Ode to Ping Pong
How would I manage the unrelenting cold of winter without the diversion of table tennis? I try to squeeze in a game or two every week, but there are diehards around the office who grab their paddles for a daily fix. I don't blame them. When the wind howls and the flurries fly, a rejuvenating walk around our office courtyard seems beyond reason.
Even when I get waxed in a free lesson at the hand of a superior player, table tennis is invigorating. For every embarrassing whiff at well-placed ball, I seem to muster an unlikely shot that surprises me as much as it does my opponent. Those are the sweet moments that keep me coming back. For that brief instance, I feel like a master of the physical world, as though Newton's laws are at the mercy of my veto power. The humbling sting of the ball when I absorb the full force of an opponent's slam with my face invariably brings me down to earth, but still. It is supremely satisfying, as dozens of my colleagues can attest.
Working at NetShops has helped me appreciate the wealth of indoor fun available to cheat the chill of winter and beat the heat of summer. The thrilling competition and casual fun of air hockey, foosball, darts, and other rec room games are a definite cure for cabin fever. And having a few of these games tables around the office seems to be a surefire remedy for office malaise as well.