i'm a dad again

No, no, don't get excited. Sage does not have a new sibling.

What she does have is a Tamagotchi (the spanking new Tamagotchi Connection Version 3), which she asked for after seeing the ad. I never had one of these guys when they first came out in the late 90's, but I do remember how addictive they were to those who had them. So Nikki and I got her one and it's amazing how she takes care of her virtual pet. She and her mom fuss over the thing, going to the Tamagotchi town website to get goodies, playing games to earn points to buy cool stuff and hunting for secret codes. I didn't pay much attention until I was tasked to watch over the little thing - and before I knew it, I was hooked. It was the games that got me, plus the need to collect everything possible (sigh, it's like my insane obsession with Pokemon all over again).

I was happy to time-share with Sage, until I realized that if we had a second Tamagotchi, they could make eggs (the insructions are pleasanty coy, alluding to "companionship" and other delicate terms) - we could oversee generations of the things. And so yesterday, we went to the newly opened Toys 'R Us over at Robinsons Galleria and got another one (P 999) - which, thankfully, hatched into a boy (Sage owns a girl).

And yes, matchmaking is in the works - after I play a gazillion games to amass a gazillion points to buy everything, fly to Chile, Australia, Switzerland and Hawaii, and visit the Tamagotchi King.

I have "Cole" with me at the office right now and I have to find a way to mute it, because it is embarassingly loud.

Now if only someone could tell me all the 7 Secret Codes...

Here's the website.