Well, the spinning wheel of death was there again, so I carted her off to the computer doctor (really, their business is called computer medics--unfortunately all I came home with today was a body they drug up from the morgue). I was gently and soundly reprimanded for not having my stuff backed up (she hadn't failed me before! Why should I take time to back stuff up?) and told that the files were irretrievable and that I should start shopping for a new Macintosh. This seemed a little harsh, but as today is Wednesday and I had people breathing down my neck asking for those lost evaluations (which I shall have to rewrite as soon as I finish the current glass of wine), I had to find myself a new computer.
And about the power of denial? The computer had been slowing down exponentially for about 3 days and was starting to make ominous whirring sounds. I did get a little alarmed at about 8:21 pm on that fateful Thursday and started thinking about backing up things... and then 8:23 came around and the chance was lost.
A few seconds of silence please for the dearly departed... I really did love this computer. I didn't have a cross, so I used three little goddesses. I'm sure it is all the same to the computer.
And perhaps that will help me find the genius who is going to recover my data, eh?
The new MacBook that I bought today is still sexy and oh-so-Mac. I love the Mac--the little icons that jump and look like they're three dimensional, the programs which are intuitive and don't require me to remember where things actually are, the plug-n-play aspect which doesn't require me to read instruction manuals... you can't beat a Mac. This new Mac has something called a Time Machine which I really hope might help me correct some errors I made in the last 36 years.
But being without a computer for 6 days opened my eyes to just how much time I spend on the thing. Life would be simpler without this technology and we would have more time for watching the clouds. Honestly, the first thing I thought when it died was, "thank god I don't have to work any more tonight."
All I have to say in the final analysis is, if you don't have a backup for your computer, DO IT NOW! I will be purchasing an external hard drive onto which I will place all the junk I want to sort through until technology changes so much I can't access it anymore... just in case this new machine decides to let me down one day.
From another Mac user (we have multiples, and NO PC's) you have my sympathy in the loss of this friend. Good luck with retrieving the data, and enjoy the next one!
ReplyDeleteI recently had the same thing happen to me. I THOUGHT about backing up, but didn't take the trouble to get the external drive hooked up and actually do the backup. A lesson learned. I sympathize.a
ReplyDeleteGosh you guys are great. Thanks for the sympathy on my Mac loss. I'm still grieving. Most people just look at me incredulously and say something like, "didn't you have it backed up?" Now I just say, of course not! and leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteDearest One - my twin to your powerbook just died as well. They were, after all, five years old so I hesitate to complain. It is informative although, as for how important that box should be in our life - but then there is the other realization when you have to use the PC from school and everything takes three times as long, if it even works.
ReplyDeleteKisses to Cassie.
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