I think that phrase is partial lyrics from a Dave Matthews song. No, I'm sure of it. *Googles which one not actually using Google but since it's now the verb* So Much To Say Well, whaddya know.

It's been a busy weekend/Monday in my nick of the woods. Or rather my corner of life. The launch for the Playstation3 went off horribly on Friday with riots and shootings and shortages and just general negativity. Sony has done a terrible job not just at providing product for the consumer but at managing expectations and marketing so that the consumer didn't have a "dog eat dog" mentality when trying to obtain one of the few units on the planet. It's disappointing but not unexpected that they tripped so badly. Actually, it's disappointing that it's not unexpected.

Then, on Sunday, Nintendo launched the Wii. I really like Nintendo because they take risks (but don't ever get me started on their PR company - even the giant IGN threatened to boycott coverage of them at one point because their PR company is so awful). They took a huge risk with the Wii and it payed off. Games can be games again, not movies. They're fun, innovative and they get you off the couch. My son boxed until he needed to wring his shirt out on Sunday.

I think what most impressed me were the people I waited with for 7 hours on Saturday at Wal-Mart. These were good people. Kind people. We'd talked about the horror of the PS3 launch and someone made the statement that they didn't think we had to worry about it with this crowd. I took him to mean that because it wasn't a large crowd there'd be no violence and made the statement that I didn't believe people waiting for a Wii would act in the same manner. He said that was what he'd meant, too.

You see, never, in any marketing I'd seen for the Wii was I made to feel like I "had" to have it or I'd be less of a gamer. That it was the "next best" thing. Only that it was something new, something fun. The choice was mine.

And never did I feel like it was this great new compilation of tools that was going to make my life easier. It was "just" a gaming system. Not a "music/video/dvd/mp3/mpg4/toaster/waffle iron/wash your car/solve world hunger" item. It's a game system. I like that. Keeps the price down, too. And lo and behold, it came with FUN games installed.

I've had a little time with the PS3 and I'll end up with one eventually - it is my job after all. I can't say that I won't enjoy the products that are produced for it, because ultimately the products are what matter. But, right now, I'm enjoying the machine. Odd that.

I was going to talk about Viva Pinata, writing too many reviews at once and people who don't appreciate your efforts, but I think this is enough for one entry. Back to the coal mines.