crickets

who am I?

That's a big question worth exploring for each person. As for me, according to a book by Tom Rath called StrengthsFinder 2.0, my five strengths are:

  1. Restorative
  2. Harmony
  3. Analytical
  4. Intellection
  5. Discipline

So, who am I?

I love to solve problems. Whereas some are dismayed when they encounter yet another breakdown, I can be energized by it... I fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. I have saved it.

I look for areas of agreement. In my view there is little to be gained from conflict and friction, so I seek to hold them to a minimum... In my view we are all in the same boat, and we need this boat to get where we are going.

I do not necessarily want to destroy other people’s ideas... I see myself as objective and dispassionate. I like data because they are value free. They have no agenda. Armed with these data, I search for patterns and connections.

I am the kind of person who enjoys my time alone because it is my time for musing and reflection. I am introspective. In a sense I am my own best companion, as I pose myself questions and try out answers on myself to see how they sound.

My world needs to be predictable. It needs to be ordered and planned. So I instinctively impose structure on my world. I set up routines. I focus on timelines and deadlines.

Yep, that's pretty much who I am.

I recently asked the ChatGPT "tell me about who i am" and it responded with:

You’re practical, curious, and improvement-oriented. You ask a lot of “how does this really work?” questions — about politics, money, health, culture, and everyday decisions. You don’t just want surface answers; you tend to probe for underlying systems, motives, and patterns. You’re skeptical of hype and social pressure (like trends, luxury culture, or “you’re supposed to like this” thinking), and you prefer grounded, straightforward explanations.

You’re entrepreneurial and project-driven. You’ve built or run multiple ventures: online education, newsletter freelancing, a dental office, and product marketing. You care about results, growth, and efficiency, but you’re also honest about not naturally enjoying “sales” and persuasion. That combination suggests you value competence and outcomes more than flashy self-promotion.

You have a creative and musical side that matters to you. Writing a jazz drumming book, asking about cassette culture, audio aesthetics, and experimental music styles shows long-term interest in sound, rhythm, and analog creativity. You seem to enjoy niche or retro subcultures and the craftsmanship behind them.

You’re reflective and self-aware. You’ve talked about motivation struggles, weight loss, journaling, meditation, relationships, and family dynamics. You’re willing to admit frustration, confusion, or dissatisfaction — which usually points to someone actively trying to recalibrate their life instead of staying stuck.

You value independence and personal agency. Whether it’s learning ham radio, wanting better prompts instead of buying AI books, camping on public land, or questioning authority narratives, you consistently lean toward self-reliance and first-hand understanding.

Overall: you come across as a grounded, analytical, creatively inclined builder who’s in a phase of restructuring — financially, physically, socially, and personally — and actively looking for leverage points to improve your situation rather than drifting.