An Experiment

I'm planning a lesson for the students at Matsu-ko, the objective is to encourage them to talk about their personalities and to learn some 'characteristics' vocabulary.

In Japan they believe that your blood type determines your personality, I first discovered this when the students were making name cards and one student was meticulously colouring in his name. The teacher I was teaching with turns around to me and says "his blood type must be A, what's yours? I think you're probably A too" At the time I was astonished, I couldn't ever imagine what my blood type had to do with anything. Apparently they take it very seriously here in Japan though and in some extreme cases employees display their blood type on their name cards and in some kindergardens the groups the children are split into are organised by their blood group.

I think I'm A. I can't remember. In a previous life when I was much braver I used to give blood and I had a blood donor card which said what type I was but I never considered it to be very important.

Here's what a website has to say about being Type A :-

TYPE A: People of this blood type are perfectionist, orderly, detail-oriented, industrious, idealistic, soft-spoken and careful.

Positive Traits - Orderly, Law-abiding, Fastidious, Soft-spoken, Fashionable
Negative Traits - Picky, Selfish, Secretive, Pessimistic, Inflexible, Reckless when drunk
Suitable Careers - Accountant, Librarian, Economist, Novelist, Computer Programmer, Gossip Columnist


I like it ... reckless when drunk ... but soft spoken and fashionable -as if?!

So, also on my day of personality research I came across this article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3112170.stm

I'd say I generally sleep in the foetus position:-

The Foetus: Those who curl up in the foetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.
This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41% of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position.

All this got me thinking about star signs, I'm not talking about horoscopes just whether or not certain star signs have certain personality traits. When I read mine I thought that it was pretty accurate but do I just think that because I was brought up thinking that I must be typical of my star sign?!

Here's the experiment, if you're bored read through these three descriptions and leave a comment or email me saying which best describes me; one, two or three. I'll let you know later which was my star sign's description.

Star Sign One

Firstly, you can't tell them anything - they already know! In fact, they are the know-alls of the zodiac. They are original, inventive and very smart. They are nearly always late arriving anywhere because time means nothing. They are so friendly even the dog down the street will find its way to their house...and stay.

Clever, friendly, kind and humane, they are the easiest people to make friends with but probably the hardest to really know. They are often more comfortable with acquaintances than with those who are close to them. Being dutiful, they would never let a member of their family go without their basic requirements, but they can be strangely, even deliberately, blind to their underlying needs and real feelings. They are more comfortable with causes and their idealistic ideas than with the day-to-day routine of family life. Their homes may reflect this lack of interest by being rather messy. Being patient with people, make them good teachers, and are always willing to learn something new. These people can be extremely eccentric in the way they dress or the way they live. They make a point of being 'different' and they can usually feel very unsettled and uneasy if made to conform, even outwardly. Their restless, skeptical minds mean that they need an alternate kind of lifestyle which stretches them mentally.

In relationships, they are surprisingly constant and faithful and they only stray when they know in their hearts that there is no longer anything to be gained from staying put. They are often very attached to the first real commitment in their lives and they can even re-marry a previously divorced partner.

Star Sign Two

They have amazing brains. They store data like you wouldn't believe. Lots of people think they talk garbage but this is because their minds move faster than their mouth. They are generous, affectionate and impulsive and hate hanging around. Boredom and relaxing frightens them. If they're not on the move they go mad. They are great with kids because they never grow up themselves. If you have them as a friend, life will never be dull. They love to be respected; this is pretty hard because they're so changeable. In fact, they are often prone to losing their train of thought mid sentence. They're practical jokers too, but can get aggravated if someone turns the trick on them.

In a nutshell, great fun at a party but totally unreliable. This is unfair...nobody works harder, is more reliable or capable than when they put their mind to a task, especially if there is a chance of making large sums of money! Unfortunately, they have a low boredom threshold and can drift away from something or someone when it no longer interests them. They like to be busy with plenty of variety in their lives and the opportunity to communicate with others. Their forte lies in the communications industry where they shamelessly pinch ideas and improve on them. Many are highly ambitious people who won't allow anything or anyone to stand in their path.

They are surprisingly constant in relationships, often marrying for life but if it doesn't work out, they will walk out and put the experience behind them. They need relationships and if one fails, they will soon start looking for the next. Faithfulness is another story however, because their famous curiosity can lead to any number of adventures. They educate their children well while neglecting to see whether they have a clean shirt. The house is full of books, videos, televisions, CD's, newspapers and magazines and there's a phone in every room!

Star Sign Three

They are lucky. They are the ones who look younger as they get older. They are very attractive and neat and once they get over their shyness they are quite aggressive. They can be trusted to keep a secret and are really great in emergencies. Sometimes they are a little bit impulsive but as their intuition is pretty strong, they usually make the right decisions. They're creative, sensitive and patient. On a bad day they can be jealous, selfish and moody. They are very close to their family and are usually the last ones to leave home.

They are patient, realistic and responsible and they take life seriously. They need security but they may find this difficult to achieve. Many live on a treadmill of work, simply to pay the bills and feed the kids. They will never shun family responsibilities, even caring for distant relatives if this becomes necessary. However, they can play the martyr while doing so. These people hate coarseness, they are easily embarrassed and they hate to annoy anyone. They believe fervently in keeping the peace in their families. This doesn't mean that they cannot stand up for themselves, indeed they know how to get their own way and they won't be bullied. They are adept at using charm to get around prickly people.

They are ambitious, hard working, patient and status-conscious and they will work their way steadily towards the top in any organisation. Their nit-picking habits can infuriate others and some have a tendency to 'know best' and not to listen. These people work at their hobbies with the same kind of dedication that they put into everything else.

They are faithful and reliable in relationships and it takes a great deal to make them stray. If a relationship breaks up, they take a long time to get over it. They may marry very early or delay it until middle age when they are less shy. Their best attribute is their genuine kindness and their wonderfully dry, witty sense of humour.

OK - One, two or three? What do you think?

In the mean time I'd better get back to finishing the actual lesson ...