Well, it has been busy, if not particularly interesting since the holiday. Alyssa and I went back to work (tons of work... particularly for her) and did our thing.

Last weekend was fairly notable - we went to our pals the Jacobsen's for one of their semi-regular "Scotch and Scrabble" nights, which has yet to involve Scrabble or any sort of board game. Basically it is an excuse for a bunch of us guys (primarily) to pitch in money for some nice scotch and sample a whole bunch of different kinds. It is very nice indeed and we were quite social (until past 2am)

Since we didn't get home until 3, I overslept a little. I wanted to go to Target to stand in line before the store opens to get a Nintendo Wii, but by the time I got out of bed on Sunday, it was about 8. So I called them - everything (70-odd consoles) were sold just prior to store opening (d'oh).

So plan B - we heard 'rumors' on 'the internets' that not just Target, but Best Buy and Circuit City were getting a whole bunch on Sunday, so I stumbled into some clothes, kissed my somnolent (since I make too much noise getting said clothes on) wife on the head, and headed out to the Circuit City out between Somerville and Everett.

When I got there (about 7:55am - store opens at 9am on Sunday), there were a bunch of people out front, but not heaping tons... so I got into line. It was very cold, but I was all bundled up, so I made due.

Talking with people in line, there were 47 available and the first 20 or so in line earlier got vouchers guaranteeing one, so long as they redeemed it no later than 2 hours after opening. Also, they said that the store manager was going to open the store a bit early.

About 10 min after being in line, someone came out and handed out some more vouchers... including to me - I was #29 of 47. Woo-hoo!

About 15 - 20 min after 8, they started letting people in two at a time and by 8:35, I was inside (out of the bitter cold) and getting a Wii console. I grabbed a nunchuk as well (didn't get any games, since we had some gift certificates for EB Games from Christmas) and drove home.

When I was home, Alyssa was on the GameCube playing Harvest Moon - which for the uninitiated, is a cute farming simulator of sorts. Alyssa likes to build and stratigize when it comes to games, so this has currently got Alyssa hooked. So I had her save her progress to hook up the Wii to the TV (and disconnect the GameCube), and no sooner than I leave the room (with the Wii hooked up) to put the GameCube and cables in the office, she has resumed her game, now on the Wii (it plays GC games, btw).

Funny, but no worries! At noon, I went to EB Games in Brookline (which was a zoo - they got some consoles as well) to pick up games - one for each of us. I wanted (first and foremost) the new Legend of Zelda and Alyssa wanted Trauma Center: Second Opinion (a medical/surgery game - neat no?). Well, by the time I got to the register, they were out of Zelda, so I got one of the other ones I wanted - Red Steel. Once I was home and I read manuals (and let Alyssa play a little bit more of Harvest Moon), I got a chance to play Wii Sports (which comes with the system), Red Steel, configure all the Internet thingers, download the browser - and we both got to make Mii's (the little in-game avatars, which look like cute, cartoon-y us-es).

In the past week, after coming home from busy days at work, we have been playing out games and having some fun. We got Alyssa's GameCube set up on the little TV in the office, if Alyssa wanted to play Harvest Moon (and I am on the Wii) or I want to play Fire Emblem (and Alyssa is on the Wii).

People have been saying that you can get a fair workout from playing Wii Sports - they are not joking. I really like the Boxing game, which uses the remote and the nunchuk (both are motion and positionally-aware), one in each hand, to throw punches. You jab quickly with your left up high, you jab to your opponents face - you hook, it hooks - you put your controllers up to your face, as if you were blocking with your gloves, your Mii follows suit. As such, a good hour or so of that the other day not only got me nice and sweaty for my efforts, but also left my shoulders and arms sore, as if I worked out.

Speaking of working out, January is the month I have officially started going to the gym! We signed me up (as an alumnus) to BU's Fitness and Recreation Center, and although I am horribly out of shape, I have been dragging my fat ass over there a couple of times already. Between me not being glued to the couch (watching movies or playing the GameCube) or my desk chair (working on my computer) in the evening, I think I should shed some of this excess pudge.

Beyond that, planning for a quiet weekend (so far) and getting back in the swing of things at work.

Friends & Family with Wiis: We have already gotten the Wii Address of a couple we are good friends with and can communicate are share over the Internet with them, but we would love to link up with anyone else we know who has one (at very least to gab your Miis and harass you with goofy messages with our Mii-ified faces grinning on them). Just send me an email, or give me a call!

Until later!