Indeed there is a need to communicate in a timely fashion but most of us can?t resist ? after reading the email message ? to open all the other stuff that came along with it. The joke that has been forwarded for the thirtieth time, the twentieth prayer candle of the hour and? heaven?s forbid ? The game that scores you as you either throw cats, bop groundhogs or shoot wandering ghouls. There seem to be many ways that we get distracted and let a good ? no GREAT ? idea evaporate in a cloud of rings and dings as the score mounts to ?champion? status. The new world of distractions is mind boggling and changes constantly.
Last night I observed my family at play. The ?Wii Exercise Program? is indeed a marvel of technology. As one stands on a small platform, the sensors advise as to your state of general physical well being. Total aerobic exercise is the goal as programs have you doing many tasks ranging from pursuing a puppy to returning soccer balls ? all the time dodging shoes that the kicker loses as he boots the ball. Then the twisting and turning, ab burning motions needed to guide yourself downhill in a slalom ski event.
Laughter filled the room as one family member after the other competed in balance, diving, swimming (our arms were soon like jelly) and leg stretching games like tennis and fencing. The best scores were those of the grandchildren who just stood there and jumped around while the adults collapsed in panting heaps on the chesterfields. The machine rewarded each player with a calculation of calories burned and that reward was appreciated by all but the little ones.
What was the result for me? Aside from some side-splitting laughter at the antics, I failed to complete three projects I had planned for the evening. A morning meeting for a community cemetery committee demanded some organization, a funeral I am to preside at later today needed to be revamped and this blog was in need of an idea. Here I sit in the early morning hours, attempting to organize a few coherent thoughts for you. That effort would have been so much easier after supper last night, but such is life. At least the evening gave me this thought to share with you, but the rewards for goofing off can be of two extremes. On one hand, there is the open door to sharing with family and friends. The other door opens upon a hypnotic stare at a screen that is unrelenting in its desire to become your best friend.
There he goes, the funeral professional, full of enough fresh ideas to revamp the business and revolutionize the way his world is perceived by the public. Yes, there he goes, straight to his computer to play solitaire.
