Wednesday, January 24, 2007

But I rock!

In a very uncrafty move this week, I played a fair amount of Guitar Hero II on our Playstation 2. I may now have a case of fake rock star tendonitis. My wrists and fingers hurt. My right thumb's lower joint is apparently necessary for everything I do... hitting the space bar, writing, pushing buttons on the copier, talking w/ my hands, using silverware.

I suspect this whole thing is an elaborate plot set into motion by my little brother, who suffered through years of having to play Contra on Nintendo with me as his partner. "Just try not to die, I'll take care of this" he would say to me through clenched teeth. He bought my husband this game system for Christmas, with the explanation that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. I'm not very into video games. Mostly because I stink at them, but also because they kill your brain, and your free time before you know it. And some of the games are just... well, socially unsavory in my opinion. To the suprise of my husband, I quickly became addicted to Lego Star WarsII and then Guitar Hero (if you've not experienced this - you can plug the game's guitar in and play it). I've never played guitar - I was a clarinet playing band geek from fifth grade into college, so this experience makes me feel pretty darn cool. Evil plot meets success when older sister gets addicted to the roar of a fake crowd, and the fact that your character's fingers burst into flames when you're playing well and kicking butt.

Addicts often spread the love, and after an evening at our place, our upstairs neighbor bought the game. He and his wife (she is also NOT a video game kinda gal) seem to play with some regularity, and we played together the other night. According to the game, I ROCK! (it said so! in big flashing letters!), and that's why my fingers hurt today.

If this sounds like whining, it is. I'm supposed to be too old to tattle about my brother to The Mom, and admitting that I fell for this particularly evil plot would just be embarrassing. So I've complained to you instead. If after reading this, you feel the burning desire to buy the game and discover how fake cool you could be, let me know and I'll listen to you whine when your fingers hurt.

4 comments:

Heather said...

Actually, Mark and I just had a conversation about that this weekend. I think we've decided that the road to hell is paved in video games, and we realize that we would never leave the house if we had them. Computer games are just as bad, but we can rationalize them somehow. We need computers, right?

So no crafty projects right now? What ever happened with the Franken Chickens? I'm knitting a cute a completely impractical beaded bag right now.

Kate said...

frankenchicks frankly frustrated me. well, i frustrated myself. i will return to them soon, but i'm trying to figure out an appropriate tail size and shape. there's the ripple stitch, but it's a bit lacy and may be too big and what will it look like when felted? i'm trying to be a knitting engineer, and i just don't know enough to pull that off! and, because "i rock", i have neglected the chickens. they don't cry and scream the way children might, but i'm still rather disappointed in the way i've reprioritized them.

not that i've been rock starring this whole time - i've also been caught up in a book by kij johnson called "fox woman". very good story around some of the japanese myths around foxes. very well written, beautiful attention to the sights, smells, sounds of the world created in the book. got sucked into that big time.

beaded bags are NOT impractical. and wow that you're knitting w/ beads! ooh, *sparkley*...

Alex said...

Wow... was that a Homer Simpson "sparkly", Kate?

I have to say that the whole picture of you planted in front of the BFTV all the time playing air guitar is ... disturbing.

good post, though.

Anonymous said...

Actually Alex, I believe that it was a Jeremy the Crow from The Secret of Nimh "sparkly". Although it should be pronounced more like "oooh sthparkleee!". I'm sorry Kate, but I'm pretty sure it's my bad Dom DeLuise impression you hear in your head when that phrase comes to mind.