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In technology, it’s out with the old, in with the new.

A new report this week shows that people aren’t investing in new personal computers the way they once were. Instead, shoppers are paying much more attention to tablets and smartphones, with a new Microsoft operating system driving little enthusiasm in the tech marketplace. According to The Wall Street Journal, third quarter PC shipments fell eight percent, the steepest drop since at least 2001. And sales around the back-to-school period weren’t as robust as usual.

This trend is accompanied by the decline of the mouse. And once again, the tablet is partly to blame. With more people purchasing tablets, which have touchscreens, the mouse is becoming obsolete. “Instead of focusing on a single device to access technology, innovators are expanding their horizons to gizmos that respond to body motions, the voice, fingers, eyes and even thoughts,” writes The Washington Post. “Some devices can be accessed by multiple people at the same time.”

With young children increasingly using tablets in their daily lives — for learning and for play — it’s unlikely that these trends will turn around. Aww… kind of sad. Soon you’ll be adding your PC and your mouse to the pile of old gadgets collecting dust in the back of the attic. Anyone out there planning on buying a desktop anytime soon? Anyone?

Ugh. I’m originally from the suburbs, so when I lived at home, if you heard someone had a mouse or some roaches crawling around their crib, the perception was that your living quarters were less than clean and that you might just be residing in a space that looks like something off of Hoarders. Like I said, I’m from the suburbs–I’m just used to deer, crazy squirrels, murderous raccoons and even slimy possums, so until recently, if you showed me mouse poop on a counter I would have thought it was Oreo cookie crumbs. But I decided to move to the city. Sounded like such a good idea until I saw my first big roach crawling in a Popeye’s bag I left out right after I moved in. It got a whole lot little worse when after cooking chicken in the kitchen a mouse ran from underneath my oven. Like I said, moving in the city seemed like it should have been a good idea…

No, but seriously, even the fanciest places can wind up with mice–there’s just so many people residing close to one another in the city. If you’re like me and aren’t familiar with this hardcore form of pest and rodent (and spent many years getting over a spider fear–now they aren’t ish), then knowing there is a critter or two, or three in the your place is probably freaking you out and making you want to run out of the house. Don’t. As my mom said to me, “Where are you going to go!?” After contacting my landlord and being crafty with some ammonia and a few spare rolled up rugs, I got some help with my situation. I can’t say that I’ll never see a mouse in my crib again, but with all the steel wool and closed up holes around now, it will sure as hell have a hard time coming in.