Jill
Jill is an ESFJ (What does this mean?)
Jill's story... I grew up in Bolton, Mass. in a big family. My siblings and I are all about 5 years apart, which made for some interesting family dynamics. I lived in the same house in the same town all my life until I left for college.
Nothing too eventful about my youth. I played outside a lot, sold painted rocks, biked to the candy story, and had killer birthday parties. I also had petite mal epilepsy in 4th grade but became famous for it because I could go into "the daze".
As a teen I was a silly, silly girl. I got the "class clown" and "most original" superlative in 8th grade. Much of high school was just spent having fun, or at least trying to have fun. Despite my outward humor and cheerfulness I was actually a pretty depressed girl. I spend too much time watching TV and letting the media tell me what my life should be like. I cared a lot about what people thought of me and allowed that to dictate much of my self worth.
In the middle of high school I started getting involved in Young Life and involvement in YL really impacted my life a lot. For me religion and church had always been boring and lame. I always believed in God but didn't dig church culture. In Young Life I learned more about what a relationship with God really looked like and discovered it for myself. Going to Young Life Camp impacted my life a lot. For the first time I really accepted God's grace and realized that it wasn't about me just doing good stuff to be right with God, but everything He has done for me.
Around this same time that I met this kid at youth group and started chatting on the phone a lot with him. He was so easy to talk to and I looked forwards to our phone conversations every night. In no time Ben and I became very close friends.
I went to Gordon College and came home most weekends to spend time with Ben and my family. Family has always been an important piece for me. They are my deepest roots and have always been there and have always shown love and forgiveness. I know they always will be there no matter what.
In 2001 I graduated from college and Ben and I got married. We've lived in a few different towns, but never have been too far from family. We really have a lot of fun together, doing lots of outdoor stuff, reading together, sports, conversation...
I work in Chelmsford at a school for students with special needs. I began as a teacher assistant, and then became a community therapist, and now I am pursuing my certification as a library media specialist! Lovin' it!! I have never had my nose so deep into books!
When not working I dabble in crocheting with plastic bags, ebaying, playing with our cats, watching MST3k, baking, reading, outdoor fun, and hanging out with nephews, nieces, husband, and family :)
The end!
Ben
Ben is an INTP (What does this mean?)
Ben spent most of his time growing up in PA. His parents kept a tight reign on him, and he moved fairly often during grade school. Ben was also rather nerdy, wore big glasses, was bereft of social skills, and had no friends. Because of all these factors, Ben was disposed to spending much of his time either by himself or playing with his younger brother and sister. He read a lot, played in the woods, and had many hobbies throughout the years. To this day Ben is an introvert, perhaps due to his childhood.
In eighth grade Ben moved to Massachusetts, picked up the guiltar, and learned fast. He spent his free time either playing his new axe, on the computer (playing games or hacking his father's Mac with ResEdit), or playing with his siblings.
In high school Ben made his first two friends (both girls) and they invited him to a youth group at a local church. This marked a turning point in Ben's social life, or more accurately, the beginning of it. Through this group he met his first real friend (Nate) whom he is very close with today. He also met other people that graciously accepted the nerdy boy from Stow into their circle of friends.
One of these was a beautiful red-headed senior girl that Ben (having no social skills and plenty of raging hormones) decided to call one night because "there was a full moon". This girl politely talked on the phone for a bit and invited Ben to a Young Life meeting. This was to be the start of many long phone conversations and a wonderful relationship. Mind you, Ben was still wearing sweat pants to school and FOLDING his tube socks during this point in his sophomore year. When analyzing the complex thoughts of the girl, psychologists still can't understand why she agreed to talk to or befriend the nerdy boy two years her junior. When asked what combination of drugs, hypnosis, and brain-washing Ben used to convince the girl to date him, he simply replied, "That's my little secret."
This time was hard for Ben due to the restrictions placed upon him by his parents (he was grounded for weeks at a time and lectured at a lot) and their divorce during Ben's sophomore year. It was devastating to all three siblings, and the effects can be felt to this day. Ben is of the opinion that no one is really better off after a divorce. His friends, the red-headed girl and her family, Young Life, and church groups helped him through these hard years.
Ben discovered that the music room was a comfortable place to display his talents. He joined all the choral groups he could, even starting a guy's a cappella group, and the jazz band as well. He played guitar for Young Life club meetings and at church. During his senior year he acquired his first student and has been teaching ever since.
Ben went to college for music education at UMass Lowell. He married Jill in 2001 (best day ever) and graduated in 2004.
Ben has had a few tech jobs related to IT, customer service, and web design. He has also taught lessons at a charter school and substituted at a local high school. He currently teaches guitar lessons privately (see his lesson page for details), does house calls to fix computer stuff, and teaches a class a local high school.
Ben loves his free time and is reluctant to part with it. He describes this quality as both a blessing and a curse. He loves spending time with people he loves and avoids work-a-holism, but does tend toward laziness sometimes. Ben is an introvert - he does well in public when he's there, but gets tired of people after a while and likes to crawl back inside his den. Sometimes Jill has to drag him out by the tail into the cold, harsh world. Ben is a truth seeker and loves to bounce ideas off those he respects. He describes himself as an "introspective visionary".
Mr. Holt has many hobbies. He's a computer geek, and likes web design and the odd coding project "just for fun". He's a sort of Mac cultist, and will talk your ear off about the evils of Windows if you don't stop him. He loves computer gaming, hacking, ultimate frisbee, karate, playing guitar, recording music, hiking, reading, nerf wars, biking, and buying/selling musical electronics.
Ben is a Christian. Being a deep thinker, he enjoys studying the Bible and exciting ideas relating to the development of his faith. He's far from perfect, however, and often has trouble putting ideas into practice. Ben and his wife formed a house church in 2008 and really enjoy the close-knit relationships that have formed there.
In 2009, Ben found out he was going to be a father. Since he never planned on being one, he was a little shocked. Through the encouragement of friends and family he is taking the whole pregnancy/fatherhood thing a little better.
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