As a Person of the Behavioral Sciences...

...I LOVE trying to better understand people by how and what they do in life. Why would someone choose to say one thing? Why would someone chose to act one way?

These have been fascinations of mine for many years -- it is percisely why I chose to go the route I did with my education. It's probably what's drove me to be the total over-thinker that I am in life -- I'm constantly thinking about things (and sometimes it causes me problems...HA!)

When considering the blog realm it's always interested me in what types of topics different people choose to write on on their blogs. Some people use their blogs mostly for sharing their life via photographs to their loved ones. Some people use their blog to give updates on what is going on in their life. Still others use their blog as a forum for topics of discussion. Whatever the case, I think you can learn a lot about a person through his/her blog. What they write about; how they write about it; as well as, how they setup their blog in order to write about it. I mean look at blogs designs -- one can create his/her blog layout that is personal for them. People choose who they want linked on their sidebar on their blog. They can also even choose who they want to be able to respond on their blog. So many ways to personalize one's blog.

For me, I can often find myself taking all of these sorts of things into consideration as I'm yearning to learn more about a person. Why would one choose to link an individual on their blog for a long time, then one day decide to not link them anymore? Is it that that person hasn't blogged in a while, so the person feels the link is a "dead-end" to send his/her readers, as the linked blog is no longer being updated? Or is it that the blog author feels the linked blog is not one they want associated with his/her blog anymore due to a disagreement in views or beliefs? So many possibilities.

What about comment moderation? Why would one choose to moderate who could comment on his/her blog? Does one not want cursing on their blog? Does one feel a need to have ultimate control? Does one fear if he/she does not "approve" each comment first, a comment might arise on his/her blog which one might disagree with? Does one find it hard to even listen to other views other than his/her own? Is one so set in his/her beliefs that anything that might stray from them is ultimately "wrong", thus it has no place among the "right"?

So much is left up to wonder when we look at people's actions in life. It's a sense of excitement for an individual like myself to question and wonder why we do what we do. I truly believe we all have some justification for all our actions, even if we are not consciously aware of it at the time of performance.

As for me...allow me to explain some parts of MY blog.

For instance, I offer a sidebar of links to individuals blogs on my blog. I've taken off different individuals' links to their blogs in the past. My justificiation for this action is that it's someone's blog that has become stagnant -- in that it is frequently, if ever updated. I referred to this earlier as the "dead-end" links.

As for comment moderation on my blog, you'll see I have none. What I've found interesting is that I've never had to use this function as I've always been open to accepting individual's comments on whatever topic I might happen to be addressing that day. Have I been careful to only post on topics I felt would not offer an array of opinions? Of course, not. I'm pretty sure if anyone was to venture out among my many posts on this blog, one would quickly learn that I've openly discussed many topics that bring out the most far right and left opinions on the matter. I've never been one to shy away from peoples' disagreements and differing opinions. Matter of fact, I love that sort of stuff. I enjoy a good debate.

Would I moderate my comments if someone started cussing? I don't believe so. I can't say I've had that, but I don't see how that would bother me, because if anything I would just see that as another opportunity to begin wondering why that person would choose to react in such a way. Why did that person feel the urge to use those words? I've definately had times in my life when I've cussed and I can look back on those times and understand what was going on with me at the time that lead me to use the words I did.

It's all just so intriguing to me.

Homecoming Look-A-Likes

I have been having such a blast in Abilene this weekend celebrating homecoming from my undergraduate alma mater. I love seeing friends who I haven't got to see in quite sometime and recalling memories from our days here together.

Right now I'm just relaxing after what's been a long day of events and hanging with friends. A large part of this included attending the homecoming football game (which we won). While I was there, I happened to notice this lady sitting nearby who immediately made me think I had moved into the future and seen one of my best friends 5 to 7 years down the road with a kid of her own...

What do you think?

Maybe a New Horizon

I've been really depressed lately I guess it is. At first I tried to blame it on something physical. Then decided I was stressed. Then figured I must be depressed. Not really sure why, but I'm pretty positive that's what it is.

I've now ended two sentences with the word "is" and that's not like me when writing. I decided to post this tonight because I remember one of the last time I was really depressed it took admitting and really opening up about it to be able to overcome it. So I thought tonight, though I've been admitting it to people lately that I feel stressed and depressed, I don't think that's been enough. So I'm going to post this, and see if this might be the step it takes to overcome.

I sure hope so. I'm hating this.

BTW...I've kinda used this blog as one of my confirming factors as to accepting I "must" be depressed....I mean look, this is the longest I think I've ever gone without blogging (i.e. at first I couldn't even remember where to go to login in ORDER to post...it's pathetic, I know). Anyways, it's a symptom of depression to show a lack of interest in things you previously enjoyed. Yeah, that's me and my not writing in my blog (not to mention other things in my life...HA!)

The end.