Drum Hero

So I got the Guitar Hero World Tour bundle with guitar, drums, and microphone yesterday (which is a major feat: ordered Thursday morning, shipping Thursday evening, arrived Friday morning). The idea, as I originally planned it, was to use it as a surrogate drum kit for when I can’t get to Ted’s. I also wanted to us the GHTunes recording suite to lay down some tracks, and learn new songs. Once I got it set up and gave it a shot on Drums on Easy mode, I fell into what I’m told is a common musician’s trap: I tried to play what I was hearing, instead of the extremely limited notes they were giving me. I also lost points for hitting the bass drum for each cymbal hit. Once I upped the difficulty, it got better. What I didn’t expect was how much I enjoy the guitar part of the game. Especially with songs you know, you feel like a freakin’ rock god when you finish one. It’s a lot of fun, and I finally figured out why. The Guitar Hero version of playing guitar is essentially a non-musical kid’s view of playing guitar: one button per chord, then move to the left or right. Making that motion taps into something childlike and imaginative (if you’ll forgive me for a moment) that allows you to create music by pushing buttons.

Well, it makes more sense in my head.

Customer Dis-service.

So I left training today with a splitting headache (my third in three days), and stopped at Broadway for lunch before going home. Ate my food, then wandered into Kmart, thinking I'd see if they had any Nerf guns. They did not, and I walked past the DVD cabinet on the way out. I noticed thaey had the new-packaged Star Trek Voyager complete box set (I missed out on the limited-edition EzyDVD Borg Cube box). I couldn't see a price tag, so I went over to the counter. The girl there was busy attempting to sell a mobile phone package to someone, so I waited a bit, then decided, with head still ringing, to go home and check into it later.

So, later. I'm home, and I give Kmart a call. Here is that conversation:

"Hello, Kmart Broadway."
"Hi, could you put me through to DVDs, please?"
*hold music*
"Hello, Audio-Visual."
"Yes, hi. I was wondering the price on your Star Trek Voyager Complete Box se-"
"We don't have that."
"....yes, I think you do. I was in there earlier and saw it. It's in the cabinet."
"Oh, you mean the white one?" (note: the DVD box is greyish. Even if she meant the cabinet, the cabinet is black.)
"Ummm, what?"
"I'll just go see, please hold."
*hold music. Ohhhhh, hold me now... hold my heart.... stay with meeeee*
*phone starts ringing. Ringing. Ringing.*
"Just a minute, we're trying to force the cabinet open, won't be a sec."
*hold music. Ohhhhh, hold me now... hold my heart.... stay with meeeee*
"Okay. Got it. It's $250."
"Thank you."
*I hang up.*

If I'm making it sound quick or easy, I'm telling it wrong.

Geez, and people bite on Telstra for bad service.