What kind of game do you run?

[Angel]

Just out of curiosity, I was wondering what kind of "game" you guys run. Now, there is so many schools of thought out there, and I was wondering which one you prefer. Natural or structured? Routines or just wing it?

[Rob]

Becoming natural takes time and experience. It takes getting to know yourself and becoming something more. Basically, I apply what I find useful. It doesn't matter which teacher. Throw out what doesn't work for you, keep the rest.

[Angel]

I look at it like that too. I try to stay as open-minded as possible. I have read and watched a lot more stuff from the venution perspective, but I want to look into simplier stuff. Not necessarily the "natural" stuff, but something a little less complex. Personally, I have had trouble with anything that has too many steps or is overcomplicated. (That being said, I am a noob) I can memorize and understand it all, but as soon as I get in the set, it all leaves my brain.
But like you said, take what I want, and leave the rest. I don`t want to be one of those dudes who clings to one camp.

[Rob]

I can memorize and understand it all, but as soon as I get in the set, it all leaves my brain.
But like you said, take what I want, and leave the rest. I don`t want to be one of those dudes who clings to one camp.

You got it. 

The routines can be used fun or as "training wheels." Those routines, however, usually stay with people far longer than they should, so these people hide behind the routines to avoid feeling rejected. I'm for "natural game" meaning trust in your creativity and inner confidence to attract, rather than following the rule book, which will only keep you in your head when you should be having fun and conveying your personality.

[Angel]

I think I might do it like this: make my own "routine" but very loosely. For some reasons a super exact, word by word routines always go bad when I do them. Maybe I should just think of the interesting/fun/funny topic, and have a general idea of what to say. I always start stuttering when I have a script.

[Rob]

If you stutter, is it because you get nervous? Do you stutter less when you feel relaxed and comfortable? If so, then meditation and improving body awareness, breathing awareness, and ability to relax AT WILL may be something you would consider worthwhile. Meditation, Qigong, Yoga, Martial arts, Hypnosis ... all are good for this.

[Angel]

I have a stuttering speech issues, like the guy in The Kings Speech. (No, I have not seen that movie) Stuttering is an odd thing, because there is little consistency. Being nervous can definitely make me stutter more, but it does not cause it. Sometimes when I am nervous I stutter less, because I just "rise to the occasion". Sometimes, it gets worse. I am working with a speech pathologist, and it is helping a lot. I only have a mild stutter but it still makes it harder. I don't think it is impossible to game, just harder.
Meditation and anything to manage anxiety and stress in general are things I want to improve on, because it improves my life overall.

[Rob]

That's good that you're seeing a speech pathologist (I've seen The King's Speech - actually the guy who wrote the movie had a stammer). Do you mind telling me how long you've been seeing her or him, the success rate, and the average time this kind of therapy takes?

[Angel]

Not at all man, I have been through lots of speech therapy and I have learned a lot. I have been seeing my current speech pathologist for a little over a year now. She has been amazing, and has probably made my speech 5x better. That being said, she is not my first person who I have seen for help. In 1st grade I saw my first speech therapist. She really didn't help that much at all. I stopped seeing her in about 3rd grade. In 8th grade to a different one. I bounced around 3 different people until 10th grade, when I went to my current pathologist. She is one of the best in her field, and she helped me a lot. She is so different then the rest because she is specialized in stuttering/stammering/shuttering. (all the same thing just different words) The field of speech therapy is so messed up. You can get a general degree, and be aloud to treat most speech or communication issues. This is illogical, and detrimental to the consumer. My parents wasted so much money on speech therapists who did not know how to treat a stutter. They are nice people who want to help, but most don't know how. I don't known my official success rate, but I'll ask my pathologist if I can see me stats. She actually has it on record so I can see it. It differs a lot, but for me if just took a year with a specialized person to get results.

[Rob]

The field of speech therapy is so messed up. You can get a general degree, and be aloud to treat most speech or communication issues. This is illogical, and detrimental to the consumer.

Tell me about it. It's the same with professors. Most get their degree in education for the cushy salary and benefits, rather than any real talent teaching a classroom. That's why most teachers are incompetent, and maybe a handful are excellent. The same goes for managers. 

[Angel]

Yeah it drives me insane!