now.

By: janelle

janelle — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:51:31 +0000

so I followed the link to "eclectic" from your other post, because that describes me as well–I was always a bit cut up that I couldn't have five or six majors in college, for example: Biology, Piano Performance, Theology, English Literature, Mathematics, and Aviation (with minors in Chemistry, Spanish, Violin, and Family and Consumer Sciences)–and thoroughly enjoyed your post.

btw, I don't care for broccoli…

By: The Magic of Reality |

The Magic of Reality | — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:31:50 +0000

[...] WHO KNOW ME WELL understand that I am somewhat eclectic. I like a lot of different things including different genres of music and writing. I can read Dean [...]

By: If you’re Confused Stand in Line |

If you’re Confused Stand in Line | — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:49:54 +0000

[...] I have noted elsewhere, I am hopelessly eclectic. In layman’s terms that means I have a PhD in Jack-of [...]

By: Tim George

Tim George — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:19:00 +0000

@02341baae0f536039f6d4a1185568abc:disqus You've made my day Alan. Ditto on the Myers-Briggs test. I took it
again a few weeks ago because it has been quite a while. I ended up with
a totally different profile than a few years back.

By: Tim George

Tim George — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:18:00 +0000

@b559b284782eaa7f5e4aa4f8bc42ea84:disqus I seldom read a book more than once but such is not true of this one. Here's a link to an interview I did with Athol about River Risking. http://www.tegeorge.com/unveiled/?p=505

By: Tim George

Tim George — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:16:00 +0000

@02341baae0f536039f6d4a1185568abc:disqus You've made my day Alan. Ditto on the Myers-Briggs test. I took it again a few weeks ago because it has been quite a while. I ended up with a totally different profile than a few years back.

By: Latayne Scott

Latayne Scott — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:39:00 +0000

I just read River Rising over the 4th of July weekend. Could hardly tear myself away for cookouts and fireworks. Incredible.

By: Alan Oathout

Alan Oathout — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:06:00 +0000

Hey, Tim. What you're describing actually has a name among psychologists who study the human personality. It's called Openness to Experience (or just "Openness) and it's one of the basic dimensions along which humans differ. Google "Five Factor Personality" or "Big Five Personality" and you can read about it.

Personality traits aren't "yes or no" propositions… they fall along scales from low to high (kind of like the volume on the stereo where you listen to "Don't Fear the Reaper" or "Annie's Song"). This is one of the reasons I'm *not* a fan of systems like the Myers-Briggs, which writers seem to adore…but that's another topic.

A higher degree of Openness is a trait you will find among many of the better writers, so take heart! It correlates with many characteristics useful to the writing life…imagination and fantasy, intellect, curiosity about the world, artistic sensibility, sensitivity to emotion, and creativity.

As our ex-governor here in Illinois liked to say: "You're golden!"