It was a so-so morning. And this evening it appears I no longer have sound, and cannot play YouTube videos without getting an error message.
I am seriously wondering if it may be time to try to break my internet addiction. I got rid of cable TV years ago, switched from a clothes dryer to a clothesline (and have never looked back), have the lowest electric bill of anyone I know... and I generally distrust most technology outside of basic electric service and indoor plumbing.
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Update: It appears I may have received a reprieve for now. I managed to stumble upon the correct settings (I still HATE Windows 8), and noticed that there was an "optional" update I had not received automatically with my last regular update. After installing it, I now have sound again. We'll see how it goes. This is the last computer I ever intend to own.