First Look at the Green Interactive Feeder for Dogs

Green Interactive Feeder - Eat Slow

Maestro and I saw a really neat dog food dish on a recent jaunt to a neighbourhood pet store. It's perfect for a dog who dog eats too fast.

Called the Green Interactive Feeder - Eat Slow, it turns eating into a bit of a hunting and peck game. Fashioned after blades of grass, a dog has to root around to get to the food. It's quite different from the normal anti-gulp bowls I've seen.

The bright colour and design caught my attention right away. Maestro normally doesn't gulp his food down, although I've had to slow him down on a couple of occasions. Now, we do know a dog who does on a regular basis. We don't want him to get gastric torsion, so this eat slow dog dish alternative looks intriguing enough to try.

Anti-gulping dog feeder up close

Here's a video showing some dogs trying out the Green Interactive Feeder:

Locally, Maestro and I found the Green Interactive Feeder - Eat Slow at Pet Valu. We'll have to get back to you on whether our other fave pet stores carry them. You can purchase this funky dog feeder online on Amazon.

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.