Play Your Way into Comfort
My travel comfort zone is carry-on. Being a quintessential peripatetic is another comfort zone.
Travel-wise, could I be in a comfort zone, within a comfort zone?
If so, could I get out of these comfort zones by checking an extra-large backpack and flying to the Grand Canyon for a weeklong trek of the park in a rental car?
Sounds to me like I’d be violating a cosmic law of some kind…
Fortunately I don’t anticipate any problem breaking out of my current evening comfort zone.
For decades, literally, I’ve been using my evenings at home for relaxing with a good book. Nevertheless, I’m going to get out of this comfort zone right now. I’m going to turn myself into a hardcore gamer.
Want to join me?
If you’re in a similar evening comfort zone you’ll want to follow me closely to bring it to an end—in three simple steps.
By the way, we can evaluate later if this comfort zone breakout is going to have any benefits. For now, I’m just trying to set a good technology example for you. OK?
Step One. Purchase an Xbox gaming platform with a Kinect controller and at least a 32” TV/monitor. You, a non-Microsoft employee, have some flexibility here with the gaming platform you select but I’ve been told by an existing hardcore gamer NOT to go smaller than 32” on the TV/monitor.
Step Two. Set up the gaming platform et al in an area for 2012 caliber gaming. While the traditional image of a hardcore gamer is the visual equivalent of a couch potato we’ll be going for more signs of life—see Step Three below. One of my earlier blogs included a photo of our Innovative Showroom. If the room/space you’ll be setting up for gaming looks anything like this:
…you are all set. Basically, we want to have space in front of the TV/monitor to play games that require our “full participation.” In other words, some games will require us to move the coffee table and stand up and move in front of the TV/monitor as opposed to remaining seated on the sofa and pressing buttons on a controller.
Step Three. Purchase games. While there are games that come with any gaming platform, if I’m going qualify as a hardcore gamer I’m going to need games that I can see myself playing daily—for hours. Consequently, I’m starting with Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Family Feud, Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 and Forza Motorsport 4.
Why?
Well, with “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and “Family Feud” I figure I won’t have any problem learning how to play them—it is NOT like with these two games that I have to know some backstory about aliens invading Earth and simultaneously figure out how to use all the buttons on a handheld controller to eliminate them and save my “life.”
“Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012” was recommended to me by a doctor and looks like it will give me a daily exercise option when I don’t make it to the gym. In addition, this “game” will make use of the Kinect game controller I’ll be purchasing—I’ll be moving the coffee table for this one and hopefully wearing out the carpet while using it.
“Forza Motorsport 4?” I think I played it before on someone else’s Xbox and I think I liked it.
Here’s the plan after everything is purchased and set up. On weekday evenings, the amount of time previously dedicated to reading—in my case typically two hours or so—will be dedicated to playing one or more of the games listed in Step Three above. If I didn’t make it to the gym that day, I must play “Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012” for at least 30 minutes. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays I’m free to catch up on my reading.
Currently I have a stack of about 10 books I’ve teed up for reading. If I’m successful in breaking out of my evening comfort zone my pile of Xbox games should eventually catch up to my tower of unread books and dwarf it as I truly become a hardcore gamer.
Wish me luck! Better yet, join me!!
The opinions and views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Microsoft.
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