Just Get it Done

Recently, I attended a concert by the Calgary Jazz Orchestra. It was a fabulous concert and featured some new works. Afterwards, I had a great chat with one of the composer-arrangers, CJO director Johnny Summers.

One of the things that came up in our chat was the difference between a hobbyist and a professional musician. Well, there's the obvious difference in that a professional artist pays the bills with his or her creative pursuits, whereas a hobbyist doesn't.

One difference that we spoke of was the "Just get it done" work ethic. Hobbyists, generally speaking, take their time to learn their skills or a piece. There's no looming deadline for getting that song done.

For pros and semi-pros, time is usually limited. That gig has a fixed date. Ditto with ensemble rehearsals and movie premieres. The band doesn't have the time to wait for you to finish composing a piece. They need enough time to learn the music before the performance. The movie director isn't going to wait patiently for his movie score from you. The audience doesn't care if you spent months searching for inspiration to write a piece they paid to hear.

Once a music student makes that switch from hobbyist to amateur musician, they start to experience this to some degree. The audience doesn't care if you had a lot of homework the week before, they expect you to play that Beethoven Sonatina to the best of your ability. The examiner doesn't care how much you hate the e-flat minor melodic scale, if he or she asked you to play it for the exam, you need to play it.

So all that fighting with your parents (or yourself) to practice your instrument? A pointless waste of energy. In reality, no one cares about the excuses. It sounds callous and mean, doesn't it? But it's the truth.

Just get your work done to the best of your ability and strive to make next time better. If you are preparing for an exam, talent show or competition, then you know that takes more time and effort on your part if you want to succeed.

Your parents and teachers can only help you so far. It really comes down to you. Do yourself a favour, save yourself some time and tears - and just get it done - whether it's practicing music or your homework, your chores or [insert blank here].

LEGO Masterpieces at the Calgary Expo and Beyond

One of the popular displays at the 2013 Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo was the Star Wars Endor display in Halls D & E, complete with Storm Troopers on speeder bikes, zipping along. This is the video I shot of the display:

Props to the Southern Alberta LEGO Users' Group for creating such a masterpiece.

There is definitely no shortage of LEGO geeks and masterpieces around the world. Check these out:

Who knew you could become a certified LEGO professional? There are even books about being an adult LEGO builder: The Cult of LEGO and The Unofficial LEGO Builders' Guide.

This pop up LEGO display by a Japanese man really takes the cake:

すごい です ね？

Red & White Club Comic & Toy Expo 2011 Review

Fans of comic books, figurines, collectibles and geeky toys gathered at this year's Red & White Club Comic & Toy Expo in Calgary, AB on October 16, 2011.

Comic fans of all ages flocked to the Red & White Club in Calgary for the 17th annual Comic & Toy Expo, held Sunday, October 16, 2011 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. This year's event boasted more vendors, more special guests and more costumes than last year.

Comic Artists and TV Celebrities Among Special Guests

Cary Nord (Star Trek: The Next Generation and Conan the Barbarian) and Riley Rossmo (Cowboy Ninja Vikings) made a return appearance as special guests. One fresh face on the scene was Scott Kowalchuck, a Calgary-based artist who co-created the series The Intrepids (Image Comics).

Also making an appearance at this year's comic con was the Quickdraw Animation Society. Quickdraw is a production and education facility in Calgary, Alberta. Quickdraw showcased some of their colourful 8-bit animations.

TV hosts Sheldon Smithers and Scott Cozens also met with fans. The duo love vintage items. Their show, “Canadian Pickers” (History Channel) follows them on their cross-country hunt in search of folk art, vintage collectibles and other gems.

Costume Contest Attracts a Huge Crowd

Various eras in comic history were represented at this year's costume contest. Supergirl, Batgirl and Shazam were among the classic comic superheroes. X-Men, Iron Man and Halo were among some of the more contemporary entries. People also saw triple with at least three Dr. Who's wandering the hall. With 28 entries, cosplay is a huge draw at the Comic & Toy Expo.

Third place went to a team featuring “Harlequin” and a young “Batgirl”. “Mystique” took second place. Her unique costume featured a likeness to several X-Men characters. First place went to “Iron Man Mark 1”. It took Jeremy Nordstom three months to make his winning costume. He used plastic, metal and wood for his suit, which weighed a hefty 75 pounds.

Tables and Tables of Old Comics, Vintage Toys, Face-painting and More

The vendors tables sold out well before the event. There were some familiar tables, including Olivier Antiques & Collectibles, Treasure Cove and Out of Chaos. “Isn't the atmosphere here today great?” asked Sid Olivier with a smile. One Star Wars fan was ecstatic when he checked out Treasure Cove's table: “I'm your dream for the vintage Star Wars and you're mine,” he told owner John Quong.

Attendees were introduced to some “fresh faces”. Jiggly Pig Comics from Victoria, BC, brought an extensive selection of comics. Amazing Stories Comics from Saskatoon, SK showcased printed t shirts, hoodies, “Goomba” toques and “+15 Frost Resistance” hats.

Some artists were on double duty. Cartoonist, film director, costume designer Rik Van Dyke sketched the faces of young fans onto their own comic book covers – when he wasn't selling geeky t shirts. He also was generating buzz for his upcoming movie “Bloodbeast”.

For those who didn't come to this comicon in costume, there was a fresh option. Amandamazing Art & Face Painting's table was busy with girls young and young at heart lining up to be painted.

This year's comic convention was more energetic than last year's event. The Red and White Club Comic & Toy Expo 2011 drew 727 attendees and close to 100 tables, featuring vendors, artists and clubs. Organizers are calling the 17th event, held October 16, 2011 at the Red & White Club beside McMahon Stadium, a huge success.

Originally published on Suite101.com on October 19, 2011. Updated May 3, 2013. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Pet Blogs of Note

Making a Splash

One Google search reveals a plethora of pet blogs (239,000,000 results to be exact). Here are a few that Maestro and I have checked out in our travels.

Calgary Human Society's Happy Tails Blog

The Happy Tails blog puts the spotlight on pets staying at the SPCA seeking a family and a place to call home. There are success stories posted as well.

Oh My Dog!

Oh My Dog! was voted the best dog blog in 2012. Written by freelance writer Maggie Marton, OMD provides everything from reviews to DIY pup projects and from training tips to funny stories about her pups Emmett, Lucas and Cooper.

Thoughts Fur Paws

Thoughts Fur Paws is run by JL Smith. She brings awareness to sticky issues and provides a voice for our furry friends who cannot speak.This pet advocate writes about animal welfare causes and legislation, the politics of pets, the puppy mill industry, pet charities and shelters. She also has all things cat and dog: information on breeds, behaviour, nutrition, pet health.

Vet Street

Vet Street is a comprehensive blog and website that contains a wealth of information. Whether you are looking for a vet, tips on pet health or training, it's worth a look.

THWOMP Interview: On Gigs Past, Present and Future

In Part Five of this originally-published-for-Suite 101 exclusive interview, Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall of the Nintendo® cover band THWOMP discuss gigs past, present and future.

Calgary-based Nintendo® cover band THWOMP is gearing up for two exciting projects. They will rock Edmonton on August 6, 2010 at Animethon 17. In the fall, they will release their debut CD. Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall stopped by to discuss gigs past, present and future.

THWOMP's Take on Bar Gigs

The band has had its share of bar gigs over the years, which the guys are glad to put behind them. "We used to play around town a lot, actually," said Brad. "It’s kind of easy to play Calgary out. There just aren’t that many decent bars to play at."

Bars and clubs tend to attract regulars and only occasionally draw in new patrons, while family and friends go only so far. "Once it’s your fifth gig in three or four months, it’s harder to get all of your friends to come out to it," explained Brad. "They’ll all come out to the first few, because they love you."

The other downside of bar gigs is the low return on investment. Dave said, "They pay almost nothing and the people who go to the bar don’t go to the bar and expect to spend $50 on merchandise, so nobody buys merchandise either."

THWOMP members made a conscious decision to stop doing bar gigs and focus on conventions. They have not looked back since.

THWOMP on Cool Gigs

Dave recalled one of their favorite gigs, "One of our funny, semi-regular gigs is at the Canmore Hotel, which is a heritage building. I think it’s 120 years old, at least, and you can tell…We turn it into a pretty big party and there’s some band stories from those gigs that I don’t think we’ll share with you."

"What happens on the road stays on the road," added Brad.

THWOMP's Current Gigs

Anime conventions, gaming conventions and comic conventions are ideal stages for THWOMP. "The conventions really have our exact demographic – sitting there – already dressed up," said Brad. "We have made some crazy fans over the last two summers."

THWOMP plays regularly at Otafest, Calgary's annual anime convention and Edmonton's annual anime con, Animethon. In 2009, the band gave its debut performance at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo.

The last gig had some bumps. "We were they only band they’ve ever had and you can tell," said Brad. "They had no idea what to do with us."

THWOMP on Dream Gigs

"I think we can all die happy if we played the Penny Arcade Expo," said Dave. The Penny Arcade Expo, or PAX for short, is held semi-annually in Seattle, WA. It is a gaming festival that hosts tournaments, freeplay areas, concerts and panels over the span of three days. "It’s probably the biggest gaming expo in the world, now that E3’s gone," added Dave.

Another dream gig for THWOMP would be MAGFest, held in Alexandra, VA. MAGFest is a video and computer gaming festival. Concerts by video game bands and jam sessions are featured prominently. "Too bad it’s about 3,000 miles away," said Brad.

Transcontinental gigs are hard for bands. "It’s not about the money but not losing money to get there," explained Dave. "Once you’re carting gear across the continent, it becomes very expensive."

Plus, being a niche band doesn’t make it any easier for bands like THWOMP. "It’s hard to stop at bars along the way and play to pay for your gas and food money," said Dave. "A lot of bars don’t want bands that don’t have singers and for good reason. That’s the world we live in. Ultimately, the more conventions we can regularly play the better."

Touring Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia is another "ultimate dream" for the band. "Getting paid to wander around Japan and play video game music would be really nice," added Brad.

THWOMP is a Nintendo® band comprised of Calgarians Brad Stanton (lead guitar), Colin Mitchel (lead guitar), Scott Munro (bass), Scott Moffat (drums), David Marshall (keyboards/percussion) and Kirk McVean (keyboards). For more information about THWOMP, the band or to listen to audio clips, visit their website and Myspace page.

Full interview series: Part 1 – THWOMP’s Origins | Part 2 – Band Names & Niches | Part 3 – Songwriting | Part 4 - Hey! Listen! CD Release | Part 5 - On Gigs | Part 6 - Convention Gigs | Part 7 - Video Games | Part 8 - Fun & Food