Jammin' Out

Isn't he cool?

Last winter on a trip to Target, Hero got lost from me. I found him in the electronics section drooling (a little) over an electronic drum set. He said he had always wanted to learn to play the drums. I never knew that! I thought I knew everything about my best friend, but I didn't know how much he had wished he was a drummer.

Lucky for both of us, his birthday was just around the corner, so I filed this drum idea in the "present idea" section of my brain. (It is important to me to give gifts that are meaningful, that I think the recipient will really love, and if it is a surprise for them, it is even better. Sometimes that is a challenge, so I was grateful for the idea.)

He was surprised and he did love the drum set! He played it for hours, so much so, that after about 3 weeks, it didn't work quite right anymore (not to mention it was getting pretty beat up looking!) So, he returned it, but decided against another one just like it, since obviously it wasn't nearly durable enough.

Hero is a "Craig's List" fan. He has found so many treasures and saved us lots of cash in the process. (Among them - more than one car, car parts, an electric guitar and exercise equipment.) So began the search for a drum set. It took some time, but that did not keep Hero from practicing. Once he had found it, he did not want to let the dream go again. He drummed on pillows, counters, his steering wheel and any other horizontal surface that could withstand the abuse of his drum sticks.

And then he found it. The drum set he must have known in the pre-existence. Sadly, it was a little out of our price range. But with nothing to loose, Hero made an offer. After a few weeks, while continuing his search, the seller accepted the offer. Horray! We drove right over to pick them up. The seller was a teenager, who's father (politely, I'm sure) asked him to get the drums out of the house. We found them in their garage (one to be envied, with a hoist and a few very cool cars, not that Hero noticed). Money and drums exchanged hands, and we were soon home setting these babies up.

They are loud! (I'm sure I can understand a frustrated father's desire to dispose of them!) Hero is pretty diligent about practicing, although not as much now as school is back in session. He gets lessons on-line, and practices the same beat patterns over and over. And his left hand is getting the hang of cooperating, too (that one is a little uncontrollable sometimes!) I hear some great rhythms coming from those drums!

One of the only things I asked Hero when he wanted to get a drum set was that he share. I knew once we adopted the drums, everyone would want to have their moments of rocking glory. I was right - they are just too irresistible! We have lots of musicians here, so they all sound pretty good on them.

But no one loves them like Hero. He has embraced the dream, is dedicated to improving and drums away.

So cool.