ON THE INSIDE

I’m heading to work today with my new teaching certificate in hand, wondering whether I should say something to the personnel director, deputy warden, and warden—all of whom tried to jam me with loss time. I'll tell you, it sure feels good to be part of the team.

A few years back, I attended a Myers-Briggs Assessment Workshop at the Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer, Michigan. The whole idea of the training was to better understand myself, to become enlightened as to where I fit into the prison system’s daily grind. What I had learned on that day is that I don’t really fit in at all. According to my Myers-Briggs Personality Type, I fall under the “INTJ” category; whereas, most prison employees fall under the “ISTJ” and “ESTJ” categories.

Here’s the description I fall under: I have an original mind and great drive for my own ideas and purposes. I have a fine power to organize a job and carry it through with or without help. I’m skeptical, critical, independent, determined, and sometimes stubborn. Suggestions from the training: I should learn to yield less important points to win the most important.

I also learned the characteristics most associated with prison administrators. I’ll skip the introvert/extrovert bullshit and get right down to the main points. According to Myers-Briggs: They make up their own minds as to what should be accomplished and work toward it steadily, regardless of protests or distractions. They’re not interested in subjects they see no use for, but can apply themselves when necessary.

What does all this mean? Probably that I’ll just let the whole damned issue regarding my teaching certificate slide. As I tell my students, “It’s unhealthy to hold a grudge.” Besides, if the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator pegged me down, which it did, then why play the odds against it; I’m sure the description for prison administrators is on the money also. No temporary fixes here. Although I’ve heard my students say, “It sure does feel good to get even.”