Алиса Пермякова

The question of “how to live without working” was a favourite topic in the “viper's nest” — the all-female audit department, aptly nicknamed that by the lads from the department next door. Meanwhile every woman taking part in these discussions was busily working overtime, dreaming of a prince on a white Tesla who would rescue her and free her from the yoke of labour. There were, of course, some among them who rather enjoyed such a schedule.

The subject of extraversion and introversion turned out to be interesting, but not covered fully enough. I am making up for it and taking it further. What is temperament, what features does it have, and how are they connected with extra/introversion? It all sounds familiar — and yet precise definitions are hard to come by.

Katya worked out back at school that romance and she were simply incompatible. Katya was far too logical, far too correct for that. All those miniskirts, plunging necklines, lipstick trials in the girls' toilets, pink pompoms on pencils and pouting lips — none of it was for her. She watched it the way a scientist watches some new bug, without ever thinking of trying it herself. School is for studying, not for making eyes at boys!

Have you ever noticed that identical events sometimes happen at opposite ends of the earth? That in different countries we meet exactly the same people? That love stories of a kind of archetypal shape repeat themselves in life with a striking similarity of detail?