Blogtember: I'm an ISTJ

Have you ever taken a personality test? Believe in horoscopes? I have to be honest, I don't put much stock in them. I was never one to do the Teen Magazine quizzes, nor do I frequently read my horoscope. Needless to say, I was very skeptical of this personality test. I was proven wrong! Thank you Jenni for this great idea!

Hello, My name is Elle and I'm an ISTJ (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging).

This pretty much describes me to a T. I am definitely more partial to being introverted than extroverted. When you see me at a party, I will be in the center-ish of the room, but only talking to people who I already know.

At work (school) the Secretaries keep making fun of me because I keep complaining that my clock is off. In fact, EVERY clock is off in our school. Now I know why it bothers me so much! They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ. 

As do other Introverted Thinkers, ISTJs often give the initial impression of being aloof and perhaps somewhat cold. This past year I've become very close to one of my team teachers (K). K & I recently went out to dinner and she shared that she was surprised we were out for dinner for my birthday. When I gave a confused look she explained that I came off somewhat distant and aloof. Not that I seemed unwelcoming, but that I wasn't "warm". I found this very interesting because usually I get the opposite! Now that I think about it though.... I am distant. I don't share my personal life with people I work with, I don't express my opinion openly, I watch and observe.

I am a person of routine. My family and close friends can attest to this! I HATE change, but more than that, I do EVERYTHING the same once it works. They seem to perform at highest efficiency when employing a step-by-step approach. Once a new procedure has proven itself (i.e., has been shown "to work,") the ISTJ can be depended upon to carry it through, even at the expense of their own health. It's really interesting that this is so natural to me. My Mom pointed it out to me when I visited Michigan. I was cracking my knuckles and she asked me to stop. I kept doing it which made her really upset and she asked why. I explained that I HAD to finish. She looked at me like I was crazy. I had to have my "cracks" be symmetrical. If I do one hand, I have to do the other. I do it in order. First my fingers, the first knuckles then the second. Then I do my wrists, pull down on each side. Then I pull my wrist's out to crack them. I never realized this, until she pointed it out to me!

ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. This statement is the most true to me. I bothers me to NO END when people are not following through on their commitments.

Threats to time-honored traditions or established organizations are the undoing of SJs, and are to be fought at all costs. What is your favorite tradition? What about holiday traditions? Growing up my family had theirs. We always got to open 1 present on Christmas Eve (ALWAYS pajamas). We had mince meat pie for breakfast the next day. For Thanksgiving we had all the traditional food. Your family had pizza... great for them. Try to make me eat it? I won't talk to you for a year. My family still makes fun of me for this because I'm so set in my traditions. They always threaten to change them, but they know I'll go ballistic if they do!

In doing some research of famous ISTJ people, this is what I've found. There are a lot of  Presidents categorized as this personality, most of them being republican (which I am). The person I was most excited about? Queen Elizabeth the II. I KNEW I was meant for royalty!