Wow, on Saturday I had an unplanned “blog fast.”
It happened when my sister and brother-in-law’s work shifts overlapped a little, and I agreed to watch my nephews for a few hours in the afternoon.
I love my nephews, and my kids love their cousins. We always have a great time getting both families together for Sunday dinner. So thinking back on previous Sundays, I was all, “It’s cool. They’ll all run back to the bedroom and play together the whole time.” Which turned out to be mostly true.
But I had failed to take into account:
Grant the Toddler.
Without Suzy or Conan there to run interference, Grant was all mine to manage.
How did it take me less than five years to forget what life is like with a toddler?
After the boys were dropped off, my planned day:
of sitting on the couch and ignoring the dust and laundry piling up in drifts in corners and doorways…
…turned into a day of chasing a one-year-old from room to no-longer-childproofed room, putting 57 books back on shelves and frantically snatching Littlest Pet Shop pets from his hands.
I exercised brain cells and muscles that hadn’t been used in quite awhile.
Thankfully, a flash of genius struck when my 9yo Hannah started hovering over me and Grant.
“Hannah, you wanna make some money and get some practice babysitting?” “YEAH!!!!”
So I ended up with an hour-long break (mostly uninterrupted) and Hannah ended up $4 richer.
Win, win, I say.
Saturday night, I found the following quiz on Musings of a Housewife (a wonderful blog). And I am totally giddy at how I scored on it. So I’m sharing with you.
Which Mad Men Era Female Icon Are You?
Note: I’ll be honest with you — I think the quiz messed up in a couple key areas. But I’m stickin with the result. I always wanted to be this person!
You Are an Audrey!
You are an Audrey — “I am at peace”
Audreys are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.
How to Get Along with Me
- If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don’t like expectations or pressure
- I like to listen and to be of service, but don’t take advantage of this
- Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit
- Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It’s OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally
- Ask me questions to help me get clear
- Tell me when you like how I look. I’m not averse to flattery
- Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings
- I like a good discussion but not a confrontation
- Let me know you like what I’ve done or said
- Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life
What I Like About Being an Audrey
- being nonjudgmental and accepting
- caring for and being concerned about others
- being able to relax and have a good time
- knowing that most people enjoy my company; I’m easy to be around
- my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator
- my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now
- being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe
What’s Hard About Being an Audrey
- being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive
- being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline
- being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally
- being confused about what I really want
- caring too much about what others will think of me
- not being listened to or taken seriously
Audreys as Children Often
- feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant
- tune out a lot, especially when others argue
- are “good” children: deny anger or keep it to themselves
Audreys as Parents
- are supportive, kind, and warm
- are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective
Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy
11 responses so far ↓
1 Stonefox // Jan 25, 2009 at 5:12 am
Okay, the title of this post completely got to me. It said it all!
Go Audrey.
2 @ngie // Jan 25, 2009 at 12:06 pm
amen for child labor!
audrey is way cool. i like the write up they did for her (you) too.
Here are my (uncannily accurate) results:
You are a Doris — "I must help others."
Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.
How to Get Along with Me
* * Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.
* * Share fun times with me.
* * Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.
* * Let me know that I am important and special to you.
* * Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.
In Intimate Relationships
* * Reassure me that I am interesting to you.
* * Reassure me often that you love me.
* * Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.
What I Like About Being a Doris
* * being able to relate easily to people and to make friends
* * knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better
* * being generous, caring, and warm
* * being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings
* * being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor
What's Hard About Being a Doris
* * not being able to say no
* * having low self-esteem
* * feeling drained from overdoing for others
* * not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish
* * criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should
* * being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them
* * working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings
Dorises as Parents
* * are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)
* * are often playful with their children
* * wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"
* * can become fiercely protective
3 sherri // Jan 26, 2009 at 1:28 am
I'm an Audrey as well. Too bad it's only on this silly test.
I believe she was the most graceful, classy lady on the planet.
I don't consider myself graceful or classy, but as you well know, these test are ALWAYS spot on! WHo am I to argue with the results?
(I also took it and changed 1 answer and instantly became another starlet.)
4 the domestic fringe // Jan 26, 2009 at 4:01 am
I love Audrey!
Smart thinking getting your daughter to babysit. Good management skills on your part.
-FringeGirl
5 Jo@Mylestones // Jan 26, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Welcome back to my world, sistah! I totally understand how you can easily forget what it's like to manage a toddler. I for one will be repressing the memories of it as soon I as get through the present reality of it. I can barely post a comment before my 2 yo has (a) moved her stool supposed to be used only to get on her big girl bed, over to the dresser with the diaper caddie, (b) unscrewed the caps of the disinfectant gel, butt paste and "calming" lotion from aforementioned diaper caddie, (c) used the butt paste to "clean" the diaper pale. I knew I was in trouble when I walked in and the smell of Burt's Bees was wafting through the air. Note to self: quit taking so long to post a comment. Or maybe hire Audrey?
6 Grace // Jan 26, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Helen is nothing like me whatsoever!
7 katdish // Jan 26, 2009 at 8:47 pm
That sucks! Turns out I'm Rosanne Barr!
8 Helen // Jan 26, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Are you pulling our legs? Cause you do that so well!
9 katdish // Jan 26, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Yes, I am. I'm actually a bit disappointed that I'm not Audrey, but Bette was a pretty kicking broad, too.
You are a Bette — "I must be strong"
10 katdish // Jan 26, 2009 at 9:07 pm
How come they won't let me post my "Bette" description? I'm feeling all Bette and buttkickin'. Oh well, more blog fodder for me!
11 Steph // Jan 26, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Stonefox- Glad you liked the title. It's verbatim what I said over and over for two hours.
God was feeling sorry for me and dropped that brainstorm when I was really needing a break.
@ngie/Doris- Uncannily accurate? Wow. Then you're an even cooler chick than I thought!
Sherri- I'm with you on test accuracy. If we both believe we're classy and elegant, then we ARE. The power of positive thinking!
Fringegirl- Thx for the compliment on my mgmt skillz.
Jo- I'm sorry for you. But not sorry enough to trade places. All I could think with your story was, At least it was Burt's Bees and not Desitin. THAT is a smell that I would like to repress from my memory.
Grace- I think you're being petty. Helen is very much like you. Have you SEEN her dance? She's got some rad moves, and she's very graceful.
Katdish- Really? Rosanne? Did I miss the question about crotch-grabbing and singing off-key?
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