August 19, 2009
The end (of summer) nears
Well, it’s just a little over a week (8 days, in fact) until the end of summer, officially signaled by the Music Department orientation meeting and reception. On one hand I’d like a little more time, given that I did a bunch of traveling that wasn’t really vacationing, but on the other hand I’m ready to get back to work. I don’t do “nothing” very well. Granted, I’m able to easily fill my time with video games, movies, and the like, but that becomes monotonous rather quickly. When I have something to do, on the other hand, time passes quickly, and I feel some sense of accomplishment. And I certainly have a lot to do in the upcoming months.
Not that I haven’t already gotten some stuff done. Little by little, I’ve been getting back into the swing of things, editing dissertation outlines, summer activities reports for grants, and the like. Plus, there’s a possible taiko-related project on the horizon that I may be able to talk about in the near future. Stay tuned for that.
Plus, I’ve also been busy injuring myself. Woke up last Friday with pain in my left shoulder, pain that didn’t go away and seemed to be getting worse. So, I went to the Pitt Student Health Center yesterday. The doctor there (who, in an odd coincidence, was the father of one of my brother’s classmates all throughout elementary, middle, and high school – go figure) did some preliminary tests and while he didn’t seem to think that it was too bad – just a minor strain – he recommended I see the orthopedic doctor that comes to the clinic every Wednesday. But, before that, I had to get some x-rays done, as that’s what the ortho likes to see. Not only did I get a doctor’s visit, my first in quite a while (at least a year, probably longer), but I got to go to the hospital too! And get an x-ray done, as a bonus! Joy!
Today rolled around, and I went to see the ortho. After some pushing and prodding (along with lifting, pulling, and the like), he diagnosed me with having “subacromial impingement” and “rotator cuff strain” in my left shoulder. He prescribed physical therapy, along with taking ibuprofen. Thus, beginning on Friday I’ll be doing physical therapy at UPMC. Luckily, my health insurance through Pitt covers it 100%, with no need for a copay or anything. It’s going to be a bit of an annoyance, but as long as I get better I’m not going to complain. After all, a healthy shoulder will be quite useful for playing taiko (and won’t hurt regarding other things, too, like washing my hair or putting on my shoes).
So, lots to look forward to in the next few months. School, taiko, physical therapy… the fun never stops!
July 22, 2009
A Midsummer Night's Update
I know, I know. Almost three weeks, and NOTHING. I’d give you a line about recovering from jet lag (including a fun bout with sickness), then moving, etc. etc. etc., but beyond those excuses the reality is that I’ve just been lazy. Can’t guarantee that this post will be a step towards fixing that (after all, it IS summer), but at the very least it’s something.
Now that the craziness is over, I’ve been doing some thinking about my dissertation – which, after all, is the all-mighty goal of this thing called graduate studies. My experiences in June did much to push me towards some more solid directions, but not necessarily what I had anticipated. Before I set out, I had the idea in my head that I’d be spending a year or so in Japan, watching performances, talking to people, and the like. Now, I’m not so sure.
The more I think about it, the more I’m interested in taiko around the world. Obviously, taiko isn’t just performed in Japan and the US; there are groups on almost every continent. At one point in time, discovernikkei.org had a rather comprehensive list, but it’s down at the moment, so I can’t really give any numbers. You’ll just have to trust me when I say it’s played in quite a lot of places, many of which would surprise you.
As I look at it now, I may spend my year+ of research in a manner much like what took place this past June – traveling to various places, learning from people and talking to people about taiko – only on a much larger scale. It may come to pass that I”ll spend some time in Japan, on the West Coast of the US (and Hawaii), in Canada, and maybe even the UK and Australia. I think that’s the only way I can truly investigate taiko as an international art form.
At the moment, I’m formulating ideas about how and what to study when dealing with international taiko. There’s a few things I have in mind, but I’ll save them for another time, once they’re more formulated. So, stay tuned for that.
In two weeks, I’ll be heading out to LA for the North American Taiko Conference. To say I’m excited is probably a little bit of an understatement. Three and a half days (if you include the Thursday afternoon/evening get together) of nothing but taiko and taiko-related talks, surrounded by hundreds of people who are just as into taiko as I am. I signed up to volunteer, which should be a great way to meet people and have some experiences that I might not have had anyways.
Hopefully, there won’t be another long lull. I actually have the next post in mind, but will wait until another day to put it together. Until then!
The Road Goes Ever On and On... 