I always spend too much when shopping

So, as we all know, my refrigerator died. Now, I know in ancient days people survived without fridges, but I'm in modern days. I don't hunt my food and eat it the same day. And I enjoy my Fanta Zero Orange cold. So, the quest went on to find a fridge.

Side note: My really awesomely hot boyfriend said he thought he knew what the broken piece was and he'd fix my existing fridge. I decided there was no guarantee it would work, and this puts me with one less purchase when I redo my kitchen at some point in the future.

So, I went shopping around.

I've decided I hate shopping around. But, the first place on my list was HH Gregg. My chiropractor suggested I go there. Dude there was very friendly and "guaranteed" I wouldn't find a better price around. Of course, I never believe that line, so I still shopped around (besides, I didn't have the money in my account and I wasn't going to open another credit account). He also saw me eyeing the washers and dryers. I've wanted a new set for a while. Front loader -- simply because my comforter doesn't fit in my current washer. He said he'd give me an AWESOME deal if I bought all three.

Shopping around at Bestus Buyus and Sears proved mostly pointless. Neither had associates that really cared to help. Bestus Buyus had the best rates for delivery @ $30 (HH Gregg claims it must have been a special I stumbled upon). I laughed at Sears when they said $45 delivery -- then add $20 for weekend delivery -- then add $10 to take the broken fridge away. (For the record, HH Gregg was $70)

I decided to go to HH Gregg and make said purchase. And I went in with a budget that if dude could really meet, I would purchase all three with him, if not, it was just the fridge. He entered all the numbers in the system for Suggested Retail Price and I'm like "uh, dude, DEFINITELY no." -- then he made adjustments, basically giving me the extended warranties for free. Brought it down some. I was a little iffy, so I started moving things around. (I almost felt like one of those "find the ball" people shifting things around... I don't want this, I want this, there's a sign that says this...) -- in the end, I got the extended warranties (on all but the dryer, but I may go back and get that later), and the washer / dryer stands for free, and I got a nice chunk off the prices. I don't know how we came down to the number that ended up, but I'm not arguing! It was slightly over my budget, but I REALLY wanted the washer / dryer, so I went for it.

I get them delivered this afternoon. I'll be thrilled because my comforter REALLY needs to be washed. I had been planning on trying to get it to a laundromat, but kept running out of time. I can't wait, I'm excited!

More into my personality (at least what the tests say)

Since everyone else seems to be doing these Myers-Briggs tests, I figured I would, too.

Now, I'm frightened.

I'm an ISTJ (which is different from my INFJ when I was a freshman in college).

Here's what it says about ISTJs:

ISTJs are often called inspectors. They have a keen sense of right and wrong, especially in their area of interest and/or responsibility. They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ. The secretary, clerk, or business(wo)man by whom others set their clocks is likely to be an ISTJ.

As do other Introverted Thinkers, ISTJs often give the initial impression of being aloof and perhaps somewhat cold. Effusive expression of emotional warmth is not something that ISTJs do without considerable energy loss.

ISTJs are most at home with "just the facts, Ma'am." They seem to perform at highest efficiency when employing a step-by-step approach. Once a new procedure has proven itself (i.e., has been shown "to work,") the ISTJ can be depended upon to carry it through, even at the expense of their own health.

ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don't mince words. Truth wins out over tact. The grim determination of the ISTJ vindicates itself in officiation of sports events, judiciary functions, or an other situation which requires making tough calls and sticking to them.

His SJ orientation draws the ISTJ into the service of established institutions. Home, social clubs, government, schools, the military, churches -- these are the bastions of the SJ. "We've always done it this way" is often reason enough for many ISTJs. Threats to time-honored traditions or established organizations (e.g., a "run" on the bank) are the undoing of SJs, and are to be fought at all costs.

Functional Analysis

Introverted Sensing
Si is oriented toward the world of forms, essences, generics. Time is such a form, a quantifiable essense of exactitude, the standard to which external events are held. For both of the IS_J types, the sense of propriety comes from the clear definition of these internal forms. An apple "should" have certain qualities, against which all apples are evaluated. A "proper" chair has four legs, (and other qualities this poor INTP can only guess). Jung viewed introverted sensing as something of an oxymoron, in that the natural direction of senses is outward toward the object, rather than inward and away from it. One has the sense that Introverted Sensors are drawn more to the measure of the concept of the perceived object than to the experience of that perception.

Extraverted Thinking
The moderation of the Te function serves to socialize the expression of these forms. When the Si function is ready to relinquish the data, Te may speak. Otherwise, silence is golden. ISTJs seem to have a few favorite forms (the tried and true) which may serve for most occasions. My ISTJ dad woke me every morning with the same phrase for more years than I care to remember. Asked, "How are you?" he answered with the same stock phrase. ("As well as my age and habits will permit" was used for about two decades.) "It's a good form, a sound form--it's the form for me."

Introverted Feeling
Since Fi is turned inward, it is rarely expressed. Perhaps this enables the ISTJ to resolutely accept that "we are all doomed." When told that Lazarus had died, Thomas said, "Let us go and die with him." (He could just as well have said something like, "I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later.") Only in times of great distress is the Introverted Feeling expressed (as I witnessed in my dad when a neighbor's son was killed in a hunting accident). Otherwise, feeling is inferred, or expressed nonverbally, through eye contact, or an encouraging smile.

Extraverted iNtuition
The Ne function of an ISTJ does not serve her very well. It needs a lot of help. She was surprised, for example, to find that someone she had talked with only by phone had red hair, because she "didn't usually like" people with red hair! This inferior Ne seems to be a major source of, and a natural breeding ground for, stereotypes. Failure of the banking system is but one bogeyman which arises from the fear which feeds on the ISTJ's mistrust of real world possibilities. The shadow inhabiting the inferior Ne strikes at the precious forms and standards in the heart of the dominant Si function.

Kinda weird.

And it's a little weird to see the famous INTJ's out there:

Famous ISTJs:
Thomas (Christ's disciple)
U.S. Presidents:
George Washington
Andrew Johnson
Benjamin Harrison
Herbert Hoover
George H. W. Bush
Paul Coverdale (U.S. Senator, R-GA)
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (U.S. Olympic athlete)
Evander Holyfield, heavyweight boxing champion

Fictional ISTJs:
Joe Friday
Mr. Martin (hero of James Thurber's Sitting in the Catbird Seat)
Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh)
Fred Mertz (I Love Lucy)
Puddleglum, the marshwiggle (Chronicles of Narnia)
Cliff (Cheers)

I love being associated with Eeyore!

Now, let's talk about careers:

Avionics (I'm not going to fly)
TV-Radio Technician (oohh... geeky)
Electronics Technician (More geeky)
Mechanics/Automotive Repair (But, it's way too dirty for my taste)
Truck and Bus Driver (Yeah... no)
Military Training (A little of the personality, but I'm not putting myself in harms way)
Police (Yeah... not so much)
Administrative Management (What exactly is that?)
Accounting (Yeah.... NO!)

So, I guess they're not all right.

Of course, there's my Kingdomality:

Your distinct personality, The Dreamer-Minstrel might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. You can always see the "Silver Lining" to every dark and dreary cloud. Look at the bright side is your motto and understanding why everything happens for the best is your goal. You are the positive optimist of the world who provides the hope for all humankind. There is nothing so terrible that you can not find some good within it. On the positive side, you are spontaneous, charismatic, idealistic and empathic. On the negative side, you may be a sentimental dreamer who is emotionally impractical. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.

I love that one!

It died.

I get a request last night to put a glass in the freezer. I oblige and think "something's not exactly right here." But don't really think anything further.

A few minutes later I think "Well, if he wants a frozen glass, maybe he wants ice. I don't have any ice right now, so let me put a container in the freezer and make some ice."

I open the freezer up again and realize something's horribly wrong.

I open the fridge part and see that the magic light is on.

Touch something in the freezer. It's thawed out totally through.

That's right, the fridge I got for free from the Leasing Wench was no longer working.

Since I'm dating someone wonderfully handy, when he got to my place, he decided he wanted to take a look at it. He did something and got the compressor to come back on, so it's working right now. But the little bit of food I had in the freezer is kaput.

I had hoped that the free fridge would last me until I redid my kitchen so I could buy it all together. Apparently not. Sometime this week I'm going to have to find time to find a fridge I like (that I'll have to build a kitchen around).

Any suggestions?

That ungrateful bastard!

Ok, he's an ungrateful b**st*rd!

So, when I was first approached by my former roommate to ask if I could help him move his crap, I told him only if my sweetie didn't spend the night that Friday night (I'll let y'all use your imagination). On the same day I sent this email, he asked "is dude spending the night Friday?"

I informed him that he was planning on going to Columbus to visit his 'rents. He then begged for my help. Thursday or Friday, he added in "We can do it in the evening. I am at your mercy, I need to be moved."

Now, I know we decided I didn't have to be nice and help him at all (something about UHaul), but I decided to be evil and nice at the same time. Friday as I was departing, I txt'd him and said I'd help him right then. (Last I knew "at your mercy" meant "whenever you're free", right?) My logic was "Since I'm downtown, I'm already mostly wherever he lives, and it'd save me some gas in the event I help him."

He replies that he can't do it right then, and adds that he got his bed moved and he only needed help for the desk.

So, my issues with it all were first, "he was at my mercy" yet when I offered, he didn't take me up on it, and secondly, he got the queen sized bed moved, so he should be able to get the desk moved. I then decided I had plans on Saturday as a reason I couldn't help him.

But, I got a better loop-hole!

My sweetie spent the night Friday night. (see above comment)

But, seriously. If I "was desperate" and needed help with something and said I was at someone else's mercy, it could be 3am and if they called and said they were available to do what I needed, I'd take them up on it in a heartbeat!

...ungrateful b*st**d! I'm never thinking of offering my help to him again.