Gawfer

Sometimes, I wonder about video game inventors. There must be some sadistic bent in their psyche to lead them down the roads of discovery they so frequently follow. Take for instance the new component for the Wii game, Wii Fit.

Grandma and Grandpa were down for a short visit this weekend and decided the kids ought to have this little beauty to compliment the Wii Game platform Santa brought them last year. After finding my glasses and squinting enough to read the directions only youthful eyes could spy, the pedestal was ready for play.

The game calibrates itself, weighs the player, and through a couple of short none energetic exercises, gives you your ‘Wii age.’ Then off to the first series of beginner level games to increase one’s fitness.

My youngest daughter sailed the maiden voyage and tried out the slalom skiing game first. The idea is to develop balance which enhances ones posture. Ha! Being somewhat of a competitive skier in my [much] younger years, I followed her, and after learning a few tricks, set the mark to beat. No big deal, I feel great!

Next, she tried the hula hoop game. Ha! Stand back, dad’s got this too. I had to stop after the first game for a few reasons, not the least of which the potential cardiac incident that was looming on the horizon for Grandma and Grandpa. It seems the site of my butt swinging across the room caused grandpa’s asthma to flare up.

After an hour of everyone giving the game a whirl, it was off to bed, and all was well… or so I thought. This morning while driving to work, I realized my discomfort, and sitting here typing this silly post, I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe fighting in the UFC isn’t so bad after all. My neck hurts, my back hurts; heck even my fingers hurt!

When the Wii first came out a few years ago, emergency rooms across the country saw a spike in video game injuries, and because the Wii is the most physically engaging platform, a term was coined, a diagnosis pronounced, and I have indeed succumbed to: the InjurWii.

Stupid game!