Geek Mom: I think I have Wii elbow!

My husband surprised me with the news a few months ago. "Honey, I got a Wii! I wasn't looking for one, but I just happened to wander into the game store, and the guy said they had just got the shipment, and they hadn't even unpacked them yet. They're really hard to find, so I was lucky to find one, and I had to get it, and we can give it to the kids for Christmas..." That was back in September.

We love video games, and it's not that I didn't want a Wii. It's just that I don't need another device that encourages me to waste more time playing games. I know that once the Wii is unwrapped and installed, there will be almost no chance of turning it off. The kids will want to play it all the time. And worse yet, I will want to play it all the time! And I'll have to take turns!

So Hubby brought it home, and we tried it out (after the kids were asleep). We played tennis, golf, bowling, baseball, even boxing! It was awesome! I lost every challenge except for boxing. I don't know what got into me, but I turned into a crazy manic Wii punching machine, and somehow I knocked him out. I was sweating and out of breath, but I won!

I think I'm developing "Wii elbow."

We put it back in the box, and we're hiding it under the bed until Christmas. Don't tell the kids!

These rechargeable batteries are awesome-tastic!

I think these little USB rechargeable batteries are going to be huge. They are NiMH cells, rechargeable at any USB port. You don't need a cradle and cable. Just charge and go. Not only are they easy to use, but they are nicer for the environment, by preventing the disposal of lots of regular batteries. I don't remember all the chemistry of batteries in landfills (those grad-school brain cells have been taken over by new bits of information, like the names of all four Wiggles), but batteries in landfills are bad!

In addition to AA cells, they will be available in AAA, 9 volt, and sizes for cell phones and PDAs. Visit usbcell.com for more information.

Great Geek Gadgets: best.geekgadgets.ever.com

I've been working on a new project this week! This one is called best.geekgadgets.ever.com. It's a page dedicated to geek toys, gadgets, gifts, and other things that I think are super cool. Some of the products I've listed so far are a USB lava lamp, a wi-fi detector t-shirt, and some very cute Darth Vader nesting dolls. I love this stuff! If you're interested, stop by and have a look. And if you think of something I should include, please let me know. If it appeals to my inner geek, I'll add it and give you a nod. :-)

I want Yoda on my iPod

As you know, I just got a tiny new iPod Shuffle for my birthday, and I love it! I want to hug it and squeeze it, and I will call it George. uh... So I was browsing for iPod stuff, like a little protective case, to keep it from getting scratched up. Well, I was not prepared for the amazing selection of iPod accessories Out There! One of my favorites is this cute little Yoda case for the old Shuffle design. Yoda! Since I'm addicted to Squidoo these days, I made a whole page on all the iPod stuff I found, in case you're curious.

Happy Birthday to me!

I'm one of those people who enjoy having birthdays. Yes, I'm getting older, and yes, I have more gray hair than I did a year ago, but I still think birthdays are fun. My family got me a pink iPod shuffle, which I LOVE! And my kids are working on another "present" for Mommy, which is not arguing for the whole day, and doing what I ask without having to be asked multiple times. We'll see how they do! My dad used to ask us for the same thing on Father's Day or on his birthday, and we thought it would be so much easier if we could just get him a "real" gift. I guess you have to become a parent to understand what a "real" gift is, on so many levels!

Gratitude journal: It's my birthday, and I get to eat cake!