RAM is really, really cheap right now. If you're wishing that your sorta-oldish computer were faster, but you can't justify a brand new computer, then see if you have already maxed out the memory. If you have less than 1GB and your computer can take more, you should probably upgrade.
XKCD is so good. I have this nightmare about once a month, for as long as I can remember.
Related to this is this amazing kinesin video. The Inner Life of the Cell is here. The "Slow Speed Version " (in the top row of clips) has commentary instead of the annoying repetitive music. The Kinesin animation is just before the halfway point in the video (immediately following the green microtubules animation).