If you're like me, and even if you aren't like me, chances are, since you're reading this BLOG, you are probably not technically challenged. That is, since you're reading this Blog, you at least know (a) what a Blog is (confession: I didn't until I saw it mentioned in a Thursday night sitcom, and I've been in the high-tech industry almost my entire life), (b) you know how to use a computer for recreational purposes, and not merely as a tool to catapult your career forward to your next paycheck, and that leads to (c) you're not afraid of technology, and have in fact embraced the cold, hard silicon-based whirring virtuality of computer games, and have at least one of the aforementioned "gaming consoles" in your home.
C'mon, admit it: You've been playing electronic games since you got your first Pong game at Montgomery Ward(oops, that's dating myself) or at least your first Nintendo-something game system. You gotta have at least one game or game-type electronic device -- battery-powered handheld thingies count -- in your home. And, if you're like me (or not) you also have allowed your young charge (a.k.a. 'kid') play with the gadget at least once. Or twice. Or until he / she collapses from sheer fatigue from pushing buttons and watching fabulous colors appear, seemingly at the child's control. Too bad you never showed your 2-year-old how to get past the demo mode. Face it - you, like me, use these game machines to escape reality, either by using them to submerge yourself into artificial worlds rich with bizarre creatures and anatomically-enhanced heroines in revealing undies rescuing civilization forever hanging in the balance, or more importantly, as a virtual babysitter to entertain junior so you can do more important things, like submerge yourself into artificial worlds on the NEW gaming console you bought last week so junior could play with the old one. Ha! Caught you, didn't I?
OK, more importantly, if your kids are gonna play with these - and if they exist in your living space they are - they need to be CLEANED. Every child leaves a trail of 'something' that is even present immediately after a bath. I can't explain "it", I think physicists have proven of "its" existence, but "it" needs to be cleaned off the games to prevent total catastophic failure. After all, you can't have a sticky joystick preventing you from saving planet Gyzz for the 45th time because you wanna see the 'anatomically enhanced' part I mentioned earlier.
The instruction booklet warned you not to use liquids directly on the device, right? SO use the wipes WITHOUT SQUEAZING THEM INTO TIGHT DRIPPING BALLS OF GOO. The idea is not to saturate the equipment so that liquid from the wipe gets inside the machinery. Just lightly wipe the outside surfaces of the device, controllers, keypads, etc. Don't wipe inside cartridge slots or try and clean CD lenses with them, though. Just wipe on the outside of the equipment. Oh, yeah, one other detail: Unplug the thing or take out the batteries before you clean. Trust me. Its a safety thing. Also, A pointed object, like a dull pencil, wrapped with a baby wipe helps get into tight spots where month-old peanut butter has solidified and become the 4th hardest substance known to man.
COST: $0.10, if you don't already have a dull pencil
SAVINGS: Your sanity, maybe some trips to the pediatrician because you're cleaning the playstation regularly and keeping the kids from sharing germs when they share the game controllers. I'd also say saving the game itself, but that might take away the next excuse to use on your spouse to run out and buy the new Playstation 32!
