With all the cool features and spots in Zwinktopia, it's hard for me to pick a favorite. But if someone - say, a Zwinky named Snackypants  - threatened to throw my Zwinky into the shark-infested waters just beyond the beach unless I chose a favorite spot, I'd have to say the Bus Stop.

Yes, that's right. The Bus Stop. Sure you can have hours of fun playing Goth vs. Prep in Zarcadia, like Kevin. And as Keith noted, it sure is fun throwing a frisbee around in a crowded dorm room. But I happen to think the Bus Stop is truly the most remarkable place in the Land of the Zwinky, even if it doesn't have an alarmingly gargantuan beach chair for Patrick to doze off in.

In addition to its immensely convenient central location, the Bus Stop is the only place in all of Zwinktopia that seems to have an independent climate all its own. While things seem downright sunny and peaceful in the adjacent park, a threatening wind and lightning storm perpetually swirls at the Bus Stop - which clearly serves as a metaphor for the volatile and often unpredictable nature of public transportation in general.

Here's a bit of Bus Stop trivia for you: there was once a Smiley who was clinging for dear life to the Bus Stop pole - but the fierce winds swept him away. He was then intercepted by Chinese army aircraft somewhere over the Sea of Japan.

But don't worry. Your Zwinky is perfectly safe at the Bus Stop. No matter how hard the wind may blow, it won't even muss your hair - or blow that cool knit cap off your head. So you'll be free to chat with your fellow Zwinktopia travelers. And that's ultimately what makes hanging out at the Bus Stop so much fun.

Whenever a stranger approaches me at the Bus Stop, I often get asked what I'm doing there. My answer is simple: I'm waiting for the bus. Then he or she will say they didn't know there was a bus, and I'll become indignant. Why would there be a Bus Stop here if there wasn't a bus? And sure enough, my indignation often works. Perfect strangers will stay right there with me, and engage in the most enjoyable banter. Here's a snippet of a recent conversation - please note that names have been changed to protect the gullible:

random_zwinky: when's the bus coming?
smileyjoe: I don't know. But it was late yesterday.
random_zwinky: oh
smileyjoe: You better not stand in the road. You could get hit by a fire engine.
random_zwinky: really?
smileyjoe: Yeah. There was a huge fire over at the Caf yesterday, and a fire engine came roaring through and flattened some guy dressed in a fairy outfit.
random_zwinky: yeah right. you're nuts
smileyjoe: We'll see who's nuts when the bus gets here, pal.

And so on. Eventually, people catch on - and move on. Sometimes they even come back, in search of that late bus. They'll see me there, still waiting, call me a few choice names - and leave again.

Ultimately, though, as someone who is truly proud to have worked on bringing Zwinktopia to life, the reason I love the Bus Stop so much is because of what it represents. To me, it's a sign that Zwinky is on the move - and that this small slice of Zwinktopia is just the first glimpse of what promises to be a unique and ever-changing virtual world filled with endless possibilities.

Someday, folks, that bus is going to come. And when it does, I'm going to be right there waiting for it.

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