TresSugar

Your Personality Quirks Come Out When You Eat Out

TresSugar — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:00:00 -0700

People say you really get to know someone when traveling with them or living with them. To that I would add - and when you go out to eat with them.

New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni would agree. He recently wrote about the odd quirks and desires people bring to the dinner table. Whether your quirks are about sharing food, hoarding food, being picky, or pretending to make a big show of eating when you've left most of the food you started with on your plate - it seems that your relationship to eating, especially when you eat out, can be a key to your personality. "People are as strange about eating as they are about love," he says. "They want what they want."

I have to say - I’m definitely a hoarder type. I hope this doesn’t mean I’m a selfish person in other ways, but I’m not big on family-style eating. One of my biggest pleasures is going to a restaurant, poring over the menu, and after an anguished process of elimination I take dead seriously (salad or soup? steak or risotto?), I settle in and hope I chose well. (But yes - you can have a bite!) I'm a sharer when it comes to bills, however. Folks who pull out the calculator (mentally or literally) drive me bananas. And don't get me started on people who are rude to wait staff or cheap tippers!

What are your quirks when eating out?

What Your Music Says About Your Personality

TresSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700

One glimpse at the top-25 tracks in your iTunes can tell a lot about you. A 2006 study revealed music is the most popular topic of conversation in the first six weeks of platonic and romantic relationships, surpassing books, movies, TV, football, and clothes.

Introversion and extroversion are perhaps the two characteristics that most affect what music people tune into. Though both temperaments will roll - or rock - with their moods and activities, extroverts are more likely to reach for upbeat music that's heavy on vocals while introverts gravitate towards slower tunes with complex movements.

One surprise is that there's no connection between the abrasive lyrics common in rap and heavy metal and aggressive or sexual behavior. Listeners of heavy metal, particularly, have shown to be sensitive and gentle souls. In fact, they have a lot in common with classical music lovers. They're both creative, easy-going, and introverted.

Whether you listen to pop and rap or indie and classical, see what it says about you.

Photo by Flickr User Alina

View Slideshow ›

Does Your Personality Match Your State of Residence & Mind?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Think you can judge a person by the state they live in? It might not be such a crazy notion according to new research on the geography of personality. Controlling for factors like race, income, and education, the study profiled 600,000 Americans with a 44-question personality test that evaluates five traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness.

Using those results and cross-checking them with stats on crime and health seem to seal the deal on one's state of mind lining up with one's state of residence. High amiability means lower crime, high anxiety points to poor health and lowered life expectancy.

Of course the results spark questions like whether certain states encourage specific personalities by culture, climate, or common history - or whether we just choose to live where we feel most at home. Those questions aside, the results and the interactive maps? Fun times! Very nicely done, Wall Street Journal.

To see some of the most unusual findings, read more.

North Dakota was pegged the most outgoing state in the union.
Despite Puritanical stereotypes, New England ranked at the bottom of the "conscientious" scale.
Scoring well on the "openness" scale strongly correlates to liberal social values and Democratic voting habits - however three of the top ten "open" states (Nevada, Colorado and Virginia) tend to swing Red.
Most conscientious? Florida. (Maybe there's a tie between living in a coastal paradise and pitying others who don't?)
Anxiety isn't just tied to high-powered jobs and a fast lifestyle. States stressed by poverty, like West Virginia and Mississippi also proved highly neurotic.

Where does your state stack up? Is it possible to make generalizations about the personality of an entire state's population? Do you match yours?

Group Therapy: How Do I Deal With His Arrogant and Cocky Bragging?

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I have been dating an amazing guy for the last 10 months, however just recently, I've started to realize just how cocky he is. Sure he is a successful and incredibly attractive guy, (at least to me) but is it really necessary to brag about everything? He's constantly letting me know just how many girls stare at him at the bar and he's always going on and on about how great of an athlete he is. Just today he was comparing his ex girlfriends to my ex boyfriends - bragging about how he's dated models. I'm not jealous at all but I can't tell if he's trying to make himself look good in front of me or if he's trying to prove that he's better than me all together. It's like he's in constant competition with everyone around him. I love him to death but this constant bragging has got to stop. It's ruining this relationship for me and really changing my views about him. Has anyone ever been in this kind of situation or have any good advice?

Dear Quiz: Are You Too Hard on Yourself?

DearSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0700

When something goes wrong in our lives, it's not uncommon to play the blame game. Often having someone to blame makes us feel better and more in control, and while some of us blame others, a lot of us out there blame ourselves. While it's important to acknowledge your flaws, it's never healthy to beat yourself up over things - especially those things you have no control over. So are you too hard on yourself? Take this quiz and find out!

Source

If you forget a good friend's birthday, what do you do?

Apologize profusely and make a mental note to make it up to her next year.

Feel overwhelmed with guilt and avoid her for a while.

Nothing, your friend knows you're not good with dates.

Do you feel like you make a lot of mistakes?

Yes. It feels like no matter how hard I try, I always do something wrong.

I don't really make mistakes.

I make a bunch of mistakes, but I try to learn from them.

When introducing a co-worker, you accidentally flub up his name. How do you react?

Continue to call him by the wrong name. It's not like he can't correct you.

Laugh it off, and ingrain the right name in your memory so it doesn't happen again.

Turn red in the face and become paranoid anytime you make an introduction.

Do you ever fret about something you've said or done long after the fact?

All the time; I end up obsessing about it.

Sometimes, but only if it was really embarrassing.

Not really, if people take something the wrong way that's not my fault.

If a friend or family member gets upset with you, which approach do you take to respond?

Listener - You really try to hear what she's saying before you react.

Defensive - You have no problem throwing it right back at her.

Emotional - You feel so terrible you can hardly deal with the issue.

Dear Poll: Do You Follow Trends?

DearSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0700

With a new season comes new trends. If you're a magazine junky like me, it's pretty hard to avoid reading about the new it bag or the trendy new color that'll be hot for the season. While I like to think I have my own unique style, it's inevitable that I pick up a few new habits every season, however some people take trendy to a whole different level. For instance, skinny jeans or leggings are just not made for everyone, yet women still wear them because they're "in" despite how they look. Same thing goes for platform shoes, black nail polish, oversized sunglasses, or brining back an old look - it's either your style or it's not. So ladies, even though it's fun to be hip and with it, what I want to know is, do you jump on the trendy bandwagon or do you like to express your individuality by going against the trendy grain?

Source, Source, Flynet

The How-To Lounge: The Second Date

DearSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0700

The first date is nervewracking and exciting, but it’s also a no brainer - you either like him or you don’t, and that’s that. But when it comes to the second date, there’s a bit more pressure. Obviously something appealed to both of you enough to make a second date worth it, but now it's time to find out if there's a potential romance at stake. While the first date is all about making a good impression, the second date is about seeing if there’s any compatibility. To check out some tips for having great second date, read more.

Keep your expectations realistic. Focus more on getting to know him than having the date of your life.
Be prepared to reveal more about yourself, and I’m not just talking about how you got the scar on your chin. Let him see who you are and what makes you tick. If you’re a steak and potatoes girl, skip the typical date-night salad and go all out. If you love a little comedy, don’t be afraid to poke a little fun. It’s all about establishing your style and making sure it meshes well with his.
Ask some of those burning questions. You know that rule about not discussing old relationships during the first few dates? Well, I disagree. Anybody who goes on and on about their old flings obviously still needs some closure, but finding out if he just got out of a five-year stint or if he’s never been in a serious relationship is important information!
Keep an open mind. If he feels any kind of connection with you, it’s likely that he’ll start revealing more about himself. Even if you find out something that you’re not thrilled with, give him the benefit of the doubt - it is only the second date.
If you think he’s a great guy but nothing more, don’t feel badly about passing on the third date. The glory of the second date is that you can make a more informed decision without hurting his feelings if you don’t want to take things any further.

Source

Dear Poll: Will You Try Anything Once?

DearSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:00:00 -0700

When it comes to food, some of us are picky eaters while others are willing to try anything once. I often wonder if the same sentiment holds true in our personal lives as well. Though I’m a woman who believes you shouldn’t knock something until you’ve given it a go, I’m also not willing to try anything just for the sake of trying it. Quail eggs, skydiving, and dating extreme-sports enthusiasts really aren’t my things, and I don’t need to try them all to know that. Or maybe I’m actually being close minded. I guess I’m not a try-anything-once kind of gal but what about you? Will you try anything once?

Source

Do Tell: What Would You Change?

DearSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:00:00 -0800

In my book, one thing that constitutes an emotionally healthy person is expecting that you're an imperfect being and always leaving room for improvement. The ways to better yourself as a person are endless: you can work on accepting yourself more, forgiving others more easily, or becoming more assertive. This, of course, doesn't mean that you shouldn't love who you are as is, it just means that you're a work in progress, which is a good thing.

Obviously these kind of changes don't happen over night; in fact, they can take years and a lot of determination, which is what makes the change that much more significant. But let's face it, wouldn't it be wonderful to just flip a switch and have a complete change take place? If you could change one thing about yourself instantaneously, do tell, what would it be?

Source

Dear Quiz: Are You Approachable?

DearSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Have you ever noticed how there are some people who are endlessly surrounded by friends and seem to make new friends where ever they go? There's just something about their body language that makes them seem warm, inviting, and all around, approachable. So take this quiz to find out if you give off the welcoming vibe or if you're as cold as ice!

Source

Do you enjoy talking to new people?

I absolutely love it! It's why I go out.

It's great to get to know new people.

I prefer to focus on my existing group of friends.

How often do you smile?

Whenever something makes me happy.

Only if I find something really amusing.

All the time; I'm a very smiley person.

When talking to new people, do you focus all of your energy into what they're saying?

Yes, I always try to really engage with them.

I try, but often I find myself thinking about other things instead of listening.

Sure, but only for a few minutes then I'm to the next convo!

Are you concerned about people's perception of you?

Not at all. I am who I am, regardless of what anyone thinks.

Of course. I want them to like me.

Sometimes, but what really counts is how I feel about myself.

Do you initiate conversations?

Never

Sometimes

Always

How would you describe your body language?

I use a lot of arm gestures.

I tend to keep my arms tucked around my chest or abdomen.

I keep my shoulders relaxed and my chin raised.