La Conversation En Français

Océane: Salut. Comment t'appelles-tu?
Sylvie: Je m'appelle Sylvie. Et toi?
Océane: Moi, je m'appelle Océane.
Sylvie: Quel es-âge-tu?
Océane: J'ai quinze ans. Et toi?
Sylvie: J'ai quatorze ans. Tu connais le garçon la bàs?
Océane: Oui. Il est Jérôme. Salut! Ça va?
Jérôme: Salut! Ça va bien.
Sylvie: Un copain ou ton copain?
Océane: Dis donc! Tu es vraiment trop curieux.
Sylvie: Tu es français?
Jérôme: Non. Je suis canadien. Et toi?
Sylvie: Je suis française. Voilà la fille autiste.
Océane: Je suis autiste aussi!
Jérôme: Quelle coïncidence!
Sylvie: C'est faux.
Océane: C'est vrai.
Nathalie: Bonjour.
Océane: Salut, Nathalie. Comment vas-tu?
Nathalie: Comme çi, comme ça. Tu connais la fille à droite?
Océane: Elle s'appelle Sylvie.
Nathalie: Merci. Tu es américaine?
Océane: Oui. Je suis américaine.
Nathalie: Je suis américaine aussi.
Océane: Quelle coïncidence!

(I decided to surprise everyone for my 100th post by writing something entirely in French.)


   

The Story on The Mighty That Finally Made Me Cry

I read this pre-surgery account on The Mighty and it resonated with me. I regularly peruse the site in hopes that one account would genuinely bring me to tears. I had no such luck until I found this particular post I have never undergone any surgery except for getting my wisdom teeth out nor have I ever had to make preparations for someone else's major surgery, but the overall theme and tone managed to pierce my heavily-guarded heart.

Kerri Goff, choleric mother to melancholic 11 year old Shea, enters "survival mode", as she calls it, in response to crisis. Though crisis appears to not to pierce the barbed-wire hearts of cholerics, it has managed to infiltrate Kerri's defenses. Her pragmatic nature took over and kicked her emotions to the curb, which is characteristic of a choleric under stress. She purchased the dance recital costume for Shea to not discourage her strength and determination and gave a pep talk to Shea in order to "help" and "motivate" her. Seeing as how cholerics value these traits, Kerri projected a "tough girl" image and expected Shea, a melancholic, to brush the dust off, plough through the disappointment with no emotion, and otherwise respond like a choleric.

Upon hearing that she would be unable to participate in the recital due to her upcoming surgery, Shea cried out of fear and frustration as is customary for melancholics. The words "Shea, come on kiddo, be tough, OK" stirred her heart and brought a host of worries and disappointments to the surface when they were intended to encourage. A melancholic needs an empathetic ear and a loyal shoulder to cry on when they call on others in times of crisis. Her dance teacher, most likely another melancholic, provided these words her choleric mother could not:

"No. It is okay to cry and it is okay to be sad that you're not participating in the ballet performance."

"Shea, it is okay to cry and it is okay not to be strong. It is okay to feel whatever you are feeling."

Melancholics are emotional, sensitive idealists. What grazes the skin of another will deeply cut someone of this temperament. When they cannot meet their standards, they lament and need someone to validate their concerns instead of dismissing their emotions and responding to a challenge. Upon recognizing that Shea's melancholic response was not a sign of weakness, Kerri allowed her choleric heart to soften and she said:

“Baby, I am so sorry, your teacher is right. It is OK to feel disappointed, sad and scared about this surgery and all of the inconveniences it is causing. I feel all of those things too, but sometimes I don’t show it because I want to be strong for you and Daddy and your brother. Shea, I love you and I am here for you if you want to talk about how you are feeling. You do not have to be strong all of the time, and neither do I. Shea, it is OK to feel.”

Though the article had not a smattering of explicit relevance to temperament theory, it illustrated the idea of temperaments interacting better than Keirsey, the Arnos, LaHaye, or Galen ever could. Naturally, people expect others to act the way they do; adapting to the needs of others takes a conscious effort. A pragmatic, forceful choleric, though with good intentions, can end up hurting a sensitive, emotional melancholic when responding to high levels of stress in "survival mode." 

This article is a fine example of expecting others to respond like someone of our temperament would and adapting once one recognizes the temperamental differences in others. At the same time, meeting someone else's needs allows needs that one would not consider to be fulfilled. Despite their unemotional nature, cholerics still need to and allow themselves to feel. Melancholics internalize their emotions and feel deeply, yet one may never see the extent to which they feel. With her tears, Shea uncorked the emotional storm before it could ravage her soul as it had Kerri's.

I, being both melancholic and choleric, could identify with both of their responses. I punch a pillow, distract myself with a task, then get on with my life like a choleric, yet I feel intensely and respond with tears like a melancholic. I tend to wet my homework with tears, yet, repressing my urge to throw myself on an article of furniture and sob, I do it. This post reminded me of what I have failed to do in the midst of life's chaos: to stop, allow my melancholic side to take over, and feel.

"And if\You keep talking to me\Through this darkness, through this night\I'll be alright"--Jump, Laura Shigihara

P.S. If you need to feel, read the article while listening to "Jump" by Laura Shigihara.

My Temperament Triad In a Nutshell

I am predominantly...

Melancholic Traits

• Perfectionist
• Critical of others
• Critical of myself
• Suspicious 
• Appreciative of beauty
• Intellectual
• Likes clear boundaries
• Grudge-holding
• Thoughtful
• Considerate
• Emotional
• Loyal
• Artistic
• Musical
• Idealistic
• Analytical
• Pessimistic
• Worrier
• Reticent
• Formal
• Minutia-oriented 
• Creative

Choleric Traits

• Blunt
• Forceful
• Leader-like
• Quick to act
• Impetuous
• Pragmatic 
• Decisive
• Ambitious
• Passionate
• Hotheaded at times
• Irascible
• Stubborn
• Adventurous
• Sees the big picture
• Likes to be superior to others  
• Enjoys conquering

Supine Traits

• Gentle
• Difficulty expressing
• Enjoys helping
• Subservient
• Harbors anger
• Harbors resentment 
• "Cork" on desires and emotions
• Needs recognition
• Humble
• Follower
• Waits for others to initiate 

I am predominantly not...

Sanguine Traits

• Inattentive
• Disorganized
• Attracts attention (intentionally)
• Friendly front
• Welcoming 
• Fun-loving
• Likes performing

Phlegmatic Traits

• Doesn't like conflict
• Will not tax self with non-priorities 

How My Predominant Temperaments Interact
Choleric is red.
Melancholic is blue.
Supine is pink.

In Control:
I desperately want to be in a leadership position in order to lead others to my quixotic visions, but others must approach me as the leader.

In Inclusion:
I will wait for someone to approach me or I will tell others about how amazing I am and listen to others in order to gain a better understanding of them.

In Affection
I will show my affection by performing tasks and overall reliability in the hopes that I will be recognized for it so that I can take control later on.

In Blogging (I know this isn't a technical category. Deal with it.)
I voice my opinions and innovative ideas rather bluntly, sometimes "aggressively" and assert them with detail as needed with my analytical approach so that others will approach me.

 
 

Labels Define Me

77% Choleric, 38% Sanguine, 69% Supine, 85% Melancholy, 8% Phlegmatic

Your temperament blend may be Melancholic-Choleric.

Dominance: 45%, Influence: 7%, Steadiness, 15% and Compliance: 33%

Extroverted 8% Intuitive 71% Thinking 71% Judging 28% Turbulent 15%

Introverted 12% Intuitive 79% Thinking 60% Judging 31% Turbulent 9%

Sanguine: 3 ( Strengths 0 Weaknesses 3) Choleric: 13 (Strengths: 7 Weaknesses: 6) Melancholy: 19 (Strenghts: 9 Weaknesses: 10) Phlegmatic: 5 (Strengths: 4 Weaknesses: 1)

My overblown obsession with temperament tests is most likely an autism symptom of mine. I scour the Internet endlessly for temperament tests and quizzes. Being this temperament zealot that I am, I take the same test multiple times to ensure the most accurate results. When taking the temperament test on Fighunter, I got the melancholic-sanguine result the most often after five trials, but got melancholic-choleric the most often after twenty trials. Sometimes, I got melancholic-phlegmatic as a result, which I found odd because I score comparatively very low on phlegmatic traits when compared with other traits.

I have wondered why "Don't let labels define you" and "Labels don't define me" have become common iterations in the disability community. Such statements I find illogical and misleading because, ultimately, labels define everyone and everything. Avoiding labels will not make them define me any less; I outright and actively pursue them in an effort to understand myself and others more clearly. The phrase "Labels are for soup cans" is an example of denying the importance of labels, but I will use it to explain their importance. Most consumers look at the label when purchasing soup to verify the can's contents and choose their soup accordingly. Likewise, if I can "read" someone's labels, I have useful information about why they act the way they do so I can adapt accordingly.

When I first started blogging, I tried to adopt the Keirsey Idealist style I have seen in many disability bloggers. I increased in popularity, but I felt unauthentic and purposeless. It felt as if I were a mirror for other people's opinions rather than someone sharing their own perspective. My five temperaments series was the biggest risk I have ever taken while blogging. It was the first post I truly felt was mine, not just my echoing other opinions.

It was then that I embraced my love for labels.

My love for labels alienates me from others who condemn their use. They say people are too unique to shove into categories and that labels are evil. While some people are forced to fit every parameter of a label or given the wrong ones and, thus, are harmed, correctly-used labels help to create understanding of the individual. One label cannot define a person, but the sum of every one will.

I am not autistic before I am a Keirsey Mastermind. Neither am I a Keirsey Mastermind before I am autistic. The two define me equally. Likewise, my ADHD is not any less of an integral part of me than my supine tendencies or ambiversion. I will not be any less autistic, ambiverted, or I/ENTJ if I chose to disown these classifications rather than embrace them. I would still have labels like forceful, blunt, sensitive, weird, and musical to describe me, but they would not help me to come to the understandings that temperament and disability labels did.

Labels are my main source of pride. If you were to ask me "Do labels define you?" to my face, I would say in true forthright choleric fashion, "Of course they do. How else can I explain my individuality?" In a world without labels, I wouldn't be able to function. I would not be able to adapt to someone else's quirks and foibles if I could not guess their temperament and act accordingly. I would expect everyone to operate by my system and act hostilely towards those who do not understand me. Without labels, I would accidentally hurt my sanguine friends expecting them to be melancholic like myself. However, because I know they are sanguine, I can adapt to meet their needs and better infer the way they perceive the world.

Labels are what we make of them. It is ultimately up to the individual if they are destructive or constructive, harmful or beneficial, significant or trivial, or anything else. I have made them badges of pride and individuality that I proudly display to everyone, no matter how they perceive labels. I never understood the label aversion due to my obsession with them. The labels others see as scarlet letters I will see as badges of pride. The sum of every label defines the individual and it all boils down to one common label: myself.

Links to the Tests In Order That They Appear as Pictures:
http://helloquizzy.okcupid.com/tests/the-five-temperaments-test
http://temperaments.fighunter.com/?page=test
https://www.123test.com/disc-personality-test/
http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test 

Rights and Rules

As any good leader would do, I will state your rights. On my blog, you have the right to...

• Call me out if I have said anything that is outdated, misleading, or otherwise untrue
• Suggest new ideas that can improve the content of my blog
• Agree or disagree with me on any matter
• Agree or disagree with any commenter
• Inform others and myself of what worked for you
• Challenge me on ideas you disagree with or find shoddily supported
• Outdo me in anything I have done previously
• Ask me for further information 
• Withdraw from any discussion
• Question policies you deem unjust 
• Decline to comment

Basic Rules and Guidelines

• This is my blog. I reserve the right to delete comments as I see fit. Specifically, I will delete personal attacks towards me or someone else, all profanity, misleading and/or erroneous information, and anything else I deem unsuitable for viewing on my blog.
• Respect me, others, and yourself. This blog is a place where differences from our values are tolerated at least and embraced at most. If the other person is blatantly wrong, tell them.  If they still insist, tell them again. There is no need to tell them a third time. After that, acknowledge their right to be wrong. Report all misleading information in comments on my blog to me. I will take care of it.
• People of all ages, genders, sexual preferences, disabilities (and the lack thereof), lifestyles, religions, races, financial standings, nationalities, and temperaments are welcome here. Do not discredit anyone's words based on these factors. It inhibits the exchange of information and ideas. I am fed up with people being silenced because their voices are disregarded as invalid. 
• Discriminating against able-bodied, neurotypical people as a disabled, neurodivergent person is the same as if the situation were the other way around. Thus, I will treat cases like this as such. I will not have any kind of discrimination on my blog, even it it is against an "advantaged" group.

• Do not post erroneous or misleading information. If you don't know about something, don't offer advice about it. It is wiser to admit ignorance than to feign knowledge. If you are ever unsure, do further research.
• I have a "coherence rule." I will delete comments that I deem incoherent or that I believe will give other readers a headache. You don't need to have perfect spelling, grammar, and punctuation (I don't.), but your comment should have some discernible flow of words. As a rule, I will always delete aLtErNaTiNg CaPs, 1337$p34|<, miXEd CaPS, xcsv shrthnd, and other pseudo-languages. NO EXCEPTIONS!
• Spam includes, but is not limited to, incoherent comments, promotion of dubious and/or irrelevant content, and repeating the same comment in the absence of technical difficulties. 
• Note that advertising "miracle cures" is spam. Most of these cures are snake oils and come from dubious, unregulated sources. I have seen snake oil advertising in many linkups; many bloggers do not put up explicit rules about snake oil, so I feel that this rule is necessary. I do not tolerate misleading information or anything based on misleading information. Even if it works for you, it might harm someone else. If you are not qualified to prescribe medicine, do not do so and, if you are, don't do it in my comment section.

• Your rights have boundaries. You have the right to assert your opinion, but no one here (including me) has the right to disparage, harass, or otherwise vex another commenter. If your opinion is an opinion, do not assert it as fact; that is misleading. If you want to prove it as fact, assert your opinion with supporting evidence from reputable sources. The truth is like medicine. It can be made more appealing by hiding it in persuasion or a good story, but you can't always count on someone to accept it.  

For the sake of my privacy, if you find me under this name, address me as Ender-Chan. 

God Made the Five Temperaments

God made five temperaments.
Choleric, melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic,
And supine.

He could have made us all choleric,
All eager to lead,
But impatient that no one would follow.

We could be all be melancholic,
Always striving for perfection,
But locked in a perpetual cycle of failure.

The human race could be all sanguine,
Enthusiastic and fun-loving,
But unproductive.

Everyone could be phlegmatic,
Peaceful and placid,
But with little zest for life.

The people of the world, if made all supine,
Would be eager to serve,
But unable to find someone to give our gifts to.

God made five temperaments
And everyone has some of each temperament
In differing quantities.

Everyone has a temperament
That God made in His image.
He made each of them for a purpose.

He made cholerics to lead
And set an example for His people.
Melancholics glorify Him
With their talents.
He made sanguines to love all the world,
Phlegmatics to labor faithfully,
And supines to serve a loving Master.

God made the five temperaments;
He made them in His Image.
Choleric, melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic
And supine He created them.

Autism and Social "Versions"

Disclaimer: This post is based on observation and prediction alone. I have no formal data to prove anything. 

Social "versions" in autistic people can affect the way their autism manifests. An extrovert might engage everyone they see and not know if the person they are engaging is in the mood to interact while an introvert would retreat into intense thought and display no interest in the people around them. An ambivert may strike a "medium state" or waffle between two extremes in a way that would make them seem like different people in different situations....

Read the rest at Faith, Hope, and Love.

Project WorditOut (#ProjectWorditOut)

I've noticed that the doffing of labels has become a priority in the disability community; I think otherwise. Labels should be embraced as words that describe who we are, not as shameful things to hide. Therefore, I want you to join #ProjectWorditOut with me and create a word cloud of labels that apply to you.

I am a temperament zealot due to my attraction to labels and take great pride in all of my labels. I am an autistic INTJ (or ENTJ since I'm an ambivert). Click this link to go to create your cloud, post the word cloud to your blog, and tag it with #ProjectWorditOut. I will later compile these images and submit them for posting on "The Mighty" if you E-mail them to me (flutistpride@gmail.com). I'll start it off:

Image Description: The words and acronyms "Melancholic, Quirky, Musician, ADHD, Skeptic, Rational, Scientist, Blogger, Aspie, Verbal, Clarifier, Composer, Flutist, Choleric, Autistic, Arranger, Advocate, D-C, Turbulent, Dominant, Writer, Fieldmarshal, Mastermind, Commander" in script font text that ranges from red to black on a pink background

5 annoying stereotypes about intellectual disabilities

Biography:
Hi I'm Meredith and I blog over at disability diaries, my special needs blog. I did FlutistPride's challenge and she asked if I wanted to do a guest post. Today's guest post is on stereotypes about intellectual disabilities and those who have them including myself. These are mostly based off of my experiences so I can not speak for everyone.

1. Oh S/He can't understand so it's fine. I get this one a lot from people I also get something similar about my hearing loss both of are wrong in my case. I can hear and understand you! If someone says this and the person with ID actually doesn't understand then now your just being a jerk and a coward.

2.  I don't trust them with that, they might get hurt. Sometimes people think that those with ID are stupid and don't let them work on a group project or let you get materials even if you are perfectly capable of it.

3. Aww what a cute little kid.
Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities tend to act younger than they are. One time a friend of mine when he was 10 a person at the hotel he was staying at thought he was 6.

4. Ok you color in this picture and we're going to go talk about this. I have had other people including peers tell me to do something for a much younger child while they go talk or do something.

5. Oh them they're retarded they can't do anything. Um no and don't say the R word it's offensive. This is basically my thoughts on this stereotype.

Image Description: An aptly selected photo showing a scene from the film The Hobbit captioned "#Excuse you." in a yellow sans-serif font

(Blog Owner Note: Meredith is one of my regular commenters; this is her content. I made some minor edits for grammar and readability, but not enough to kill the essence of her writing. The voices of self-advocates with intellectual disabilities often go unheard despite the fact that they are much needed. Meredith enlightened me with her voice; I highly suggest reading her content.)

If I Were a Mythical Creature...

I would be an oriental dragon. I like dragons because they are powerful, awe-inspiring, and, as a whole, the ultimate mythical creature to represent me. European dragons are largely depicted as representative of evil and conflict in fictional works; oriental dragons represented the Emperor. Thus, an oriental dragon represents power and stability. Oriental dragons were traditionally benevolent unless severely disturbed; the ancient Chinese attributed the worst floods to mortals disturbing dragons. Oriental dragons often do not have wings; they do not need them in order to fly due to their association with the wind and sky.
I was born in the year 2000 and I am Asian-American (Japanese), so I find it fitting to identify with an oriental dragon. Specifically, 2000 was the year of the metal dragon and this is the personality description for the metal dragon:
          "Occupying the 5th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. Dragons prefer to live by their own rules and if left on their own, are usually successful. They’re driven, unafraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. They’re passionate in all they do and they do things in grand fashion. Unfortunately, this passion and enthusiasm can leave Dragons feeling exhausted and interestingly, unfulfilled.

While Dragons frequently help others, rarely will they ask for help. Others are attracted to Dragons, especially their colorful personalities, but deep down, Dragons prefer to be alone. Perhaps that is because they’re most successful when working alone. Their preference to be alone can come across as arrogance or conceitedness, but these qualities aren’t applicable. Dragons have tempers that can flare fast!" chinesezodiac.com

This description fit me so well I felt like my deepest secrets had been found out. Normally calm and placid outwardly, my temper can flare intensely and seemingly out of nowhere. However, I used to (and still do to some extent) expect others to know the source of these flares (due to my supine tendencies). I prefer to work alone, not because I don't like other people, but because compromising is difficult for me. I am a blend of melancholic and choleric, the two most stubborn temperaments. However, melancholic and choleric stubbornness are different from each other. Melancholics insist on the right way; cholerics insist on their way. I do both. I choose my way and back it up with supporting facts to prove that I am right. This has taken a toll on my popularity, but I care to be right more than liked.

I struggle with asking for help. For one, it is difficult for me to ask for what I need. In addition to that, I tend to grit my teeth and trudge through a situation to find the right way for myself rather than gathering information from others. I favor asking assistance from my teachers over my peers because my peers can mislead me 1) for the sake of sabotaging me or 2) because they, too, do not have the correct information. It takes a conscious effort for me to trust others and exhausts my energy reserves. My comparatively more sanguine peers don't understand why I don't trust them. I do not have anything personal against them; I just prefer not to be misled.

I am not a "better dead than led" type as is common for others to think of me. While I like to lead, I have no problem submitting to leaders I recognize as competent and well-intentioned. My music teachers and God are prime examples of this description; I heed their advice and take it to heart. Instead, I'm a "better dead than misled" type. I would not take musical advice from a non-flutist because they cannot tell me how to execute the motions needed to produce flute music or ask someone whose skills I doubt for assistance in my field. I identify with oriental dragons for many reasons and admire their appearance.

I know this is not a traditional oriental dragon, but I love this image so much.

Someone who "Happens to Have"

(Note: Don't read if excess repetition annoys you.)

I'm someone who happens to have Asian ancestry.
I'm someone who happens to have female anatomy.
I'm someone who happens to have a melancholic-choleric temperament.
I'm someone who happens to have an INTJ-T Myers-Briggs/Jung type.
I'm someone who happens to have a Kerisey Mastermind classification.
I'm someone who happens to have a flute.
I'm someone who happens to have musicianship.
I'm someone who happens to have a place in my school's marching band.
I'm someone who happens to have a blog.
I'm someone who happens to have limited skill in using Adobe Illustrator.
I'm someone who happens to have chosen to learn French.
I'm someone who happens to have an affinity for rainbows and all things pink.
I'm someone who happens to have ambiversion.
I'm someone who happens to have a preference for my right hand over my left.
I'm someone who happens to have black hair.
I'm someone who happens to have olive skin.
I'm someone who happens to have dark brown eyes.
I'm someone who happens to have an obsession with temperament classification.
I'm someone who happens to have ADHD.
I'm someone who happens to have autism.
I'm someone who happens to be me.

An Open Letter to Keirsey Website Visitors

Dear Keirsey Website Visitors:

Keirsey wrote about an "ADD Hoax". He said there was "no such 'mental disorder' to 'diagnose' and 'treat'." He went further to write misleading information about ADHD claiming that doctors are "intoxicating them with brain-disabling narcotics." Claiming that ADHD medication, using Ritalin in his example, "differs little in its destructive effects from cocaine or amphetamines", Keirsey created a misleading article about ADHD.

I have predominantly inattentive ADHD. I enjoy academic pursuits, strive for accuracy in my works, listen to my teachers, and mostly do not fit the "symptoms" Keirsey listed. By saying that people with ADHD are just Artisans, he downplayed the seriousness of a disorder whose existence has been backed my numerous studies and promote the "extreme sanguine" stereotype of ADHD. The extreme sanguine stereotype is one that prevented me from receiving a diagnosis in the first place because my temperament and giftedness masked the disorder.

The use of amphetamines in ADHD treatment has been studied more than the use of insulin for diabetes and albuterol sulfate as a rescue asthma treatment combined and stimulant medications do not "disable the brain". They compensate for the chemical imbalances present in people with ADHD by either increasing dopamine levels in the case of stimulants or affecting neurotransmitters in the case of non-stimulants. Personally, I, as of now, do not take any medication, but it greatly benefits the people who do.

Think of attention as distributing pie at a party. A neurotypical person would have enough pie for their priority guests to have larger slices, but enough left for all non-priorities to have their share and still have some left for themselves. However, someone with ADHD is someone who did not bake enough pie. This leads to 1) the guests receiving unsatisfying portions and then demanding more, 2) priority guests receiving satisfactory portions, but non-priority guests receiving none at all, or 3) every guest receiving a satisfactory portion, but the host having none. Depending on one's temperament, ADHD can manifest differently, even within the same subtype.

The "ADD Hoax" article suggests that Keirsey read misleading information about the disorder and proceeded to write about the "hoax" himself. By doing so, he perpetuated misleading information and stereotypes about ADHD, a disorder that plagues many to extents unseen by observers. The "symptoms" listed on the Keirsey website are heavily stereotype-based and are misleading. ADHD is not just an aversion to school, failure on teachers' or parents' parts, or a temperament pattern. It is a neurobiological disorder that can affect anyone regardless of their temperament or upbringing.

Keirsey's work helped me to understand more about the way I think and I admire most of his work greatly, yet, as with anyone, I do not take every word from his mouth as fact simply because he said so. As a Rational (_NT_), I value knowledge and discernment. Keirsey's "ADD Hoax" article is an example of misleading work. The information is archaic and blatantly erroneous; it serves as a reminder of the harmful ADHD stereotypes that continually vex the affected.

Yours Truly,
A Mastermind with ADHD

Learning a Foreign Language

Bonjour! Je m'appelle FlûteFierté et je suis quinze ans. Je suis américaine. Comment t'appelles-vous et comment allez-vous?

If you freaked out because you don't know French, you just experienced what I feel when I am in a new social situation and don't know what to do. The social language is one that comes to me like a second language. I need to translate it into my native tongue in order to understand it and, as with any language, some subtleties get lost in translation. I needed instruction in my native tongue in order to understand the language to the extent necessary to function.

My French teacher (who I will refer to "Madame") told me about herself living in France to go to college there. Since Madame did not already know French at the time, she had no idea which room number to go to, how much money she lost or gained throughout the course of a day, how to order specific quantities of anything, mistakenly offended many people by using the incorrect greetings and pronouns, and learned the French language through total immersion, which is a traditional language teaching method. Madame does not use the immersion method because she knows the confusion and disorientation it creates personally.

I, too, had to learn the social language through total immersion, which is why I identified with Madame's account more than the others. I had no idea if I was making too much or too little eye contact, accidentally insulted those I intended to compliment, could not tell how someone felt beyond basic emotions, was never sure of what my own face looked like if I could not see it and otherwise was lost in a world that spoke a different language than I did. I learned the language, but from people who learned the social language first and mine second. Therefore, I was disoriented and frustrated (as were they) when they tried to explain the social language to me in my terms, then reverted to their native language.

Though I comprehend most of the social language, I will never consider myself fluent in the social language because I need to translate it into my own language. Though I look like a native speaker at times, the underlying meanings that get lost in translation do not occur to me. I still cannot tell the direction someone will move without knowing their intentions first and avoid helping others because I do not like to receive assistance. Forever I will learn the social language and strive for fluency, though I cannot attain it.

It's Not Just Temperament: ADHD and the "Extreme Sanguine" (#INJTChallenge)

For those of you who don't know, October is ADHD awareness month. Thus, I find that it is fitting to dispel one of the most common myths surrounding the disorder. The image of stereotypical ADHD represents the sanguine temperament in many ways; however, I am not predominantly sanguine.

The "extreme sanguine" stereotype promotes false positives and false negatives. The sanguines, usually ESFPs, falsely test positive for ADHD if given faulty and misleading diagnostic criteria while melancholics, cholerics, supines, and phlegmatics who have the condition, but don't know it, fall through the cracks. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder that can affect anyone no matter what their temperament is; it is not "just temperament" as the naysayers say it is.

Many sanguines' experiences with ADHD are discounted because they are "just sanguine". A neurotypical sanguine would display inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity to greater extents than what is typical for a melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic, or supine; the "clinical line" when what looks like temperament characteristics indicate ADHD is ambiguous and blurry. Parents may deny that their child has ADHD because they say to themselves "My child can't have a disorder. It's over-diagnosed. They are just sanguine."

On the other hand, ADHD goes unnoticed in people of other temperaments, especially the melancholics and phlegmatics. The melancholic tends to hide their symptoms under their talents while the phlegmatics seem especially lazy and disinterested. A choleric would show more outright belligerence and have little regard for tasks that do not interest them; the supines would perform all tasks to the best of their abilities, but cry and retreat within themselves, wondering why they can't be good enough.

A defect in one's dopamine receptors and differences in neurological pathways are not temperament. They can mask someone's temperament and change the way their temperament manifests itself, but do not change temperament. To the untrained eye, I look like a sanguine when I am indeed a melancholic-choleric with ADHD.

Thus, I challenge you to write a post for ADHD awareness month regarding temperament classifications and ADHD and tag it with #INJTFroma/n(Your MBTI) and/or #INJTChallenge. Alternatively, you can reblog this image with the hashtag redone in AI or Photoshop. The font used for the hashtag is Myanmar MN size 36. The image is below and up for alteration.

Type the tag #INJTChallenge into your search engine to see who else is doing it. The first contributor will get to guest post on my blog.

How That Would Work:

• E-mail me (flutistpride@gmail.com) with the subject as the title of your post, the post text and corresponding images and tell me where you want the images placed. Include a short biography (1-4 sentences) and a link to your blog/other Internet content if you have any.
• I may or may not edit or pare down your submission for conciseness, grammatical correctness, or to censor profanities. I will never add onto your post.
• When I deem your submission edited sufficiently, I will run it by you.
• After we come to an agreement, I will post it and credit you with the first to complete the INJT challenge. 

(A/N: This post is deliberately brief and ill thought-out because I want you to outdo me.)

Participants and Promoters So Far:
Meredith.S
Sylvia Phillips 

The New Look

You may have noticed that I changed some things on my blog. One participant of my blog survey remarked that color scheme was the least appealing part of my blog; I set out to change that. Since I have not had much luck with HTML coding, I made a few changes to improve the overall appearance, but still maintain the overall esthetic of my blog.

An Overview of Changes:

• The title was changed from the generic serif to a playful script that better suits the nature of this blog and is slightly more saturated in color than it used to be.
• The blog tagline is now light blue.
• The body text was darkened for easier readability. 
• Titles are in red. 
• Sidebar text is in fuchsia.  

Five Temperaments and Laura Shigihara Songs

Choleric

• Song: Faster
• "Tired of being still\Don't want to linger"

Melancholic

• Song: Jump
• "Could we fly or just fall down?"

Sanguine

• Song: From the Ground Up
• "Take my hand\We can build a land from the ground up."

Phlegmatic

• Song: Everything's Alright
• "But I don't mind."

Supine/Leukine

Song: First Day

"When I want to speak up\My voice decides it's gonna get really small."

Disability and the Five Temperaments Part 4: Links to Specific Temperaments

Disability and the temperaments five,
From these things yourself has derived.
Learn about the connections here;
It will induce and nullify fears.

The choleric is hotheaded, proud, and brash;
With what they don't like, they surely will clash.
Their arrogance often precedes their fall
And they are the ones who will make the call.

Sanguines are fun-loving, charming and sweet.
In socialization, they cannot be beat.
However, they are insecurity-prone
And not very well they'll fare alone.

The melancholic wants perfection, yet fails
Always trying and striving to no avail.
But with detailed eye and compassionate heart,
This temperament is truly a work of art.

A phlegmatic does not treat life as a race.
They are content to go their own pace.
Stolid, impassive, and mild they are;
Their lack of drive will not take them far.

Supines, to follow and serve, are inclined.
Their lack of expression is their main bind.
Abundant are gentleness, patience, and love
In this temperament's spirit, pure as a dove. 

Why I Love Labels

Why I Love Labels

Why would someone have more of a problem with “I am autistic” rather than “I am female”, “I am Asian-American”, or “I am melancholic-choleric with supine tendencies”? Labels are verbalizations of what make us who we are and, as most people take great pride in their identities, I see no problem with labels as long as we embrace them as an explanation of whom we are.

Labels can become harmful if misused, but they are not inherently harmful. In fact, I predominantly learn using labels because I am a verbal learner. I would feel threatened by people who are different from me if I did not have a label to ascribe their traits to; most likely, I would end up rejecting every ESFP that ever came my way. As an INTJ, the ESFP nature would be a foreign concept to me without the Myers-Briggs classification system and thus, I would alienate these people because I would not be able to understand them.

Likewise, knowing that I am autistic and have inattentive ADHD makes me understand myself and the way I operate to a higher extent than if I did not use labels. I can use my labels to deliver useful information about myself without disclosing particularly invasive details about my life. My interest in/obsession with labels is most likely an autistic trait of mine; I usually spend my time scouring the Internet for temperament tests like DISC assessments, temperament testing, and countless informal personality quizzes when I’m not blogging or reading other blogs.  

I have yet to meet someone who goes out of their way to describe others as “people with (gender/race/religion/other) or “someone who happens to be (temperament classification).” However, more often than not, I see emphasis on person-first language when it comes to disability labels. This suggests that disability labels are something to be ashamed of while others are readily embraced; the phrase “person who is a Keirsey Rational with autism” can be interpreted as “I am ashamed of my hardwiring and wish I were a neurotypical Artisan.” I find it illogical to put my "person first" because the labels are verbalizations of parts of the person. 

An INTJ label does not mean I have to be the stereotypical, “extreme” INTJ often shown in television and other forms of media nor does an autism diagnosis mean that I need to fit the mold of an autistic person exactly. Contrary to popular belief, labels are freeing rather than confining. The increased self-awareness increases positive adaptivity as well as greater self-esteem. Whether accepted or denied, labels are one of the most important parts of disability advocacy. 

As long as I am treated like a person first, there is no need to express it in language. I have met many a person who uses person-first language, yet treats others and myself like we are diagnoses. Though I am a verbal learner, the smallest action can rise above a sea of words on any occasion. Regardless of your disability (or lack thereof), Myers-Briggs type, Galen temperament, Keirsey temperament, or other identifying factors, labels are tools used to create understanding. Whether this understanding is correct or incorrect depends on one’s interpretation of said label.