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contents
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Editorial
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Puppies In Present Boxes: The Lesser Merry Side Of Christmas Can Your Use Of Grammar Reveal Your Personality? Make-Up Do’s And Don’ts
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The New Music Producer On The Block: Matteo Makes Music
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Executive Committee
Administrative Team
Writers
Media & Designers
Magazine Design
Cover Design
Johann Agius Kristina Saliba Manuel Xuereb Nicole Borg 2
Jessica Arena Cyreille Delmas Charlene Arapa Matthew Debattista
Katrina Saliba Nicole Borg Konnekt Rebecca Vella
Nicole Borg Andrea Said Charles Mercieca Federico Barbaro Sant Kurt Abela
Pascale Spiteri
Pascale Spiteri
editorial The second wonderful journey of The Insiter Monthly starts here. With a new look to this little bundle of joy, we hope to keep on improving and growing to give you all bigger and better editions! Without further ado and a lot of blabbing from my end, let me introduce you to this new issue’s batch of articles! First on the list is Kristina Saliba’s article on the idea of giving pets as gifts for Christmas, then read KONNEKT’s article surrounding the way people are perceived through their use of pronouns in speech, following you will find some make-up do’s and don’ts kindly provided by Rebecca Vella and finally learn all about the new and upcoming Maltese music producer Matteo Depares through an article written by myself.
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We hope to keep on improving and growing to give you all bigger and better editions! “
Hope you guys enjoy this new series as much as you enjoyed the last!
Nicole Borg Executive Editor
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editorial
Puppies in present boxes: a lesser merry side of Christmas Kristina Saliba Christmas is the most wonderful and magical period of the year. Most people get together in parties or staff parties, reunions with families and friends and celebrate the birth of Christ, Hanukah or Santa Clause. It is a tradition in many cultures to distribute gifts, which can be quite expensive since it is Christmas but many parents/guardians and members of the family give the ultimate gift that fulfills any child’s dream: to have a puppy or a kitten. Animals bring a lot of joy and happiness in a person’s life and they give laughter, love and lots of cuddles. There are many different breeds and mixed breeds that are very cute and helpful, but they bring along with them a lot of work that requires patience,especially when they are young - something many fail to realise. They break things, they chew, urinate everywhere - even on beds or sofas and commit other playful and yet mischievous events. The thing is that as owners or future owners, this is something we have to be prepared for.
might be a level of short sightedness from the gift giver about such issues, and if the person lives under the same roof, then it would be wiser if they talk to their house mates or partners and eventually go looking for a pet to adopt together - it is important that the initial bonding process is completely voluntary. The main advantage of a person, who is Even if the pet happens to be exactly what the consciously going to adopt or buy a pet over gift receiver likes in a pet, they might not be somebody receiving it as a gift, is the concept of prepared for the responsibility it brings. being aware. A person who receives a pet as a gift might not be prepared for the commitment Another, potentially even more critical factor required to take care of it, especially if it is still in an infantile stage. It can be tedious or is the very fact that you are giving a pet as a gift even overwhelming to a point where a person which makes it no different than any material might not be able to handle the pet despite the object given: and while it is rather obvious that adorable nature which comes with them. It a pet should not be the equivalent of a sweater 4
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or a perfume, it will certainly undervalue the worth of having another living being in one’s home which needs love and care. For the lack of a better word, it objectifies them, turns them into a sort of accessory which has needs. Adding this to the factors previously mentioned, it might become even more difficult for the household to accept their new pet. It’s no wonder that a few months following Christmas, dog shelters tend to have an influx of puppies rolling in because once the cute and adorable honeymoon period phases itself out, then the real demand for taking care of the pup starts settling in more ominously. This is absolutely not fair on the pets, as living creatures they deserve love and care.
Buying a pet, especially for a gift, might certainly be easier than spending gruelling hours in shopping malls to find that right gift, even though it is not fair to use a living entity as a form of gift based shortcut. In short, I appeal to all of you Christmas shoppers: do not give a pet as a gift. If you are really intent on getting a pet for your home:
1 Consult with all the household members to reach a preparatory decision
2 It would be a greater gift if you adopt a dog or a cat from a shelter, giving it a loving home rather than buying one!
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Can your use of grammar reveal your personality? KONNEKT
‘I’, ‘you’, ‘we’ – they seem like nothing more than filler words; a necessity when we speak. In actual fact, words such as these can reveal certain aspects of your personality without you even realising. Research by social psychologist James Pennebaker found that an individual’s use of function words, such as ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘the’ or ‘and’, can reveal a lot about his or her personality. Research states that the way in which people place such words in their content can reveal a lot about their emotional state, self-confidence and integrity. For example, the pronoun ‘I’ is more likely to be used by people who are selffocused. The same pronoun is also linked to individuals suffering from depression, who use the pronoun ‘I’ in 6.5% of their total words, compared to 4% in non-sufferers. On the other hand, those who are dishonest are likely to avoid using the pronoun ‘I’ in an attempt to avoid ownership and disassociate themselves from their words or the issue at hand. Dr. Walter Weintraub, a professor in psychiatry agrees, arguing, “hidden messages are locked into grammar.” In an interesting case study, Dr Weintraub stated that the use of grammar of former US President Richard Nixon when commenting on the Watergate scandal, revealed disassociation, negativity and denial of reality.
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research
The words you use can also reveal certain personality traits when you’re looking for new job opportunities in Malta, specifically during a job interview. For example, using
the word ‘we’ instead of ‘they’ when referring to your co-workers suggests that you are a team player. Research also suggests that if employees start calling the organisation ‘the company’, they are dissociating themselves from it, suggesting they are unhappy and thinking of leaving their job.
dishonest.
Although research suggests that the choice of words used is important, other studies suggest that body language is much more influential. In his book, Dr Albert Mehrabian found that communication is made up of 55% body language and 38% tone of voice, whilst It is often recommended to avoid using certain spoken words only make up 7% of overall words during job interviews. For example, communication. Therefore, it is clear that it is filler words such as ‘so’ or ‘like’ may suggest not just what words you use, but how you use that you are unsure, unconfident or worse, them. You might not be in the spotlight as much as Nixon was in the 70s, but it sure is wise to choose your words wisely.
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Research states that the way in which people place such words in their content can reveal a lot about their emotional state, self-confidence and integrity. “
Make sure to take a look at www.theinsiter.org/vacancies in order to see all the latest vacancies by KONNEKT!
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Make-up do’s and don’ts Rebecca Vella When used appropriately, cosmetics are one way through which we can enhance our features and also change, at times completely, the way we look. In order to keep yourselves far away from make-up fails, make sure to read this list of make-up do’s and don’ts.
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DO prepare your face before you apply make-up Before you apply any make-up make sure that: your skin is cleansed, toned, moisturized and even primed with a primer. The primer helps makeup last longer, as well as makes the application look more flawless.
DO match your foundation shade to your skin tone Make sure that the shade is almost identical or at least similar to the rest of your neck and body. A foundation a shade too light or too dark is never a good look.
DO learn which are the best eyeshadow shades for your eye colour Always use eye-shadows that are complementary to eye colour. This will make your eyes pop even more. For example; those who have blue or green eyes should use copper-gold- or purples shades.
DO learn how to blend your blush and bronzer into your cheek areacolour You want your blush and your bronzer to look natural as possible. Therefore apply them in a circular motion with a blush brush. Make sure that you apply the blush on the apple of your cheek, and the bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face.
DO invest in a good set of brushes There are many make-up brush sets that can be found both locally or online; and that also fit into everyone’s budget.
DON’T over draw your natural lips There are many ways how you can make your lips look more plump and thick, but overdrawing your lips too much is not one of them!
DON’T go all crazy while filling-in your eyebrows Make sure that your eyebrows still look natural, shaped and defined. There are many products available on the market that will give you an on fleek look. Just be careful that you use the appropriate ones. In this way you won’t end up with sharpie-drawn looking eyebrows. 9
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DON’T wear clumpy mascara Clumpy lashes are not a good look on ANYONE. If your mascara is getting clumpy and dry, buy a new one. Remember, your eyes are mostly the first thing someone notices about you!
DON’T forget to remove your make-up before sleep You should wash your face (preferably cleanse) every single night, to remove any bacteria and germs. If you don’t feel like washing it use make-up remover wipes, to remove any make-up. It is extremely important that you keep your face clean as much as possible.
DON’T be afraid to blend BLEND! BLEND! BLEND! To make your make-up look effortlessly flawless-all you need to do is blend. Blending will make your finished look more natural and almost air-brushed.
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The new music producer on the block: Matteo Makes Music nicole borg
Interviewing Matteo Depares, Insite’s Nicole Borg tries to learn more about this new and upcoming, young Maltese music producer and his journey in music thus so far.
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Starting from a very young age, Matteo Depares has always been into music. From studying classical music and piano while learning the guitar and joining a band later on, his journey made him ever more passionate about music.
when he received a fantastic opportunity to travel to Cardiff in the UK and study music at the University of South Wales. “I did my Masters course in Songwriting and Production which were always my preferred fields in the music industry. Through the year I worked on a portfolio of songs for my final project, writing and producing them to the best of my ability. This experience will hopefully lead me to pursue music as a profession in the future. I’m already lucky enough to be involved in music education as my full time job and I’m looking forward to be able to develop that further,” he goes on.
Together with his band mates and close friends, Matteo started to learn through playing covers of their favourite artists as well as playing both in church functions and weddings. “As we developed, I started involving myself in some school and local productions,” he explains. In fact Matteo has been singing solos in national charity concerts like Voices and Strummin’ as well as involving himself in Recently, Matteo launched his official musical theatre by taking part in the MADC Facebook page called Matteo Makes Music, panto and the KSU Students’ fest. a few hours prior to the release of his first production, Freakiest Lullaby. “The song However, as exciting and eventful as that was written last year during the Hallowe’en sounds, the real life changing journey started celebrations while I was studying abroad,”
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I’m already lucky enough to be involved in music education as my full time job and I’m looking forward to be able to develop that further “
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explains Matteo, “I produced it in Wales during that year with some help from my friends there, among them (vocalist) Naomi Rae and (drummer) Jacob Moseley, and it is part of my Masters portfolio. The song describes an encounter with a creature that both intrigues and terrifies the performer. “ The song was purposefully launched during the Halloween season, fitting with the holiday’s mood. The timely release actually managed to take the song to the radio, this not to mention the positive feedback the song received online. (Trust me if you haven’t listened to it yet you should - take your pick, find it on Youtube, Facebook, Spotify or Apple Music!) Whilst planning to keep on expanding his online portfolio through his page, Matteo is looking forward to release more songs and produce songs for local talent. With a lot of projects coming up, Matteo shared with me one of his concurrent ones which is a collaboration with the Salesian Oratory’s educational recording space, Gramaphone Studios, on some educational programmes and content. The fruits of this event will be shared later on through his social media platforms. While wishing Matteo the best of luck in his musical endeavours, I recommend you all to take a look at his work. Rest assured you won’t be disappointed!
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