So much for peace and quiet...

One of the best parts of living alone is the peace and quiet. You can do pretty much whatever you want, whenever you want. You can walk around in pajamas all day, or even naked, if you want to! No one will look at you funny, not even the dogs or cats lol.

When I moved into this apartment, Tyler was here with me every other week for the week, with one overnight at this dad's during my week, and the opposite on his dad's weeks. So I had a lot of time alone, and a LOT of peace and quiet. Now? Not so much.

Tyler has been here with me pretty much nonstop since the third week of November. Other than the occasional overnight with a friend or family, he's here with me. Which shouldn't be a big deal, and it's really not. I love having him here. He's funny, he's helpful, and he's good company.

But he's also very, VERY noisy. All the time. For no reason. He will sit on the couch, watching tv, and just make random noises. Unexplainable noises. And god help you if he's playing a video game. There is something inside of him that just demands he make sound effects while he's playing video games. Whether it's on his PSP or the Wii. No matter how many times I holler at him to stop, he keeps doing it. I don't think he's even aware of it.

And then there are his newfound hobbies. I think I mentioned before that he's taken up a real/serious interest in the guitar recently. Not sure where it comes from, but it's lasting this time around. He's actually getting pretty good, too. It's kind of creepy, though, because he plays a lot of the same riffs of songs that Matt used to play. It's weird because I am so used to Matt randomly playing riffs in the background, I don't really even think about it. But what creeps me out is that I catch myself about to say something to MATT about the fact that I'm on the phone or trying to watch tv or whatever, and it's TYLER down the hall in his room. It gives me the heebie jeebies. Tyler has all but mastered the beginning of Sanitarium by Metallica. I didn't even know the name of that song before Matt. And now I know it even better because of Tyler. Because if he isn't in his room playing the opening riffs of it, he's walking around the house singing it while he's listening to his iPod. Creepy, right?

And, as I sit here and type this post, Tyler is pounding away on his practice drum pad. Yep. I'm serious. He wanted the full on drum kit, but we live in an apartment, so yeah. Practice drum pad it is. What I didn't think about when I agreed to buy it was when Matt had a rinky dink electric kit in our basement. Turns out this pad makes the exact same sounds when pounded as the electric drum pads. So, yeah. Creep factor numero dos. And he's taken to trying to do fancy spins and flips with his sticks, which is both funny and impressive. Not to mention, he's not bad. I can actually tell what songs he's playing sometimes, which is weird, considering he only has the one pad. So he can't do the low and high tones, or multiple tones, etc. Just the one. But the kid has a freaky ear for sound and rhythm, I tell you.

It's just really, really unsettling that he's virtually turning into my ex. At least, that's how it feels. I even said to him a couple weeks ago how ironic I find it that he has finally taken a serious interest in the very instruments that Matt loved (and was good at). I said "you know, he would probably have LOVED to teach you how to play, if you had shown a real interest". He agreed, and then of course said "I wish he was still here". That made me want to crawl in a hole and die.

I don't know if he loves these things now because he misses Matt. Or if he loves them because he's a sixth grade boy who has always loved all things musical, but is just now old enough to really take on instruments and WANT to practice. I don't know the reason. But I can't (and WON'T) stop him just because it skeeves me out. He clearly loves it. And he's clearly good at it. So I will be supportive of it like I am of everything else he cares about. (He is playing and singing We Will Rock You right now. So fucking funny!)

I WOULD take some video and post it to show you, but Matt took the video camera I bought him for Valentine's Day last year, so yeah. I DID hope to use it for things with Tyler, too. Like baseball and such, but it was Matt's gift, so he took it. I haven't replaced it yet, but I should. My digital camera broke shortly after moving in here, too, which sucks. I think Tyler's camera takes video, but his also takes batteries, so I don't want to get into a bad habit of using it for video, because that's going to eat batteries quick. But I really should start taking videos so even he and I can see his progress as he goes. Maybe I will do that. I'm sure I can find another good camera deal like I found when I got Matt's camera. I'll have to look around.

I already have a Youtube channel, where I posted some video clips from Tyler's Christmas concert with the school band. If you want to check them out, it's at www.youtube.com/ericaglick . If/when I get some video of Tyler playing guitar/drumming, I'll post them there, too. I'm sure he will LOVE the idea of being on Youtube haha.

So much for peace and quiet. But you know what? It's happy sound. I actually did miss it, now that it's back. I love music so much. Even though I bitched about it sometimes, I actually really liked having someone in the house who was always playing an instrument. Especially someone who was so fucking good at it! But now I have another little budding musician to entertain me, and if he keeps up this way, one day he'll be at least as good as the last household musician was. I do feel sad about the fact they can't bond over it now, though. Maybe the next guy I love will love music as much as we do? I hope so!