Feeling Wii Fit

Little IT had a very specific request for her birthday present.  She wanted a Wii Fit. 

I was a bit surprised that she asked for one in the first place.  Since Nintendo was doing a lot of outreach to MommyBloggers about the gadget, I didn’t think it was for kids.  When I tried out one at the BlogHer conference, I saw that it was certainly fun, and figured it wouldn’t hurt to get one.

Then, I started to shop around.  Ha.  Sure.  Why not just ask for a Tickle Me Elmo ten years ago?  The holy grail of electronic gadgets, next to the Wii itself, the Wii Fit still elicits chuckles when you ask for one at an electronics counter. 

But I was unafraid.  I had gotten a Wii last Christmas, due to perserverance and dumb luck.  I could do this.

I went to Amazon.com first.  They were out of stock, but had a bunch of marketplace sellers offering it for at least twice the going rate.  That was not an option.  Then I noticed you could put in your cell phone number to receive a text when it was in stock.  Why not, I said, and input it.

Three weeks later, I got a text that the Fit was in stock.  Based on the time of the text, it was in stock RIGHT THEN.  I went to the site but was unable to snag one.  Same thing happened when the next text came 2 weeks later. 

One week after that, I got another text.  This time, I was sitting next to my computer working away.  I noticed the text indicated that the Wii Fit would be in stock in five minutes.  I hopped onto the site and F5ed away, and sure enough, I was able to get one. 

Pretty amazing.  I half heartedly looked and got lucky.  Since it was a month before the birthday, I had not shopped around, virtually or at the brick and mortar stores.  Had I not gotten one from Amazon, I certainly would have. 

So, on her birthday, she unwrapped the Wii Fit and was thrilled.  Strangely, she now has a toy that few of her other friends have, so it comes out at every playdate.  It leaves me torn.  On the one hand, I prefer that she PLAYS on playdates, either outside or with board games or something else.  But at the same time, they are interacting with the thing, and moving all over the place.  For the time being it’s fine.

What isn’t fine is my Mii on the Fit.  We set up a few Miis to play on the Fit, and I wanted my “Ellen” on there.  It took height, weight, and did a fit test.  On the plus side, it gave me a Wii Fit age of 43, which is only 2 up from where I will be in December.  On the negative side, it made my Mii chubby.  VERY chubby.  I’m certainly not saying I’m thin, by any stretch of the imagination, but I am certainly no where near as chubby as my Mii!  Even the kids laugh about it, saying I look nothing like me Mii now.  If the Fit thinks this is motivating, it is most mistaken.  Girl and her friend have conspired to “slim” my Mii by getting on as me.  That’s certainly easier than diet and exercise and I may take them up on the offer.  In the meantime, it’s off to the plank challenge!

A Very IT Christmas

Christmas has come and gone in the IT household.  Overall, I’d view it as a successful mission accomplished.   IT Boy got a bunch of therapy approved toys and a stuffed Snoopy.  It was quite a challenge to find one.  Snoopy on the outs?  I had no idea.  It wasn’t until I hit Hallmark that I found one.  He’s spent a bit of time hugging him.  Warms my IT heart to see that.

Little IT got her Wii.  Santa IT decided to buy on in September and beat what became the insane holiday rush.  She was over the moon when she opened the package.  Not to take his name in vain or anything, but Mr IT had decreed that there be no Wii for the IT Family.  Something about worrying about Little IT  spending all her time in front of the thing.  I already told her there would be no Wii on school nights, just like there is no computer or TV, rules she already follows. 

Me, on the other hand, is left feeling like a Friend of Bill W at a bar.  I know my limits, and this is it.  Hello, my name is IT Girl, and I am a game-a-holic (”Hello IT!”).  Once I start, I cannot stop. 

Case study - at one of my first jobs, I worked for a publishing housein the Electronic Products group (I was e before e was cool).  Unlike others at my level, I had an office with a door that locked, because I had 3 computers (a Mac, a PC and a portable PC which was anything but).  I began making friends in the company by showing them the great computer games these machines could play.  Over time, a co-worker and I got hooked, staying in my office till the wee hours of the morning playing games like Attack Sub U238, Flight S(t)imulator, and, my personal addiction, The Sims.  Oh, how I loved those Sims! 

After a while, it was like the tummy ache that comes from too much chocolate, and I decided it was better to not play at all than experience that feeling.  Through the years, I resisted through all the PC gaming that came through the house, and never touched Little IT’s DS.  But I fear the Wii will be my undoing.  I’ve already invited friends over to play it, and made plans to play with other moms while the kids are out of the house.  I’ve browsed through the list of “big kid” games that we can try to see which ones we should get next.  Must.  Resist.  Assimilation.  It isn’t futile.  I have the power. 

Look, I even set up a gaming category tag.  That’s just not a very good sign, now is it?