Sunday, May 17, 2009

Walk Like A Camel



Once upon a time you could get some healthy exercise on an electric camel. It would bob up and down in a manner designed to mimic a camel's gait. In 1912 it was the fashionable height of sophistication for a gymnasium to have one--so much so the gym on-board the Titanic was fitted with a camel, as pictured (that's it on the left).

The electric camel went out of style, but it is interesting to note that the Titanic's gymnasium also had a rowing machine and stationary cycles, which remain popular today. It even had separate times for ladies and men to exercise, least it be discovered by men that the fairer sex actually perspired during vigorous activity, or at least during gentle camel bouncing.

I don't get enough exercise. I doubt having an electric camel would help me. I do have a Wii, and the rather fun Wii Fit program. The Wii doesn't have a camel riding game, but it does come with a four-footed electric roadkill-like object called a balance board.

The purpose of the balance board is to show me how unbalanced I am. Who knew it could look into my head like that? It also tells me I'm fat. Yet despite all this I like it, very much. Is it beginning to sound like an abusive relationship to you?

I have never really grokked exercise. Eating, on the other hand, I'm all for. All this typing about exercise has made me hungry, and for some reason I want to listen to Southern Culture on the Skids. "You make me wanna walk ... Like a camel ... Ow-eee!"

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