Jason D. Barr

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a reader. Oh, my word, I love books. My mom has always told me that she and my dad made a concerted effort to read to me all the time. I’ve always heard that the more that you read to your kids when they’re young, the more they will enjoy it when they get old; it’s certainly held true in my case. I’ve learned so much from the books that I’ve read throughout my life, and I continue to learn from them. I talked a little bit about this here, but I’m so curious about so many topics and subjects that I continue to read and read and read.

As far as I’m concerned, this is one of the best traits anyone could have. I don’t think I’ve met many intelligent people who weren’t readers, and most of the people I know who are readers are very smart. One of the most often used euphemisms for intelligence is “well-read”, for crying out loud! If there is one thing I hope to impart to my son, other than my faith, it’s my love of reading and learning. Books have opened up so many new interests to me, and I’m really, honestly appreciative to Gutenberg for facilitating my lifetime learning.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a history buff.  I’m fascinated by what has happened in the past.  I’ve never been able to understand people who don’t find history as interesting as I do.  A lot of what draws me to philosophy holds true for history, I think.  I really like to see an orderly progression and development; cause and effect, in hindsight, makes a lot of events appear inevitable.  It’s the same for philosophy, I think.  One thinker building ideas off of another’s ideas, and on and on and on.  Recent history is interesting to me, but I’m mainly fascinated by ancient history.  The beginnings of civilizations, the rise and fall of groups of people.  The ability to look back at fateful decisions and trends and say “that was the moment they sealed their fate”.  I don’t know… People have this tendency to look at me funny when I try to explain this to them.

Anyway, had I been thinking when I was in college, I think I would have probably been better off majoring in history.  I’d be a professor by now, I’m sure of it.  No use rehashing why I picked philosophy, really.  It was interesting to me at the time, but I wasn’t nearly as good at it, if that makes sense.  I can’t see myself as a philosophy professor, but I can definitely see being a history teacher.  The interest level has remained high throughout my life thus far.

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For posterity’s sake, since very few people read this, I took a couple weeks off to finish up my MBA (one week for finals, which didn’t go as well as I would have hoped, and one for a capstone and graduation).  But, I’m back now and will hopefully post on a fairly regular basis.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a technophile.  I love technology and toys and things with blinky lights and flashy icons.  Supposedly most guys are like this, right?  I don’t know if that’s really the case or not, but I know I am.  If I had the money, I’d spend it on a new iPod and a rippin’-fast new laptop and a Kindle and anything else electronic that catches my eye.

But, it’s more than the toys.  I’m constantly trying new stuff.  I’m interested in web design and coding; have been since the first time I got on the Internet in 1995.  I’m always trying to learn more about how things work on the inside (programming languages, servers, the actual hardware, whatever).  I’m not scared of breaking something or trying out something I’m unfamiliar with to learn more about it.  I always make a backup, and then I just go to town and see what I can see, you know?  It’s fun trying out new programs like Open Office or using the latest toy that Google has put out.

This one is really kind of unimportant in the grand scheme of things, especially considering the stuff I’ve discussed in the past few posts.  However, I think that the fact that I’m curious and willing to try new things is important, especially if I’m looking to embark on something new as far as a career.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m an introvert. Both in the sense that most people understand it, as well as the “correct” definition. Most folks think that introverts are people who are not comfortable in social situations, speaking in front of crowds, etc. That captures me to a certain extent, although I do feel like I’ve trained myself to fake it pretty well. Social situations (such as a party or anywhere else where I’m in a group of mostly unknown folks) aren’t my favorite. I can small talk people, (and do it fairly well, I think) but it always seems kind of forced to me. It’s on par with mowing the lawn or something; I do it, but it’s not something I want to be doing, so it seems to go pretty slowly and I’m always looking for my exit. As an aside, I’ve hit on my strategy before when I’m talking with new folks here.

However, I’ve read a couple of books on psychology and personality that define extroverts and introverts in a way that I really like. It’s not so much whether you feel comfortable in social situations, or have anxiety about them, or even enjoy them. An extrovert is someone who’s batteries are charged, so to speak, by being in a social situation, while an introvert is someone who feels refreshed after spending time alone (reading, or playing video games, or sitting in a dark room or whatever). The next time you’re in a social situation, notice how you feel after it’s over. Are you refreshed, and looking for the after-party? Or, do you need to go home and mellow out for awhile before you can relax? That reaction will tell you what you truly are. I’m definitely one of the people who is exhausted by being around other people. Not that I dislike being around people, it’s just physically draining to me. It’s not what I would choose to do if someone asked me what I want to do to relax.

I believe this temperament has contributed to my development as a curious and well-rounded person. If I hadn’t spent so much time reading instead of going to parties, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. That’s not to say that introverts are better off than extroverts, or to stereotype one group over another. It’s just that for me personally, I know that it’s contributed to my intellectual development. On the flip side, I’ve also had to work hard to become more of a people person. I’m certainly not one (a people person, that is), but I think I’ve gotten better than I was when, say, I was in high school.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a baseball fan. There’s just something about the game that scratches my particular itch. Even though it’s ostensibly a team sport, it’s also very individual (pitcher vs hitter, catcher vs potential base stealer, right fielder vs guy trying to go first to third on a short single to right, etc.). There’s a lot to do with the history, as well, I suppose. I am a history buff, so that appeals to me. The game’s been played professionally since the 1860’s, and even though there have been rules changes, it’s essentially the same as it always has been. It’s a sport, but it’s also a game, if you understand the distinction. There’s a level of strategy that I seem to find missing in other sports (football, basketball, hockey, etc.). I like the fact that there’s no clock, that it’s the only sport where the defense has the ball, and that any one game could theoretically go on forever. I like the fact that it’s a nearly daily presence in my life from late March through October; that’s something that other sports don’t have. Football’s on once a week (although it’s getting worse more frequent). Basketball season seems to last just as long as baseball season does, but there’re a lot fewer games, so it seems to draaaaaag. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate why other people like other sports, and I enjoy soccer futbol myself. I just can’t really get into anything else like I have into baseball.

Even though I’m doing this experiment with What Color is Your Parachute? to find my dream job, I can tell you what it is… getting in with a front office of a baseball team and eventually becoming the General Manager or the Director of Baseball Operations. If I had that opportunity, I would jump on it in a heartbeat, no questions asked about salary (well, it’d need to be subsistence-level, but not much more) or anything. That’s the only position in the world that I can think of where that’s the case.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a husband and father. I always wanted to get married; I never wanted to have kids. Regarding my wife, I just knew the first time I saw her. I thought that love at first sight stuff was rubbish, and I still kind of do to a certain extent. Still, I can’t explain how it felt, other than to say it was different than any time I’d ever seen anyone else before in my life. I was just drawn to her, and not just because I thought she was attractive. It went beyond that, like I could identify something in her that was made for me. Those of you who have met the love of your life may be able to identify with what I’m talking about right now. Those of you who haven’t, feel free to remain skeptical. I won’t hold it against you.

My son, on the other hand, was not what I had planned. I never wanted kids, not really. Oh, I’d thought about it a time or two because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Have kids and a family. When my wife told me she was pregnant, my first reaction was shock, followed pretty closely by dismay. I wasn’t interested in being a father right then, maybe not at all. What was I going to do with a kid? They’re so expensive! I’d just gotten out of the Army; my wife was still in, for crying out loud! We hadn’t really planned on this at all. I was kinda upset to be totally frank. And, unlike most folks tell you (I don’t know if it’s true or not), that didn’t change the first time I saw an ultrasound photo, or even when I saw him for the first time when he came out.

All I can say is, somewhere along the line, I started to like being a dad. I really began to love my son, and now I’d do anything for him and his mom. They really are my family, my responsibility. My wife and I are accountable for developing a human life into someone that can make reasonable decisions with good information, take a guess when there’s less than adequate information, and basically become a responsible member of society. I’m really excited about that, and I can’t wait to see what kind of person he becomes.

So, I need to find a livelihood that allows me to be around for my wife and son. I don’t want to be gone all the time, be it at an office or traveling. I want to be around to see him grow up, not just watch him grow up in the pictures on my desk. That’s what’s motivating me lately to really find the flexibility in whatever position I eventually choose. I’ve got to be around to take an active part in raising my son.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I am a person who loves to learn and am curious about everything. As a kid, I enjoyed school. I was good at it. Always wanted to learn new things and enjoyed being able to study the subjects that I wanted to. College was the best experience of my life, because I finally got to take all classes that I wanted to take. If I didn’t want to do something (like math), I didn’t. That’s how I ended up with a degree in Liberal Arts, I suppose, because I didn’t really focus too much on any one thing or area (although I did get an emphasis in Philosophy, rather than a major).

Even today, if you were to look at my bookshelves at home, or take a peek at my Amazon Wish List, you’d see that I’ll pretty much read anything and everything. I did an MBA not because I really had a desire to make it big in the business world, but because I thought it would be interesting. Parts of it were interesting, in fact. However, parts of it were not. Just because someone likes to read, to learn, and to find out more about subjects they aren’t currently experts in, does not mean that all subjects will be equally interesting to them. I think everyone has certain areas that they enjoy more than others. The areas I like tend more toward the theoretical, the abstract, and the “big picture”; philosophy, theology, studies of the very big or very small like theoretical physics (if someone dumbs it down enough for me to understand, like Michio Kaku or Brian Greene). Some folks get fired up about math or literature; that’s cool, too. It takes all kinds.

The reason why this excites me is there’s always something new. I not only enjoy finding new things and exploring new thoughts, but finding the connections between them. Thoughts build on thoughts and theories of one thing lead to advancing the study of something seemingly unrelated. To me, that’s really cool. To see things connected in this manner is to feel as though there is a purpose and a meaning behind the day-to-day grind. It seems to remind me that there is more to this life, if that makes sense. I hope to pass this love of learning on to my son someday.

If you’re not sure what’s going on here, please read this first.

Who am I?

I’m a person who cares about other people. I like to teach and to share what I know. But, more than the teaching, I just find myself thinking about doing stuff for other people. I give money to panhandlers (or have in the past) even though I know I probably shouldn’t. I think I’m a fairly generous person. I’m really only writing this stuff because I don’t think other people actually read this blog. I don’t publicize my giving, I give anonymously, and I want to give more than I do. My grandpa ran a rescue mission in Flint, MI and I think I really learned to be giving from him. We would spend Christmas and Thanksgiving serving food to the homeless. It really got my mind off me and onto other people.

As I’ve grown older, I feel like I’ve become more compassionate and willing to see that some folks need help getting back on their feet. Hand outs are important sometimes. You can provide opportunities to get people out of their bad situation (education/retraining, loans, etc.), but they’ve still got to eat and have a roof over their head. And, until they can provide that for themselves, they need someone else to provide it for them. That’s what following the golden rule is all about; treat others the way you would like to be treated in that situation.

Why this excites me is that I know this is a good trait. People should be less self-focused and more other-focused. I’ve always had a tendency toward depression, and the best way to ward off the “sads” is to focus on someone else. I really need to do more of it than I’m currently doing. My wife does an awesome job of giving of herself (teaching English to refugees, making meals for moms who just had babies, volunteering with World Relief) and I’m going to start doing more of it myself now that I’m done with my MBA. I’d like to find a way to earn enough money to live by doing something that enriches the lives of other people.

So, just as an introduction to what’s going to happen on this blog after its hiatus (I graduate from b-school in two weeks), I’m going to be running through the exercises in the book What Color is Your Parachute ?. I bought the book a little over a year ago, but didn’t really go through the exercises. I’m seriously thinking about how to go into business for myself, but I’m not entirely sure what I want to do, you know? I’m just to the point where I can’t hardly stand working for someone else anymore. I don’t like the 9-5, I don’t like having to show up at the office, I don’t like being in a place where I don’t want to be. Honestly, if I didn’t have to do that, I wouldn’t be too upset about having a job. It’s just all the other stuff that goes with it, you know?

Anyway, there will some serious introspection going on around this joint for the next little bit. Don’t be concerned. By the way, as another caveat, I’ve recently gotten my first teaching job. I’m an online instructor for non-degree executive education certificate programs (talk about some qualifiers, huh?) at Thunderbird, my alma mater. I’m currently working on two certificates (Global Management and Doing Business in China), but have the potential to move into more. I’m hoping to leverage this into some other, more responsible adjunct or assistant professorships at community colleges and such. So, I have some idea of what I may want to do, but I think I could do more than just teach. Hopefully, I’ll find this out through these exercises.