I am a Penguin

'Tis the season..... for silly personality quizzes.

Tulsa has kicked things off by unearthing this one, which seeks to match you with your representative animal.

I was reminded of a variation on this 'animal metaphor' game I was introduced to many years ago, where you are asked which animal you think of yourself as.... then you're told you can't have that one, and you must produce a second choice.... and then a third. I think the idea is supposed to be that the first animal chosen is your idealized version of yourself, the second is how others tend to see you, and the third is closest to your 'true self'. I chose eagle, racehorse, and....... CAT! What would you choose?

Anyhow, according to this quiz of Tulsa's, I am a penguin. Or a dog. Or just possibly a beaver? Are the results always this wishy-washy, I wonder, or were my answers unusually erratic?? Of these three, I definitely prefer penguin. I recognised an immediate affinity with a penguin called Misha, the lugubrious, enigmatic centrepiece of the Ukrainian novel Death and the Penguin which I read recently (though the book itself wasn't very good).

Tulsa suggested I take the quiz again today. No, no, no - I want to be a penguin. I'm sure most of the other animals are pretty crappy. I don't want a second dip! Oh, all right then..... I am pretty sure I gave exactly the same answers, but got a completely different set of results (Owl? Sheep??!!) - so I wonder if there isn't an element of randomizing going on in the program.

Some of you may recall that this time last year - according to this quiz on the divertingly bizarre Rum & Monkey website - I discovered I 'was' Ludwig II, the Mad King of Bavaria!

Curiously enough, I just re-took that one - with, as I thought, substantially different answers..... and came out as Ludwig again. What is it about me and Ludwig??


Anyway, the thing about penguins is:


Genera and species: Aptenodytes patagonica
Collective Term: A colony of penguins

Description

Now you see it, now you don't. Aggressive yet gentle, outgoing but shy, stable yet flighty - everyone sees the penguin in a different way. It's that black and white thing - the penguin only reveals the side that it wants to you to see. So, whether you like this darling-devil or not, you have to concede that it's a fascinating and enigmatic individual.

For penguins are birds condemned to live out their days on the ground. Unable to fly, their excess energy has no outlet save their creative talents and emotional outbursts. Penguins are poetic, artistic, and intellectually gifted, and as writers, penguins have no equal. But, if unable to channel their impulses in a positive way, the resulting turmoil proves damaging to their relationships and careers.

With a natural aptitude for languages, penguin personalities dominate the world of publishing as writers, editors and journalists. A strong sense of drama draws them to the theater and cinema, although unlike typical bird personalities, they avoid the spotlight unless they're able to hide behind the characters they play. Once on stage however, they prove to be excellent performers with their multifaceted personalities conveying the full gamut of emotions.

However, a lack of confidence affects their work and penguins tend to give up too easily. So work never dominates their lives and they always put their families first. Those intimate with their penguin personality are impressed by their unswerving loyalty. They are sentimental at heart and always remember anniversaries and the birthdays of nieces and nephews. With a strong compassion for others, they place their family's needs ahead of their own but often end up being taken advantage of.

In matters of the heart, penguins connect poorly with other bird personalities who look down on them because of their terrestrial connections. Mammalian personalities also treat them with suspicion too, finding them to be flighty and unpredictable.

Since penguins have the coldest feet in the animal kingdom, it's no surprise that within its conflicted bosom there beats the warmest heart of all. Unfortunately, most of us will never experience this gentle compassion, for penguins ration their love only to family and close friends.


Careers and Hobbies :

Writer, Herbalist, Journalist,
Actor, Designer, Waiter

Gambling, Board Games, Reading, Family time

Famous Penguins: Oscar Wilde, Truman Capote, Danny Devito