Anticipation..

So, it's the second day back in Uni today. The house is full. Work, revision, practice. Everyone's buzzing around doing something.

To think that I will be done in a months time is scary. A new chapter of my life will begin when this one ends. I wonder what will be in store for me.

I really wish I had more to say - which I do - I just need more time to actually say it. I guess I need to find a topic to discuss about. Suggestions perhaps?

Need to find some paper and pull some ideas out of a hat :P

A toute l'heure~

Sofie =)

HUGE GAP FAIL

I realise that I've not been active here AT ALL. I've not forgotten about this blog but man, university has made me unbelievably busy.

My checklist:

1. Dissertation: DONE :)

2. Piano Programme note: In the process

3. Music Therapy Reflective Anaylsis (1k words): NEED TO DO MORE

4. Music Therapy Case Study Presentation: Got some done but, not finished.

5. MANG 3052 Group Essay: my part DONE. Every one elses... Pending -.-

6. MANG 3052 Group Presentation: NOT STARTED - I've NO idea what to do fr it man. Honestly.

I promise, I'll blog more with a few thoughts that have come into mind.

Until then...

Congrats to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their spectacular wedding ceremony today :)

A toute l'heure~

Sofie =)

Addictions

So recently, certain people have been playing 'Tetris Battle' - me included but thankfully, I've been able to control my playing habits :)

The motivation for this post came about coz I was aware of, let's call her, Jane, playing Tetris the whole time (afternoon and night) whilst I was doing work.

I know of people who have worser addictions to gaming. Let's put this into perspective first. Here's a definition given by good old Wiki:

"Video game addiction, or more broadly video game overuse, is excessive or compulsive use of computer and video games that interferes with daily life. Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from, or from other forms of, social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than broader life events."

Also, here are a few characteristics on addictive behaviour:

There are many common characteristics among the various addictive behaviors:

1. The person becomes obsessed (constantly thinks of) the object, activity, or substance.

Yup, Jane is somewhat obsessed with Tetris Battle. She complains when she's out of 'battery life' on Tetris. She'll do anything to get some more - including doing surveys...

2. They will seek it out, or engage in the behaivor even though it is causing harm (physical problems, poor work or study performance, problems with friends, family, fellow workers).

Jane doesn't do work. Well, for 30 minutes top... out of 1000000000 hours game time.

3. The person will compulsively engage in the activity, that is, do the activity over and over even if he/she does not want to and find it difficult to stop.

From point 1, yup, she is constantly playing it. Constantly.

4. Upon cessation of the activity, withdrawal symptoms often occur. These can include irritability, craving, restlessness or depression.

She got bored straight after she lost her 'battery' and felt irritable. In fact, she started playing another game... on another device. LOL.

5. The person does not appear to have control as to when, how long, or how much he or she will continue the behavior (loss of control). (They drink 6 beers when they only wanted one, buy 8 pairs of shoes when they only needed a belt, ate the whole box of cookies, etc).

6. He/she often denies problems resulting from his/her engagement in the behavior, even though others can see the negative effects.

HAHAHA. This point is so true. She denies her playing the game at times, when it is blatantly clear that she is. I can hear the keyboard -.-

7. Person hides the behavior after family or close friends have mentioned their concern. (hides food under beds, alcohol bottles in closets, doesn't show spouse credit card bills, etc).

I'm not sure about this but she somewhat mentioned it to a family member. In any case, we tried an intervention. She didn't want to hear it. HAHA.

8. Many individuals with addictive behaviors report a blackout for the time they were engaging in the behavior (don't remember how much or what they bought, how much the lost gambeling, how many miles they ran on a sore foot, what they did at the party when drinking)

9. Depression is common in individuals with addictive behaviors. That is why it is important to make an appointment with a physician to find out what is going on.

10. Individuals with addictive behaviors often have low self esteem, feel anxious if the do not have control over their environment, and come from psychologically or physically abusive families.

Jane doesn't come from a bad family. Her self-esteem, well. Can't say much about it. Could be due to a lot of work cropping up.

[source from: http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/addictiveb.html]

So why do people become addicted to games? Some causes that crop up is that they find better beneficial gains on these games than in real-life. This would link to some possible psychological causes. Who can blame you though, if life isn't smooth sailing at the moment but you know you can excel and totally own in a game? I'd keep on playing. I quote: "I've gone up a rank! My life has purpose now!" Honestly, if playing games when you get up and before you sleep... don't you think you might need some sort of... life?

In the case of Jane, well. I guess she's just so used to having it in her life - even if for a few days. Her attitude towards always winning might be taken into account. She NEEDS to be good, really good at something. So, I guess this Tetris Battle thing, seeing that you're playing against other people, you've a 50/50 chance of winning. You win, you're happy... you lose, you get frustrated and try to 'get back your star'.

In any case, it's hilarious watching Jane play or any other person who has an addiction to games, especially once you take it away from them:)

I am evil.

A toute l'heure~

Sofie :)

The digital world..

Seeing that I've not put up ANYTHING on this blog for God know how long... I think it's time to start blogging again. Not that I actually have any readers but, I'd like to think some one is out there reading this regardless :)

I'm in the midst of doing my dissertation which looks at consumer behaviour in digital music. Basically, I'm trying to find a model that is suitable for the younger generation i.e. the teenagers and university students.

Quite happy with some of the results that I'm getting, though, some answers are hilarious!

The qualitative research questions really do help - I've received some amazing answers and I'd like to thank those people, whoever you are.... due to the anonymity of the questionnaire, I literally can't, lol.

But seriously though, what do people think will happen to music in the near future? The shift from physical music i.e. CDs - which most likely be extinct soon - perhaps - to every thing digital.

Funny how almost every thing is online. We are the E-Generation after all. We're so dependent on the Internet, it's hilarious! The 'Internet First' behaviour we have adapted i.e. we go to the internet for everything. Want to know a good recipe for lemon chicken? GOOGLE. What does 'pulchritudinous' mean? GOOGLE. What flights are cheapest for a holiday to the Caribbeans? GOOGLE.

You can see how everything has just turned into internet-dependent. In one sense, you can say that we have control of things. We need not go to an agency to book holidays, we can do it ourselves. Buying products online, customers are sharing their views and recommendations about certain products. WE control the company.

Cool thought isn't it?

A toute l'heure~

Sofie =)

Facebook friends.. are they really?

I read an article about Facebook friends. The article can be found here.

I thought about this before I joined the social network. Previously, I had a Friendster and Hi5 account. I decided to delete them as I was tired of using social networks - my friends made me a Facebook account and I have stuck to it ever since.

My entry is not about the psychology of joining a social network, but the thought of what online 'friends' are.

Here's a scenario. Let's say you went to an event and you've just met someone. You talk for a bit and soon after you switch names and mention that "I'll add you up on Facebook". The next day you see a friend request from that person, you accept it et voila, they're your friend on Facebook. However, do you truly consider that person as a friend?

I've seen people with more than 1,000 friends on Facebook and I shake my head in disapproval. Out of the 1,000 people, who do you really talk to? Who do you really take notice of? Sure Facebook has the Livefeed where every thing about every one is shown but, what real interest does it have on you?

As the aforementioned article states:

Aristotle claims that there are three types of friendship:

1. Friendship based on utility.
2. Friendship based on pleasure.
3. Friendship based on virtue.

So where do Facebook friends come under? We could say that some friends fall under one of the categories i.e. I could have a friend from one of the society's I've joined at University and we do not communicate outside of the society and purely contact each other for societal reasons, I'd have a utility friendship. Though, does it mean that I would need to have that person on Facebook? It's not like I would need to know what they're having for lunch, thinking about at the time, etc.

To some extent, we could say that our views on Friendship are of C.S Lewis's:

Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden). The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, 'What? You too? I thought I was the only one'....

C. S. Lewis (2002 - first published 1960) The Four Loves, London: HarperCollins, pp. 78-9.

Sounds familiar doesn't it? We base our friendships on common interests between parties. Some go further than that to grow into a closer relationship, some stop after a certain period of time.

Our true friends are ones we don't need to contact through Facebook. It would be difficult to have a friendship based on virtue - which is the highest form of friendship according to Aristotle -on Facebook or on any other social network for that matter.

I guess it's time to look through the 'Friends List' again...

Al-Fatihah

Salams to every one.

This week or the past weeks, family members and loved ones have passed on.

{This has been made beautiful to people: the love of the desires such as women, sons, piled up heaps of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle and land. That is the provision of this life but with Allah is the best place of return.} Aal-'Imraan:14

I would like to pass my condolences to the families affected.

Time goes by so fast without seeing, speaking to certain people. You never realise that they may be gone in a blink of an eye and that the last time you saw them, would indeed be, the last time.

Inalillahi wa Ina illaihi rajioun

Masalama

A toute l'heure~

Sofie=)

Something to share :)

My friend shared this note on Facebook. I've decided to do the same. I think it's beautiful and every one should learn from it. This excerpt was from a book she found in the Prayer room.

Background : teacher asks a student what he learnt. He replied 8 things and these are the 8 things - I typed exactly as was written in the book :

Start of excerpt:

1 )I have noticed that people used to keep every valuable thing they possess. Then I reflected upon the Qur’anic verse:

“What is with you must vanish: what is with Allah will endure” [An-Nahl:96]

So I decided to keep my valuable things with Allah, Most High

2) I have observed that everybody has a beloved one, but no beloved one could accompany the lover to the grave. Therefore, I have decided to love good deeds, which would accompany me to my grave.

3) I have reflected upon the Glorious Qur’anic verse that reads:

“And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord’s (tribunal) and has restrained (their) soul from lower desires” [An Nazi’at]

Accordingly I have exerted myself to steer clear of whims until myself has accustomed to obeying Allah, Most High.

4) I have looked at people’s concern of property and authority. Then I pondered on Allah’s saying in the Glorious Qur’an:

“Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (He who is) the most righteous of you” [Al-Hujurat:13]

Consequently I concerned myself with consciousness and fear of Allah, Most High so as to attain honour in this world and the Hereafter.

5) I have noticed the spread of envy amongst people and reflected on the Qur’anic verse:

“It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world” [Az-Zukhruf:32]

Therefore, I kept away from envy.

6) I have observed the promulgation of enmity amongst the people, and then recited the Qur’anic verse:

“Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy” [Fatir:6]

So I refrained from their enmity and insisted on maintaining enmity only to Satan.

7) I have looked at people’s humiliation in earning livelihood, then I pondered on the Qur’anic verse:

“There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance dependeth on Allah” [Hud:6]

Therefore, I concerned myself with carrying out Allah’s Duties and put my trust on Him in earning livelihood.

8) I have observed that people depend on their trade, manufacture and health. Yet I decided to rely only on Allah Most High.

End of Excerpt

A toute l'heure~

Sofie:)