Gifted? Meh.

I got this meme sent to me via email. Apparently if you answer 'yes' to more than 75% of the questions, you're considered 'gifted'. I don't know that I'm gifted necessarily, but some of the questions were fun to answer.

Are you a good problem solver?
Yes. I don't like to leave problems undone and will persevere until I find a solution for it; often using multiple resources and lots of time to do so.

Can you concentrate for long periods of time?
Yeah! Apparently, once I get stuck into something, I block out everything else and can stay that way for a long, long time. One day I was home alone and got stuck into studying for finals and before I knew where I was it was 2pm and I had 4 missed calls on my caller ID. I didn't even hear the phone ring.

Are you a perfectionist?
I don't know that 'perfectionist' is the right word, but I've ripped out days worth of knitting because there was a teeny tiny defect that you'd have to have a magnifying glass to see. I just can't handle knowing that I screwed up and that the evidence of that is there for everyone to see, it aggrivates me. In other areas I'm not so much a perfectionist; I can handle dishes in the sink and a few clothes on the bedroom floor.

Do you persevere with your interests?
Yes. When I get 'into' something I want to know everything I can about it. I can't handle only knowing a little bit about it.

Are you an avid reader?
I think that depends on your definition of 'avid'. I have books on the go everywhere: in the bathroom, living room, car, my bag, a pile next to the bed....I'm always reading. In the past week I've read 'The Grapes Of Wrath', 'As I Lay Dying', 'Running For Mortals' and I'm currently halfway through 'Jude The Obscure' and 'Roots'. Does that count as 'avid'? If so, then yes, I am an avid reader.

Do you have a vivid imagination? Yes, ever since I was a child. When I was younger, I used to make 'books' at school; I'd write the story and illustrate it and would make copies for the class. Now that I'm older I don't write as much, but I still have the ability to come up with a good story.

Do you enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles?
Yeah, sometimes. My littlest ling has ADD (he's not medicated for it anymore) and jigsaw puzzles were the only thing he could focus on for a while, so he and I used to work puzzles together. Nowadays I don't do much jigsaw-ing.

Often connect seemingly unrelated ideas?
Sometimes. As I've aged my ability to do that has faded.

Do you enjoy paradoxes?
I'm fascinated by them. Urbaner complains about how many times I've tried to talk to him about stuff like that. He says it boggles his mind and that I should find a more fun way to find my time. Personally, I think it's fun and intriguing.

Do you set high standards for yourself?
Yes. As I said, I'll rip out entire pieces of knitting to correct a miniscule mistake, and I don't like to score less than 90% on tests.

Do you have a good long-term memory?
Yes. I can remember things from when I was 2 and 3 years old.

Are you deeply compassionate?
Yes. I may come across as a cynical hardass, but underneath it all I'm actually a softie.

Do you have persistent curiosity?
Yes. I love to know how things work, what makes them tick, why things are the way they are and how they got to be that way.

Do you have a good sense of humor?
Yes. A little fucked up, but yeah....

Are you a keen observer?
Yes. I like to look over people's shoulders when they work so I can see how they do what they do. If there's a demonstration going on, I'm there - whether it's about a new knitting technique or changing the struts on a car.

Do you love mathematics?
Not really. I mean, I don't do math problems for fun - I use it when I have to, but I don't do it for recreation

Do you need periods of contemplation?
Yes. I find that having time to myself to just reflect on things and think about life in general makes me a much happier camper.

Do you search for meaning in your life?
Not any more. I quit searching for the answers a while ago...now I just try to learn something from every situation I'm put in and make the most of the hand I'm dealt. Not everything has to mean something, not every circumstance has a hidden or ulterior motive.

Are you aware of things that others are not?
Yes. I can sense emotions and feelings in other people.

Are you fascinated by words?
Yes. I like to break words down and discover their root meanings; which language they originated from.

Are you highly sensitive?
Highly? Not any more. I AM sensitive, however.

Do you have strong moral convictions?
Yes.

Do you often feel out-of-sync with others?
Yes. I often feel like nobody 'gets' me or understand where I'm coming from.

Are you perceptive or insightful?
Yes, I, I think so.

Do you often question rules or authority?
Hell yes!!

Do you have organized collections?
Hell no! My sock yarn collection consists of a laundry basket with balls stuffed willy-nilly in it!

Do you thrive on challenge?
I LOVE a challenge! I've done some of my best work when I've been challenged.

Do you have extraordinary abilities and deficits?
I think that you'd have to define 'extraordinary'. I can knit really, really well, and I have artistic abilities, but are they extrordinary? Maybe. I can't really say.

Do you learn new things rapidly?Yes. I pick up new concepts and ideas/things really quickly. I always have done.


Feel overwhelmed by many interests/abilities?Yes. I've got my fingers in a lot of pies - my 'room' in my house is a testament to that. I have paints, pencils, canvas and sketchbooks, some roving and a spinning dolly, fabric, a sewing machine, tapestry, crosstitch and knitting projects in various stages of completion, beads and beading looms, jewelry making stuff, soap and candle making supplies, books about homesteading and container gardening lining the walls alongside containers that I've saved because I thought they'd be good for peppers or tomatoes, plastic bottles that can be cut down to water said peppers and tomatoes, seedling trays and seeds, gardening equipment and gadgets, yoga mats, blocks, straps and weights, biking stuff and Camelbaks for hiking....and that's just what I saw when I opened the door just now. There's more stuff underneath all of that....

Do you have a great deal of energy?
I think I have an average amount of energy.

Often take a stand against injustice?
All the time. If I see something that I percieve to be 'wrong', I speak up and I don't shut up until someone notices and takes action.

Do you feel driven by your creativity?
Yes. Nothing gets me going more than the thought of creating something new, and I'm always motivated to knit. Always.

Love ideas and ardent discussion?

Oh yeah. My Urbaner gets upset with me because I'm constantly goading him into debating things with me. He says we can't ever have a normal talk about what's for dinner or what we did during the day; I always want to turn things into a debate or talk about 'deep' things.

Did you have developmentally advanced childhood?
Yes. I learned to read when I was 3 1/2 and was admitted to first grade when I was 4 1/2 (most British kids are 5 years and some months when they start school).

Have unusual ideas or perceptions?
Somewhat, but not remarkably so.

Are you a complex person?
If you ask some of my friends, they'd say yes. However, other people would say 'no', so.....maybe.