Tests

Insurance requires a psychological evaluation. Mine is tomorrow. It won't be my first. I hope it's my last.

Psychological testing is an interesting concept. My last counselor actually asked me every.single.session if I heard voices coming out of the TV, if I had a plan to harm myself, etc. It was completely insulting. I just wanted help sleeping. The only reason I've had ANY psych evals was to get sleep medication. The two therapists I had before trusted me enough to housesit for them and take care of their pets--that was one of the ways I paid for my counseling before I had insurance. I am nothing if not grounded in reality. (I saw a great T-shirt recently that said, "Reality continues to ruin my life." It still makes me laugh.)

Most everyone knows from watching movies and TV, if they hold up the inkblot, you're not supposed to say you see the devil. (I think the holder-upper might get really suspicious if you say you see fairies holding hands and frolicking in a dewy meadow, too.) Another hoot is the MMPI with the yes or no ("yes or no--I like everyone I know") questions, which I've taken at least once in the past as preliminary testing for employment.

I used to say my body was a test. This was, and is, somewhat true; it weeds out a lot of people whose character leaves much to be desired and whom I would rather not waste valuable time and emotional energy on. A former friend (former for a reason) remarked to me once, "Well, it isn't a fair test." Isn't it? If someone is going to reject you for the way you look, why not get it over with now?) What test is fair? It isn't about whether tests are fair, it's about whether they're effective. Life is full of tests, and I would wager most people would not consider most of them fair. Inevitable, justifiable, necessary or unnecessary--but not fair.