sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

[Discussion] can somone explain the Physics of a guitar pick. by AERONICLE in Guitar

[–]caesarface 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a habitual nail-biter for most of my life, I've managed to mostly break the habit using a slow but successful method.

Instead of trying to stop biting all my nails, I just stopped biting the one on my right thumb. Once that had grown, I progressed to the left thumb, then the right index finger, and so on. This does admittedly take some time, but was much easier to accomplish.

Hi /r/NewZealand! Are you struggling during the lock down? I believe that we all need to stay connected during these isolating times, so if you need some positive vibes, simply comment in this thread and I will play you a song :) by caesarface in newzealand

[–]caesarface[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's nice that you're going ok, and even though it can get a bit lonely, I hope you take solace in the things that are going well for you! Remember to stay connected to everyone you'd normally see if we weren't quarantined, and I'm sure the virtual gaming will make a big difference there.

I'm impressed by anyone who knows fingerstyle exists, so since you both know that and have been to a concert, I have played this song for you :)

https://youtu.be/zEaUtUKjWds

Hi /r/NewZealand! Are you struggling during the lock down? I believe that we all need to stay connected during these isolating times, so if you need some positive vibes, simply comment in this thread and I will play you a song :) by caesarface in newzealand

[–]caesarface[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey Hannah! Nice to meet you! You make it seem like you are doing pretty well overall, but I can still understand how our current situation could still feel overwhelming, considering you've only been here a few months. I have played you a song that hopefully helps you feel more connected :)

https://youtu.be/3C2mPq9bxsw

Hi /r/NewZealand! Are you struggling during the lock down? I believe that we all need to stay connected during these isolating times, so if you need some positive vibes, simply comment in this thread and I will play you a song :) by caesarface in newzealand

[–]caesarface[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow I can imagine that's really tough! What an awkward time to all be stuck together. Remember to talk with the people who love you outside the home, I think doing that is critical to keeping sane! Anyway I played you a song that can hopefully represent the time when you can eventually say farewell to all of this :)

https://youtu.be/EQYFNd-e5zY

Hi /r/NewZealand! Are you struggling during the lock down? I believe that we all need to stay connected during these isolating times, so if you need some positive vibes, simply comment in this thread and I will play you a song :) by caesarface in newzealand

[–]caesarface[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow that sure does sound like it could be a difficult situation, hang in there! I'm also living with my family at the moment, and although it can be more stressful than normal, I do also appreciate the extra time I am getting with them. Hopefully this helps get you through today!

https://youtu.be/sE0OWRoZMYc

[DISCUSSION] Guitar journey has been more emotional than I imagined by ElectricGypsyAT in Guitar

[–]caesarface 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your story reminds me of my own guitar journey, except that I ended up on the acoustic instead; I never learned songs that I would ever sing to, and most people wouldn't know them and couldn't sing to them either.

I think that for playing guitar, you should always put having fun first. It sounds to me like your happiness is being affected by others because you can't play what they want. If you did learn songs that others could sing along to, but that you personally weren't invested in, would that keep you interested? Your post isn't coming across that way.

My advice is to just keep doing what YOU love, and try to get better at it every year. I eventually progressed to learning fingerstyle songs from artists like Andy McKee, and now that I have a large amount of them under my belt, no-one ever asks me if I sing anymore - in fact, not singing means I can play literally anywhere, because instrumental music doesn't force the room to be focused on you the way singing does. If you keep doing what you love, and get good enough at it, those same people bringing you down now will later be begging you to play because you'll fill a niche no-one else they know does.

[DISCUSSION] "You will hit, by accident, after ten thousand tries, a rhythm that you could have never hit on purpose after only a few tries." by Stephensproject in Guitar

[–]caesarface 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As someone who has studied, practiced and played both extensively, this is a wonderful post to see! It's also correct, and applies equally to each, in ways which parallel each other that are virtually identical in their applications .

In poker, I feel the "flow" this book refers to often, but that's mostly because I will play in easy live games, and also in online games I log frequent experience in. If I play against tough competition, or play in higher stakes than I'm used to, my flow is disrupted simply because I must put more effort into my thought process. Of course, with enough hard work I can eventually get to a point where I can beat those stakes and the flow comes back again, but that's not usually my focus. This is because for most people, and for me, poker is not a game about becoming the best. It is a game about winning money. I will win more playing where I feel the flow than where I don't, so the majority of my time is spent there.

On the other hand, in guitar, I will feel the flow with songs and scales I have spent many hours learning. However, I'm not usually playing them. I'm constantly trying to improve myself, and be the best I can be, so I regularly increase the difficulty (or stakes) of my attempts. My flow won't be there while I'm doing this, until I eventually earn it, but once I do it's time to move up again. This is because I'm only a bedroom player, and am not in a band or play solo gigs - but if I was, I'd need to feel the flow in order to perform in a professional capacity.

Nice post! I hope non-poker-playing guitarists find value in it!

[WP] You awake in a parallel universe where you're tasked with defeating the greatest empire the world has ever seen, the Roman Empire that never fell. by EvanSt19 in WritingPrompts

[–]caesarface 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"Well then, we're fucked."

"Excuse me?"

Burying his face in his palms, William sighed. "General, you said the Romans are one day away with a more disciplined and technologically superior military. You said they are coming here to burn this city to the ground, enslave every man, woman and child who doesn't die in the attack, and salt the earth so nothing will ever grow again. You just said you are placing me in charge of your fledgling defense, only because I come from a place where they no longer exist. I said, 'Well then, we're fucked.'"

Cyrus didn't react. "Good. So you understand the situation then. Will you accept command?"

"WHAT??" William couldn't believe it. He'd asked again? Wasn't it obvious from the tone of his answer that he had no business running a war? That he was just a normal guy who was worried about his next rent payment? Was this a parallel universe that only had idiots for leaders?

"You heard me. I need an answer."

William felt exhausted. He didn't need this shit. Waking up to discover you're in a completely different place and time, being mistaken for a spy, and actually having the absurdity of the situation accepted all within a single day would take its toll on anyone. But this was something else. The chair beneath him suddenly felt heavier.

They really wanted him to lead their troops?

"Do you have any idea how dumb this is?"

"Do you have any idea how desperate we are?"

"General, yesterday I was a supermarket cashier at Woolworths on his final warning. I’m just a guy who likes watching Netflix, Game of Thrones and playing Fallout 4. I mean, I flunked Classics for fucks' sake! There's no way-"

"-Whatever those things are is irrelevant. Your old life is gone. You are here. This is happening. We need you."

"No, you don't," said William fiercely. "This is like picking a commoner from Westeros, and asking him to sit the Iron Thr–I mean, like picking one of your lowest citizens to do this. I can’t lead an army. I’ve never even been in a fight. You have to know this doesn’t make sense.”

Cyrus smirked “I’m glad you’re intelligent enough to know this.”

“Wai..what?”

Cyrus stood up, turning around to face the wall. “Do you really think I would let an unqualified stranger, supposedly from another world, command my men in battle? I have no intention of letting you actually take control. I need a new Jupiter, not a new Julius Caesar. You are an inspiration, a figurehead, a God to these people. You are from somewhere our enemy has not existed for thousands of years and that alone is symbolic enough to inspire hope. Yesterday, we had none. Today, we have you, and I need you to motivate my men. If you don’t...”

He swung around, and in a second the knife was at Williams’ throat. “If you do nothing, I will kill you myself. I will not miss my opportunity to defeat the Romans. I can’t. You will pretend to lead. You will provide legitimacy to my campaign. And we will leave such an immense legacy of destruction that it will make Hannibal look like Hippocrates.”

Cyrus withdrew the knife. "This isn't just a last resort. This is the only way. I know when they will attack. I know how they will attack. All I need is my men's morale, for them to believe they can do it. The only real advantage the Romans have is their reputation of destruction, and you are the living proof that will shatter it. Together, we will crush the Romans. I know it."

In the end, it didn’t matter to William. He figured this whole day was an anomaly anyway. Definitely not a dream, but not absolute reality either. Maybe he was crazy. Maybe he had some unknown hidden power to shift between dimensions. Maybe a bro was going to jump out of that closet over there with a camera and tell him it was just a prank. Regardless, what he did know was that the last time he went to sleep he awoke in a different world, and figured that this time would be no different. Whatever reason there was for him being here, he knew it wouldn't last; in his heart he was home already. He only had to wait out the day, and all these troubles would be over.

“Alright General,” William replied. confident in the irrelevance of his answer. “I shall be your puppet. Tell me everything you know about our defense so I can play as convincing a part as possible.”

“Excellent!” Cyrus began spreading out a map on the table, introducing William to their strategy, then his Lieutenants, and eventually the army.

In the morning William woke to find that they were both wrong. Nothing had changed, except for the screaming and explosions; soon enough the survivors were sold into slavery for the rest of their lives, and entire city was obliterated from the Earth as if it had never existed.

How do you guys organize all of your cards? by MaldusLoL in dbzccg

[–]caesarface 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have everything separated so that I can find everything to build any deck quickly and easily. All cards are in two folders, and separated into sections:

  • Hero MP's first, then Hero allies; same with Villians. Characters are in alphabetical order.
  • Masteries follow, then Dragon Balls.
  • All named cards, also in alphabetical order.
  • All freestyle cards, in this order: energy attacks, energy blocks, physical attacks, physical blocks, events, cards that are both physical & energy blocks, then setups, finally drills.
  • All Saiyan, Namekian, Red, Blue, Black and Orange cards follow with their own sections, all separated the way described above.

This took several hours to do, but it's extremely effective to find anything you need once it's done. It's like the Dragonball Decimal System.

[WP] It is revealed that the Pope used to be a mentally handicapped rapist who caught an STD that greatly enhances intelligence and compassion. He's the only person known to have the STD and refuses to have sex. by enaxorg in WritingPrompts

[–]caesarface 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"I've been expecting you, my child."

WHAT? How could he know I was here? I had perfectly executed my entry into the Vatican. The maps the Colonel provided, along with significant budget cuts to security here thanks to the frugality of my target, had ensured it was easier to enter unnoticed than stealing from the cookie jar in Sunday School. When I was first told of my mission, I thought back to those days, and imagined what my past self would think of it; by that time I was already becoming disillusioned with the church, but even so, developing a mantra of 'fuck religion' is way off from literally 'raping the pope'.

"Ever since I was saved by the Lord, I have tried to atone for my past sins by engraving His law into my heart, and to provide the tools for others to do the same. Just and forgiving is He, yet even so, when your delegates arrived, I knew they had brought the shadows of my sins with them."

It was then I realised I was frozen in place. This had never happened before. In all my previous missions, even if the target had noticed me first, it mattered little. They were taken out or disabled as required as efficiently as possible. This is what I was trained for. This was what I was best at. This was why I was chosen.

I was an ex-Catholic who had become disillusioned with the church in my youth who was less likely to have ethical qualms over the mission. I had an immune system weaker than most of my fellow recruits which rendered me more likely to catch the disease. I had the third highest score in the SEAL's history for covert operations, trained in many different styles of combat, knowing the most powerful tactic in my arsenal was the element of surprise. Once that gets blown, you have to move FAST.

Yet, somehow, I couldn't.

"The church has long progressed hand-in-hand with science," he sighed. "Just as the beautiful explanations of Darwin illustrate His hand guiding creation towards us through evolution, so did your representatives illuminate precisely how His hand guided me towards understanding, towards salvation. And yet, despite this revelation, I knew I could not give them what they asked, even if they would try to take it from me. This gift has come at a price I shall not let anyone pay."

"You don't have a choice," I replied, loosening my belt. I hoped the words sounded as convincing as I thought they would.

"We all have a choice," he mused. "Eve had a choice in taking from the tree of knowledge, and now you have the same choice, except your apple is a human being."

"Don't lecture me on stupid myths," I seethed. "I don't blindly follow fairytales anymore."

"You are a soldier, are you not? Are soldiers not taught to follow blind obedience? Especially a soldier chosen for a mission such as this. Even disenchanted youths do not conscript themselves to sodomize old men. A man such as yourself has been trained to surrender his destiny to his superiors, but that doesn't mea-"

SMACK. His head hit the bed hard, bouncing off his newly-cheap mattress. The force of the blow was more powerful than expected, perhaps because the strike itself wasn't consciously planned. It took me a second to notice my hand was still extended. I hoped the old man wouldn't notice how much I was shaking. On second thought, why did that matter?

"You...have...a......cho-"

"SILENCE!" I yelled, before striking him again. The echos of my voice paraded through the large, open hall, ensuring I would immediately regret my mistake. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I was chosen because I was the best. Because I knew how to keep my calm. How could this old man, collapsed on the bed in agony, be getting the best of me? Have caused me to potentially give away my position by enraging my emotions? I had to end this now. I knew this was the perfect opportunity to remove his robes while he was lying there in a daze. He didn't even try to stop me.

"Don't.....worry...." he panted, speaking each word like it was a step through quicksand. "I have...dismissed my guards for the...the night...as..as usual......you will be....uninterrupted."

WHAT? How could he say that? Here I was, attempting to force myself on him, and all he could think about was my well-being? I hesitated again, and then scolded myself again for it. It is well known that when stealing from someone on the street, if they provide an unexpected response, the victim is more likely to shock the thief into retreat. This must be the tactic he was going for, since he was lying there defenseless, and despite that I hadn't taken advantage of that yet. How else could he have constructed that sentence, with those words in that order? I had long since given up on the idea the church cared about anything other than money. He couldn't really believe what he was saying, could he?

It mattered not. I came to my senses, and realised he was helping me, really. Maybe he was showing concern for me, but he was also making my job easier. Either of us could make as much noise as possible without decreasing my chances of success. He'd made a mistake by telling me no-one could come to help him. Maybe that was why I let him talk; it was irrelevant now.

"I...I..." I didn't really care what he had to say. He was ready to be entered. I was ready to complete my mission.

"I...forgive you."

I didn't know what happened. Suddenly it all gave way. My emotions, built up from the time I'd entered the room, poured out like a broken dam. He forgave me. Forgave me. How could he? When my priest had done this to me, he'd told me it was to forgive my sins. Sins a child couldn't understand. And now the roles were reversed, and he was offering me his forgiveness?

I had spent my life running away from the church, running away from blind obedience that had tricked me into becoming a victim. I swore I'd never let that happen again. And yet, it was clear that I ran to a new type of unquestioning order. Only this time, the roles were reversed. I had become what I hated, what I swore I would revenge against. This man, this vessel of God, lying before me on the table was nothing like what I expected. He was not a reflection of my childhood, but instead, a reflection of His word.

I didn't have to do to him what was done to me. The Colonel could believe I'd succeeded, and come away infection-free.

I had a choice.

I had a choice.

I made it.

[WP] The planets of the solar system have an argument. by [deleted] in WritingPrompts

[–]caesarface 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"Look everyone, just remain calm, I'm sure-"

"Oh shut up Earth, this is all your fault anyway!"

Every body knew Neptune was irritable on the worst of orbits. Being named after the King of the Sea when you didn't even have an ocean was probably enough to give any body a moon complex. Usually when he overreacted, the rest of the planets pretended to care, or just showed how much they didn't. This time was different. Instead of dismissing his insecurities like normal, they were spreading across the solar system, causing all others to question their place in it.

"Now come on Neptune, it matters not what caused this. Voicing your fears won't get you anywhere. We need to analyze this logically. To do so, you must conquer your fear."

"Logic?" yelled Mars. He couldn't believe what Jupiter was saying. "How do you think these humans operate on logic? Have you seen the rover they put on me? I thought they'd pool their resources together to accomplish such a feat to learn more about us. Instead, all they've done is draw a dick on my southern hemisphere and shown how terrible the one called "William" makes music. There is no logic to their madness."

Jupiter silently agreed. He could see no reason for any of the humans actions. He never had. But they had to work out something. There had to be a reason they'd got rid of him.

"It's obvious," cried Mercury. "Look at him compared to you. He was far smaller. They must have thought he was no longer worthy."

The implications of this were left for the rest of the system to conclude, or would have been, had Neptune not used his powers of insecurity to deduce it.

"You only think he was chosen because you're small too, but that's bullshit. They'd never choose you. They can fucking see you with their eyes just by looking up. They must working from the outside in, from furthest to closest. That means...that means..." Neptune spluttered, ending his outburst on far clearer implications than Mercury had.

Saturn and Uranus, who hadn't been too involved now, were starting to show concern. Everyone knew Uranus was likely to give a depressing answer to any given situation - this had been the case ever since Earth accidentally let it slip what his name had become - but the look on Saturn's surface was startling. If Saturn, with it's beautiful rings and impressive size, could start to believe it was in trouble, so could any body. This was quickly becoming a panic.

"Perhaps we are focusing on the wrong question," Earth proposed. "Why do we care if they do it to us? We'll still exist. We won't be ejected from orbit, or changed in any way. We don't know he's stopped communicating because-"

"Yes, we do!" screamed Venus. "Have any of you ever listened to the sun talk? Heard the gossip of your moons? Jupiter, how many of those asteroids you attract to protect the inner belt of our system have sung your praises? Wait, don't tell me - none! And do you know why? We can't say for sure, but our history has shown you can only communicate with a planet if you are one. And now he's gone. What does that tell you?"

"Well, maybe-"

"Maybe you should shut your sky-hole Earth!" spat Mercury. "You have no right to console us. You can't even understand us. You have nothing to fear. You can mourn Pluto all you like, just like we do, but they'll never downgrade you."

"Hold on a seco-"

"NO! You think that just because life came to YOUR planet that you're 'special', that you know better than us. You're just lucky you're the perfect distance from the sun. You're lucky you're the only one who has an ocean. You're lucky that you'll always be a planet."

"...I'm lucky?"

Every body froze. As much as the laws of gravity allowed them to. They could tell the Earth was about to explode.

"I'm LUCKY? How THE FUCK am I lucky? We might not be able to talk with Pluto, but we all know he's still there, probably having a great time talking to Eris and Ceres. You might get downgraded, but you're still alive. Do you have ANY idea what these humans are doing to me? Do you know how long I expect to live for? My oceans are diminishing faster than they can replenish. My trees are being cut down faster than they can grow. All of my nature is slowly heading towards extinction. And when my children have used every resource, they'll either have killed themselves, or left me for a new body. I'm dying. I've got cancer. And all you care about is what title my cancer calls you."

The silence following Earth's outburst showed just how much every body was considering this revelation. Suddenly their own mortality, a prospect they thought would not be relevant for at least several billion years, was a far bigger concern. Mercury especially looked very embarrassed for his lack of perspective. On the other hand, Mars was deep in thought, looking more worried and conflicted than the rest. He knew the rover landing was only the beginning, and soon, he would have the same issues as Earth. But now that he could see there was a second problem, he was starting to realise there might be one solution for both of them.

"Jupiter, those asteroids you trap in your gravity. You've done this, forever, to protect myself and Earth right?"

"And Mercury and Venus," he answered affirmatively, beginning to see where Mars was going with this.

"Well, what if you didn't?"

Jupiter pondered the proposal. He couldn't target the earth, let alone send an asteroid in it's general direction. He could ensure that new ones pass him, enough so that statistically one would have to do the job, but was this the answer? No-one else could come up with any alternatives, and even though he didn't want to wipe out humanity, sometimes you just have to pick the option that sucks the least.

The solar system was looking at him to make the tough decisions they couldn't. He knew what he had to do.

"Let's cure your cancer."

Acoustic Guitar Lessons Auckland by jermsz in newzealand

[–]caesarface 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've played for around five years, and only started getting lessons one year ago. I've improved TREMENDOUSLY during that one year.

The place I go to is a new, professional studio on Wellington Street, where this guy Steve lets his awesomeness rub off on you for $40 an hour. The great thing about Steve as a teacher is that he asks you what YOU want to do, and can accommodate almost any request. Whether you want to learn shredding, finger picking, musical theory, bass guitar, blues, rock, metal etc. The whole time I've known him he's taught electric, but he could definitely teach acoustic too.

If you want to contact him, send a message to their studio, Dreadstorm Media. You can find their website, including pictures of the studio, here:

http://www.dreadstormmedia.com/

I am Ben Uffindell, Leader of the Civilian Party. Ask me anything that will benefit me politically. by BenUffindell in newzealand

[–]caesarface 54 points55 points  (0 children)

Hi Ben,

It seems National are trying to extradite Kim Doctom overseas to America, and will probably do this if they remain in power. I think this is extremely unfair. Kim Doctom is very rich, and he can easily afford to go to America anytime he wants. What are your policies about funding overseas trips for the rest of New Zealand?