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| Mark Briley, formerly of Hermiston, gets ready to tee off while playing Wii Sports Resort. |
2/11/2011
BY TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Inside my shoes
My Nintendo Wii irritates me. But, it’s a love-hate relationship.
See, I really, really like Wii Fit Plus, but it talks to me in ways that even my best friends don’t.
Wii knows I’m a night owl and chastises me for messing up my body’s natural cycle.
“It also doesn’t make waking up in the morning any easier,” it tells me.
“Thanks, but you’re not my mom,” I say to the TV screen.
It tells me I’m overweight and I should exercise more and not eat late-night snacks.
And when I laid off the Wii after an injury this past summer, I thought it would be more encouraging when I returned.
“Well, if it isn’t Bwana. Nice to see you again. It’s been 133 days since I saw you last,” it said sarcastically.
Then it continues to rag on me about the need for regular exercise.
“I broke my flipping shoulder,” I said. “By the way, I have been doing physical therapy. That’s right, I don’t need you.”
Ah, but I do. I love my Wii. The relationship began last February when Mark and Teri Briley, my friends in Florida, introduced me to their Nintendo Wii.
After frolicking in the Florida sun and wading in Gulf waters during the day, we played Wii at night. Typically the three of us would play a few games after dinner and then Teri would call it a night.
“Now don’t stay up all night playing that, we have things to do tomorrow,” Teri would say as she retired to the bedroom.
Like a couple of kids, we shook our heads and said we wouldn’t.
Time ticked away while we were transported to a place where the sun always shines — Wii Sports Resort. Night turned to early morning and before we knew it, it had been hours since the mouse ran down the clock.
After a full week of this routine, I went through Wii withdrawal after returning to Hermiston.
To get a fix, I’d go to Walmart or Game Crazy and play at their demo stations. If a kid was playing, I’d stand there with my arms crossed until they moved along.
Finally, I bought my own and happily golfed on exotic courses, sword fought with enemies, slam-dunked over players smaller than me, went wakeboarding when it was raining outside and tossed a Frisbee for a stupid virtual dog that just looked at me and barked.
It was during a phone conversation that Teri told me about Wii Fit and how great it was as an exercise program. Evidently they had upgraded it to Wii Fit Plus. I think the “plus” means it gets personal and provoking.
All I gotta say is: Don’t push it, because I can unplug you.
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Tammy Malgesini is the EO community editor. Her column, Inside my shoes, includes general musings about life. You can reach her at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539.
