We're moving. Not far from here, just like 3 blocks away. We need a one bedroom now that my mom isn't living here. So there's that. I've also had quite a few tests. I have been nailing them too! I think I've found my sweet spot. Others are doing horriblily. Grades are curved, meaning, 10% gets A's, 20% gets B's, 40% gets C's, 20% gets D's, 10% gets F's. Though I think most of you know that as I am aware that quite a few of you are college educated. Even so, I'll been grabbing the A's. I freakin get it! I think I finally know how to do this psychology thing and that makes me happy.

As you guys know, I love my psychology. Its my therapy, my hobby, my profession. Well, eventually my profession. I am pretty confident in my diagnosing technique now. :) Its just the fixing people part that is the hardest. I know why shrinks need so many years. So many approachs. So much to know about.

Though one thing you get to learn when you get far enough in psychology, is that they are still very confused as to how to interpret human behavior. Crazy if you think about it. Since us humans have been alive, we've tried to analyze other behavior and tried to modify it. I think the problem is that we're trying to analyze something that isn't tangible. Plus, we come in with this growing up bias. We are raised to think that people could somehow be put into a box. And in a way, that's what psychology is all about. How can we explain all of human behaving, thinking, feeling etc. ? And its not just explaining, but fixing problem areas that are ingrained. So, I don't think psychology will ever figure it out completely. I think my spiritual side is telling me that it is upsurd to think that one can comprend the "soul".

One day, not to far in the future, I will need to come up with some "unique" idea about humans for my doctorate. I dunno.... I think I have to define my core beliefs sooner or later. *Freud's core beliefs were that humans have instincts for life (food/survival), Sex, and aggression* I'm very tempted to just combine all the core beliefs of the great psychological thinkers and make that my belief.

I guess, the question is, "what is true of every single human" I agree we have those things Freud says, but more. I think there is a drive for meaning/purpose. Even outside a religous context, I think people look for something concrete in life to focus thier energy on. I'm thinking family, a gf/bf, friends. I think there is a drive to express. We wear clothing that shows who we are, play video games, write diaries, talk to others. The list could go on and on. I think there is a drive for love. I think it is part of the connection to others we are preprogrammed with. Even as a baby, we NEED to be around our mother. Even with food and water, a baby can't survive without the loving prescence of the mother. I thought I read about people's not being able to survive without touching another human. Plus, this also ties into looking for a life partner and the search for friends. Its the love and connection with another, *with varing degrees* we search this out. I think there is a drive for freedom. I think we all look to be able to express the true self. So it goes with expression then. But you can't have one without the other.

Those are off the top of my head. I need more time to think of more. I'm sure a behaviorist could look at my list and shake his/her head. They'd say, "Silly diarist, don't you know that people do think based on maximizing rewards and minimizing punishment". I'd say to them, "That's true to a point, but the rewards aren't always the point of a particular behavior. Sometimes, people do just read for the sake of reading" Freud would read this list and say, "You just don't understand that people aren't aware of this motivations you speak of. They do their behaviors to express thier hunger/thirst, the pursuit of sex, and thier agression. All these motivations you speak of are just ways to achieve these things and unfulfilled childhood desires."

I think the humanist would say, "Humans do aspire for purpose, but its to be thier fullest selves. That's it. The ultimate goal is actualizing thief best selves and understanding thier own behavior. THough most people never do get that far. They only get as far as finding the approval of thier peers, love from a partner, safety, security, and their physiological needs. Close, but no cigar young jedi"

A cognitive developmentalist would likely tell me, "People don't develop like that. People grow or don't based on the level of thier moral and intellectual development. That is what guides thier behavior. The "immature people have a low understanding of life, thus they are blinded by life, and can't understand it. Every thought, feeling, or behavior is dictated by how you percieve the world and how you view right and wrong. These overshadow your concepts of purpose, expression and love. People seek out your so-called desires based on how they assess purpose, expression and love. People's views are colored by this perception, then they act. They don't have these inner drives and then assess life."

By the way, the above statement is most likely where psychology is headed. Its hot in the field. Though things always change.

There is also transpersonal psychologist. They'd likely agree with me for the most part. They'd say, "You're on the right track. Though some things about humans are beyond human understanding. Certain things come intuitively. There is no way of explaining certain processes that go on during the heat of a moment that are lost in retrospect because the human brain isn't set up to examine itself. Its set up to understand external processes. One can not fully explain love in words for example. One can only understand it from thier own experience of it. Plus, you forgot one of the constants in life, change. There is a desire for change. Resisting change is the cause of grief. Flowing with the change is part of the path to happiness."

So there I have it, the big 4 persepctives. Though I know I don't have trait theory there. They basically say, "hey, humans are composed of only 5 things. They have degrees of the following: Neurotism, Extroversion, Agreeablity/stubborness, Openness to experience, Conciseness *i dunno how to spell, basically, how determined*

In the real world, what I have learned is that different situations call for different things. So all have thier valid points somewhere. You'd try to be a behaviorist if your dealing with children or a phobic person. *Dr. Phil type, tough love* If your dealing with someone who has a lot of neurotic problems and pain from the past, you should break out the Freud. If you have someone looking to fulfill thier potential, You break out the humanist. When someone is looking for something beyond themselves and a deeper meaning to life, you'd use transpersonal.

And sometimes, its a combination of all that and just things that you know or intuit from a person. Referral to how you overcame the problem is useful too. So some just practicality.

Still, I don't know enough to take a person who is seriously ill to emotionally healthy. That is what is next for me. I have an idea. I'd probaly take a lot more time than a certified psychologist. I look at it like jedi training. *yeah, i like freaking star wars* I know the "force" powers. Put its a matter of putting them to use. I am no longer a Pawnwan or whatever the beginners are, I'm a jedi. But I'm no jedi knight yet.

So after all this, you may be wondering, what branch of psych do you think you like. I like transpersonal. I also like Freud. He was crazy when it came to how he thought children desire thier opposite sex parent. But his contributions can't be overlooked. He figured out defense mechanisms, the subconscious, and the power of the mind to cause physical problems. Humanism has "potential" *heh* but its a vague theory. Seriously, read it on the net. Though its contribution of unconditional positive regard from psychologist is genius. And I can't stand behaviorism. They say we have no personality. We're like animals in a freakin maze. We do stuff for rewards and punishment aviodance. Sometiems, but not really is my perspective.

Ofcourse, this entry is more like a brief taste of the real theories and stuff. Plus, I'm sure i likely misrepresented one group. "Its the thought that counts."