Finally settled into my hotel room after a red-eye flight to Tampa. Already, I can tell you it's hard to eat healthy while on the road. Once in Tampa, I had lunch at this place called EVOS, which claims to be healthy fast food because they airbake everything instead of deep frying. This cuts the fat content in half. I orded airbaked chicken strips and airbaked fries.Still tasted unhealthy and I know it was probably loaded with carbs. I would say nothing special about this place. However, they had a wide choice of iced tea and ketchup (yes, ketchup) flavors. I, of course, had green tea. I tried all the ketchup flavors: cayenne fire, garlic gravity, mesquite, and americana (aka original flavor). The garlic ketchup was surprisingly good :) Anyways, EVOS is definitely a Floridian restaurant, but there is one located in San Luis Obispo too. Like I said, it's not anything special and I don't think it's as healthy as they want you to think. If I had to re-do lunch knowing what I know about EVOS, I probably would have gone to the Panera Bread next door...hahaha...just had to try something local.
I have about 3 hours to kill until the leadership academy officially starts. I thought it would be good to list a summary of my talent themes based on our "textbook" for this leadership program I'm participating in, that way you'll know what I'm talking about when I refer to them over the year.
This is the order that was given to me by the assessment in the book. I don't know if it means one talent theme is more predominant than the other, but it's probably best to stay consistent. By the way, Talent, as defined by the book, means "a natural way of thinking, feeling, or behaving."
Harmony: You look for areas of agreement...You can't quite believe how much time is wasted by people trying to impose their view on others... When others are sounding off about their goals, their claims, and their fervently held opinions, you hold your peace...In your view, we are all in the same boat, and we need this boat to get where we are going. It is a good boat. There is no need to rock it just to show that you can.
Restorative: You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution...You may prefer practical problems or conceptual ones or personal ones...Your exact preferences are determined by your other themes and experiences...You fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. Phasing it the way you might, you saved it.
Deliberative: You are careful. You are vigilant. You are a private person. You know that the world is an unpredictable place...Rather than denying these risks, you draw each one out into the open. Then each risk can be identified, assessed, and ultimately reduced. Thus, you are a fairly serious person who approaches life with a certain reserve...You select your friends cautiously and keep your own counsel when the conversation turns to personal matters...If some people don't like you because you are not as effusive as others, then so be it...Life is something of a minefield...You walk with care.
Intellection: The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think...You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection...This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives...this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.
Consistency: Balance is important to you...you do not want to see the scales tipped too far in any one person's favor. In your view this leads to selfishness and individualism. It leads to a world where some people gain an unfair advantage because of their connections or their background or their greasing of the wheels. This is truly offensive to you...In direct contrast to this world of special favors, you believe that people function best in a consistent environment where the rules are clear and are applied to everyone equally...each person has an even chance to show his or her worth.
I obviously gave you the abridged description of each talent theme. For better or worse, I think it's fairly accurate (especially the stuff in purple). I'm kinda afraid it paints me as a more serious person than I really am, but maybe that's something about me I haven't really noticed or that's become more evident as I get older. I'm definitely introspective, but does that mean I'm an Introvert? I took the Myers-Briggs test in high school and it said I was an introvert, which would have been fine if one of my high school teachers didn't blurt out to the class that I would end up as a Librarian. That was a sad day.
So what do you think? Does that sound like an accurate description of me?
