September 24 - Pet Peeve Monday - Halo 3 Losers

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY concerns the HYSTERIA that surrounds the new release of Halo-3.

There is an intense, self-created, hype every time there is a new release of a video game.

Halo-3 is only the latest. In the past few years, I can think of many: XBOX 360, Wii, Madden Football, Play Station Version whatever.

The newspapers put it on the front page. Newscasts lead with how 25 year old Jimmy, was able to put down his controller long enough, to emerge from his momma’s basement, and able to stand and sleep in line for four days, in order to be the first UBER-GEEK to get the new game.

I enjoy cheeseburgers, but I don’t camp out at McDonald's every time they announce that they just got better, cheaper, or that there was going to be a limited supply.

There is great sketch from a 1986 Saturday Night Live. William Shatner of Star Trek fame is speaking to a group of Trekkies:

William Shatner: "You know, before I answer any more questions there's something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show! I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME! (the Trekkies look shocked and dismayed...) I mean, how old are you people? What have you done with yourselves? (to a Mr. Spock look-a-like) You, you must be almost 30... have you ever kissed a girl? ("Spock" hangs his head) I didn't think so! There's a whole world out there! When I was your age, I didn't watch television! I LIVED! So... move out of your parent's basements! And get your own apartments and GROW THE HELL UP! I mean, it's just a TV show dammit, IT'S JUST A TV SHOW!"

Two weeks ago, I attended an out of town wedding in Columbus Ohio. I stayed at a nice Marriott hotel. At the same hotel were 300, 18-30 year olds attending a Japanese Anime convention.

Every attendee was dressed in full costume complete with a can of Red Bull in one hand and chocolate goobers in the other. In the breakout rooms they played video games on large projection screens. In other rooms they were playing their home videos of their re-enactment of their favorite Anime scene. (Sound familiar, you Civil War re-enactment buffs?)

The hotel bar was empty. No surprise there. Interestingly, the Animes wanted to get their picture taken with me, a mere mortal in a suit.

The funniest moment came when an Anime, or what ever they call themselves, accidentally got on to our concierge level. That level requires a special elevator key. The amazement in her voice was as if she just found “the secret passage to a new world on Mario Brothers.” When the elevator finally reached the lobby she couldn’t wait to tell her friends of her adventure to the “forbidden city.”

My advice to you folks that feel the need to wait in line for things like the Halo 3 game:

GET A LIFE.

This Blog was uploaded from my new, really cool, I-Phone.