So, I was fiddling with my computer to try to fix something for a web chat (by the way, you really ought to follow me on Twitter because then you might get to see me in all my wet-hair-no-makeup-glory and the Mini-Dork via web cam). In the process I discovered that I have a speech to text recognition program on my computer. Holy crap! How did I not know this? Apparently it came with Window's Vista. I. Had. No. Idea.

Granted, it doesn't work perfectly. If Lucy makes too much noise then it can't tell what I'm saying. I use a lot of words it doesn't recognize as real words (like Twitter) so I end up having to spell them. And, admittedly, it just can't always tell what I'm saying. Want to see what I mean?

OK.

I'll show you. From this point forward I won't correct its mistakes and you can try to figure out what I was originally tried to say.

We've decided to get a week are for your anniversary is coming up in December. And typically an appliance is given as a gift for fourth anniversary. While we decided that the Nintendo we counts as an appliance especially since we've been wanting one for a long time. Unless the upcoming release of Beatles rock band the recent release of leesport resort and all the good reviews about we fed we figured it was about time we actually got one (see and you know, it's the first time we can actually afford one) to see.

/end speech-to-text

Want what I was trying to say?

We've decided to get a week are Wii for your our anniversary is coming up in December. And typically an appliance is given as a gift for a fourth anniversary. While Well, we decided that the Nintendo we Wii counts as an appliance especially since we've been wanting one for a long time. Unless And with the upcoming release of Beatles rock band Rock Band, the recent release of leesport resort Wii Sports Resort, and all the good reviews about we fed Wii fit we figured it was about time we actually got one (see and you know, it's the first time we can actually afford one) to see.

Wow.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

PS: 500 g33k points to you if you can tell me where I got the title to this post.

And by "Big Brother" I mean "me." I've been watching you, my dear readers. And here is a sampling of what I've learned...

• Most of you are using Firefox to browse the internet (though a few need to update to the latest version). Internet Explorer is the second most popular browser (which begs the question: why aren't you using Firefox yet?). And a handful of you use other browsers (such as Chrome, Opera, Safari, etc.).
• Some of you have found me via Google searches for terms like "peter pan from the perspective of tinkerbell," "menggu grill," and even "trouser coughs at home" (I don't know what you were trying to find with that last one).
• Most of your are in the United States (though I do have some international dust bunnies).
• My "Works For Me Wednesday" post seems to be the most popular post lately. "Hands Off" comes in second place. I guess the posts I think are funny may not be so funny after all.
• 17.6% of the time you spend longer than an hour reading my blog. But then...59.7% of the visits to this blog are less than 5 seconds long (depressing.) Not that those of you spending that little here will ever read far enough into this post to know I'm talking to you.
• 216 of you have your screen resolution set to 1280 x 1024.
• Most of you use Windows (like me). Some are using archaic versions of Windows, but Windows nonetheless. One of you is geeky enough to be using Linux. And for your geekiness I commend you.
• I even know your IP addresses and internet providers (seems a lot of you like Comcast).
• Some of you are reading my blog when you're supposed to be studying and some of you are reading while you're at work. Tsk tsk tsk (ignore the "tsking," keep reading)!

Don't worry, I don't know anything dangerous or embarrassing like credit card numbers, or that one of you is spending an awful lot of time on another site at www.ihaveacrushonmymotherinlaw.com). Or do I?

Let it be know that my husband is, as I type, out stalking the mighty "electronic mammoth."

Remember this post?

Adam is out seeking a suitable replacement for my sorry excuse for a computer (which gets slower and slower every day and I swear freezes just to make my life miserable). And by "suitable" I mean "as cheap as possible."

We wanted to wait as long as we could before replacing the thing because, well, we don't like spending money. But Fidel (yes, my computer is named Fidel*) has sapped our patience. I waste so much time dealing with his sluggishness, random crashes, and physical shortcomings that simple tasks (such as posting pictures of Lucy, surfing the web, etc.) which should only take a couple of minutes take far too much of my precious time. Not to mention I can't actually use my computer at my desk because of the situation with the broken screen. Plus we bought Fidel used, so he wasn't exactly up to date to begin with. Adam wants me to be able to play certain multi-player games with him during his free time, games that refuse to even install on my computer because I don't meet the minimum system requirements. And since we're able to get a *new* computer for less than we spent buying this used one we've conceded defeat.

So, Adam phoned around town asking about specs and prices. Unfortunately it's not as easy to find a cheap computer in Canada as it is in the US. I would just have Adam build me a desktop (to save $$$) and forgo the portability of a laptop except that the shipping Adam would be charged getting the various components to Canada would make a desktop equally pricey if not more so (and, according to Adam's research, the in store desktops are no cheaper than the laptops).

Now I've just got to figure out what to do with Fidel after I transfer all my files, try to sell him for an insanely cheap price (i.e. $10-$20)? Scrap him and sell the parts? Give him away? I don't know. I've already got a bunch of items we no longer need that I plan on posting for sale on the local swap group so it wouldn't be too much trouble to post Fidel as well...but seriously, who would buy him?

Anyway, provided Adam returns home victorious then by this time tomorrow I'll be blogging on a new computer...who, I might add, will need a name.

*I named it Fidel hoping that since Fidel (Castro) seems to be defying death than maybe my computer might defy it and live forever as well...I was wrong.

Ooops...seems I missed a day or two of NaBloPoMo whilst in my catatonic state brought on by excessive crying (Lucy's, not mine). I'd say more but not only is my computer misbehaving but I only have one hand available for typing as the other is holding a sleeping (for now) baby.