[mikeash]

Might I suggest a glider rating? My opinion, and yours of course may vary, is that it's vastly more interesting and exciting.

There's nothing quite like pounding along at ridgetop level, two hundred feet off the trees, going 120kts with everything bouncing around the cockpit. Or sitting in perfectly still air at 12,000ft, climbing effortlessly, watching airliners wander through below.

[dchichkov]

And there's also an intro to aerobatics. It is not that dangerous (when done with an instructor) and you'll be amazed how much it will expand your envelope and your understanding of possible modes of flying.