What does the Monopoly game at McDonald’s and going to the gym have in common?

Nothing, really, aside from the fact that the two will be intertwined in this particular blog post. But hey, the headline got your attention, right?

This week, I decided that after a year-and-a-half away from the gym (though not away from running – if you remember correctly), that I would once again gain membership and begin consciously trying to better my physical health by both keeping up with the running and adding a few lifting rituals into the mix.

The problem with all of this? Yesterday marked the beginning of McDonald’s Monopoly game for the year! That’s right. Twenty-seven Big Macs, 52 Angus burgers and a whole bunch of chicken nuggets could mean a brand new television, a shiny car or millions upon gamillions of dollars for me to waste on DVDs of television shows (I’m looking at you, “House.”)

So…what to do? I haven’t a clue. I’ve kept my mind pretty open about wrestling with the gym this time around (don’t over-do it, don’t get burned out quickly, don’t hate running on treadmills, and no, I won’t have an eight-pack of abs by the end of the week, no matter how many miles I put in), but the entire notion of waking up early to run and lift, while capping that off with an extra value meal at McDonald’s later in the day seems to be a bit counterintuitive, don’t you think?

But the game is just so much fun! Of all the fast food restaurant games, this one’s easily the best. In fact, it’s so good, most all other fast food chains have simply just given up on promotions all together (aside from that silly football game Wendy’s seems to be offering again). Come on, now. You’d be lying if you say you’ve never thought of the implications of picking up a large order of french fries and possibly finding that one missing piece you’ve been waiting to come across that would provide you with a free small soft drink or, well, $50,000 in cash.

It’s great, really. I just haven’t decided how to tackle it, though. And that’s why I turn to you, my dear, dear, blogtastic friends. Should I stop working out? Should I give up on my Monopoly dreams? Should I pay for other people’s meals and take their pieces? Should I ignore the temptations? Should I plan my funeral, considering my arteries will be plugged within six months if I plan to move forward with the McDonald’s angle? So many questions. So few answers.

That said, if anybody happens across any McDonald’s Monopoly pieces, and doesn’t wish to indulge themselves in such game-playing foolishness (or, for that matter, if you are willing to trade one of your eight New York Avenues for one of my 14 Baltic Avenues), remember you can always e-mail us at theunusualsuspectsblog@gmail.com. And if that doesn’t work, we are always available in the comments section.

And remember, any of these things could happen to me, should I decide to strictly go with weight lifting and nothing else…



…And that would be painful.