I visited Google Analytics the other day, and I decided to check what keywords my readers used to stumble upon my site. I made a pretty interesting discovery.

Ever since Google released the Personalized Google Homepage -- now iGoogle -- it had been a topic of interest, both for Google enthusiasts and casual visitors alike. And, really, what's not to be interested about? The header changes every two hours, and you see the sun (or moon, or whatever else is in the header) change color or location. Details change, usually in an amusing way. My theme is the Teahouse Theme, and I see my kitsune (fox) sleeping, fishing, rowing a boat, feeding ducks, playing the guitar, picking oranges, having breakfast, lunch, and dinner, stargazing, and a few others in between.

But there's one particular scene that evades most people's eyes. Observe.

Exhibit A: Teahouse Theme at 3:32 am


Exhibit B: Teahouse Theme at 3:33 am


Upon closer inspection...


Okay, so the incense burned out. But what happened to the dumplings? Read more...

Here's what happened:


Yuurei ate them! Haha! I found out that a number of users have been looking for this screenshot, the iGoogle Teahouse Ghost, and they surf on in to my google-luuuuuuuuuv post.

This screen was captured in March 22, and I never see the ghosts now, because catching it is so freakin' hard. They don't necessarily appear between 3:32 and 3:33, but they DO appear between 2am and 4am.Many people wish to see a screenie, so here it is, by popular demand! Heeheehee.

(Oh, and I'm sorry about the hideous watermark. Disclaimer: The graphic is Google's, not mine. The screenshot is mine, though, and I claim credits for capturing the Teahouse Ghosts. Hehe.)



EDIT: (October 23, 2007) I caught the iGoogle Teahouse Ghosts again! YES!!! I practically jumped up in my chair and immediately looked at the source. Now I know what the URL of the ghost banner is! But just to make things more fun, I'm not going to say what it is. I WILL say, though, that the secret screen appears at 3:14 AM. (Yes, that's in the URL, too.)

But if you REALLY want to know and have no patience to wait for it, then Google search it. There's a website that lists all the 3:14 screens. Do me favor, though: please do NOT post the URL in my blog. I maintain that it's more fun to catch the 3:14 screen yourself.

Have fun hunting!