newmusicmachine's recent activity
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Comment on Have you ever bought your “dream guitar”? in ~music
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Comment on What are some noteworthy games that aren't available through traditional/common means? in ~games
newmusicmachine LinkDecompiled console games with PC ports are so cool in general. Unsurprisingly, the Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time ports get most of the attention from that space, but I really want to...Decompiled console games with PC ports are so cool in general. Unsurprisingly, the Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time ports get most of the attention from that space, but I really want to highlight the OpenGOAL PC port of Jak and Daxter. It really blows me away every time I play it. Like Jak and Daxter is already a great looking game thanks to the art direction and animations, and this legitimately looks and plays like an official remaster. It also looks incredible on the Steam Deck, I've put hours into it on there.
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Comment on What are your favorite animes and what do you like about them? in ~anime
newmusicmachine LinkI avoided watching Mushishi for years because I somehow convinced myself that it was probably overrated, and then I actually sat down to watch it and it immediately became my all time favourite....I avoided watching Mushishi for years because I somehow convinced myself that it was probably overrated, and then I actually sat down to watch it and it immediately became my all time favourite. It's hard to sum it up briefly, but the thing that it does better than maybe any other show I've ever seen is atmosphere. Each episode being mostly its own self-contained story means that there isn't a ton of time for character development or a plot that builds in some huge way, but that suits the structure of the show perfectly. We encounter these events, often affecting no more than a handful of people, and find ourselves brought into their world to deal with it.
I really admire the way that we're expected to meet these surreal situations on their own level — there's little to no questioning of why something might work a certain way. I think that if there was more of an emphasis on understanding things on a deeper or less abstract level, that we would lose some of Mushishi's dreaminess and singularity. We're visitors in a strange and occasionally harmful world, but rarely an outright hostile one. We learn, adapt, and accept. There's not a lot of media that strikes that balance at all, let alone as well as Mushishi does. I return to the show more than any other, anime or otherwise.
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Comment on What coffee have you been brewing at home recently? in ~food
newmusicmachine Link ParentNo worries, I'm happy to be sharing them! I'm honestly surprised they don't come up more often in discussions around Toronto coffee. Their available roasts seem to cycle through pretty often, but...No worries, I'm happy to be sharing them! I'm honestly surprised they don't come up more often in discussions around Toronto coffee. Their available roasts seem to cycle through pretty often, but I just recently picked up their newest, the Rwanda Kinini Village one, which is delicious. I'd also recommend Cosmic Goose. I'm not sure if it's actually a signature roast or something, but they seem to keep it around more consistently than their other roasts. That one is slightly less acidic / fruity without being a darker roast, so it can be an easier daily drinker if that's your thing.
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Comment on What coffee have you been brewing at home recently? in ~food
newmusicmachine Link ParentI've been really impressed with Java Roasters, who are a tiny roastery based out of Toronto. The overall quality and variety of flavours is among the best I've seen, and I've tried I think every...I've been really impressed with Java Roasters, who are a tiny roastery based out of Toronto. The overall quality and variety of flavours is among the best I've seen, and I've tried I think every major coffee roaster in the city. They'll often send out good deals or coupons via email as well, so it's worth signing up for their newsletter.
I count myself lucky to generally prefer Fender style instruments, since most of their guitars feel at least somewhat attainable. Prices have definitely gone up over the years, but my main guitar has been an American Vintage Reissue Jazzmaster that I bought nearly a decade ago for I think $1500 CAD, which sounds and feels better for me than any other guitar I've played.
The only dream guitar of mine outside of the Fender or Fender adjacent world would be a Gretsch White Penguin. I had the opportunity to play one once and it was really something special. And asthetically, there's something I love so much about a guitar that is so unabashedly over the top, with gold binding and all, and then just has a goofy looking penguin on the pickguard. It's like a White Falcon that manages to take itself slightly less seriously.
Edit: Oh I forgot a disappointing dream experience as well: for years, I had seen the AVRI '72 Tele Custom and thought it was the coolest looking thing in the world. I decided that that was my dream guitar, and I'd be able to get any sound out of it I wanted between the Tele bridge pickup and the wide range humbucker in the neck. I couldn't find it in my local guitar store, so I wound up ordering it sight unseen (only time in my life I've bought a guitar without playing it first). It finally arrived, I plug it in, and I hate it. It plays nicely and feels great, but it just sounds completely dead. I tried to convince myself for years that I liked it, but it just didn't work. Even replaced the pickups in case that was the issue - still sounded bad. I did eventually wind up selling it to buy a Jaguar that I love, but I still miss it occasionally, even though I definitely made the right call.