In answer to Pi's question...

Hopefully, this is more than just me poking my head out of the sand. With the end of NaNoWriMo fast approaching, and me trying to kick the depressive funk that I've been in, I'm hoping to be around a little bit more often. We've actually had our computer "fixed" (if such is the term, which, really, isn't, but I can get on the net again) for a few weeks - but I came down with a chest and head cold so I didn't find myself particularly *caring* if the comp was fixed or not.

Computer advice/question: What kind of computer (desktop) would any of you all recommend? Any particular processor, or brand? We want a new one for christmas, on a pretty limited budget, and we're aiming for something that's going to be kind of audio/visual (vid-editing etc) and gaming oriented. Right now because of price considerations, we're looking at Dell (pauses while she gags, but it's better BARELY than nothing...) but I'm open to other options. (Our budget for a system, sans monitor, is around 500.) I prefer small-store built systems myself, but the place here in town I got my current comp from doesn't exist anymore. So I can't go to them.

My NaNo Meter: