I already blogged about the hand-held Pac-Man video game that I bought on EBay. A few days before I bought that, I was the winning bidder on a super-sweet Pac-Man video game watch from 1983. When the watch arrived, though, it was busted. The little Pac-Man characters moved around the screen, but the buttons didn’t work, so I couldn’t set the time, and even worse, I couldn’t play Pac-Man. I returned the watch to the seller, and he, somehow, had a whole stock of them on-hand, and the replacement watch arrived today.

Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. At first, I was worried that this one was messed up, too, because when I played the game, there was no sound. I figured out how to get the sound on, but only after setting the alarm. (You have to enable the alarm for any sound to work on the watch.) For some inexplicable reason, the alarm on the Pac-Man watch is “Dixie.” If the seller weren’t from NYC, I’d suspect this to be some covert way to sneak old Southern tunes into coastal states, but that seems a stretch. Why a Japanese watch maker would sell a video game watch with “Dixie” as the alarm song — and not, I don’t know, “Pac-Man Fever” — is beyond me, but it made me laugh.

Speaking of Japanese watch makers, I also recently purchased this sucker, straight from a store in Japan. It weighs about 11 pounds, and it’s tough to tell from the picture, but it’s shiny, pimpin’ gold.

I totally dig it, as it looks like something Michael Knight would use to get K.I.T.T.’s attention. One guy told me it looked like something out of Six Million Dollar Man. Either way, it totally screams “techno pimp.”

I don’t know. Maybe I should wear both watches simultaneously, 1980’s Swatch-style.

Loki loved the whole watch delivery thing. Boxes and bags — two of Loki’s favorites. Here, Loki sits on the bags to keep them warm for me. Thanks, little guy.

Several months ago, AEJ and I found our latest dream house. They’re having another open house this Sunday, so we’re going back. It’s roughly $1.6 million outside of our price range, but it’ll be fun to see it again. We’re considering bringing food to cook out there, and our swimsuits so we can try the hot tub and pool. I can’t imagine the broker would have any problem with that. And who would dare question me, in my techno-pimp watch?

I got a great email from Lauren yesterday. Lauren is a flute player, and she’s playing 1st flute on “Turning” for one of the consortium schools.

Lauren tells me that a big trill at the end of the piece — the low C, trilled to Db — is possible, but only for two people. It might be technically possible with one, but she said the only way to make it sound good was for the flutist next to her to reach over and trill the note on Lauren’s flute.

How brilliant is that?! She’s sitting there in rehearsal, realizes she can’t reach the trill, so somebody else reaches over to trill it. Two people playing one flute. Lauren, you and your trill-mate get gold stars.

There’s a new site that seems to have a lot of potential. It’s called Classical Lounge, and it’s kind of a MySpace or Facebook for musicians. It’s nice because it’s specialized, and not nearly as ugly as MySpace. (I have a pretty speedy computer, but if your MySpace profile brings my machine to a screeching halt trying to render 7 YouTube videos on top of your stupid unicorn full-screen image while playing some lame-ass hip-hop song that launches in an external application — maybe you can slim it down a hair.) It also lacks the MySpace spam. (Thanks for the friend invite, LicketySplit, but I’m going to decline, although I’m sure your webcam is “hot,” as promised.)

So, check out Classical Lounge. (Even Newman, the stubborn MySpace hold-out, has a Classical Lounge page!)

I’m feeling much less cranky today. Really, what is there to be so upset about, when there are happy things in the world like “vintage” electronic Pac-Man games?

When I was pretty young — maybe 8? — I got sick and had to spend a few days in the hospital. When you get hospitalized as a child, people bring you toys. My grandparents brought me an awesome hand-held Pac-Man game. I played that thing endlessly until I got my first computer (a Commodore 64), and the computer took over the gaming duties. But I had a great two years with that Pac-Man game.

As with most toys from childhood, the game is long gone, probably abandoned while packing for one of the many housing moves during my childhood. But thanks to the wonder that is Ebay, I found another one. $5 later (plus, like, $15 shipping), I again have my Pac-Man game. Here, Loki is somehow not as excited as I am.

Check out the sweet design, in stunning Pac-Man Yellow! (I’m sure that’s a Martha paint color.)

And those graphics!

Good times, good times. I’m going to crank up my Christopher Cross cassettes and play me some Pac-Man. This weekend is going to rule.