On Being Right-Brained

In the June Issue of Real Simple, there was an article entitled, “Organizing Your Personality.”  You take a little quiz in order to see if you are right-brained or left-brained.

This is how they defined left and right brained:

• Right-brain types are visually oriented. They tend to think in images rather than words, focus on the big picture rather than the details, and go through life in a somewhat seat-of-the-pants (a.k.a. scattered) way.
• Left-brainers are those who think in words (attention, list makers!), do a lot of advance planning, and approach challenges in a rational, linear way.

Now, if you were to ask the staff at my school, they would say I am Left-Brained.  See this post for an explanation.

Here are some of the quiz questions with my responses after.  You were supposed to circle the ones that describe you.

1. When I’m finished using an item, I put it away immediately. Ummm – Never.
2. I love being surrounded by vibrant colors. Yes, yes, yes!
3. Whether I’m looking at a work of art or a room, I tend to prefer symmetrical design. Yes, I do.  Wait – no I don’t.  I like those scattery picture frames.
4. I like to move around my furniture a few times a year rather than stick with the same arrangement. When I was little, I would change my furniture all the time.  I don’t now because my bed and dresser are too big.
5. I’m the go-to party planner for friends and family.  No, but I love to attend.
6. Keeping current projects where I can see them is a must.  Yes!  Once something is put away, I forget about it.
7. I love having a designated spot for each item in my closet or drawers.  I can’t even shut my drawers, so obviously they don’t all have a place.
8. On my computer, I often have multiple windows open at once.  Always!  Right now I have 7 open and 5 programs running.
9. I have a specific morning routine that I always follow to a T.  Nope.
10. When making major purchases, I usually follow my instincts rather than do research.  Actually, I always do research.  Always.  I researched my new DSLR camera for about 3 months before buying.
11. I often wear the same jewelry every day.  I don’t wear jewelry.
12. If I have to explain directions to someone, I’ll draw her a map instead of telling her verbally. Yes, I draw a map.  Always.
13. When I find a great dish at a restaurant, I order it every time I go there.  Yes, I do.  I have my favorites at every single restaurant.  Nothing is more stressful than not knowing what I will order.
14. I often drive with the Empty light flashing.  Not really.  But I don’t fill up until it turns on.
15. I always bring a shopping list to the grocery store.  Never.
16. I have a lot of knickknacks around the house.  Ummm – they aren’t knickknacks – they are MEMORIES people!
17. My books and CDs are in order, so I can always find what I’m looking for.  Not in order, but they are all in one place.
18. My desk is filled with piles of papers, sticky notes, and business cards.  Yes.  See pictures below.
19. I feel guilty if I don’t follow the rules while playing board games.  This really depends on who I’m playing with.  Some people really hate it when you cheat.  Imagine that?!
20. I’m fine with other people making last-minute changes to plans.  No.  I actually hate it!  HATE it!

So, then you add up how many evens and how many odds you have.

Evens (right-brained): 8

Odds (left-brained): 1

So, yeah.  I am right-brained.  Here are some examples of the craziness of the mess on my desk and walls at school.

I like to post important papers on my wall.

Then, the article gives you ideas on how to organize different things in your life according to your left or right-brainedness.

For a left-brainer, you should do this for your jewelry.  This looks exactly like my roommate Mandy’s jewelry.  Seriously.

She is completely left-brained, while I am right.

But what I find funny is that I am totally left-brained in some things.  At the beginning of every term, I have all my copies done.  I am planned out to the end of the year.  That is why the staff at my school think I am so “organized.”

For right-brainers, they recommend keeping memento’s on a tack board, like this.

I quite like this.  It makes me happy.  It makes me happy to be able to see everything at once.

I like being right-brained.  I like the craziness and silliness of it all.  I like having my things around me where I can see them.  I know it drives some people crazy, but oh well.  Not all of us can be alike.

And my right-brain-ness is definitely a non-Stepfordism that I have.  Most children from Stepford are hard-wired to be left-brained.