I think everyone has had one of those times where a flavor they were expecting wasn't the one they got. In this case, I was trying a new flavor of Hershey's Kisses marketed in our area. They are seasonal varieties, and I'm pretty sure that Hershey's is testing them in a lot of markets, if indeed they're a test and not just straight-to-market.

The flavors I bought to try (and for my family to evaluate:
* Candy Corn (yes, kisses flavored, wrapped, and looking like the candy)
* Pumpkin Pie (how in the world could they do this, I wondered)

I tried them. My husband tried them. My kids tried them. We were all expecting some variation on a chocolate theme, and were dubious at first. But let me tell you, the taste, scent, and appropriate color of the candies was right-on. Not a hint of standard chocolate flavor, which was puzzling. But the flavor they intended to get, for each variety, was the very best match I've ever tasted.

Wow!

So, how does this relate to Virtual NorthStar and the Wonderland project? Well, sometimes you're looking for one solution for virtual education. And sometimes you don't get quite what you expect, really. It's virtual, and every virtual world is a reflection of the minds that went into building it. Minds like those at Sun Microsystems, who developed the engines and the tools for the worlds. Minds like those at Saint Paul College, who installed and developed worlds to use in different ways. The minds who use the worlds for education and training are even included in the flavor of "what is Wonderland." And while the flavor is sometimes different from expectations, the difference can be quite good.

It can be "wow!"