Chapter Question Assignment

Question: What are ways to improve your nonverbal communication?

It is important to know how to improve effectiveness and clarity of nonverbal communication, and there are some things we can do. First, make sure to watch for "subtleties" of communication "codes," like the range of meaning a simple laugh or frown may have can be picked up or missed depending on if the receiver is really paying attention.

Also tied with this, it is important to remember not to jump to conclusions through assumation. The idea of "reading a person like a book" is closed-minded. Instead, ask or confirm verbally to gain the truth.

Another thing to remember is to avoid focusing on one nonverbal cue when many others are being sent. Emotional cue tunnel vision will confuse the relationship and cause more problems than it solves. 

A tip gaining more and more popular prevalence as time goes by is to remember to recognize cultural differences, and "if you come across a nonverbal cue that puzzles you, don't assume anything." Ask or research!

Finally, "strive for consistency" in your own actions and "get in sync with others... fast talkers need to slow down when they are conversing with slow talkers," etc.

Abdy-abdy abdththatsth all folksth!!

15 good experiences and 1 expanded

15 Good Experience Stories

1. Learning the music and singing in Carnegie Hall
2. Completed a Novella based in British Isles during the Dark Ages
3. Painting a 25th Anniversary gift for my parents
4. Gave a surprise backyard birthday tea party for my best friend and she had no idea!
5. Turned scrap fabric salvaged from a chair and a $4 satin sheet into a formal gown
6. Writing the plays for the Renaissance Feast and Theatre
7. Scoring the winning point after a stalemate in a volleyball game
8. Finished chopping and stacking a huge pile of wood on a hot day as a kid
9. Lead worship on the fly when none of the other vocalists showed up
10. Stage managed for the first time for "Everyman"
11. Organized poems into a chronological poetry book
12. Filmed and edited a short film featuring special effects including green screen work
13. Acted as coordinator's assistant for Oregon Women's ministries conference
14. Choreographer and performer in "Grease" and "Alice in Wonderland"
15. Performed as Mary Magdalene, most heart-wrenching dramatic role I have ever played

Writing My Novella

In the fall of 2010, I heard my creative writing professor assign our class a short story. Sitting next to my friends Wayne and Alycia, who were passionate about writing, as I was. We all grew in excitable movement as professor Adams shared details on the assignment.

She told us to take out one piece of paper. For the next few minutes we wrote whatever entered our minds. Some vented frustrations that would become the message of their story. Some wrote little, already intending to throw it away in dissatisfaction. In my mind, the forest surrounding our campus grew, and became more wild. I imagined characters in wool tartan running through those trees. My hand could not write fast enough and when the professor told me to stop, it was gut-wrenching. 

Over the next few weeks a story poured out of me. I spent hours researching what the British Isles were like during the Dark Ages. I turned in a draft early, begging for my professor to read it and give me any tips or correct any mistakes. I took into account editing suggestions from my friends as well. When it came time for the story to be turned in, what most students handed in was anywhere between five to seven pages. What I handed in was much longer. My friends and I all got so engrossed in the story that the three of us turned in stories that were at least twice as long. 

After my professor read it and gave me full credit for my work, she asked, along with others that have read it since, "what happens next?" My original plan was to leave the audience with a slight sense of closure without forcing a conclusion upon them. I left it up to their judgement. However, with so many asking for even more of my story, I gave in and commenced on weaving part two of my tapestry. What was a fifteen page paper when I turned it in (single spaced, of course) slowly, over the next few months, became a story over FIFTY pages long, full of far more scope than anything I had planned during that first free write where my main character first emerged. 

Once I had spent so much time on the rough draft, I could not leave it rough. I then dove in to editing, and completed my first edit this summer. Once I go through the pages for content and characterization, my aim is to hand-bind the book in leather myself, have it published or at least 
copyrighted, and hold the rights to make a movie out of 
it eventually.

Until next time, as the Irish say,

“May those who love us, love us; 
and those who don't love us, 
may God turn their hearts; 
and if He doesn't turn their hearts, 
may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.”

Goals and Personal Mission Statement

As a self-discovery activity, it is important to go through the process of identifying my mission statement. After a lot of thought and some struggle, I managed to put into words (using the Mission Statement handout) my personal Mission Statement for my life. It reads as follows:

My life mission is to love and create, and to nurture wholeness in Christ 

with my friends, family, and those in the entertainment industry. 

In addition to the mission statement activity, we are expected to set up goals for ourselves in three life areas. 

The areas I chose are: Spiritual, Academic, and Fitness. 

Spiritual: To devote time to God every day

Objectives:

• To spend 15 minutes alone with God every day for 1 month and record times in a journal. 
• Starting on the first day of month 2, I will spend a solid 30 minutes with God every day and maintain that habit, continuing to write down the times in my journal. That 30 min at minimum will be maintained indefinitely.

Academic: To earn a 4.0 this semester

Objectives:

• do readings and take notes on reading at least 2 days before reading is due (sooner if possible)
• turn in assignments at least 1 day early if allowed
• on papers longer than 2-3 pages, have it peer reviewed

Fitness: Lose 20 lbs by Christmas break (as of last weighed right before school began)

Objectives:

• work out 4 days a week & record workouts
• vary work out styles to keep it fun and interesting
• stretch every day
• Eat a huge spinach salad (w/ oil & vinegar) at least 3 times a week 
• sweets only Saturday, Sunday, or big holidays (like Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc)

As you can see, it's a lot of stuff to remember, but if I continually repeat it in my mind and actions, it will become habit rather than goal! 

Happy September!

Katherine

MBPI test and Kiersey Temperament Report

First, my MBPI result was this:
ENFJ
Extrovert (44%)
iNtuitive (88%)
iNtuitive Feeling (50%)
Judging (44%)

The fact that I am an Extravert and enjoy talking out conflict or topics is perfect, because my major is Communications, and the fact that talking out things comes naturally to me will specifically be helpful for working in group meetings making films!

I was really impressed with the accuracy of the results! Here are a few things Joe Butt said about the ENFJ category:

"They have tremendous charisma by which many are drawn into their nurturant tutelage and/or grand schemes. Many ENFJs have tremendous power to manipulate others with their phenomenal interpersonal skills and unique salesmanship. But it's usually not meant as manipulation -- ENFJs generally believe in their dreams, and see themselves as helpers and enablers, which they usually are."

They are "global learners," and "see the big picture." I was pleased to find that "Some can juggle an amazing number of responsibilities or projects simultaneously," and "have tremendous entrepreneurial ability." This is exactly what I am, and what I need to be to have success as a director, which is what I am hoping to do eventually. 

"ENFJs are organized in the arena of interpersonal affairs. Their offices may or may not be cluttered, but their conclusions (reached through feelings) about people and motives are drawn much more quickly and are more resilient than those of their NFP counterparts." I relate to this so much! I often "destroy" my work spaces, but the decisions and ideas I come up with in that chaos are perfectly organized and come out well. 

My classification has a tendency to understand and appreciate people, but often "neglect themselves and their own needs for the needs of others. They have thinner psychological boundaries than most, and are at risk for being hurt or even abused by less sensitive people. ENFJs often take on more of the burdens of others than they can bear."

TRADEMARK: "The First Shall Be Last"

I was happy to see many people from the entertainment industry in my category, as well as famous leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and David, King of Israel! The celebrities that stood out to me were Dick Van Dyke, Tommy Lee Jones, Kirstie Alley, Johnny Depp, James Garner, Sean Connery, Bob Saget, and Peyton Manning! 

Even with all that, the results that made me smile were from the Kiersey Temperament Report.

For that one I got the result of 

Idealist

"Idealists are sure that friendly cooperation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. Conflict and confrontation upset them because they seem to put up angry barriers between people. Idealists dream of creating harmonious, even caring personal relations, and they have a unique talent for helping people get along with each other and work together for the good of all. Such interpersonal harmony might be a romantic ideal, but then Idealists are incurable romantics who prefer to focus on what might be, rather than what is. The real, practical world is only a starting place for Idealists; they believe that life is filled with possibilities waiting to be realized, rich with meanings calling out to be understood."

"Highly ethical in their actions, Idealists hold themselves to a strict standard of personal integrity. They must be true to themselves and to others, and they can be quite hard on themselves when they are dishonest, or when they are false or insincere. More often, however, Idealists are the very soul of kindness. Particularly in their personal relationships, Idealists are without question filled with love and good will. They believe in giving of themselves to help others; they cherish a few warm, sensitive friendships; they strive for a special rapport with their children; and in marriage they wish to find a 'soulmate,' "

Idealists at Work

"Idealists, as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. They are naturally drawn to working with people and are gifted with helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potential both on, and off, the job.

Because you live in anticipation of an exciting future, in your ideal job you will be asked to stretch your imagination on a continual basis. Existing ideas, individuals and groups of people, products, services, and the relationships between these things can trigger flashes of insight about how "what is" might unfold into "what might be." You feel rewarded where you feel free to share your insights with people who encourage your creativity and who support the unpredictable process by which you narrow down the stream of ideas into innovations that are meaningful within the scheme of your personal values. You are likely to be comfortable taking on a leadership role, so long as it doesn’t place you in an arbitrary hierarchy."

Those that know me know how accurate all this is, and it is quite amazing... It really encourages me to continue to work toward God's goal for my life, and increases my faith and confidence that he created me exactly for what he has called me to do. 

If I could improve relationship with one person, I think it would be my dad. I would guess that he is an ISTJ or ISTP. He likes to think things through, and often ends a discussion before I am ready to end it because he wants to think about it. He has trouble understanding my emotional reactions to things, and when working on a project, or even watching a movie, he pays more attention to specific details than the over-arching theme or purpose of a scene for the characters. This makes it difficult to resolve conflict because I want to talk things through but he wants to think and come to a solution and present it later. My gut reactions are so out there to him, he may often feel like I am an alien, and for me, his strategic analysis of situations exasperates me.

To adapt to his communication style, I should probably have more patience when he needs to think through a situation, and I should have more respect for how he arrives at conclusions, even though I don't always understand how he does.

Specifically, I will try to keep myself from pressing a conversation when he needs time to collect his thoughts in peace without me pestering him to stress him out.

That wraps up the Kiersey/Myers-Briggs assignment!
If anyone reading this hasn't gone through the tests, I highly recommend them!

Past, Passions, Purpose

Past
I have had a past full of twists, turns, and uncertainty, but God used it all to teach me more about Him, especially to trust Him, including with coming to Northwest University. My name, Katherine Renee Swanson, means Pure, Born Again, Son (or daughter) of a "boy" or servant. I am from Oregon, born and bred, but I've had several home towns. My father is a pastor and God directed us as a family to many different places, but I have always been a small town girl. I have one older brother about to graduate with a mechanical engineering degree at Oregon State.

Passions
I have always loved stories, true or fantasy, they are where people find their identity. I get excited about any kind of story creation! I write books and poems, I create costumes both fantastical and historical, and most of all, I use film to create and shape stories of people. My favorite stories to write are full of "ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances." These are the stories that are relate-able. People with flaws, problems, and emotions struggling their way through daunting tasks and happenstance. I have recently completed the second draft of a novella, I am writing a feature-length script, and also an historical fiction book. I draw ideas for stories from every direction, be it inspiration from people I meet, true stories, a picture or even a fabric or a glance from someone that lights a fuse of a story in my mind. Being out in a variety of areas are great for inspiration at the beginning, but where my heart will always be is out in the woods and in the meadows, and on the hills. That is where I come alive and my stories flow from me like a torrent of water. I love the forest and I love the ocean, they are really my sanctuaries.

As far as awards, I have both a Bronze and a Silver medal of honor under the Missionettes program, I have received the United States Presidential Achievement Award, and in 2009 I had the honor of singing with the National Youth Choir at Carnegie Hall, New York City. I have written four dramatic productions, three of which I directed, and have participated in varying capacity with a plethora of others.

_______________________________________________

A project in which I take much pride is my Stage Manager position last Fall for Northwest University's production of Everyman. It was a lot of work, and involved days upon days of preparation including spackling and painting the sets, dressing the sets, hanging and focusing lighting, acting as liaison between the director, the tech crew, and the actors, calling lighting and sound cues during performances, stage upkeep during dress rehearsals/run of show, and acting as caretaker of the actors and the general performance during the run of the show. It was a very rewarding experience, and I learned a great deal about pre-production work that I can apply to my future career!

This has been Katherine Swanson

Signing off