Are you on Skype?

This webcam thing is totally kick-ass!

I heart my webcam. Really- I guess that I love everyone else's webcam because they allow me to see other people. We got ours yesterday. We got it all hooked up and running this morning. We communicated with the Causey's in PDX for a while and then we chatted with my pops. This shit is so much better than talking on the phone. If you already have internet service, then it doesn't cost you anything extra. I am super stoked on this technology.

We had to set up the webcam on Heather's work laptop due to the unreliable performance of our home laptop lately. The home laptop is mysteriously working again right now. I think that the reason for the poor performance of this machine may have something to do witht he fact that I spilled a beer into it the other night. I actually spilled said beer right next to the machine. I thought that I was in the clear until I went to type something and was met with a very loud beeping noise that clearly communicated to the user that something is definitely not working. It was then that I took a closer look at the machine and noticed a tiny dried trail of suds that terminated right into the keyboard.

The rest of the computer seemed to be functioning normally. The keyboard was just not operational. We started using the onscreen keyboard until we purchased a seperate keyboard to plug into it. Whatever- I actually like using the real keyboard. Everything seemed cool until I started installing the software for the new webcam last night. All of a sudden the mouse wouldn't work. Then the computer started making all kinds of weird noises. Several restarts provided no relief from the failures. Same story this morning. I thought that I would check it just for kicks this afternoon. Boo-Ya! Success. I have very little expectation for the future performance of the machine. We bought it in 2003, so it's led a long fruitful life. Problem is- we have no money with which to purchase a new machine. Luckilly, Heather can bring home her work laptop every day. We have an external hard drive that contains all our files, so we're cool.

We really want to try out a macbook with our next machine. I was looking at some prices the other day, and I saw some basic macbooks for a grand. I think that we'll just wait until we have the money for one of those badboys. That might be a while. Until then I am looking forward to lots of strange noises from this thing and lots of explicatives out of my mouth.

The cowboys are playing right now. Final week of the season with a win and in scenario. It's basically a playoff game for the boys. Damn it's gonna be a good game. I will begin watching it soon. I'm recording it and waiting for a while so that I can skip through commercials and not catch up to the live action until the end. I normally wait until the game is almost over before I start watching so that I can skip commentary between plays as well, but this is a huge game and I actually want to hear what those knuckleheads have to say about it all. The eagles actually have a couple of my favorite players. John Runyan, Dawkins and Westbrook. I love those guys, but I hate that team- and those fans.

I am now going to begin calling people to bug them to get a webcam and get on Skype. This could take a while, but it will all be worth it in the end. The glorious end.