I'm new, I've been reading these boards for a few weeks now, I've taken the tests and read the type descriptions and I think probably the one that comes closest to me is INFP but I'm willing to be wrong. My dad is very very clearly an ISFP and although I really do relate well to my dad, I'm probably not identical although there are some things I resonate with. Here's what I'm like:
I'm very quiet until I know someone. I tend to walk around in my own world and could care less about who's friends with whom or what's going on politically or socially unless it affects me directly. In high school and college people thought I was snobby or else didn't even notice me. I definitely need time by myself to recharge. Parties can be fun if the right people are there ("right people" meaning one or two of my closest friends with whom I can become extremely animated and energized or interesting males to flirt with--I know that sounds bad, I'm married but I enjoy harmless flirting occasionally), otherwise parties drain me and I need to leave by 10:00 to make sure I get my sleep. I'm in my mid-30s with three younger kids so that's part of the sleep need but I have always needed my sleep even when I was younger, I get very crabby if I don't have 8 hours.
I don't usually seek out friendships--they seem to find me, but the good ones are rare. Friendships usually progress slowly but a few years ago (and again last year) I met someone I knew I clicked with immediately and the friendships really took off. With those, I tend to invest a lot of emotional energy and hopes into the relationship. To an annoying degree sometimes. What I mean is that I don't always like how strongly I feel about the really special friends because it makes me feel scared that something is going to happen to make the friendship end (she'll move away or he'll pull away for no apparent reason) and those sorts of friendships are so rare and valuable to me. Yet I find it impossible to control how I feel about someone when it's a strong attraction like that. If I'm going through a crisis or pressing question, I can be too focused on myself. But during those times I can't seem to think about anything other than my pressing emotional stuff (which annoys me and I wish I were different). But I also truly enjoy listening to other people tell stories and relate who they are, I do consider myself a good listener and a good friend.
Sometimes when I'm happy and/or excited, my speaking voice gets loud, too loud and it's hard for me to control it--to bring it down a notch, although I try once I realize how loud I am. I daydream ALL the time. I have a problem with inertia, finding the motivation to do things, even things I know I should do and really WANT to do such as get up and take a walk when the weather is nice. Even though I enjoy it when I'm actually doing it, I find it hard to get up and DO it. I live inside of my head far too much. I conjur up potential conversations with friends or family, imagining how things might go if this or that scenario came to pass. Some of which is utterly unrealistic. It's like there's always a drama going on in my mind. If I find myself doing this at bedtime, I sometimes get myself emotionally worked up (all on the inside, mind you, no one else knows what I'm thinking about) and can't fall asleep. Even though I love books and reading, I sometimes find it hard to focus on reading because my head/imagination is so busy with other stuff.
One of the greatest joys of my life is music--I play the piano and sing. I also enjoy listening to all sorts of music, recorded or live. I love opera, films, etc. Another joy is literature and poetry, I love words and what they can do to my emotions. I write a bit also. Everything else I do is creative somehow--I knit, crochet, spin, garden, quilt, sew, etc. Without that creative aspect, I'm uninterested. I enjoy the creative process almost more than the creative product. I would rather start 20 projects than stick with one until it's finished. I have a very hard time with boring chores such as laundry, dishes, cleaning, sorting through the kids' toys, etc. and I put those tasks off until the last minute which sometimes means my husband gets to them first because it drives him crazy when they aren't done (a source of conflict for us, occasionally).
I love to eat all kinds of food--I'm an adventurous eater but I don't enjoy cooking that much, I'd rather go out. I love nature, animals (although I'm allergic to cats and some dogs, so we don't have any pets right now), children (my own three kids I love but they can drive me nuts with the noise level in the house. I'm not very tolerant of the noise).
I love cars (classic cars, fast cars, interesting new cars) and driving around just to enjoy the scenery (is that a type thing?). I love motorcycles and that feeling of the wind on your face.
I like to think about interior decorating sometimes but the decision-making process can take so long and I wind up feeling bored. I guess I have a problem sometimes making decisions. Once I was having drinks with friends and for some odd reason I could NOT decide what drink to order. I literally sat there for like a full awkward minute not being able to come up with what I felt like drinking. This happens to me more often than I would like to admit. When it doesn't happen, it's because I tell myself ahead of time that it's not going to happen and make the decision right away without allowing myself to think about it (or even look at the menu for very long) lest I change my mind and being looking foolish.
I hate being late. I'm usually on time but I don't like wearing a watch because it makes me feel like my life is being controlled by time (I know that doesn't make sense but anyway). I can be kind of a rebel. I don't like being told what to do and will sometimes do the opposite just to prove my independence. I think I'd like to get a tattoo someday but it would have to be something perfect so it will probably never happen since I'll always be searching for that perfect tattoo. ha.
I don't like being part of organized groups, I prefer to work independently on any and all projects. Yet I feel a need to feel as if I belong somewhere (in a group) so that has been sort of an interesting revelation recently. I like being alone but I know that I can get crazy when I'm alone too much. My imagination takes control and I need a rational person to help me. I don't like to stand out in groups but I like attention from people I care about. I have used my emotions to manipulate people in the past (not proud of that but it's the truth) and to gain attention (acting mad in a subtle way so that only the person I want to know can tell that something is wrong, and then making them guess why I'm upset without telling them why. Ugh, awful I know).
I used to be (well, still am I guess, but I no longer have a darkroom) a photographer and am fascinated with the way that photographs capture time that will soon be past and how photos can help to put the history of one's life together in a unique way. There is a romantic, sad tone to photography that has always captured my imagination and longing.
So what do you think. I did the enneagram test several times also (I know that's not what this forum is about) and I think I'm a 4 with a 5 wing. I did the MBTI and sometimes scored evenly on J/P and N/S. I'm definitely an introvert.