The Power of the PS3

I gave the Mr. a PS3 for Christmas. For those of you from my tribe (the non-geeks) out there a PS3, also called “Playstation 3”, is the top of the top for video game playing these days. Cheap it isn't but the Mr. so rarely joneses after something for so long, that I splurged with our money and surprised him with it on Christmas Eve.

He was thrilled. I was thrilled. Everyone was just thrilled.

Until.

Until the Mr. and his brother began to claim that for the PS3 to work, we can't have one of these

(our TV isn't this old. Its maybe one generation younger)

We need one of these


I was not thrilled, assuming that this verbal exchange was another example of the Mr.'s very charming inability to use the English verbs "need" and "want" correctly. Silly boy, always confusing them. Charming really. The Mr. was not thrilled with my reaction.

However, upon plugging in said PS3 into said TV, I was proven wrong. It is truly need - the Mr. is rapidly going blind while defeating zombies in Resident Evil Whatever-Number; exploring hand-to-hand combat in Tekken; and rescuing some world in that Other Game With The Creepy Name. The Mr. was thrilled I said “need” and I was not thrilled at the sound of our money rushing towards the technology store.

Long story, short: Wish us happy shopping.

Interesting side note: although forced to sit almost on top of the TV to see basically nothing, males are lining up outside and inside our apartment to exert extreme effort on plastic buttons. Exhibit A:


Intriguing.

Lessons learned: Non-geeks out there, go geek shopping with a geek. Never alone. You don't know what to ask and your surprise gift for someone else might just end up surprising you. And buy extra beer for all the good people that will be around and enjoy the ride!



xo

Extremely, Painfully, Critically Important

This evening the Germany national football team is playing against the Russian national football team for a secure slot in the 2010 World Football Championship* in South Africa. To make sure we are all on the same page: football is not soccer; the Mr. is quite stubborn about this one. Furthermore, said "Football" is extremely, painfully, critically important.

There. Will. Be. No. Doubt.

Tonight’s game is especially extremely, painfully, critically important because if Germany wins they are definitely able to play in South Africa. If they don’t win they have to keep playing for a slot and might not get there at all. Therefore, the Mr. is sharing this evening with like-minded friends, sitting in some sort of small bar, either enjoying the ecstasy of winning or the greatest tragedy of losing.

At the same time, the Mrs. is taking care of some critically important stuff. She’s at home, in super comfy-comfy clothes, telephoning with friends, blogging and catching up on personal emails, enjoying silly American TV, and a fabulous glass of red wine. She’s getting relaxed and re-connected and just generally rested.

And this evening right here is one of the multitudes of reasons we decided to get hitched: time to hang out without the other one, doing something that the other one would do either out of the deepest love or sheer boredom.

So, yes, football is extremely, painfully, critically important. And so are the Mr. and the Mrs., individually and together. Unlike football, there will be doubt. There have been and will be happy and unhappy times; easy and difficult times; laughter and tears.

And there will be us – the Mr. and Mrs; football and lazy evenings. Together and apart.


Update: Germany won -

xo

* Strange to the American audience members out there, but they actually do invite other countries to their world championship.

For the Record

When the male half of the new steinbach clan gets sick, he does not:

• moan 
• groan 
• whine 
• complain 
• get mean 
• become unpleasant to be around 
• swear he is going to die shortly.

Instead he can be seen hacking his head off while cleaning the kitchen.

That, ladies and gentlemen, that is awesome.

These things cannot be said about the female half.


xo