Building block 2

Section 1: The thick description

After having tracked my media use for 48 hours, I started to understand the mechanism that social media evokes in my everyday living.

When going through my 48 hour tracking notes I notice how many hours a day I spend on these media, not only the amount of minutes, but also the frequency of the use. I tend to reach for my Iphone as the first thing in the morning, which is the perfect example of the symbiosis, me and my Iphone are a part of.

 

“My Iphone is my little baby” – as the overprotected mother  I am, I drop everything as soon as my baby needs me. The two scenarios which occurs everyday and very frequent: 

1)   The Iphone makes a sound/vibration – could be a new text message, e-mail, re-tweet, facebook notification or livescore update.

a.     Attention, reaction will occur within seconds, which causes lack of focus/attention towards time and space.

2)   The Iphone is about to make a notification of any kind, but it doesn’t quite know it yet, that’s why I need to update, check and even double check my inbox of facebook, twitter and e-mail account to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It could be a silence scream for help for my Iphone-baby? (Which never have happened – lack of trust on the technology?). Bad habit or just the fear of missing out.

When feeling or hearing the well known Iphone vibration or sound, I immediately looses my concentration on whatever I was during. The repeated pattern:  sound – reaction – relief.
For some reason I tend to feel more relaxed when knowing I’m up to date or have answered whatever notification ended up on my screen. I noticed that my online interactions had a higher priority compared to an offline interactions – what had my attention the most and what interactions had the ability to draw its attention away from another interaction/conversation? The answer to both questions ended up being the online interactions.

Finally, I noticed a feeling/need/desire to contribute to the social media which I’m a part of – I often see the social media as a world/community I once was member of, but no longer contribute to. I still have a entrance to the community but I don’t the deserve it.
Especially when it comes to Twitter and Instagram I tend to feel that I should tweet or upload something. “Put and take”-concept – I enjoy and spend so much time on these media ‘stalking’ other people – why are they not allowed into my world?

Tracking Plan Notes

Raw Data

23/10

9:17 – The first I do this morning after my alarm goes off is to check my mail inbox. Two e-mails of no importance. One from twitter, ”10 others start following…”, the other from ”Holdsport”, Frederik is not attending todays practice.

My thoughts for during this as the first thing of the day are generated from the fear of missing something during my sleep. Despite having lots of friends from the states and other foreign countries my final reaction after several minutes on facebook tends to conclude – nothing has happened!
9:37 – On my way out of the door – e-mail inbox checked again, facebook checked – a text message from Casper. I answer him short. I’m in a hurry, on my way to work. I wonder what my girlfriend thinks of me just standing in the doorway – “what is taking him so long”, why isn’t he closing the door?

10:05: At work – checking my e-mail inbox again, still the same unread e-mail left. Why didn’t I delete that mail the first time? I keep coming back – cheating my self to think it is a new mail with important content. I ignore the unread e-mail once again. Opening my Facebook-app – “something most have happened”? I turn on my “Fodbold Fm” podcast and start working

10:10 – I’m at work, I still check my SMS-inbox. New text from Casper – quick answer.

10:15 – Still one unread e-mail – my curiosity to check my inbox is killing me. I can’t work properly without knowing. Disappointed I discover the same unread e-mail once again – why didn’t I delete it earlier? Finally I delete it – I feel stupid. I wasted time and stopped my work to check the same e-mail I already crossed by earlier this morning.
10:56 – My phone is finally on silence-mode – still I can’t stop thinking of what Caspers respond is to our conversation earlier this morning. I reach for my smartphone once again during work – 2 text messages from Casper and Rene. 1 new e-mail – could it be the same or did I delete it the last time? Where is my memory?  New e-mail – but still of no importance. 

11:00 – sQnder liked your photo on Instagram.  Which is displayed on my smart phone just lying within a reach. I start to wonder what picture that might be? I haven’t posted anything on Instagram for a long time – maybe I should do that soon?

11:32 – New text message from Rene. I’m doing all of the above at work – I wonder what people might think? Working on our phone?

11:42: Text message from Casper – quick answer “Cool”. I’m deleting another e-mail of no importance. Staying up to date with Facebook on my Iphone.
12:07 – My Macbook is turned on for the first time today.

12:32 – checking my e-mail inbox doing class – because I’m bored.

13:07 – On facebook – chatting with Casper. Wishing Oliver and Jan ‘Happy Birthday’. Spend approx.. 6 min on Facebook.

13:40 – Posted a link on ‘Digital Living’-Facebook-group. Wrote an private message to Mikkel regarding Sunday.
14:20 – Caught on facebook again.

16:21 – Checking my e-mail inbox, text message inbox and facebook.

17:00 – On Facebook once again

18:58 – going through my Instagram – a lot of new pictures uploaded during the day. Maybe I should join and contribute with an upload.

22:21 – Facebook again – lots of Champions League reaction among my friends. Should I do the same? They do it? We probably watched the same game.

23:29 – Adding new Instagram friends – checking my netbank balancy.
23:42 – Last Facebook check before bedtime – always looking for new content, but never share anything

24/10

11:15 – woke up. Opening my Facebook-app as the first thing this morning. 9 new notifications – some regarding my work, the digital identity book club and a Christmas event. Also 2 new e-mails, which are quickly deleted. From “ASOS” and “Spilexperten” – spam e-mails. I manage to answer most of it and went through my wall – 10 minutes spend. A relief to have done my “duty” – I feel great and decides to stay in bed for a little longer. Life is again restored and under control.

12:15 – On facebook editing a document regarding phone numbers for studentworkers at work. Also I decide to attend the Christmas dinner event I was invited to.

12:28 Another e-mail of no importance.

14:41 – Writing Rene and Casper about our Lasagne-date tonight.
15:38 – Taking a break on Facebook.
15:50 – New text message from my dad – quick answer – “I’m busy”.
16:28 – On Twitter – reading a lot of tweets about NFL. Also on Facebook – some new test about calculating our mental age based on our answers in a survey – it is trending. Should I join – I take the test, but didn’t share my result.

17:00 – Watched television, the newest episode of Robinson – and I started wondering what others might think of my habits.

18:00 – Liked the new facebook group of Vendsyssel FF, and deleted the old one ‘FC Hjørring’

While I’m eating I’m constantly disposed with soccer updates on Europa League. My Iphone is no longer on silence mode and therefore my phone makes a noise everytime on of the subscribed teams matches have a match change, whether it is new score, cards or halftime.
Despite eating and enjoying my mail with my friend – I constantly react to any noise or vibration from my phone – I have to keep track and stay up to date with the different scores in Euorpa League – I start wondering if I’m any fun to be around – is my friend just here for the free meal or is he enjoying my company. For the next hour or two my company is basically a livescoring application just repeating whatever is on my Iphone screen. 

19:34 – Liking and commenting a photo on Facebook from St. Valentin as a part of a ‘free pair of shoes’ competition.

20:00 – 24:00 – At a party – constantly checking my phone for updates on Instagram, Facebook – constantly interrupted by text messages, soccer scores or anything like it. I also discovered that most of the things people talk about are things seen on their wall – the new news media is peoples own facebook wall. Any sign of silence within a conversation can and will also be saved by lines such as “have you seen this?” (Showing new Iphone App/Youtube video/ Facebook break up etc.). Again I’m left with the feeling – did I miss something? Why haven’t I seen this before? I’m I lacking behind? Should I check more often, more frequently or I’m not a part of the trend-setting mass anymore?

Highlights – Main points

·      Massive use of Iphone, Mac and Facebook.

·      Easily interrupted

·      Looses focus (time and space) due to social media

·      Fear of missing out #FOMO

Video upload – 2 minute VLOG: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1OLVfT82RY

Despite being very nervous about this vlog, I managed unconsciously to show what I am capable of when it comes to social media. I had my facebook account open and the cameras rolling, but I never managed to go through my facebook news feed, twitter or anything alike, because I was so caught up in explaining my reflection and observations after during my 48 hour tracking period that I only managed to illustrate one example. Other than that my facebook account was stand still while I was talking on and on about my lack of being present to places at once – online and offline.