For any Skype users, you can hit me up anytime. My screen name is Ryanjp81
WTF is SKPE? 
Sofware written by Estonians. Scary! Back away!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype(My 3-year-old son will likely be Skyping (video chat) with his 95-year-old great-grandmother this weekend.)
Skype was one of the first widely used internet phones. It was free and allowed you toplace calls anyone on a home phone or cell phone from your computer, and receive calls from home/cell to your computer. It is no longer free expect computer to computer.
It is similar to Vonage or Magic Jack but you don't need a magic jack hardware piece, you just use the speakers one your computer and a microphone to make telephone calls. It now (I believe) allows you to video/audio from computer to computer, which is why the original poster gave his screen name so you could chat/video chat with him. I don't install that kind of software myself, it just loads down your computer, eats up memory and makes your computer boot slower. Ever notice how fast your computer is when it is new. Just install a bunch of programs like skype, printer drivers, ipods/mp3 software and it will run as slow as the computer you were complaining how slow it was.
http://www.skype.com/
I use Skype regularly for international calls. Very cheap. Cheap is good.
Mrs. Buddha has a friend who was in Kazakhstan, somewhere out in the literal boonies. She was able to call my wife here in northern WI via Skype on her laptop so apparently this is a very good service.
Ryan, Skype is a great tool for friends and family across the world. I use it all of the time. I'll add you to my contact list.
Skype is very good for keeping in touch. When our children have been abroad - GB, China, NZ - we could talk and see how they are and where they live.
J
My wife and I use Skype to video chat with the daughter and grandchildren - they're in WA, we're in MO. Without Skype, I would be relying on pictures only to see my Granddaughter!