The New Job: Tech Support

Wow, has life been busy!  A month ago was my last day at Walmart as an Optician (yes, I can fix your glasses, and no I didn't do eye exams - that's the Optometrist!) and a few days later started my new job at a local Internet Service Provider (ISP).  So far it's a great job, and one that I'm naturally good at.  During the same time, as I was transitioning between jobs, my wife was weaning our daughter which was its own adventure - one that I just won't get into.

So what am I doing exactly?  Well I do technical support.  Essentially I'm the guy who fixes your internet when you call in saying that your internet is slow or down.  (Occasionally I help out the customer service representatives by taking payments from customers too, but that's not exactly exciting.)  The exciting part of every day is helping people get their internet up and running.  This involves listening to the problem being described by the customer and then diagnosing the root of the problem by running tests and assembling stats on what's happening.  Sometimes I do have to escalate some issues to be handled by another department, but that's in extreme cases.

It's not always busy at the office which has a geeky ambiance that I enjoy.  It has all the markings of my dream job.  Alright, alright so what don't I like about the job?  Well, to be honest there's nothing I like less than any other part.  I mean, it's work.  However, the people I work with really have a sincere focus on team work and an emphasis on supporting each other.  It's also an environment where everyone is highly encouraged to learn something new every day regardless of whether or not you're in technical support or accounting.  It's just an all around great place to work!

Given that one of my goals is to get in to IT or programming, this is a great first step.  The best part is that I can already see that my simple entry level position is not the end of the line for me.  There's room to move up.  And you know what else?  I'm encouraged to move up if I want to.  This is a company where if you're good and what you do, then results will usually follow.

It's really a great opportunity to expand upon my skill set.  And the absolute best part is that I have a regular schedule.  That makes all the difference.  I think the sacrifice I made taking a pay cut to accept this position has opened a door to me, and I'm happy I walked through.

However, I'm not naive.  I know there are going to be tough days.  I know there are going to be days I wish I hadn't shown up to work.  There are going to be days where things are overwhelming, and maybe things just aren't working right and tickets get back logged.  This isn't any different from any other job.  The difference is that in this job I think I'm going to have a good experience during the tough times because I know I have the support of my coworkers and supervisor who want to see me be my best.

Contra Sede Vacante

There is an unfortunate phenomenon on social media.  A movement full of vitriol, relentless trolling, antisemitic and other racial slurs, and just plain ignorance of actual Catholic teaching.  I am speaking here of sedevacantism.  What exactly is sedevacantism?

Sedevacantism is the belief that, at very least since 1958--upon the death of Pope Pius XII--that every Pontiff of the Catholic Church has been, and is, an "antipope."  However this is the tip of the iceberg.  There are as many different versions of sedevacantism as there are sedevacantists!  There are some I have encountered who claim that Pope Pius XII was a heretic and therefore an anti-pope.  Still there are even those whom claim that we may not have had a valid Pontiff since Pope Pius IX.  As mentioned prior, there are as many versions of sedevacantism as there are sedevacantists.  In a word, adherents to sedevacantes position are divided over what constitutes a valid Pontiff, and with most of them claiming to be laypersons of the Catholic Church it is very easy to see that they have read a handful of erroneous propaganda and have developed a disordered point of view of the Church.

Similar to them, and just as problematic, are the conclavists, however I will not address them at this juncture.  I should now address a brief history of sedevacantism as far as it relates to our modern history.  I will show the brief history vis a vis the crazed time frame that occurred after the Second Vatican Council (hereafter Vatican II).

It all began when nine Priests, now formerly of the Society of St. Pius X, brought up objections to the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre during the late 1970s.  The controversial Archbishop was having difficulty among many prelates within the Church, however was still allowed to teach and form those Seminarians who desired to be taught by him.  The nine Priests objected to Abp. Lefebvre maintaining not only ties with the Vatican but also fidelity to Pope Paul VI who was the Supreme Pontiff (e.g. the Pope) until 1977.  Abp. Lefebvre maintained that as he was a Bishop of the Catholic Church, as he had sworn fidelity to the Holy Father when we was consecrated a Bishop, and would continue to do so.  This did not sit very well with these nine Priests and so they began teaching those under them to resist the instructions of Abp. Lefebvre.  Circa 1983 the late Archbishop expelled those nine Priests, who in turn took with them their own students, some of whom waited to be ordained by Abp. Lefebvre prior to leaving the SSPX.  Those who left, or were expelled, formed together to found the schismatic Society of St. Pius V (SSPV).  Thus sedevacantism is a split from the Church.

In my personal point of view these nine Priest committed an act of schism by refusing the guidance of their superior and therefore the Church.  Their schism de facto cut them off from communion with the Church, and therefore they cannot be considered Catholic.

Let us flash forward 36 years.  What began as nine Priests acting in disobedience has spiraled into several splinter groups.  It could be argued that SSPX did not seem traditional enough, and so the sedevacantists severed ties with Rome; similar to how Martin Luther did in 1517 when he thought that the Church could not meet his personal standards.  From SSPV there are others who split because SSPV was not traditional enough because they held that Pius XII was a valid Pontiff.  This spiral continues similar to how John Calvin thought that Luther was too Catholic and promulgated his own brand of bad theology that one is predestined to Heaven or Hell arbitrarily because somehow the mercy of God is void and favoritism is the name of the game.

Today there exists sedevacantists who claim to be from a Catholic monastery in New York state.  These effectively are taught that SSPX, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS), and other communities that use exclusively the liturgical books of 1962 are not Catholic and say invalid Masses.  This of course is not true!  One can observe from their style of ad hominem attacks, quoting of obscure situations from the recesses of Church history, and at times even antisemitic stances that they are only interested in one thing: showing how their version of Jesus is better than the next person's, and so on.  I have seen this before in the vitriol preached from the pulpits of some protestant sects who claim wrongly the usual objections of the Catholic faith (i.e. the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints, the Pope, the Eucharist, etc.).  So one can ask themselves, "How are sedevacantists different from mainstream Protestants?"  The short answer is that they are no different, and in some ways just as extremist as the Westboro Baptist Church.

But cannot their arguments be verified?  This is where it can be easy to get wrapped up in their arguments and be fooled into thinking that they're correct in their position.  Recently, in a discussion I was having with a sedevacantist I proposed that Christ promised that "the gates of the Hell shall not prevail" (Matthew 16:18) against the Church.  In response I was given the counter argument, citing Pope St. Leo IX as the source, "The holy Church built upon a rock, that is Christ, and upon Peter... because by the gates of Hell, that is, by the disputations of heretics which lead the vain to destruction, it would never be overcome." Taken at face value this would seem to indicate that when a Pontiff states something that is contrary to what the Church has always taught that it immediately invalidates the Papacy and the one who is Pope fails to be the Pope.

In the same conversation it was claimed that I am "rejecting Christ's words that the gates of hell will never prevail because [I am] effectively saying that the 'gates of hell' are sitting at the VERY TOP of His Church." This is an absurd take, because it essentially states that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has no power to protect His Church against Her very Bishops and Pontiff! That is as the first Pope, St. Peter, defines in his second epistle (letter) as a "personal interpretation." (2 Peter 1:16-20) I could give more examples, but we would be here all day.

What is contained in the very eloquently stated arguments and talking points is something nefarious. Hiding beneath the facade of appearances of zealous devotion to the Church and Her teaching are superfluous arguments, circular logic, and a twisting of what the Church teaches to satisfy a hidden desire to deceive all who are unprepared into believing that they are correct. For any who do not know their faith well enough they will be easily taken into the charm of their claims. Simply put their claims address the overwhelming crisis in the Church by manipulating the emotions of those who at the moment, and for good reason, feel that the Church is falling apart. And what an opportunity the sedevacantists have chosen. That they have chosen to capitalize on the crisis in the Church by taking to social media to promote their deception is the only thing I can say is a point in their favor.

What makes sedevacantism so appealing is that it appears to solve a crisis in the Church. But at what cost? Accepting the sedevacantist position means falling into a similar error that unfortunately many who took and ran with the so-called "spirit of Vatican II" fell.

Ultramontanism is the error that everything that falls from the mouth of the Pope is infallible and therefore to be taken, believed, and acted upon with immediate effect. This is not true. The First Vatican Council discussed Papal infallibility in these words, "For the Holy Ghost was promised to the successors of Peter not so that they might, by his revelation, make known some new doctrine, but that, by his assistance, they might religiously guard and faithfully expound the revelation of the deposit of faith transmitted by the Apostles." From this we know that the infallibility of the Pope is only when speaking of faith and morals. It is well worth it to research, in depth, the documents of Vatican I because in no way does it make out the Pope to be some sort of super king with a hyper infallibility. Yet this is what both sedevacantists and some who adhere to the craziness of the 1970s "spirit of Vatican II" conflate Papal infallibility to mean, which is contrary to Vatican I!

To conclude, the problem with sedevacantism goes much deeper than one can write about in brief. Sedevacantism is a misappropriation of Church teaching and is therefore a true poison to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Once you have backed them into a corner, and they run out of arguments, they return ad hominem attacks, and if you're Catholic claim that you are excommunicated. These "excommunications" are not valid, nor should they ever be treated with more than a good laugh, since only a Bishop (including the Pope) can excommunicate someone, so really it just takes on the appearance of an overzealous "citizen arrest" situation that just goes to further demonstrate that truly, no matter what they claim, they are just as knowledgeable about what the Catholic Church actually teaches as someone who listens to a protestant pastor drone on about the alleged heresies of the Roman Catholic Church.

Family Day

Now that I have a family some things have become more important - specifically spending time with my wife and daughter in a non distracting environment.  I say non distracting, because it would seem that in the world that I'm raising my daughter in is not lacking in distractions.  If it's not concerns with work and what immediately lies ahead on the daily agenda, then it's technology.  Interestingly, those who know me would be confused at this point.  Technology?  Really?  The self described technophile is concerned that technology is a distraction?  Well c'mon, I'm not naive!  As much as I enjoy working with and learning about and using current tech trends I'm also equivocally vigilant about how much of my life is spent basking in the warm, inviting glow of my phone, tablet, or laptop.  (As an aside, I make every effort not to abuse tech, however that's a discussion for a later time.)

I'm finding myself increasingly aware of the fact that it would be the best thing for my family if I'm not constantly checking social media, reading the news, drafting a new blog post, catching up on the latest research in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), or just aimlessly browsing until I land somewhere interesting.  After a lot of reflection on every pro and con and measuring how much time I really spend using such frivolous things as social media I've come to a simple conclusion:  It's time to set aside an entire day where I don't engage with tech - at very least keep it to a practical minimum.  Of course, in practice this can be complicated.  Look around you and it cannot be more clear: technology is used every day by every person.  This is why being practical about tech is just that much more imperative.  So, just like every goal I've ever set (I'll admit some goals I've set are more practical than others) I have to establish the ground rules, so as the Joker is quoted as saying in Batman: The Dark Knight: "So, here we go..."

1. No checking social media!  That witty response, meme, or group chat?  That can probably wait until the next day.  If it's the family group chat, that's allowed, because... it's family day.
2. The computer stays off!  My internet browser, while good at showing my email, agenda, and to-do list is also a temptation to sit for a while and stare at my social media feed (if I have nothing else to do).  That time spent staring and gawking at society's "epic fails" or shortcomings could actually be spent with family.
3. Phone calls and text messages are allowed, because it could be my boss trying to get a hold of me due to an emergency at work, or maybe a friend needs something urgent.

As I made clear the idea is to minimize my engagement with tech by taking one day out of the week and shifting my focus to something else.  I foresee actually being able to eventually sit down and a couple books that I haven't picked up in a while (books that I'd really like to dive back into!).  I could also see the time spent with family turn into breaking out a board game or even going for a walk (spring is coming soon... I hope!).  The end goal is to make a purposeful effort to give my family the time it very much deserves.  As far as what day that is?  Well, that's easy:  Sunday!

What I'd like to do is also encourage you to try the same.  (No, your family day doesn't need to be on Sunday, that's just what I've chosen.)  Don't try to just give up technology, as that would actually be impractical, and typically those who completely cut the cord with tech usually come off as conspiracy theorists who have a unfounded paranoid opinion linking the government and "Big Tech" as somehow trying to enslave the human race, or some other garbage.

What I'm encouraging here is a chance to take one day a week and do something fun that doesn't have to include technology.  All the advancements in technology are great and totally worth while, and often times extremely helpful, but we have to remember that just like a hammer, a car, or a pocket knife these are merely tools.  Sometimes, even your favorite tool is also allowed to have a day to rest from use.

Why I Love Google

Source

So, it was pointed out recently that I have an apparent "fan boy" lean towards Google.  I'll admit, I bring up Google a lot when talking about tech, and the latest trends.  Over the long haul since the day I first opened my Gmail (and before that when they were my exclusive go to for searches) I've found their products easily integrated into my day-to-day life. 

What's great is that from one email address I have so many services and options to choose, or not to choose, from.  This means that I'm not constantly creating logins for everything, which cuts down on time logging into to services that I use regularly.  This of course means that while I'm checking my email, calendar, and even blogging (yes, Blogger is part of Google!) all that time I save by logging in once is time that can now be given to productivity - getting things done!

But is that all there is for my existence on Google's servers?  There's actually quite a long list of available services to Google users.

Gmail, Contacts, Blogger, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drive, Hangouts, Keep, Voice, YouTube, Sites, Groups, Maps, Photos, Play Music, Messages for Web, and Arts & Culture

The above list - I'm sure - is just a sliver of what's available from Google if you have a gmail.  Much more if you're a business or educational facility that uses GSuite.

Best of all the services I use on a daily basis is the Google Assistant.  Saying the hot phrase "Hey Google," followed by a command such as, "what's on my agenda today?" or "what time does Starbucks close?" yields results that make it easy to find the information you need.  Apple's Siri (yes I have an iPod and tested Siri for myself) just doesn't compare.

The focus of every product from Google is productivity.  This proved especially helpful during my time in academia.  Saving something to my Google Drive proved useful for backup if I needed to pull something up on campus and didn't have time to open my laptop and plug in my USB drive.  Best of all, since my professors required projects/assignments to be submitted in *.docx, *.xlsx, or *.pptx (MS Office formats), I could use Google Docs to

• Collaborate on a group project without needing to fish through emails looking for the current version of whatever you're working on
• Comment and suggest edits to existing projects
• Use the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps on my phone and tablet to edit assignments and projects when away from my laptop
• Save projects as MS Office, *pdf, *.epub, or any other format you need!

That last bit really came handy as professors required MS Office formats.  I mean, really came in handy.

Google Keep has always been handy as a way to have a shopping list.  Best part is that as you're shopping you can check off what you put in your cart and it'll cross it out and move it down so you know what's left to get.  This is especially handy with to-do lists and other times you need to keep track of things and mark off when done.  My wife and I keep a shared grocery list that we add to as things get low and when it comes time to shop we both have the same list so either of us can shop and keep updated on what we need.

I could go on with every service I've used, how I've used it, and how it actually helps me, but we would be here all day.  I guess looking back over what I've written here it seems that I may be slightly fanatic about Google.  You know what?  I'm completely cool with that!  Some people may not even like Google, and may even have an absurd idea that Google is some sort of Skynet or the Matrix or the one of the omens of the apocalypse, but that's just infantile paranoia and a conspiracy fantasy.

Noravirus & Job Hunting

So I've been a bit "under the weather" this week.  I managed to make it half way through my shift on Monday only to leave work.  After returning home and immediately falling asleep I woke up later with the usual symptoms now in full flare: fever, cephalgia (headache), and of course making my "offering to the porcelain god."  So that wasn't fun.  Fortunately - I'm not sure how - I somehow survived this short round of noravirus, commonly known as the stomach flu.  My dear wife was there to keep the Gatorade and a bucket at my side to avoid dehydration with much success.

Unlike the last time I had the stomach flu I'm not being wiped out for a few weeks.  The 2017 noravirus was essentially a week long taste of death, without actually dying, and recovery lasting a few weeks after the symptoms went away.  And some folk out there think the man cold and man flu is just a myth.  Ha!  I beg to differ!

Of course as life would have it, the day I'm better and can return to work, the roads are covered in ~1/4 inch of ice making travel impossible (can't stop at an intersection if you're on ice).

On the other side of things, because of changes happening at work, such as the threat of reducing payable hours, I'm putting myself back on the job market for something decent.  As I look back on my now "on again off again" work relationship with Walmart I see that the company has always been there when I've needed a a job.  In fact I emphatically support anyone who wants to work there!  For someone starting out on the job market, or going to school, or is in need of something, it does the trick.  The problem frequently arises when you're trying to take care of a family (whether married or a single parent) and perhaps other financial responsibilities (student debt, rent/mortgage, car payments, etc.) that the wages don't really cover.  This of course leaves the employee with a couple of options:

1. Get a second job and hope that work schedules don't conflict, or
2. Take your chances on the job market

Option 2 seems the best option in most cases.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm looking primarily for a job that utilizes my computer, analytical, and technical skills.  Unfortunately, where I live there's a lot of manufacturing jobs and it's semi rural.  A lot of people don't think tech is really all that important.  There's much more emphasis on a job sometimes requiring 12 hour days, boots on your feet, and the type of work that a trained monkey could do in its sleep.  In a sense, finding a job within my skill set is like finding a needle in a haystack.  Sometimes I really perceive that I'm really "not from 'round 'ere."

I press on, because there has to be a job out there that I can retire from, and can support my family with.  The good news is that I did here about a potential job that would likely utilize AND develop my skills which apparently has a place not too far from me, so I'm definitely going to apply to that!

I've Created A Monster

So, I'd say I've created a monster.  Let me start with a history lesson, of sorts, to aid in our understanding.

My dear wife, Jessica was merrily putting our daughter down for a nap when the tablet she was holding (containing a game she enjoyed playing) slipped from her grasp, descended through the atmosphere, and crashed on the tray of Isabelle's high chair.  The screen now hilariously dysfunctional and gone to meet it's eternal reward, left my wife with nothing else to do with her free time.  She had become exhausted of the parade of Netflix personalities and wanted a new hobby.

I come home from work and she asks me to help her create a blog.  Of course I'm always happy to help my family and friends with their web presence, so I didn't realize what I was doing.  I created a monster.

To place humor and superfluous parlance aside, it is a good blog.  My wonderful wife really knows how to write and weave a tapestry of words.

You can find her blog at Crafty Adventures in Motherhood.

Leaps, Bounds, Milestones, and Other Thoughts, Oh My!

So, I've just realized that I haven't posted an update on my daughter in a long time, not since she began crawling.  Visiting relatives over Christmas, a crazy work life balance, and a hundred other distractions have gotten in the way.  Looking at the photos on my phone I realized just how much my daughter has grown in the last couple of months.

For starters Isabelle had her first taste of a snow storm on January 12th when we received 15.5 inches (39.37 cm) of snow accumulation over the course of 36 hours.  My little daughter thought the snow was just absolutely the BEST thing ever, like a new toy, but cold, and magical as it turns to water in your hand.  As I began the couple hour long process of moving the snow off of the cars and drive way my wife Jessica brought our daughter outside to see the snow.

On Thursday of this past week Jessica and I looked up and found Isabelle grabbing the table with one hand and standing more steady than she has.  Her legs are getting stronger and I'm sure at this rate she'll be walking very soon!  So far it would seem that at only 9 months she's a little ahead of the game on milestones.

Some days it seems like I can't quite keep up with how fast she's growing and developing.  Sometimes, I'm sure, people might think I'm crazy and wonder how I plan to give time to my family and to my hobbies.  Sometimes, I think I am crazy taking on a lot.  However, I would not trade it for anything else in the world.  I do miss my "old life" as it had a lot of great memories and I still keep in contact with my friends, but I've learned that this life is exciting too, and I know I have the support of my old life.  But I really don't consider it my old life.

In retrospect I consider the adventure of getting married and starting a family as just another chapter in the book of my life.  It's something that I've noticed some people think is an "end of your life" moment, however I think that assertion is very short sighted.  I still have just as active and fulfilling of a life now as when I was in college or even when I spent a short time as a Catholic seminarian.  As I look to the year ahead, I'm excited to see how my family will grow and develop, and to see what friends I can run into.

Work-Life Balance Not Exactly Ideal

Image source

So the balancing act between my work and life probably could not be any worse.  At the moment my goal of waking up early just isn't going to happen because my biorhythm is not well supported by my work schedule.  Due to short staffing and payroll cut backs I can't be full time.  Being part time has immense drawbacks since I get left with all the hours that no one else wants.  Essentially I work afternoon and evenings half the week followed immediately by morning and daytime shifts.  This pretty much leaves me exhausted and unable to function day to day by the end of the week.  Every precious minute I get to sleep, is welcomed with no protest!

From another point of view I wonder what the chaotic schedule is doing to the relationship I have with my wife and daughter.  I'm away from home at odd times and there's no consistency.  At times I'm unable to remember the last time I had a chance to actually have a good conversation with my wife that didn't revolve around finances, benefits, or how much my next pay check is going to be.  At the same time my work schedule and every day agenda at work is also partially dictated by whatever mood my boss happens to be in.  Such inconsistency causes great mental stress and anxiety about even going into work.

To summarize: I need a new job.

I have been out on the job market actually since March of last year, and so far with no success.  My wonderful wife has helped my compile a list of applications when I've been at work and I've received tips of who's looking to hire.  (As an added bonus: jobs that would give me the work/life balance I desperately need!)  Unfortunately, the story is the same after every interview.  I've got potential, but this other person has more experience.  Sure I make it into the final batch of qualified candidates, however, this does not help my need to provide, support, and be there for my family.

To say it's been rough would be a great understatement!

But this has got me thinking about where I want to go in life and what I need.  I don't need another job.  And even a retail job that's full time won't cut it.  I need a job that I can retire from in 30 years.  A job that utilizes my natural talents, nourishes and expands my potential, and develops my existing skill set.  Such a job - I realize - would likely be related to computer science or IT.  It's almost ecstasy to think that I could find a job where my day to day forced interaction with the general public would be drastically reduced or very limited.  I think that's what I really want though.  I'm just done with only retailers willing to hire me, and then force me into a position where I can't grow in my job.

Life Goals, Rhinosinusitis, & Looking Forward to Christmas

So I would've been at work today, but instead evolutionary responses to pathogens decided to manifest themselves beginning yesterday evening and at the moment continue to prevent my otherwise optimal biological functions.  Postnasal discharge, irritation of the pharynx, minor inflammation of the larynx, cephalgia, and generalized ache and fatigue are the symptoms that point to rhinosinusitis - commonly said as the common cold.  It's fascinating how when we look at the medical terminology it makes things seem a lot worse than it is.  Of course, so far I'm not bad off.  I'm faring better than my daughter fared this past week.  I don't have any excessive phlegm, fever, or respiratory inflammation that has been characterized by some who've been so fortunate as to already been afflicted with this round of cold.

The symptoms of course are easily mitigated by AleveⓇ, green tea with honey, and rest. Vitamin C is also a good thing to add, just because the body needs it (or so I've been consistently told).  Vicks Vaporub™ of course is a gift from God if congestion and respiratory inflammation become exasperated.  But so far, unlike most men of my condition, I'm not in critical condition.

Today I finished one of the three books I was reading.  The book "Personality Hacker: Harness the Power of Your Personality Type to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Life" was written by Joel Mark Witt and Antonia Dodge and is a fantastic read if you're interested in personality theory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).  I first heard of their book by listening to the Personality Hacker Podcast which I heard about via their YouTube channel which I definitely recommend taking a look at.  You can read my review of their book here.

Aside from having the imposition of a malaise I've been making some positive progress toward my goal of waking up early.  Alternatively I'm not waking up at 5:30 every morning like the video says, but reasonably around 7:30.  This of course has not been without challenge.  My work schedule constantly fluctuates so going to bed at the same time every evening has been difficult.  My goal has been to be ready to sleep by 11 pm, and this is done well most nights.  Of course with the responsibilities and joys that come with parenting I must see this is as an attainable, if at times impractical, goal - especially while my daughter was ill with rhinosinusitis and my wife and I found ourselves up late at night making sure she was as comfortable as possible.

I'm looking forward to the next few days off of work to spend with the family and visiting with relatives.  Christmas, at least per my perception, is a much bigger deal than Thanksgiving.  Both are filled with food, but there's just a more relaxed ambiance that comes with Christmas.  There's less rushing around to do, all is quiet.

I want to take this opportunity to wish every one who somehow chances to fall upon my blog a very Merry Christmas!

Review: Personality Hacker: Harness the Power of Your Personality Type to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Life

Personality Hacker: Harness the Power of Your Personality Type to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Life by Joel Mark Witt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Personality Hacker is an absolutely phenomenal book on Cognitive Function and the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) concepts. The book begins in a similar manner to other Myers-Briggs texts I've read on the topic by discussing the dichotomies of the MBTI and then relating the various cognitive functions with seamless precision. Joel Witt and Antonia Dodge clearly outline with each of the MBTI personality types how the different cognitive functions operate using their "car model" which is easily explained.

The concepts covered in the book itself are easy to understand and not watered down like some other books I've read on personality theory. Witt and Dodge use an engaging style and presentation that eases the reader into a conversation about how to be yourself to the full, understand and be comfortable with how you are mentally wired, and opening the path to better self awareness and improvement. It was a difficult book to put down and it has earned pride of place among books I recommend as well as a useful reference.

View all my reviews