Hi all. I’ve just finished reading all of these wonderful testimonies, and there are a few things I wanted to share with some of you; just thoughts I had while reading and watching your RIFFS.
First, y’all have no concept of what a “half page” is. Lol.
Second, I need to spend more time in the RIFFS section reviewing everyone’s submissions and progress. There’s so much great content there. Y’all are awesome, and I really wish commenting was working there, because there’s so much I want to say to so many people. I have let the school and all of you down by largely ignoring it most of the time, and I feel bad about that. I will be better. “Cooking with Captain Ed” will subscribe to anyone’s YouTube who posts in the riffs section, once I see it. I *will* be better.
Individual reflections….
CALVIN: I can’t hold the pick that way, either. It looks broken and downright PAINFUL to me. Find what works for you and grow it. Troy Grady has a great video about the different ways people hold the pick. I don’t know if it’s free content, or only part of the most excellent “Pickslanting Primer.”
ANDREW: Sweaty hands never go away – the reasons for them just change.
MARLYN: Probably a bad auto-correct, but I loved that you called Papa “Pope Gates.” On your “Livin on a Prayer” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” videos, I noticed you’re having an issue with timing, specifically focusing on or accenting the “and” parts of a beat (“1 and 2 and 3 and 4”). I think working on that should be one of your goals – it’s not hard, you just need to make it “click” and then it will be second nature. Maybe listen to and learn some REGGAE to get a feel for it. If you want, I can work with you. You’ll GET it, I have no doubt. Nice job on the Trivium. SITS was my youngest son’s on-ramp on the highway to metal. Unfortunately, after that one album he got off at the Imagine Dragons exit and never got back on. Sigh.
Anyway, if you haven’t gathered by now from these comments and all my likes and subscribes to your collective content, Jak has asked me to judge the contest. Since the rules state that it runs until June 30 (or 30 June, if you prefer), I cannot announce anything yet, pending additional entries. The announcement will be tomorrow morning, Arizona USA time. If you have not yet submitted an entry and want to, there’s still time.
You all made it hard. You put so much of yourselves into it, and just reading all of your stories is so rewarding, and lets me in to who you are, and that’s incredible. Picking the “winner” will be hard. I thought briefly about an honorable mention, too, and then realized that would be almost everyone that didn’t win. In the end, you’re ALL winners, and that’s not some bullshit platitude.
What Syn and Papa have created here really is amazing. The most amazing thing about it, for me, is that with just a little guidance from them, and a few great voices following that lead, it’s such a POSITIVE and SAFE PLACE to share the things you’re all most guarded and protective of – your souls and your fears.
I have a lot of thinking to do today and tonight. Thank you ALL for making this a VERY DIFFICULT decision.
PS: Any contestants trying to influence me in direct messages or some other private contact between now and the announcement will be immediately disqualified. I don’t WANT to make that announcement, but I feel it’s important to make it clear that this WILL be impartial, especially since that’s a huge part of why Jak felt the need to recuse herself. I’m too old to do drama and bullshit. Final choice will be HARD, but it will be honest – that much I promise and guarantee.