Drew Makepeace's Web Page

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Recent & not-so-recent items:

	In 2002 I began studying the djembe and dundun, drums from West Africa, and their associated rhythms. Since then I've compiled nearly 200 transcriptions of West African rhythms, each comprising notated patterns for djembe accompaniments, kenkeni, sangban and dununba. So far, I've uploaded over 150 transcriptions to my Patreon page so that they can be downloaded by patrons. I will be uploading more of them over time. To see what a typical transcription looks like, visit this download link of Fakoly Djembe. For a guide to the symbols used, you can download the Notation Key and Notes guide. For an introduction to the djembe and dundun, read this article.
	Since the early 2000s I've taken part in the Great Internet Meresenne Prime Search. This is a distributed computing project to find ever bigger Mersenne primes. I'm now ranked in the top 1000 or so producers for primality tests. It takes my computer about two weeks to check a given number for primality. The odds of my finding a new Mersenne Prime would be like winning a lottery.
	I went to urban and rural Guinea for a month (Dec 2017 - Jan 2018) to study West African drumming with Sayon Camara in the village of Kouya Sidia. The following year I returned, again for a month of study (Dec 2018-Jan 2019), this time with Bolokada Conde. I returned once again (2019-2020), this time to study with Namory Keita. And most recently I again attended a workshop with Sayon (2022-23). While there I took lots of photos. Images that I think have some artistic merit are on my flickr photostream. If you're on facebook there are also three albums with more documentary photos from 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2022-23.
	I built a set of nesting dundun stands. It was my first carpentry project since I was a kid. Here they are, nested and open for use.
	I discovered the TED Open Translation Project, a volunteer effort to subtitle TED and TEDx talk videos that appear on YouTube. I have subtitled several talks on topics that interest me. It is a good learning experience, and it is satisfying to see the finished work and know that others are now translating the talks into many different languages. Talks I have subtitled or reviewed so far are: Les Joies du djembe Classical music is dying Finding your underwater world The importance of skepticism in science Move people better ... by rail Big Numbers How Einstein Invented GPS: Curvature and Relativity Solving transportation needs through cycling Beyond Xenophobia: Building the Intercultural Team
	I did Rattlesnake Island Swim across Okanagan Lake and back for the fourth time in 2013. The outbound leg was very rough!! It took me a long time to get across the lake. Coming back was smooth, fast & easy. Here's a map of my track. Compare it to my track in 2012, 2011 and in 2007.
	An article on the djembe and dundun, types of West African drums. I taught a summer course in African hand drumming in 2012 and used this as an introduction to the instruments used.
	I did another Rattlesnake Island swim across Okanagan Lake and back. This one was 19 minutes slower than last year. I'm not sure why, but other competitors were slower as well. Here's a map of my track. Compare it to my track in 2011 and in 2007.
	On Aug 13. 2011 I completed the 7 km Rattlesnake Island Swim across Okanagan Lake in 2h 21min, two minutes faster than in 2007. The course starts in Peachland, crosses Okanagan Lake, rounds Rattlesnake Island and returns to Peachland. Here's a map of my track. Compare it to my track in 2007.
	In 2010 I joined Yamabiko Taiko in Kelowna. I already enjoyed drumming (West African-style), and I'd been doing various endurance sports for years. Taiko has turned out to be an excellent marriage of the two! Check out Yamabiko's web site.
	An article about my dad in the Whig-Standard, about his receipt of the CAUT Milner Award.
	In June 2003 I went to two confluence points on the BC-Alberta border, 56°N 120°W and 55°N 120°W, the first documented visits to these locations. In 2005 I visited to 53°N 113° W which is in Alberta.
Older stuff
	I created a web-based Reference Map of Wineries of the Okanagan, and published a hard-copy winery map as well.
	From January 2008, an Obsessive Compulsive Study in Brown, in which I photographically obsessed over the brown-ness of things at the official opening of the UPS Store in Penticton. I originally published this on facebook but later decided it was worth re-creating here.
	This is often the case with cropping a photo. After lots of fussing & fiddling I'm still not sure which one is best.
	I couldn't decide which background colour I liked best on this photograph of some crows. I posted number 2 on flickr, but now I think I prefer numbers 5 and 11. Which one do you prefer?
	By accident, I came across an activity called phooning that is documented on Phoons from Around the World. It was only a matter of time until I decided to phoon and then made it official by submitting a photograph of it to the web site. It shows me phooning by the Romp sculpture in Penticton. Update: I phooned again!
	Is it my imagination, or do things in Penticton tend to burn up more often than in other cities? On April 6, 2008 a nearly-finished "extended living complex" called "The Hamlets" went up in flames, and I got about 200 photos from a good vantage point. Arson was the cause. These particular buildings were the epitome of ugliness, so I wasn't sad to see them burn up, but they have since been rebuilt.
	Star Cleaners in Penticton, BC, was torn down in March 2007. It had been vacated a few months earlier after operating for over 40 years. Before it was demolished I went inside to see what had been left behind .
	A lunar eclipse occured on 21 Feb 2008. Here is a time-lapse video of the moon as it rose over Summerland, BC. The picture interval used for this video is five minutes. Next time I'll use an interval of one minute.
	A big wind storm from the south hit Penticton on 12 Nov 2007. Skaha Lake Park lost many trees - I estimate about 100. A significant loss for this park.
	On Aug 11. 2007 I completed the 7 km Rattlesnake Island Swim across Okanagan Lake in 2h 23min. The course starts in Peachland, crosses Okanagan Lake, rounds Rattlesnake Island and returns to Peachland. My paddler used a GPS to hold a straight course. Here's a map of our track.
	I created www.OkanaganDrumming.com as a source of drumming and percussion information-sharing for the Okanagan Valley. Organized workshops & other events are listed.
	Mark Harcourt wrote to say, "I like your eccentric website. Perhaps, you can put a photo of yourself eating marmalade on toast on site. It would fit." I don't get it. Yes, this web site might be eccentric, but I don't see what's so strange about marmalade on toast. Isn't it normal breakfast fare? Mark replied that it is normal fare for "... a British person living in the early 20th century, not to anyone else and certainly not to a North American." I'm not convinced, but nevertheless I have posted, for the potential amusement of North Americans living in the current century, a picture of some marmalade on toast, and a photo of me eating it.
	I'd just settled down with a good book on 14 Mar 2007 when my building caught fire. Upon evacuating I discovered the fire was on the same balcony that caught fire in 2005! That fire was caused by a discarded cigarette. A cigarette is the suspect this time as well.
	One year after the Penticton SuperValu was demolished, some of the letters used for the interior signage have reappeared on the roof of The Music Club.
	Photos of Chong Fah Cheong's sculpture entitled "Romp", in Penticton, in summer and winter.
The Scoop	'The Scoop on Installation Art' is an unpublished article I wrote in 2006. I'm no expert on installation art. But someone asked me to write it, so I did.
Leaves	'Leaves' is a series of five photographs on display at AGSO from 10 Nov - 23 Dec 2006 as part of the Small Works exhibit.
Starship	In early July 2006, Tim McElderry erected his installation work in the Penticton roundabout. It is entitled 'Starship'.
SuperValu Redux	The photo and installation exhibit, SuperValu Redux opened ran from June 10 until July 14, 2006 It consists of over twenty photographs distilled from the 2000 images I took of the demolition of the SuperValu grocery store in Penticton. A portion of was later displayed at Penticton Museum & Archives as part of their '1965' exhibit.
Difficult Times for Freedom of Speech	This Muhammad cartoon provoked attacks on freedom of speech.
	The Kettle Valley Steam Railway ran a Santa Train on 17 Dec 2005 pulled by 2-8-0 locomotive ex-CP 3716. Here's an movie of the train in West Summerland.
	In the spring of 2005 I visited the Mascot Gold Mine in Hedley, BC. You can get a feel for what it's like by taking my photographic virtual tour.
	This artwork, *The Baggage Handler, erected in the middle of the new roundabout in January 2005 in Penticton, has evoked much controversy, only to be vandalized in February. I walked over to the roundabout and took some photos. By March 1, Frank, a.k.a. The Baggage Handler*, had been removed for repairs with his suitcases being relocated. A few weeks later the City of Penticton decided Frank was gone for good. He has been sold to a private collector while a bronze copy is situated on the grounds of the Red Rooster Winery..
	*Penticton Ironmap and Spectator Guide* was published and went on sale Aug 27, 2004! Co-authored with Carolyn Wick, it is now sold out, but the online version can still be viewed.
	I bought a scanner. To test it I have scanned my public school class photos taken between 1968 and 1976.
	Troubled by apostrophization? Try using my decision procedure for inflecting plurals and possessives. If you find a word on which it doesn't work, please let me know. The apostrophe icon at left is from the Apostrophe Protection Society.
	In September 2003 I disputed a parking ticket. Here is the verdict.
	I was at a restaurant in San Diego and noticed a spelling mistake on their menu.
	Here are some photos of me in the 1960s.
	I began compiling my family tree. If you're related to me, send more info!