Happy Birthday Mr Wheaton ! Are you "old" now ? ... or still "not old" ? Personally, I didn't grow up in one, but I like the idea of cultures where the birthday person gives the presents ! My wife doesn't understand this though.

Methinks you'll need to put it in Klingon or Latin to get it on BBT ! On second thoughts I can't actually work out whether it should be on BBT.

I think you got a Yes ! I can nearly not wait until tomorrow when I get the signed copy of Happiest Days - I ordered it last month, and the kids are giving it to me for my birthday !! BTW I am old ...

Mr Wheaton, even if I wasn't feeling kindly, I would enjoy your reminiscences ! You are so lucky in your wife and her understanding of your geekiness - I guess the fact that it underpins your profession helps. I won't even show my wife the scene from The Wheaton Recurrence "Do or not do ..." Ihave watched it four time since it was shown in OZ two weeks ago. I love it, but she would probably take it as reinforcing that she can't understand how she married me !

That was Great !!!- two new Whil Wheatons for me this week ! "The Wheaton Recurrence" finally aired in Australia. So now we have "Shove a cork in it Wheaton" to alternate with a growled "Wheaton..." I really appreciate your writing as well!

What about the Land of Oz ? Doesn't Adam's writer come from here ? I'm wonder if I should become a promoter ?

Oh, you are all so "not old". I remember a squash court in Cardiff, New South Wales, Australia. It's not so far from Bennett's Green. Last time I went past the building was still there. I remember sitting for hours playing Pong while my parents played squash ! Later they added Space Invaders. And then Misex (is that rude ?) did the song Computer Games. "I fidget with the digit dots and cry an anxious tear, til the XU1 connects the spot, but the matrix grid don't care." It was probably in response to the Space Invaders song. "Just another pale dream ..." is all I can remember. And then came the arcades. I remember the excitement when Star Wars came out. And that video pinball where you played with the ball until it went below and the video screen startet so you could play in virtual mode until it somehow came back up to reality. I remember hours in Stan's Bar at the University of Newcastle playing Xevious and finding I did better when my lizard brain took over while I was chatting to someone. I never got a high score though.

OMG, quick, cool Monty Python quote, quick, quick, I can't think. Is this a cheese shop ? no, too obvious Nobody expects a Spanish Inquisition ? too off topic this is trying too hard Oh the dog's eaten it. Thanks Wil, I love your blog - your efforts in writing are certainly appreciated by a lot of people. I hope I can catch the BBT ep when it airs in Oz. BTW, my kids are now playing with my old Merlin !

Gary wins ... but then all you other guys are talking about Gaming systems with preprogrammed games. We had to type in the game (Life and a Pong type game) on a Hex keypad, until they developed a Cassette ROM so at least we could save the games. My neighbour's Dad owned and still does own an Electronics store ... this was about 1980. Anyone remember the Hitachi Peach, Sinclair ZX80/81 ?

It would be too much to ask for George Lucas to apologise for Transformer toys wouldn't it ?