Mr. A's SOLS on Wednesday talked about wanting to curl up in the fetal position and cry when his black paint splashed all over the white on his oven project. I had the same kind of moment this last Monday, the day before the first post for SOLS.
I was trying to cover as many email messages as I could, including a site that has me counting my calories. I was very intent on getting this set up before I went on to blogging for my first March 1 posting for the SOLS Challenge.
All of a sudden, I saw a warning, "YOU HAVE A VIRUS!"--holy moly!!! This can't happen to me, now, of all times!
In my panic, I immediately hit the button to go after that little squirrel and kill it dead! Panic set in--I would never wish a squirrel dead, but today, I had a mission, and woe to the person/thing to get in my way!!!
A new screen popped up then, counting how many viruses I really had--mercy days!--over 300!! I was so glad we were going after all these little monsters now. What was I thinking--We????? This had become a crusade!
Then a screen came up that said that for $59.99, all this would be taken care of--Wait a minute!!!! I thought my husband had already installed a program and it was working for me, or was it? I immediately tried to escape, and my whole screen turned blue with a red warning sign at the top! No matter what it really said, all I knew then was that my computer was sure to blow up or was already dead!!
I called my husband with a controlled, remorseful voice, so as not to alarm him--at our age, you have to be careful. He came up from the basement, mumbling that this day had finally come. He then quietly tried to get me out of this mess. This is why I married him--his calmness in times of calamity. But I knew I had done wrong!!! We turned the computer off and on again, but the blue screen was still there. It has happened! I always feared I would break/crash a computer, and now I had. What would my children say?
I walked straight to the patio door in the kitchen and just stared out into the backyard with my arms crossed. I felt like a defeated child. "It's okay," I told myself, "You're still alive and healthy, and so is everyone else in the family," (coping strategy 101). I had also lost one of my best friends--blog writing!! I had always liked to write, but had fought the idea of blogging for 2 years (eh, Ruth), and now it was taken from me. Blogging has overtaken me!
Drama, drama, drama--"Get hold of yourself, woman!" I told myself.
My husband reminded me that we had a laptop, but I'm not a laptop kind of girl! My husband reassured me and unhooked, hooked everything up, and I was on my way again.
Life was good again. Thank you, Sweetie!
I've decided, just like books and writing, blogging is a friend.
I must confess--as a Mac user--that I've never had to face this. But I've had students who have lost papers, assignments and it makes you wonder if those virus-writers understand the human cost of their maliciousness. I have a hard enough time keeping my "user errors" on my machine down to a minimum, and hate the idea that through no fault of your own (and because of someone's less-than-stellar character) they have created real-life difficulties in a person's life.
ReplyDeleteHoorah for your husband, who was able to get you out of your jam, and hoorah that you are able to continue blogging!
Elizabeth E.
http://peninkpaper.blogspot.com
It is a compelling force that drives us on to meet the posting deadline. Your anxiety was palpable. In times of stress, it is wonderful when one persists and finds a way through. As a fellow blogger I salute your tenacity. I was in the exact same position on the penultimate day of last year's SOLSC and managed to post on my wife's laptop after my computer fell in a heap and refused to be resucitated! You captured the moment with all its tension and concern. Well done in every sense of the word!
ReplyDeleteAlan
I'm glad this had a happy ending, I was getting worried for a while, but then I was reading this so I knew deep down it would be all right. So what do you have against a laptop?
ReplyDeleteTam--this is a fantastic piece of writing! You had me right there with you, riding that roller coaster. I think your writing becomes stronger with each post. I cannot wait to read the next one!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad things worked out...and you are back to blogging again!
ReplyDeleteI had my first and hopefully last experience with a virus last summer. I felt like I was the squirrel being dragged down the hole! By something terribly wicked and toothy!
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