On My Observation on Music Therapy Sessions and Bruscia's Fundamentals

             

               I went to the music therapy center at Eastern Michigan University few weeks ago. I had the privilege to observe a group music therapy session by Emily and Dr. Stark. This group therapy group consists of Eastern Michigan students with developmental disabilities who study in the special education classrooms. These therapy sessions are made possible with contributions of parents and guardians. Eastern uses a system called sliding scale which means that the parents and guardians pay how much ever they can pay- which I think is very thoughtful and generous of the facility!

              The therapist has been working with this particular group for three weeks. So, she said her main goal at the moment is to assess on their cognitive, motor, and social skills. After the understanding of their ability, she will be able to have more specific goals. The session began with the hello song which is kind of an improvisation because they had to put in different people’s names to say hello to them. I believe this hello song does not only unite them but also help them feel welcomed. Feeling belonged to something really helps them with their social skills.

Then they went onto their composing project which is called SWAG project. This composition work seems to focus on their goal in life and help them express and learn how to achieve those goals. Then the third experience was to have them identify chords with arpeggios. This experience really helps with cognitive and motor abilities of the client because I could see that they were getting better at figuring out what chord sounds are compared to arpeggios. After that, Dr. Stark initiated an experience named rhythmic name. The group was divided into three groups by number of syllables in their name. People with one syllable got a bass drum; people with two got a drum and three a tambourine. This is a receptive experience because clients play to the signals of syllables. Next activity was a fun one involving movement. Two or more people danced to the song Cupid’s Shuffle while everyone else was moving around the stretchers. Finally, there was a re-creative experience in which the group played “lean on me” on hand chimes.

A lot of aspects of this session followed the Bruscia Fundamentals which are a set of “fundamentals” regarding music therapy. They are a handbook that current and future music therapist should always look at and follow. The typical music therapy sessions include use of improvising, recreating, composing, and listening to music. Improvising is spontaneously creating music by creating a melody or a rhythm. This kind of experience is for clients who need developing in creativity, expression and sense of identity such as- OCD patients, narcissistic personality patients, or patients who suffer from depression. Re-creating of music involves learning how to reproduce a sound by singing or playing an instrument which also requires learning to read musical notations. This experience is used to improve clients who need to develop sensory motor ability, adaptive behaviors, reality orientating and speech. It was cool to know that playing instrument can help with motor coordination, because I remember my mom telling me that while I was playing the piano, many of my body parts work together. While my eyes read the notes and my brain analyzes it, my hands are playing the piano and my foot is pressing the pedal. Composing is when clients are engaged in creating a song in which they help with lyrics writing or making musical decisions like tempo, melody or mood. This helps with clients who have hard time with decision making, expressing themselves, and commitment. I was surprised to know that this experience can be used with cancer patients. This gives them the time to think about life and death and also can be a parting gift for their loved ones. It is so sad to think about death, but by expressing and organizing their thoughts, I believe they are able to be calmer when it comes to that topic. Last is listening. Listening to me, is the most typical and daily use of music as therapeutic tool. Listening to music stimulates ideas and imagination. It also helps with meditation and relaxation

             This observation is my very first time seeing a music therapy session. It was inspiring, impressive and touching. In the beginning of the session I was focusing on getting the information down on my notebook. However, after some time I had an urge to join in the fun. Especially when they were dancing to Cupid’s Shuffle, I felt so happy and excited. It was such a shame I was sitting in an isolated room; I just wanted to jump in and dance with them. I also experienced heart crunching feeling when I heard “lean on me.” Sometimes I feel that I need some place to lean on and they feel they need a place to lean on. We can lean on each other, and that made my heart feel so warm. I cannot wait to experience the session myself. This observation made me extremely passionate and happy that I chose music therapy as my future.    

Reference:

Brucisa, K. (1989), Defining Music Therapy, Phonenixville, PA: Baralona Publishers.

National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) (1988), Code of Ethics, Music Therapy Perspectives, 5, 5-9

Restaurant Review: Pho House

            On a cold day of December, Pho definitely sounds like a plan. Pho is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup made with beef stock. Just a few weeks ago, I had a visit to a restaurant named Pho House located in 2224 Washtenaw Ave, Ypsilanti, with group of my friends. There was a parking lot right next to the restaurant which was really convenient. The outside appearance of this restaurant is very oriental-styled with black and white colors. The sign clearly says it is a Vietnamese noodles and grill restaurant which I think makes the customers less hesitant to walk in to an Asian restaurant; because, who doesn’t like noodles and grills? Inside is clean and cozy. All the tables are sized for 4-6 people, perfect for a family gathering. The entire place is adorned with flowers and ceramic decorations which definitely brighten up the atmosphere. There was no music playing and the restaurant was not very loud at all. It was a perfect environment  for people to have a little chat.

               When we took a seat, the waiter came to give us the menu. The waiter was a white man, but it seemed as though the owners of the restaurant was a Vietnamese family. We were surprised to find that the menu was mostly in Vietnamese. However, it was not very hard to order for there was an ample amount of descriptions about the dishes underneath and because the dishes had numbers written next to them. We ordered number 9 Pros which was the house special beef rice noodle soup and bubble teas. I ordered the Chai Tea bubble tea. Bubble tea is a Taiwan originated drink with chewy tapioca balls in them. While we were waiting for the food, I looked around to see who else was in the restaurant. There were couple of American families and rest was filled with Asian couples. It seemed like a lot of Asian couple come here for a dinner date.

         The bubble teas were served before the main food which I liked for organization. I loved the bubble tea. It was refreshing and very new. All my American friends who had bubble tea for the first time loved it! After few minutes, the noodle soups were served. They were served with separate dish of chilies, herb, lime and bean sprouts. This was a considerate decision made for Americans who may not like the spice or the herb scent. The noodle soup was great. It was warm and the texture of rice noodles were soft and scrumptious. I especially enjoyed the meat balls and beef in the noodle soup. While I was enjoying my noodle soup, I looked over to one of my friends who had a frown on her face. I asked her why and she told me it is because of the chuck of beef and tendons that was floating on the noodle soup. Also the meatballs taste very strong and almost like pig lungs. I realized that those who don’t enjoy fatty meat or slightly undercooked meat will have a hard time eating this noodle soup. She could not many bites of her food.

           
             The serving size is huge though. We ordered the small size pho which was $8, but it was extremely filling- so I suggest that people do not buy the bigger bowl if they are not an extremely big eater. The bubble teas were $3.5, so we each paid about $13 including the tip. The service overall is flawless. We were able to use our credit cards to pay separately which was very convenient as well. Saying that this is the best pho I have ever had would be an understatement. If you are up for adventures; if you are not afraid of trying something new, visit Pho House! 

Product Reviews

1) Nyx Eye Shadow Crayon

           I would like to start by talking about the eye shadow crayon I got from Ulta in shade of Birthday Girl. The original price was $8, but it was on sale for Halloween so I got it for $6. It is pretty pricy for just one shade of eye shadow. However, I thought I would give it a try since I have heard so much about it from YouTube and other social media.

           The shade Birthday Girl is a shimmery bright pink. It can be used in the inner corners of your eyes or even on your brow bones, cheek bones, and tip of your nose as a highlighter. What I absolutely love about this product is that it is highly pigmented. Many woman would agree with me that many of powder eye shadows, when applying with a finger or a brush, loses its pigmentation. However, this eye shadow crayon, since you are applying it straight to your skin, the color quality is great. Another great thing about this product is that make-up beginners can easily use it. Applying eye-shadow can be tricky sometimes and also time consuming if you are not a skilled make up person. This eye shadow crayon glides smoothly on your eyes anywhere you want it. On the back of the eye shadow, there is a smudging tool as well which of course saves money for buying a blending brush.

           There are some cons to product however. First of all, since this product is very creamy. The make- up sometimes tend to shift and wither. It does not stick and dry on your skin very well- which is of course very upsetting after perfectly gliding it on your eyes. The second thing is that it does not mix very well with other eye shadows. For example, if you were to put this eye shadow crayon as a base and add a darker powder shadow on top, they will not blend. I am not sure if this is the case with eye shadow crayons from other companies, but at least the one from ulta has a problem with that. Another thing is sharpening the pencil. In the beginning it comes perfectly sharpened. However, just after couples weeks, it starts to dull. The problem with sharpening this eye shadow crayon is that since it is so creamy, it will never sharpen perfectly. There is a tip to this though; it is putting the eye shadow crayon in the freezer for fifteen minutes before sharpening it. This method works great, but it also takes that much effort.

           In conclusion, if you are interested in this product, I suggest you just buy this color, Birthday Girl. This is because it works great as a highlighter and the size of it is convenient to just pop it in your pouch and use it to fix your inner corners of your eyes since that is the section of your face your make up seem to wither away the fastest. Also, this color is a color you would use daily. The reason why I do not suggest you buy every color is just because the price is not worth that much money for just one shade of color. You can get a whole four color palate for $8!

2) Kroger's Crunchy Granola Bar

                 Who eats granola bars for breakfast? Me! I would like to review Kroger’s crunchy granola bar that I just got yesterday. There are three kinds of flavors which are oats & honey, peanut butter, and maple & brown sugar. The one I tried is oats & honey. I eat granola bars for breakfast every day. There are just two reasons for this: they are affordable and nutritious. I bought the 12bars pack for less than three dollars because it was on sale. That is almost just 25 cents per bar. I usually have two bars a morning, so 12 bars package lasts me an entire week. Granola bars are known for its nutrients and healthiness. It says that two bars are 190 calories which is not a lot for its size. There are calories from fat but zero percent cholesterol. It has some good nutrients such as protein, dietary fiber, potassium and iron. It is made out of whole grain rolled oats which is known to be very good for our body.

           I have had various types of granola bars in my life. I am sorry to say that this is not the best tasting granola bar I had. It does say crunchy, but it is hard to chew; it hurt my teeth. Also, since it is only made from whole grain rolled oats, it is very dry. I often find myself choking on it. The taste itself is not that bad, but it is not absolutely delicious either.

I suggest you buy this if and only if there are completely no other options or it is on a giant sale. I think I am switching it to another kind next week!

3) Mobile Game: Bakery Story

            Everybody needs a little spark of fun in their lives. My spark of fun is playing Bakery Story on my phone. Bakery Story is a game application created by the Storm8 Studios. It is creative, fun and most importantly free! I started playing this game about a month ago through my friend’s recommendation. Honestly, I am not a big fan of mobile phone games; they are often time consuming and unproductive. There is not one game I played for longer than two months. However, I can see myself playing this game for years to come.

           Basically, this is a game where you build your own bakery. First, you name the bakery then start designing the interiors. There are options for different wall colors, tiles, tables, chairs, and windows. Once that is set, you can start cooking things on the machines. In the beginning, there are just two types of machines: a drink maker and an oven. There are different dishes and drinks you can make from each of the machines and they all take various amount of time. For example, making a simple coffee may take 15minutes while making an espresso may take 4hours. When the dishes are ready, customers come to your bakery and buy them. That’s how you earn money to either expand your bakery or buy more machines. As you level up, there are more options of dishes and machines. When I reached level 19, I was finally able to get an ice cream maker.

           This game is especially good for those who don’t like playing games that make you hold your phone forever. Often, games that require you to reach a high score is addicting and time consuming. However, one has to check bakery story perhaps once in two hours just for five minutes. I would not say it is not time consuming, but I feel that for most of the players, it is just like a little rest time during their day.

           I do not recommend this game to the impatient, perfectionist folks out there. This game takes time and that is the charm of it. You start with a small bakery and grow to become a great one. You cannot expect to start the game and suddenly have a perfect bakery with beautiful interior designs and countless dishes to serve. I have seen some people spend real money to achieve that. It is not worth it. It is a work of time and hard work. One should play games just to enjoy it not to pour their entire life into it! Remember, what I said in the beginning: it is just for a little spark of fun. 

Influential People

                    One may think there is nothing influential about an old ordinary Korean woman who is only a five foot tall. What if I told you she is the most loving woman I have known in my life? What if, what if I told you that when she breathes out cigarette, the smell is rather sophisticated and sweet? This is my second aunt from my father’s side. My dad is the last child out of ten so my aunt is twenty years older than my father.          
                      When my mother left the house for work, my aunt came and lived with us. She raised me since I was a baby till grade five; she is my second mother. She cooked the best food and always made sure I had breakfast. When I came back from school, she waited for me. We always watched dramas together and did laundry together. These are ordinary things but she is the most influential person in my life. 
                   She is the most influential person because she is a parent of nine people herself. She went through so much. My father talks about how he lived for so long, but she lived in this world now for seventy years. Yet, she is so generous and loving. She does not live with us anymore but still sends us Kimchi every year. She taught me how to be generous and also be a good sister to my younger brother. Her sisters, brothers, children and grandchildren may not realize, but I think her love influences so many of us. One day, I really wish to be like her.
                       This man, His Holiness the 145th, Dalai Lama is the leader of Tibet. Studying in India, I made some Tibetan friends. They either lived in Nepal or India where their grandparents escaped to from Tibet. My friends told me that the stories of their grandparents escaping and they were all very shocking and heart wrenching. They had to walk barefooted for months in the snow mountain; many of them die on their way. Even through the adversity, there is a reason why they tried so hard to run away. It is to keep the Tibetan culture alive. In Tibet today, the Chinese people are trying to get rid of the Tibetan culture and are bringing more and more Chinese culture into it. They are imprisoning the Tibetan leaders and banning the spread of the culture. 
                  Tibet is a distinct country with distinct culture and language. The only way to preserve their culture now is to leave the country and spreading and reproducing the culture outside. The religious leader that helps Tibetans outside to serve their purpose is His Holiness. A lot of young Tibetans have never been to Tibet or speak the language fluently and in my opinion, it is a big problem. In my school too, my friends who were Tibetans were born speaking in English, Hindi, or Nepali. They did speak in Tibetan at home, but living in a boarding school with such little Tibetan population, a lot of them have forgotten their roots. One day, His Holiness came to visit our school. It was a big deal. His Holiness travels around the world and is a global leader. The fact that he was coming to our school was a wish come true for many of my friends. However, they were also ashamed and afraid because they knew themselves that they have been losing touch with their root.
                   When the Dalai Lama came, he did not influence the Tibetans in the school but also the non-Tibetans. He gave us some incredible words of wisdom. The one most touching saying of his is that his “religion is Kindness.” I think this is so beautiful. If I were in his position, I would be so angry about everything. However, he was firm yet gentle. He works to spread the spirit and culture of the Tibetans. A lot of people still do not know about this nation called Tibet. However, I want to say that they are hurting. There are self-immolations and oppressions- the pain one cannot imagine. Please look up the Dalai Lama and beautiful nation of Tibet. Free Tibet!        
            
                       The last influential person that I want to mention is Kenneth Bruscia. He is one of the first generation of music therapists. I came to hear his name in my music therapy class when we were assigned to read the “Bruscia Fundamentals.” Imagine how influential and knowledgeable one must be to have written a fundamental for a career! “Bruscia Fundamentals” is something that all music therapists should study and live by. Unsurprisingly, we had to have it printed and put it in our binder for future reference.
                    Kenneth Bruscia was a professor at the temple university. I applied there and was accepted. I almost went there until I realized it was in Philadelphia and was not sure about the location. It drives me crazy to think I might have met him if I did go there but I got to know he retired from his teaching job last year. According to biography on Temple university website, has received Lindback Award for Teaching, The Temple University Great Teacher Award, the Temple University Research Award, and the AMTA Research and Publication Awards which I think is a huge achievement. Right now, music therapy is still a new concept and major to the world. However, in the future, I believe he is going to be more well-known and perhaps be called the father of music therapy just as Wundt is called the “father of psychology.”

pictures from: Google.com

Kenneth Bruscia's biography from: https://www.temple.edu/boyer/about/people/kennethbruscia.asp

My Top 10 Korean Food

1) Kimchi Soup

Kimchi is a fermented cabbage pickled with chili powder, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. It is Korea’s national food because it was the food of our ancestor. When winter came, our ancestors did not have access to vegetable, so they were looking for a way to keep the harvested vegetable from summer and keep them fresh. This was the birth of Kimchi. They fermented the cabbage and buried them underground which had cooler temperature, and when the winter came, they could eat the delicious fermented kimchi. My number 1 favorite Korean food is kimchi soup, which is a soup made out of Kimchi. I like putting ham, sausage, tuna, or pork to give the soup flavor. On a cold winter day, there is nothing better than a bowl of kimchi soup and rice

2) Don Katsu 

My second favorite food is Korean style pork cutlet. To make this dish, the back leg of pork is used. It is finely hammered, so the meat would feel soft. Then, it is covered in breadcrumbs and fried. There is a special sauce that goes with this cutlet which tastes a little like BBQ sauce. We usually eat this fried pork with rice and cabbage salad. The reason why I love this food so much is because it reminds me of the time when I used to hang out in my mom’s shop. In front of the shop, there was a don katsu restaurant that my mom always took me to. Eating don katsu instantly takes me back to my happy childhood days!  

3) Kong guk su

This is my favorite food for summer. To make this noodle, we boil the yellow beans until they are cooked then put them in a mixer. The juice of the bean is the soup for this noodle. After refrigerating the soup until it is cold, we pour it on yellow soft noodles. In the beginning I found the taste really dull and strange. However, as I grew older I discovered the deep taste of it. It is a taste that I cannot describe in English. For foreigners that come to Korea for a visit, this is a must try although they might not find it so good!

4) Sundae (Stuffed Pig Intestine) 

One might be thrown off by the title “pig intestine.” However, this is the food that I grew up eating and I love it! Sun dae is pig intestine stuffed with rice noodles, pig liver, pig lung, and some vegetables. We usually eat it with pepper salt or fermented shrimp sauce. There are a lot of Koreans who cannot eat this dish because of the smell. However, I believe if they are true Koreans, they should be able to eat this very unique Korean food!

5) Duenjang Gook 

Some people say it tastes like feet and looks like poop. However, that’s the best part of it! Duenjang is a paste made out of fermented beans. Every year before winter, makers of duenjang harvest a lot of beans and boil them. After that, they crush them and make them into a brick shape. These blocks are called meju. After that, they hang them up to dry them for a month. When they are firmly dried, they put them in a huge ceramic pot with water, hardwood charcoal, and chili, burying them underground for a long time. After few months, it would have become a paste which is made to use duen jang soup. Duenjang soup can be cooked with so many things, such as seashells, spinach, cabbage, tofu, etc. However, my favorite is when it is cooked with Artemisia. It is a plant leaf with a strong smell. We only get this kind of soup in spring so it is very special and also delicious!

6) HobakJook

Pumpkin Porridge is known as the king’s food in Korea although now it is publicized. It is basically a porridge made of yellow pumpkin. It is sweet and flavorful! Firstly, to make this dish, we have to cook the pumpkin by steaming it. When it is cooked, we can take the inside out and start cooking it with water, red beans, and rice flour. Sometimes, people also put rice dumplings in it. The South Eastern culture believes that dumplings bring luck, so we eat them for New Year or for other festivals. Pumpkin porridge is a dish that literally people of all age can enjoy!

7) Dakdori Tang

Dakdoritang is a very spicy chicken soup. I think this dish is the perfect paragon of Korean dish because it is sweet, salty, and most importantly, SPICY. Since I came to the United States, I have been having a craving for spicy food. Dakdoritang is made spicy with the Korean chili powder and chili paste. First, we boil the water and put chopped up chicken, spring onions, chunks of potatoes and green onions. When they are fairly cooked, we add chili paste, chili powder, sugar, and soy sauce. We then cook them until the soup has a thick consistency. This is not my very favorite food but it is the food that I have been craving the most since I am really in need of some powerful and spicy food.

8) Jja jang myeon

Jja jang myeon is probably the cheapest food you can get in Korea. However, long time back when my parents were my age, jja jang myeon was a really precious food only eaten on special days like graduation. The black color of it might seem a little bit strange. However, the taste is magical. The best part of it is the pork and potato chunks in them. The noodle too is not produced by machines but a chef actually makes it himself. I feel like this is the dish that Americans would enjoy the most.

9) Rice Cake

Rice cake is probably my favorite dessert ever. It is squishy and sweet. The one kind I want to talk about today is called songpyeon. Songpyeon is made specially for Korea’s thanksgiving day. I think it is because the shape looks like the moon. The dough is made out of glutinous rice powder and the fillings can be different. Some people like to put red beans mixed with honey, and some people just like to put bean powder. Then it is steamed on a layer of pine needles which sips right through the rice cake to give it a fragrance. I have not spent chuseok in korea for now 8 years, and that’s what makes them so special to me. One day I hope that I will be able to eat them in Korea. 

10) Odeng (fish stick)

Last but not the least is Odeng. On a cold winter day, there is nothing better than a bowl of fish stick soup. Fish stick is one of the most well known Korean street food of all time. They are cheap, healthy and tasty. I remember when I was younger, I would have 500won (about 50cents) coin in my hand and went to eat fish stick. There are two different shapes: one just looks like a sausage and another one looks twisted. I personally like the twisted one better because fish stick is hot and the twisted shaped makes it cool down faster. This is a must try! 

Pictures from Google.com

12

        

                                   12

        I was born on December 12th. Yes, two twelves; it is not very easy to forget. For seven years of my life, I was in India, my second home, for my birthday. Through this date, December 12^th, I think I could tell you a little about my high school friends. They are my family and saying that they are the best thing that happened in my life would be an understatement. You think this is a hyperbole? Read on and find it out for yourself.

           My cool dude’s name is Pung. I never call her my best friend, because we decided that label did not fit us very well. The number 12 also seems special because I met her when I was 12. We were roommates for seven years: we ate together, slept together, studied together, laughed together and cried together. Now she is gone to Japan to study and I do not know when I will ever meet her again.

              I remember, on the day of my last birthday in India, we had a big fight. It was the day that winter break began, so everybody was getting ready to go home. She told me she had to leave early and that really broke my heart. I did not talk to her and she was also getting quite annoyed at the fact she couldn’t do anything about it. I tell you, Pung is a girl who does not give a single care about anything in this world. Using rough words, she really is a heartless b****. 

She did not talk to me the whole day but when she was about to leave she gave me a card (She never writes card for anyone) and a cake that said YSL <3 Pung. She shyly said “that heart symbolizes my love for you. Are you happy now?”

This is my co-worker Sadrish. I call her my co- worker because we were the CARE heads together. We used to go the boy’s orphanage together and we were such big inspiration to each other. Without her, I could not be the person I am today. She is another me. Now she is in Canada going to Victoria college. I am planning to visit her for the winter break.

           On the day of my last birthday, she left me cupcakes in my room and left for home. I did not even see her that day. You might think: “Oh, that's not what a good friend does.” I thought that too! However, she also sent me a message that day which made me cry for hours.

            There are of course so many more people to introduce like Hyun young, Aelin, Pranit, Wali, Eun-a and many more. I had alot of special people in my life but there is one more person that I just have to fit into this blog. On my busiest days and chaos heart, he is one person that I always have a room for.

            This is Chris. I met him on an unusually cold day of October. I hate the cold and the winter. With him, I had the warmest winter of my life. He stayed by my side whole day of my birthday. He took me to a nice dinner and wrote me a handmade card. I tell you, he is not an artistic man. At that moment, I did not know what I did to get so lucky.

            We aren’t together anymore though, and he is not somebody I thought he was. I hate the way things turned out. However, I am still thankful for that snowy night of October when I almost slipped and he held my hand. He is in Miami now where he will never feel cold again to be reminded of those days again.

        December will come back though, and I will be in Michigan where the winter feels cold. Birthdays are supposed to be exciting and happy, but I think I would place my hands on my head and cry. Will I meet people who will continue to make number 12 special for me?