My son turned eight. My baby. Ohhhhhh I feel so OLD. But not too old that I didn't want to play with his new Rock Band video game. Meet the drummer: Spyter. "Hi!" Our band name? The Dirty Nachos.
So the game comes in a big box with "some assembly required" and directions in 65 different languages, none of which are English. There are some rude pictures and some strange looking tools resembling Chinese handcuffs and (of course) some extra pieces. After some very creative swear words, my husband puts it together only to discovered that the game won't play on the system. CRAP! We do everything aside from praying to the moon God (because we have been up later than normal...even by CHRISTMAS standards) but let's be honest; WE are the ones who want to play.
It takes us three days and seven phone calls. The help desks are in Balli and are difficult to understand so I resort to the best techies I know; kids. One of my friends' kid calls and says "I want to help you with your rock band." I flush with mild embarrassment but just as I am about to accept, I get it. There are wires everywhere and instruments clutter my family room, but I can load the game and get it set up. I thank him for his call, almost singing out that "I did it ....MYYYYYY WAYYYYYYYY!" Uhhh--Thank you very much. I'll be here all week. No autographs at this time.
My son grabs the guitar and begins to HAMMER out this jam session. My daughter is wailing the lyrics and me? I'm trying not to separate my knee cap from the rest of my leg as I stomp on the bass drum pedal. I smile and wince as my carpal tunnel syndrome begins to tingle at my wrists and creep up into my elbow creating eventual numbness. There is a "fft-ick" sound as I repeatedly miss the drum and hit the rim which causes me to lose points and ...get booed off stage. The game shuts me out. I can't even finish playing. I have bruises just above my knees where I've missed altogether. I feel about as ridiculous as Shirley Jones. Thank God Boo doesn't look like Danny Bonaducci.
So every free hour it seems, I practice and I am slowly getting the hang of it. My son LOVES to show me his guitar rips on "Mississippi Queen" and Maddie's favorite is "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the Ramones; just the screaming parts. WOOOOOOOWWW~ They support me generously with helpful phrases like; "You won't always suck Mom. Just keep practicing. It's kind of like that piano thing." It touches me. Really. I just can't tell you where.
Me? I enjoy watching, being in the back and waiting for the contract offers to roll in. When no one's around, I beat the heck outa those drums though. Now I'm even hitting them! Hooray ME! My friend's wife already stated they want to come over and play soon while they can still kick our butts. Apparently, you can band battle. This just gets better and better.
So Sicklerville's Partridge Family is going to tour soon...get your seats early!
Thanks for visiting. Come back soon. I enjoy it.
