let's just pretend

The topic of the Wii Fit came up today at work and just the idea that some people think that this is good exercise is funny to me. I guess if you were really overweight and out of shape it might be good exercise but why would you pay that much money just to pretend to exercise? The Wii as a whole to me is funny, now granted I'm not a video game fanatic. The last gaming system I owned was the original Nintendo and the only games I had were the ones it came with. I can appreciate and understand the fun of many games out there. Games that have you racing across deserts in exotic cars, slaying dragons with fiery swords or doing battle with flesh eating zombies. But I've noticed a trend in the newer games lately mainly the Wii comes to mind. I've seen people pretending to play ping pong, tennis, golf, bowling & paddling a canoe. While this may be fun, why not get the kids out of the house and do the real thing? I know alot of people really enjoy pretending to play sports or doing outdoor activities from the comfort of their climate controlled living rooms. I may be an odd ball for thinking this is weird but I can see this getting worse and some kids growing up never experiencing the excitement of playing outside and the feeling of actually doing these activities in real time.

Why am I talking about this? Half of me finds this funny but the other half finds this kinda scary. Will things like parks see a decline in people using them, will they begin to disappear? I hope not.

Many of my friends are video game players and I can understand this because I see them choosing outdoor activities over a game controller a majority of the time. I do know quite a few who choose the couch a controller and a 24oz. Mtn Dew Game Fuel to keep them from bonking after 5 hrs of rigorous button pushing.

Got a text from Melinda yesterday, the UPS man left a lil brown package on the steps. After the installation of all the new shiny bits to our bikes that we received for Christmas I felt like something was out of place. On Melinda's old crankset I had installed a Nashbar house brand bashguard and while it did a great job and at a great price it just didn't look right bolted to her new Race Face Dues crank. I scored a matching RF bashguard at a pretty good deal, not as good as the Nashbar but this one looks much nicer and saved her a few grams. While I was ordering I went ahead and threw down an additional $6 for this sweet Park Tool bottle opener. No good after ride beer is complete without a good bottle opener on hand. This little gem not only looks cool but it will be all the envy at the campground just after we cross the finish line.

The only problem I can foresee with the Park Tool version is keeping one of my friends from stealing it. I might just have to chain it to the meanest dog in the campground to be sure it comes home with me.