Kitty
Curly Sue just posted a dream that reminded me of a discussion in my dissertation workshop group today. I think we were prompted by the piece Life Writer, which will hopefully feature in my chapter addressing Artificial Life.
Somehow, we got to talking about "virtual pets." Apparently my adviser's niece has twelve or so, because she can't have a real kitty.
A: "I never understand those virtual pets. I mean, you feed them and walk them. It's the hard parts about having a pet, not the good parts!"
Me: "You must clean your virtual kitty's litter box."
A: "You can't cuddle with a virtual pet!"
Me: "Your virtual kitty has fleas.
"...You have mice, but your virtual kitty is not a mouser.
"...Your virtual kitty got in a fight, and has an infected scratch that will cost a very expensive vet bill. You have no money because you are a student and you have to pay student fees."
My adviser: "You have to ride to the laundromat with all your laundry! And your kitty! On your back in your backpack!"
It was a fun dissertation workshop day.
4 comments:
yeah, i really don't get those virtual pets. however, recent experience is almost making me wish for a virtual pet that will virtually destroy virtual plants and virtual screen doors, rather than real objects.
Ha, sounds fun! I never had a virtual pet. Mostly because those commercials really annoyed me. "Nano nano here! Nano nano now! Nano you know nano! Nano you know nano!" AAAIYYEEEEEE!
I think that's the appeal of an iPhone baby too, strovska.
My mom never let me have a pet squid. When I was 9 I proposed that she let me set up a salt water aquarium so I could raise one. She said no. So now I have a virtual squid. I don't feed it, cuddle it, or change its litter box because its a squid. True story. All of it.
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