Every year, the Catholic Family and I keep tabs on Santa’s whereabouts as he delivers presents across the globe by way of NORAD’S Santa Tracker. But holy smokes, are we in for a treat this year after major updates to the tracker site. Much to our surprise, NORAD added Google Earth technology, which amounts to 3-D tracking of Santa. Sweet!

If you have absolutely no idea of what I’m talking about, first go here to NORAD’s tracking sight, then go here to download Google Earth, and finally go here to get the Santa Tracker local to your desktop. Missed some of Santa’s stops? No problem! NORAD posts video of Santa’s delivery sites on YouTube here.

Christmas just gets better & better every year.

Suddenly I’m finding myself stuck smack dab in the middle of mass hysteria over a stuffed animal called ‘Webkinz‘. So what to do when I can’t get my hands on one for a certain Catholic Girlie who has determination of absolute steel? Educate myself about the craze, for one. Next, go web surfing to find an online store since Hallmark and American Greetings are sold out. And Toys R Us doesn’t sell them. What’s that all about?

Keep in mind, none of this took place until the laundry had been folded and put away, table/dishes cleaned up after lunch, and all other chores I could possibly think of were ALL DONE. With help from the CK’s, of course.

Only, wait a minute… didn’t we just go through this with Tamagotchi’s? You know, the 5 stone-cold dead ones sitting on the counter? Hmmmm… we might need to rethink this little fad.

Danged toy makers.

UPDATE: Egads… I shall be ‘tarred and feathered’ for gawking at these $270 Anne Klein wedge sandals today, but heck, a Mom’s gotta dream too. Here we have:

• Strappy platform sandal
• Patent leather covered wedge
• 4″ covered heel, 1/2″ platform
• Leather lining
• Leather outsole
• Adjustable buckle closure
• Upper: 100% leather
• Made in Italy

Danged Italian shoe makers.

UPDATE (6/2/07): See the latest under Meez avatar on the right!

Quote

Virtual worlds have real popularity

Mar. 2: Second Life lets users create cyber characters. NBC News’ Keith Miller reports from London. Then TODAY host Matt Lauer talks with Sibley Verbeck of the Electric Sheep Company, which made an avatar of Matt in a virtual Rockefeller Center.

As if I don’t have enough going on in my first life, I took the leap and started a second one on Second Life. (I’m still testing the waters.) Matt Lauer and my blogger friend Eric are to blame, because I wouldn’t even think about doing something so wild and crazy if they hadn’t made it look so interesting.

Here I am, sitting on a bench:

Now I’m floating above a shopping mall:

I’ll keep poking around… but I refuse to spend real money in a virtual place. That’s where I draw the line. There’s something just weird about this Second Life thing, and yet it’s like eating potato chips—once you start, you can’t seem to stop. (The reason I avoid potato chips altogether.)

UPDATE: I stopped by NBC to visit with Matt, but apparently too late.

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