8
He still seems so young, so small, even now at only eight years old. That is, in his mother's eyes. In his father's eyes he's ready for his first real guitar. Saturday we walked in and out of at least six different guitar shops on Beijing's Gulou Dong Da Jie until in Rock Mei Mei we were finally able to find a short-scale electric guitar for his birthday present.
For hours that night he practiced his first chord, a G. That was followed the next night with a C9. He's been trying to put them together so he can play Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike," chosen because it uses only these two chords.
On Sunday we invited a few of his friends to join us for lunch and a short Great Wall hike at Great Wall Fresh. The Chen family was happy to see us again, and somewhat flattered we had chosen there to celebrate Myles' birthday.
After eating piles of fresh vegetables, quail eggs, omelets, and chicken for the meat eaters, we indulged in birthday cake. I made two; one of them was vegan.
Since we were the only guests there, the kids were allowed to free-range the entire little farm.
We capped all this activity off with a short, windy hike to the same Great Wall piece we saw over the October holiday. The older kids ran ahead, and the other adults kept pace with them. Brigid and I, however, hung back a little, taking in every stone on the path (or so it seemed).
By the time Brigid and I caught up, Myles and his friends were already on their way down. The wind which was only slightly blustery down at the farmhouse was downright gusty on the wall that guarded this pass. The kids descended in a hurry before they got too cold or unstable.
Still, I could not imagine a more memorable spot for a boy to turn eight.
For hours that night he practiced his first chord, a G. That was followed the next night with a C9. He's been trying to put them together so he can play Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike," chosen because it uses only these two chords.
On Sunday we invited a few of his friends to join us for lunch and a short Great Wall hike at Great Wall Fresh. The Chen family was happy to see us again, and somewhat flattered we had chosen there to celebrate Myles' birthday.
After eating piles of fresh vegetables, quail eggs, omelets, and chicken for the meat eaters, we indulged in birthday cake. I made two; one of them was vegan.
Since we were the only guests there, the kids were allowed to free-range the entire little farm.
We capped all this activity off with a short, windy hike to the same Great Wall piece we saw over the October holiday. The older kids ran ahead, and the other adults kept pace with them. Brigid and I, however, hung back a little, taking in every stone on the path (or so it seemed).
By the time Brigid and I caught up, Myles and his friends were already on their way down. The wind which was only slightly blustery down at the farmhouse was downright gusty on the wall that guarded this pass. The kids descended in a hurry before they got too cold or unstable.
Still, I could not imagine a more memorable spot for a boy to turn eight.
Comments
P.S. I think, like, 90% of the Ramones catalog is two-chord (sorry, Jen).
To Ms. Tan I said that it would make me really happy if my son grew up to draw comic books. I am of that age that would find it pretty cool.