Interesting

Genghis Khan You scored 64 Wisdom, 80 Tactics, 62 Guts, and 47 Ruthlessness!

Genghis Khan was a Mongol conqueror, originally named Temujin. He succeeded his father, Yekusai, as chieftain of a Mongol tribe and then fought to become ruler of a Mongol confederacy. After subjugating many tribes of Mongolia and establishing his capital at Karakorum, Temujin held a great meeting, the khuriltai, at which he accepted leadership of the Mongols and assumed his title. He promulgated a code of conduct and reorganized his armies. He attacked the Jurchen-ruled Chin empire of North China and by 1215 had occupied most of its territory, including the capital, Yenching (now Beijing). From 1218 to 1224 he conquered Turkistan, Transoxania, and Afghanistan and raided Persia and East Europe to the Dnieper River. Genghis Khan ruled one of the greatest land empires the world has ever known. He died while campaigning against the Jurchen, and his vast domains were divided among his sons and grandsons. His wars were marked by ruthless carnage, but Genghis Khan was a brilliant ruler and military leader. Timur was said to be descended from him. Other leaders like yourself include Julius Caesar and Tecumseh Sherman

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 66% on Wisdom You scored higher than 86% on Tactics You scored higher than 62% on Guts You scored higher than 44% on Ruthlessness

Link: The Which Historic General Are You Test written by dasnyds on Ok Cupid

Take a Walk with Big Tex, Part 2

Dont tell me you missed the F-16 again. Ok., well then lets head down LSD and see what we can see. As you can see, there are many people here in the harbor port. This is one of the more popular spots on the weekends. People can sit in the adjacent park under a tree and read a good book. You see that large tree between the two smaller ones, that is actually my favorite tree to sit and read under.

As we walk away from the harbor and down LSD you can see how Big Lake michigan actually is. This is just a small section of the lake and you can see that there are plenty of boats out there. Some of the people are out there fishing, others are enjoying the lake, while others are wave riding. There are also a few people drinking beer on the boat. My time on my college's boating team(1 day) taught me that it is possible to shake someone's hand while holding a 12 pack in your arms. Anyway, as we continue our stroll we will undoubetly come up with more interesting sights I am sure. But there is only one way to really see it, so lets continue on.




As we are moving down the road you might notice that along the edge of the Lake is a small beach. This is a place where people can relax and enjoy the day in the sun. There are lots of ice cream vendors walking around willing to sell something cold on a hot day. Many people though choose to hang out on the grass under the trees and grill. Others like to hang out by the statue. Yes, I did say statue, this one here actually. If you look carefully in the background you can see a boat sailing in the water. This gives you an idea of how close the statue actually is to the water. I would love to be able to give you a story behind the story but the fact is I do not know what this particular statue depicts. More than one this particular statue represents though is the idea of community togtherness. I saw many people walking near the statue playign frisbee or tossing the football near it. In many ways, this staue was responsible for bringing people together. In this day and age, I think many people could learn alot from a simple family gathering. The more time I spend in my field the more I am conviced that family is the single most important aspect that can help with the development of the youngster.



But anyway, let me get off my soapbox and continue this tour. As we walk down the road we temporarily get awy fromt he beach and come to a small bridge. This bridge is used to allow boats which are in the small lake on the other side of LSD to connect to the larger Lake Michigan. If you look down you will see there is a small lagoon created. There is also a series of steps which can be used as a bleacher. This bleacher is a great place to hang out with friends or a fun place to make new ones. Today though, the steps have an entirely different purpose. This is the site for the Chicago Chapter of the Big Tex Fan Club. Ok, clearly this is not the meeitng place for the group, but I can wish can't I?
If you look very carefully the ships in the background are not the ones we saw earlier, but a whole different set. It is a massive lake and I want yall to really understand just how big it really is.




As we walk by the steps there is a person who is drawing those caricatures that you sometimes see artists drawing on boardwalks and other public pages. Ever had a hankering as to what Big tex might look like? Well this is what he might look like if he posed for one. Also this is what he might wear if there as snow in the ground and he owned a beige hat. Since I do not have a beige hat, and there is no snow on the ground, I guess this is not the best one but it is a nice way to conclude the second part of our tour. See you next time for part 3 of the Take A Walk With Big Tex Tour!

Take a Walk with Big Tex, Part 1

Many people have asked me to address the neighborhood in which I live. They would be interested in hearing stories about the general area and would love to "see" where I live. Well, you asked for it, so here you go. Welcome to A Walk with Big Tex Part 1. Essentially this post and the next few will be an interactive journey where you join Big Tex on an exploration of the surrounding area. This will be a long and ardous journey, and it is warm outside, so perhaps you might be interested in a drink? Why dont you sit down in my chair while I get something from the fridge for you.






There we go thats a little better right? Well now while you sip your beverage and lean back in my chair, I will give you a little background on the general area. Chicago is loacated primarily on Lake Michigan. There is a 15 mile walking trail from the North part of the Lake Shore to the Southern part of the Lake shore. I live in an area that is a few miles North of Downtown. It is this general area that I will concentrate on for the next few posts. Ah, good you seem to have finished your drink. Lets go!

















Now that we have walked outside of the building you will notice this narrow street. In fact the reason it is narrow is becuase it is actually a one way street. As you can see by the way the cars are parked ( and the van as well), the cars travel towards us rather than away. As we travel down this street you might notice that some of the cars have parking tickets on them. This is becuase this particular street has not parking meters or any other deterent that stops a person from parking. Thus people tend to leave their cars here for weeks at a time without moving them. In fact if you look just to the right of the van, you might see a yellow ticket. As we come to the stop light, lets take a look at the highway in front of us. This is the LSD(Lake Shore Drive) and it will be neccesary for us to cross it in order to reach our destination.





In order to get across the highway we will utilize a small tunnel that will allow us to traverse the highway underground. There are many such tunnels in this part of Chicago. They are convienent, safe, and a fun way to go from one side of the street to the other. As we walk through the tunnel you might hear tires behind you. This is becuase there are many bike riders who will be riding along LSD, and this in one of the ways they can get to their bike paths. As we wlak to the other side of the tunnel we will come to a small park. This small park has many children playing on swings while their parents enjoy the outdoors. If you look to your left you can see a couple of people grilling while others are trying to hide their beer from the Chicago police. In fact, if you look up, you will get your first sight of Lake Michigan.




And here it is. This is Belmont Harbor, one of four major harbors along the Chicago side of Lake Michigan. This harbor tends to be a mix of larger and smaller boats. There is one harbor north and two others south of Downtown. Since this harbor is close to downtown, it can be pretty busy. Pictured here is of course Big Tex's boat. I will not reveal the name of my vessel now, but I will a little bit later on. As we lean on the guard rail and look out on the lake we can appreciate the small breeze which is hitting us. It is a bit of a warm day, so every little buit of breeze is helpful. Interestingly enough, you came to visit on a great day, because today is the day of the military air show. Did you see the F-14's that just flew by? Damn. Look up periodically and you will see it. Anyway, lets head down LSD and see what else is out there.

Big Tex Comes to YOU

I have been toying with the idea of introducing you closer to my world. I think what I will do is each week post one picture of something of signifigance to me. It might be something in my apartment, a place I like to go to, or something along those lines. I think this will be a fun way to add more pictorial content to this blog, as well as sharing more with yall, my devoted readers. Stay tuned, as Big Tex brings part of himself to YOU!

New Look for Big Tex?

Yoggy Yogwich: You mentioned I should get a black cape and a mask. Does this work?

Say it Aint so

Wow. I just realized that it has been a little over a year since I started this blog. While it has not been the most updated, I have tried to keep material relativly fresh. When I started this blog, I thought it would be a fun way to keep in touch with people from college and friends that I would not get to see often. I hope to use this forum as a place to comment on certain things that I found amusing, interesting, or confounding. I have also tried to speak in a very informal voice, as I view this blog in many ways as a conversation, not a lecture.

As I look back upon the last year I relaize I have grown quite a bit. I look at myself through some of my earlier posts and some of the newer ones, and I can certainly see a bit of a difference. I really like how to read some of the earlier posts and remember the events that took place surrounding the posts. As I write this I am thinking about the fishing I did in Alaska in July 04 and can almost feel the waves off the boat. I can almost feel the salmon in my hands as I got it off the lure, and smell it as I lifted it in triumph.

I think one thing that I have certainly noticed is that I have become somewhat more observant of the world around me since getting to grad school. I suppose the mark of any good psychologist is the ability to hear what is not said, see what is not shown, and delve where the person cannot alone. I suppose it is this which gives me a perspetve different than other blogs I have run into.

But it has been a good year. I have met some really interetsing people in Chicago and am keeping in touch with old friends. In fact i have even met new people who have read this blog that I have never met in real life. In some ways this blog has introduced me to new people, and that is never a bad thing.

What is really interesting is when people I know, call me Big Tex, instead of my real name face to face. Also it is interesting becuase there are many people i know who will tell me they agree with me on a certain subject, even though I never said anything to them face to face. The fact is the only way they would have known my opinion is to have read this blog. That in itself tells me that yall have been reading and enjoying what I have had to say. So, in essence, I want to thank YOU, my readers for putting up with some of my shortcomings as a writer.

Here is to another year with the one, the only BIG TEX.

My name is Shake-Zula

My name is Shake-Zula, the mic rulah, the old schoolah, you wanna trip, I'll break it to ya. Frylock and I'm on top rock you like a cop, Meatwad you're up next with your knock-knock. Meatwad make the money see, Meatwad get the honeys G. Drivin in my car, livin like a star, ice on my fingers and my toes and I'm a Taurus. Cause we are the Aqua Teens, make the homeys say ho and the girlies wanna scream. Frylock!! 17% laziness, 24% immaturity, 43% intelligence, 24% evilness

You are a giant box of floating french fries. You are a scientifically-minded computer wiz and usually the most sane and rational member of your team. You have the humor of a middle aged straight man, and you spend most of your time fixing Shake's mistakes at your own cost. You are also the only one of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force who seems to sympathize with Meatwad. You can use your eyes for lots of cool things like blasting, melting, freezing, etc. You basically work hard so Shake can mess it up. Overall you keep your cool when the going gets tough.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 25% on laziness You scored higher than 50% on immaturity You scored higher than 75% on intelligence You scored higher than 25% on evilness

Link: The Which Aqua Teen Character R U Test written by barberosa on OkCupid Free Online Dating

Support This

There is something I have been thinking bout recently but I havent had a chance to write about it. Since I have a little time, I figured I would take the time to pontificate on it.

Have you noticed that there is a trend these days to wear different colored plastic wristbands? I have been noticing this trend for quite awhile and I am wonderign when it got so popular. In fact it seems there are all kinds of those plastic wrist bands out there. Many of them are different colors and it appears that some people actually use their colored wristband to match whatever they are wearing. In essence it seems these people seem to be using it as a fashion statement.

I honestly have no problem with this. If a person wants to buy a wristband and wear it as a fashion statement, go ahead. Now, I realize that some people might say that some of these bracelts have an ulterior meaning--an affliaition with some organization. For example many of the yellow wristbands out there are for the Lance Armstrong Livestrong organization. The pink ones I think are for breast cancer and many of the red ones are for the Pat Tillman foundation that encourages a person "by inspiring and supporting them to promote positive change in themselves and the world around them." I would say many of these causes are pretty good and I have no problem with a person wearing a wristband in order to promote a cause. I have even seen wristbands with "Support the Troops", pro democrat and pro Republican sentiments on them. As I said, I have no real problem with this. In essence, I see these wristbands as the 21st century version of the Campaign Button.

What I do have a poblem with though is people trying to take advantage of the craze and trying to screw some of the charities. many of the charities will sell their bracelets and use the proceeds in order to fund research. For example the Livestrong organization sells the bracelts and use the proceeds to fund cancer research. This is a wonderful place to put money in my mind. Unfortunatly some people have bought a bunch of these bracelts and put them on EBAY and are sellign them at a high price. Most if not all of these people will pocket the money for themselves. This is a shameful act and they ought to be disgusted with their behavior. I have nothign but contempt for a person that tries to steal money from a charitable organiation.
This is why I say, if you are going to buy and wear any of these bracelts do not go to ebay. Go to the organizational website, go to a hospital, go to a person who will donate your money to the organization. And if you do not like bracelets, then consider making a charitable donation. It does not have to be big, as every little bit can help.

If you are wondering where to donate here are a few decent places:

Livestrong: Lance Armstorong's Organization dedicated to Cancer research in general
http://www.livestrong.org/

National Breast Cancer Association: pretty self explanatory.
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

The Leaukemia and Lymphona Society: again fairly explanatory
http://www.leukemia.org/hm_lls

The Pat Tillman Foundation: Dedicated to the carrying forward Tillman's legacy by inspiring and supporting others striving to promote positive change in the self and the outside world. In many ways these values are those that I do in my profession.
http://www.pattillmanfoundation.net/index.php

There are many many more that I have not mentioned, as these are just a few that I think are great organzations. It does not matter which one(s) you support, whether you wear your bracelts, or not. What matters is your support.

3 for 1: What I can say

It is now my 3rd week of my internship and I have already believe I have learned a lot. I have had the oppertunity to meet many of the residents and have had the oppertunity to read through a number of their case files. Most of the people in the long term facility fall under the diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Schizoaffetive, or Bipolar(generally with psychotic features). What is interesting to me is the level of some of these people's functioning. I am going to refer to a couple of people, but i of course will not use their actual names or anything spcific enough for you to ID them.

There is one guy there who I will call Michael Dowd. This guy has been diagnosed with Bi Polar with psychotic fetaures, yet when I talked ot him yesterday he seemed very lucid. He seemed very articulate and was able to have a convsersation. It was interesting to sit down and listen to him talk about himself in his own words.

Another person i met yesterday was a guy named Jason Franklin. He is diagnosed with schizophrenia and it became very obvious after i sat down and talked to him. He kept leaping from topic to topic without any real flow. Furthermore he kept referring to a wonderful job he had even though he had no real training. Finally he talked about a home he purportedly owned on a lake in Wisconsin that he was going to share with a famous mvie star. Apprently when he got out she was going to join him there with her kids and they would live in that home on the lake.

These are just two of the people i have met in my three weeks at the internship. What is interesting is on any given day anyone can be functioning pretty close to "normal" while others seem to be in a world of their own. It makes me really appreciate the purported fine line between genius and ...

Wha?

Wile E. Coyote! You scored 71 Aggression, 57 Sophistication, and 57 Optimism!

You are intelligent, sophisticated, and the physical personification of the can-do attitude. No matter how many times something blows up in your face (figuratively or literally) or prized project collapses around you, you will pick yourself up and try, try again. There is a good chance that you are very skilled in problem solving and would probably make a fine engineer. Your main weaknesses (and this is likely obvious to everyone but yourself) are your overconfidence and complete lack of perspective. When you inevitably fail at a task (you can’t possibly achieve all of the lofty goals you set for yourself), you tend to take it personally. If you are not careful, you can become thoroughly obsessed with what is not really a very meaty goal. Try taking a step back from time to time and figure out for yourself if it is really worth it, or if your talents could be best put towards a more rewarding goal. Also, your desire for things to work out the way you’ve planned can make you a bit gullible.

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 68% on Aggression You scored higher than 30% on Sophistication You scored higher than 30% on Optimism

Link: The Which Looney Tune Are You Test written by coolguy3000 on Ok Cupid

Big Tex's Supreme Court.

I am going to take the oppertunity to call out Chief Justice William Rehnquist and tell him to act like a man. He is poor physical shape and he is clinging on to his post. I think this is a horrendous situation. If we need a major decision from the supreme court, we might not get it becuase Rehnquist is unable to hear the arguments due to his health.

Rehnquist has been on the Supreme Court for 33 years. That is a long time for anyone to hold that type of a job. In my opinion once a person gets into really bad shape they should step down for the good of the country. Sandra Day O'Connor stepped down becuase of the health of her husband. Her health was not an issue., yet she resigned because she valued something more than her job. I think Rehnquist could really learn a lesson here.

What amazes me is that many of the justices on the supreme court are either near or over 70 years old(Breyer: 67, Ginsberg 72, Souter:66, Kennedy:69, Scalia: 69, Rehnquist: 81, Stevens: 85, While it is not a fact that all older people become senile, it is a fact that cognitive processes decrease with age. The youngest Chielf Justice is Thomas at a young 57.

If I had my way I would say that 65 is the mandatory retirement age for the supreme court judges. I would not have a lower age level for a suprme court position, but i would have a ceiling of 65. In my system, the entire Suprme court would be retired with the exception of Thomas. Then I would look for good justices to fill in. The job of the supreme court is actually not tough, so I believe there are plenty of qualified candidates. All a Supreme Court Justice has to do is read the law and determine whether it is constitional or not. Pretty simple, in my book. I could do the job. You know what? Thats not a bad idea. I would make myself Chielf Justice of the Supreme Court and start the job now. Now thats an excellent idea. Chief Justice Big Tex. I like the sound of that, don't you?

What I Cannot Tell You

So I started my internship expierence on Monday and all I can say is that I cannot talk about it. The issues with patient confideniality among other issues do not let me say anything about it. Therefore i cannot talk about anything that happens there on this very public blog.

In things I can talk about, I have been in Chicago for about a week and have been getting readjusted to life here. After spending about a month sitting in your parents home not having to worry about cooking, etc, it takes a little time to get back into the routine of doing things for yourself. For example when I got back from work on Monday I was dismayed to find no food on the stove and the apartment about 90 degrees. Oh well.

I recently went with a friend of mine to US Cellular Park (White Sox baseball). This is a baseball field which is located on the South Side of Chicago and very accesible by the Train system. The White Sox are having a superior year to the Cubs(North Side) in terms of performance. The White SOx lead their division by a lot and are a contender for the World Series. The CUbs on the other hand trail the Cardinals by a lot in the divison and the HOUSTON ASTROS in the wild card. The Cubs games typically are sellouts, so I went to US Cellular expecting a sellout. What I saw shocked me. My friend and I estimated that maybe 75% of the stadium was full. This is for a first place team with the best record in the league and they are unable to sell out their stadum. In contrast a team which is not doing particularly well, is selling out almost daily. It seems that Chicago has not supported the White Sox as they should, and this is apprently not a recent phemonmenon.

I am not sure what else to say, so I will wrap it up for now. Until next time...

Why DO I keep Doing these?

the Prankster (47% dark, 34% spontaneous, 33% vulgar)

your humor style: CLEAN COMPLEX LIGHT Your humor has an intellectual, even conceptual slant to it. You're not pretentious, but neither are you into what some would call 'low humor'. You'd laugh at a good dirty joke, but you definitely prefer something clever to something moist. You probably like well-thought-out pranks and/or spoofs and it's highly likely you've tried one of these things yourself. In a lot of ways, yours is the most entertaining type of humor. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Conan O'Brian - Ashton Kutcher

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 26% on dark You scored higher than 14% on spontaneous You scored higher than 47% on vulgar

Link: jason_bateman on The 3 Variable Funny Test written by Ok Cupid