It's been months since I've written a blog, and for that I am very sorry. I've been terribly ill on and off since October, and in March, I got hit with bronchitis, which took four weeks to recognize and then treat, only to get sick from the medication (don't do drugs, kids). After finally feeling normal for the first time in ages, I got sick again yesterday... So my hopes of writing another in-depth blog have drowned in a pool of sad, murky blackness as I continue treading to keep my head above water while staying healthy. (My previous blogs have each taken many hours of writing besides the picture collecting as I would write, proof-read, rewrite, proof-read, edit, read, nitpick, and then finally post.) This is just a quick update to let everyone know I and my blog are still alive! For now... I got my recommendation to see an immunologist today, so hopefully between that, my newly purchased daily multivitamins, and my second round of bronchitis antibiotics/tulobuterol (this time we cut out the meth-wannabe clenbuterol) I can get back on track, without the fear of any more relapses.
My other purpose in writing this blog is to link you all to my kind-of new Into the Asian Unknown YouTube Channel. That's right! I finally took the time to figure out YouTube, and make a channel just for this blog. I already have three videos posted: one of my taiko performance at this year's Mizu-Kaburi festival (full description on YouTube) taken by Ryan Bejma on my Q3, and two videos uploaded via my nifty iPhone of two pieces I'm studying on shamisen. Getting videos of myself playing taiko has proved to be difficult as it requires a trusted audience member that I can count on to be there, and that just doesn't happen. But I did download a DVD ripper, and I hope to get all of our performances from Hiromi, whose husband video tapes every concert we play, so there should be more of taiko on the way as well (and they're taken from a tripod, so although I can't vouch for the sound quality of Hiromi's camera, but I can say they will be less shaky than the Mizu-Kaburi video). So please subscribe to my channel, and don't miss out!
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/IntoTheAsianUnknown
Of course, with my recent battles with health, my original plan of coupling each video with a blog just isn't working out, so a subscription to my Channel is the best way to stay informed about what I'm doing, as well as checking in here. Of course, I also did not expect to post my own shamisen videos, but many non-Facebook friends expressed the desire to see those as well. If there are any other videos you would like to see, feel free to send requests, and I'll do my best. I have big plans for 2013, so hopefully my health will take a turn for good. Come on, Year of the Snake! Be good to me!
Here are some pictures from a taiko performance where we played for a wedding reception (see, I told you I was still alive!):
This is a picture of the lovely Asami, younger sister of the groom, and also our taiko captain, posing with the men of the ensemble. From the left: Takuya (O-daiko), Taiyo (Chappa/Chuu/Shime Daiko), Hayashi (leader, shime daiko), and Mr. Fujino (Taiyo's dad, video man).
I tied it myself this time!
I snapped this quickly during set-up.
