Guilty Pleasures

Alright.  I'll admit it.  I love watching rodeo.

The politically correct among us would say that it is a sexist sport, confining the participation of women to barrel racing.  PETA would say that it is inhumane, brutalizing animals for sport.  And I have to say I see their point.

But there is something about watching a person leap off a galloping horse in an attempt to wrestle a 200 lb animal with horns to the ground that makes me forget these reservations.  How crazy do you have to be to climb on a 2,000 lb bull in a confined space, let alone try to ride one for eight seconds?  What does it feel like to be the rodeo clown when that same bull sends your barrel flying?  These are the questions that enter my head as I watch.  And despite my reservations, I am entertained.

Rodeo provides me with a vicarious thrill.  My adrenaline flows as I watch others participate in an activity I would never think of attempting.  In a world of safety equipment and digital effects and scripted endings, rodeo is tantalizingly dangerous.  Participants pit their strength and skill against large, unpredictable animals.  And that's where my guilt returns -- the animals.  They are the other participants in rodeo, the ones who don't get to choose.

I don't know if I will ever be able to reconcile my feelings about this sport -- if I'll ever come to terms with the conflict I feel.  I have made a decision though.  I will need to attend more rodeos to find out.

Your assignment:  Everyone has guilty pleasures -- things they enjoy doing or watching that they feel a little embarrassed or bashful about.  For some it's a television show like Survivor or Glee.  For others it's a particular song or an activity like karaoke.  Write about your own guilty pleasure explaining the conflict you feel.  Try to convey the feeling you get from the activity in a way that will make others experience it.  One last note:  Keep this one appropriate folks.