Artist Info: Bob Tam

Artist: Bob Tam Thanks for dropping by; it’s a crisp September day as I’m writing this. I’d like to start off by giving a happy birthday shoutout to my mom who’ll be turning 67 soon on 9/21…Happy Birthday Mom-Love you!
As I was starting out, I lived near Tokyo, Japan in 2000-02 teaching English. I was transfixed early on about the quality of life while standing and waiting in line for the early train; so many people were standing around a central smoke stack. With the cigarette ash still burning even when everybody has left, this ’smoking chimney shack’ left me sick to my stomach because the smoke usually finds you even if you move.
The same goes when walking past or behind someone who just let out a big cloud of smoke; you have to duck your way out just to get a chance to breathe.
After returning back to Canada, I decided to get involved in Tobacco Cessation, I researched and read about how physical activity was helping teenage girls with their habit; after all getting better cardiovascular activity will increase your bloodflow. Just like getting a runner’s high after some jogging around the block. I figured how a smoker has about 4 habitual habits which I call a fixation: 1)Hand fixation 2)Oral fixation 3)Breathing fixation and 4)Mind fixation
-All of these fixations can be decreased; over time.
I have helped my friends some of whom smoked cigarettes into a healthier active lifestyle. I then started to do some public Tobacco Cessation demonstrations for aboriginal youth groups, a Youth Health Fair, produced a t-shirt slogan ‘I’m a Non-Smoker ‘Canadian’/Tobacco Sucks!’
Tobacco Sucks/I’m a Non-Smoker ‘Canadian’
So how did I help my friend who was a habitual smoker? I started to identify what’s his main fixation~ I’ll call him Tom (not real name). Tom was quite foulmouthed; swearing and throwing the F-bomb around. I identified that was the first sign of a Mind fixation (my solution is on reversing that aggressiveness and work on mellowing his language). Another sign was Tom’s breathing patterns were heavy and he was 35yrs old and felt chest pains at times when he’s not smoking. (my solution was to work on small breathing sessions)-such as introducing songs to sing, humming songs through a pop bottle. Plus, I showed how his breath was tarring up his health~by getting Tom to scrape his tongue with a plastic tongue scraper. Yew! If it weren’t for visually looking at this tongue plaque buildup after smoking for years, things might have been rougher for Tom’s health. Over time, personal habitual changes started to happen; his old habits were replaced with healthier ones, and after 3 years; Tom has crushed his cravings for Tobacco, and even became a champion at helping others with this addiction.

But the political climate changed here in Canada as a new government reduced the federal funding on Tobacco Cessation. Since my personal beliefs, goals, and passion rested on health, education, and sports~ I decided to use my media skills and make a PSA (public service announcement) which promotes 3 things: 1) a new pickup sport to help quit smoking 2) a new catchphrase for the public 3) not your average PSA
flick-it stop sign
Here’s my first press poster of the first PSA which I screened at a local public video screening for community videos.
poster
See what can be done with a bottlecap from a beverage container–Quit cigarettes playing a new activity! Change your habits by learning how to replacing it with something healthier. In this case if you find that you are constantly dropping the F-Bomb whenever, wherever and in any situation where children may be present; you may feel stressed and want to express yourself…try to say Fudge, or something rather~find a word you feel good saying aloud when you’re F*&$# stressed. Many believe that what you can control starts from your words, which is tied to your brain…change your habits, and your brain will understand and through practice, your old habits will have a chance to go away.

Reading about the next epidemic to reach the world according to WHO (World Health Organization) that by 2010: Obesity is set to take over Tobacco as the fastest epidemic for premature controllable deaths.
Obesity is linked to onset diabetes, heart complications; plus there’s evidence that heavy set individuals are heavy smokers as well. In Canada, especially Vancouver a new group of visible minority is appearing on the ever changing landscape. It’s people of all races who are becoming obese at a very alarming rate.

Since coming up with an activity sport linking to solving the Tobacco issue, I decided to come up with a solution to assist those at the prevention of obesity.
Starting with children, we were invited to come out and introduce HIT-FIT: Featherhacking at a community center where I worked over Spring Break of 2005.
Balance: Left & Right handLineup for Featherhackinghitting it hardgirl hitting featherhack

I then decided to put efforts to get this activity online after careful research. Throughout building the site which my very good friend Tetsuya Shiba helped~ I worked on developing this activity, exercise and promotion. My career path as a snowboard instructor led me to Whistler-Blackcomb home of the 2010 Olympics. Additionally, my Chinese culture provided me with the background to explain and gather Asians familiar with this activity.
featherhackin on snow
I lived in Pemberton, BC just 25km. north of Whistler. There I had the chance to meet a group of artists whom we shared a common goal of introducing art to the furthermost corners of our land.
Check out the Pemberton Art Council’s site- located under Artists- Interactive Arts
Pemberton Art Council Site
Pemberton’s 2007 Winterfest was a fabulous success and FeatherHacks were 1st introduced to the vibrant, cozy community.
Pemberton Winterfest 2007-Selling FeatherHacksFeatherhack Anywhere, Anytime

Whistler’s (18-35yrs) scene was my next demographic as this bunch makes up most of the fabric of Whistler’s scene. I contacted LUNA which is Whistler’s answer to outdoor, nightlife (without the booze) entertainment. We got our 1st Open FeatherHack night at Whistler Secondary’s Gymnasium.
FeatherHack ArtFeatherhacking indoorsKicking the FeatherhackSharing the FeatherhackFeatherhacking 101Group Featherhacking

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Posted by user123, filed under Uncategorized. Date: September 13, 2007, 7:14 pm |

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