Calgary Omatsuri 2013 Interview with Martial Simard

The third annual Calgary Japanese Festival - the Calgary Omatsuri - took place on Saturday, August 17, 2013. I had the pleasure of interviewing my classmate from the Calgary Japanese Language School, Martial Simard. Martial Simard plays the shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute. Here is a snippet of Martial-san's performance at the Calgary Omatsuri:

It is sometimes called a "Japanese Zen flute". Chinese immigrants introduced the shakuhachi to Japan in the eighth century. This is a photo of what shakuhachi music looks like:

This musical instrument gets its name from the following kanji: "shaku" (尺) which is an ancient measurement (equivalent to 30.3 cm) and "hachi" ((八) which means "eight". In this case, it refers to another measurement, "sun". "Shakuhachi" thus translates into English as "eight hachi" or eight tenths of a shaku. Come to think of it, my iaito is measured by shaku and sun as well.

Here is my interview with Martial-san. Prior to our chat, Martial-san informed me that the shakuhachi must be kept in the shade, so please don't mind the shadows of the dancing tree branches. Or the taiko drum in the background. It was impossible to find a quiet spot. At least my microphone picked up Martial-san's soft timbre:

If you would like to learn more about the shakuhachi, or if you'd like to learn how to play the shakuhachi, please visit the International Shakuhachi Society website.

Martial Simard was the first performer at the 2013 Calgary Japanese Festival. The Calgary Omatsuri took place at the Bridgeland Community Centre on Saturday, August 17, 2013.

Related materials:

Beginner's Guide to the Shakuhachi - website

Blowing Zen: Finding an Authentic Life, Revised updated edition - book on Amazon

Blowing Zen: Finding an Authentic Life - book on Alibris

Japanese Music Institute of America - website

Japan: Traditional Vocal & Instrumental Music - Shakuhachi, Biwa, Koto, Shamisen - CD

Shakuhachi Music on Amazon

I Love My Merrells

Earlier this summer, I blogged about my foray into the barefoot shoe movement. Unfortunately for me, the toe shoes I bought were one size too small and had already removed the tags. What I didn't mention was that I also purchased barefoot casual flats. Initially, I had my heart set on the Vivobarefoot Women's Kali Shoe. Unfortunately, they weren't available in my size locally.

I lucked out with the two Merrells that I bought. They were on sale. Here's one of them:

This is the Merrell Women's Barefoot Life Zest Glove Flat (purchased at Soft Moc). I also have the Merrell Women's Barefoot Wonder Glove  (purchased at Checkmate Shoes).

Both pairs are extremely comfortable. The rubber Vibram soles provide a little bit of cushioning without compromising on flexibility.

Even after running around in them all day at the Calgary Japanese Festival, my feet were still happy at the end of the day. My legs were another story.

There's no arch support, so one unfamiliar with the barefoot movement would think that my arches would have been screaming by lunchtime. However, I think what helped is the fact that they ARE so flexible and have zero drop.

With my heightened foot to ground connection, I've changed how I walk (no heel striking). My toes wiggled freely because of the roomy toe box. The result? My entire foot adjusted easily and quickly to the uneven ground. Terra firma. In fact, I used the little bumps to massage my feet throughout the day by rolling back and forth.

The only downside? I'm short and wearing barefoot shoes really accentuates the height difference between myself and my interviewees. >_<

However, in the whole scheme of things, I think I'm healthier with barefoot shoes: no backaches, heightened nimbleness and balance and finally, improved posture. Sounds good to me.

Highlights from the 2013 Calgary Omatsuri

The 2013 Calgary Japanese Festival - the Calgary Omatsuri - has come and gone. It was a splendid event, with a wide range of programming, entertainment and demonstrations to give attendees of a taste of Japanese culture, history and traditions. We could not have asked for a better day. It was sunny (most of the time) and it was hot on August 17, 2013.

As I mentioned in my last post, Omatsuri Entertainment Director, Kathleen "Irulanne" Boucher asked me to document the Japanese Festival and to interview as many performers as I could. It made for a long day, but I had a blast! たのしかった です。

I did a bit of an experiment with the recording. My gear for the day comprised of my GoPro Hero2 camera, my keitai (used as a wi-fi remote/viewing screen) and my Zoom H2 portable recorder (used as an external microphone). The fish eye effect was rather neat with the GoPro. I even managed to film while dancing the Tanko Bushi, although I got motion sickness from just watching the clip when I started moving the camera as a shovel. Not to worry, I didn't include that part in my vlog.

The interviews were great. I managed to interview Martial Simard (shakuhachi), Dave Rathnow, Roku-Dan Iaido practitioner and instructor at Shin Ken Kai Nobara, Midnight Taiko Kai, Mizue Asai-Kaufmann and Kaori Akiyama (koto players), Anything Goes, the Kotobuki Senior Group, two musicians from the Jpop and Anime Talent Show and finally, the Minyo Dancers from Lethbridge, They will form the next few posts.

I was quite sad to hear that the the sword making demonstration was cancelled. In hindsight, it would have been very difficult for me to cover that session AND all the programming outside.

The children's games, such as this one pictured below, sold out quickly:

Inside, there were several booths, showcasing Japanese handcrafts, tea, snacks and the Calgary Japanese Community Association's history project: Okage Sama De ("I Am Because of You"). Some of the events that took place inside included an ikebana demonstration as well as a green tea presentation.

Making its debut at the Calgary Omatsuri was the Shogun Grill Food Truck, run by the family that owns Foster's Bakery. The takoyaki was so flavourful and tender:

Gomen! I forgot to take a food porn shot of my okonomiyaki and my mochi balls.

All right, without further ado, here's my first vlog of Calgary Omatsuri highlights on my new otaku/geek awesomeness channel on YouTube, ChibiSamuraiTV:

Volunteering to Help with Animals

If you are an animal lover, perhaps you've thought about ways that you could volunteer with animals. Or perhaps you are looking for ways to volunteer with your pet.

There are many ways that you (and your pet) can help our furry, scaly and feathered friends. These are just some of the areas that you could lend a helping hand: administrative support, animal care, animal transport and special events.

Opportunities to Volunteer with Animals in Calgary

To ensure that most of donors' contributions go to caring for animals in need, animal shelters and societies rely on caring volunteers to help with office administration. For instance, the Calgary Humane Society gladly welcomes volunteers to assist with office reception. Pawsitive Match Rescue Foundation and Oops-a-Dazy Rescue and Sanctuary Society have several areas to help with everything from pet insurance administration to marketing. The Animal Rescue Foundation relies on responsible volunteers to interview families for the pet adoption program.

For those who want more hands-on experience helping animals, volunteers can help with picking up animals that have been found in the wild, attending to animals' daily needs or ensuring that the needed supplies are on-hand. Dog walking, laundry and cleaning are other areas of animal care that would benefit from volunteer assistance.

Volunteers can also help by fostering animals. Foster families provide a safe environment for an animal as well as prepare them for the adoption program.

Most animal organizations run fundraising events on an annual basis. This can take the form of a casino, a fun run or an auction. People can assist as event volunteers or on the organizing committee.

Opportunities to Volunteer with Your Pet

There are numerous ways that you can volunteer with your pet. When Maestro was younger, we participated in the SPCA Dog Jog as well as the Fathers' Day Walk:

You and your pet can also foster animals. Your pet is your number one assistant in socializing a rescued animal before he or she is adopted.

Another area that you and your pet can help the community is by providing animal therapy. You would work together as a team, bringing smiles and comforting long-term care patients.

Volunteering with animals - whether it is to help animals in need or you are volunteering with your pet - can be a rewarding experience for both you and your pet. For more information, check out the books and links listed below.

Related Reading:

6 Ways to Volunteer with Your Pet by Sidney Stevens (Mother Nature Network)

A Guide to Volunteering with Your Pet (Healthy Pet)

Five Ways to Volunteer with Your Dog by Cesar Milan (Cesar's Way)

The Unusual Diary of an Animal Shelter Volunteer (book)

Volunteering to Help with Animals (book)

Wanted!: Animal Volunteers (book)

Professional Musicians Talk About Practicing

It's always neat to hear what advice other people have to share about something you do. I've tracked down a few short interviews with professional musicians discussing practicing music. Enjoy! Conrad Doucette, Musician and Music Journalist on Creative Ways to Practice Your Instrument:

Violinist Midori on Practicing: