Guitar Hero III: Sponge v. Siphon

Wow. I watched TB kick the crap out of a few songs on the Hard level of Guitar Hero III tonight. If you have ever played this crazy thing, you know, as an adult, with responsibilities, deadlines, alarm clocks, and, well ...... sadly diminishing autonomic reflex skills, this shit ain't easy.

I have managed to get 40/42 songs on the Easy level, but I can't get past "Raining Blood" (by Slayer), or the guitar battle with "Lou".

TB has rocketed through the Medium level and pretty much wants to blow off the Hard level and move on to Expert.

He soaks this in. I leak it out unless I stick with it day after day. Spring is here. I'd rather be outside, so I'm not practicing much. Neither is he, though, except for a few minutes before school.

What is amazing is how he absorbs the notes flying at him. I asked, and he confirmed, that he can see the whole screen at once, read the words that pop up, see the other guitar neck in a "battle", and not miss a beat. Somehow, he sees the big picture without losing the details. Not me. All I can do is focus on my guitar neck and the notes I'm supposed to (have) play(ed).

Fun stuff. He may be the next Eric Clapton.

The best part, though, is that he wants me to keep up with him. I've told him ever since he understood language that the one thing I cannot stand is cheating. He gets it, but he wants me right with him in the competition, so he offered to play my band (Frumpus) and get me caught up.

If he plays my last two songs on the Easy level for me, we've cheated. It doesn't make me a better player, either. He knows it, I know it, and it won't happen, but he still wants to play those two songs for me so I can get to Medium. In the end, he suggested I just watch him play the songs so I can learn the notes.

He is so much like a little me. He wants me to play along and do just as well as him, but most of all he wants to play fair. Watching him play Guitar Hero, and almost everything else he does, I know he gets it. He's going to be a good boy.