See? I'm already on track with my New Year intention. Let me not get too ahead of myself before I get lazy again with this page.

I found this interesting article today and thought I should share. Surprisingly, it's pretty true for me. What about you?

Less than two days before I leave for New Hampshire on a Kerry bus (for two days to do field work - god, I miss campaign life). I'm sure I'll find something amusing to report.

Enjoy.



Your Music Choice Reveals Your Personality

The next time you go to a party and want to hook up with someone new, ask this question to find just the right person: What kind of music do you like? Turns out, the music a person likes also reveals fun facts about his or her personality, according to new research from the University of Texas at Austin.

If you like blues, jazz, classical, or folk music...
...then you are intelligent, tolerant, and politically liberal.

If you like country or religious music...
...then you are cheerful, outgoing, reliable, and conventional.

If you like alternative or heavy metal music...
...then you are physically active and a curious risk-taker.

If you like rap/hip-hop or and dance music...
...then you are outgoing and agreeable and generally eschew conservative ideals.

Memorize this list. When you ask that cute stranger what kind of music he or she likes, you'll know if the two of you will hit it off. "It assumes that knowing the answer tells you something about who they are" and whether or not to pursue a relationship, Dr. Peter J. Rentfrow, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin and the lead study author, told Reuters. Along with Dr. Samuel D. Gosling, Rentfrow conducted six studies on over 3,500 students examining their music preferences, beliefs about music, self-perceptions, and cognitive abilities.

Don't look now, but advertisers can also use the same psychology. Fitting just the right music with just the right product for just the right demographics could make sales soar. "We might come up with typologies comprised of music preferences, socioeconomic status, and age," Rentfrow predicted to Reuters.

He says there is very little research to date on music preferences and personalities because many consider it mundane. But Rentfrow doesn't agree. His findings suggest that personality, self-perception, and cognitive ability each play a role in the "formation and maintenance of music preferences."