woo. hoo.

The highlight of the weekend -- for some people at least -- had to be the purchase of a Wii. The weekend before last we'd been up to C's sister's ... where we were exposed to something like Wii Wonderland, with all the extra games and footpads and headsets and IV drips and heart monitors and whatever else you can shake a controller at ... and ever since then C has been like a little kid before Christmas: I want a Wii I want a Wii I'd really like a Wii I think we should get a Wii. I suggested we hold off until after the holidays, when everything goes on sale. I've already checked the prices and they're always the same, C said. I could have pushed this further, pointing out her lack of access to time machines and such, and the inevitability of all consumer products decreasing in price as conditions confront demand, but like so many things these days it's just easier to shrug and look away.

So Sunday night became a wii digital orgy of awkward pixel people doing weird, recreational (or !fun!) things on some imaginary resort island. The first time I walked by she was playing ping pong. A crowd of other avatars had gathered to cheer.

I find difficult to believe that you'd get spectators for a ping pong game, I said.

That's 'cause I'm so good, C said, a digital ping pong ball bouncing off her transparent forehead.

The next time I came by she was part of some archery competition.

If you lose, can you whirl around and turn the crossbow on the judges?, I asked, feeling a sudden pang of interest.

No, C said. This is a family game.

I didn't say I wanted to shoot families, I said.

Later it was skydiving with dozens of other blank little nothings.

Can you come up behind someone and tear off their parachute pack and then push them away from the group?, I asked.

No, C said. Everybody always lands safely, she said.

When I went to bed she was flying a plane around Wuhu Island or Woo Hoo Island or or Woo Hoo Magic Treasure Weirdo Island or whatever it's called.

Can you crash the plane into that mountain?, I asked. Or land it on top of some people?

No, C said.

Pffffffffffft, I thought.