RIP: Lindsay's Laptop

Yep - it happened. The time in our lives that we all know will ultimately happen, but never think it will happen to us. My laptop is dead.


Of course I backup my stuff, right? Wrong. I always meant to. Really, I did. In fact, my computer started making random clicking noises last week (oh, tear - it was alive just last week!), and Creighton said, "Ooh! You need to backup your computer. My laptop started making that noise and died soon after!" So, it was on my "to-do" list to get done in the next day or two. Monday was busy. Tuesday was filled with a dentist appointment and other stuff, so I cleared my calendar to backup my computer on Wednesday. I was going to trouble-shoot some wi-fi issues we've been having with an external hard drive we have in the house. (We wanted to be able to store all of our data in one place - mainly so all of our pics are in one folder, easily accessible by both of us). Wednesday morning when I woke up - it happened. My internal hard drive wouldn't wake up.

I took my laptop to a local computer store, but I got the call yesterday saying they've been trying for two days to get the little drive to wake up, and it's not budging. At all. They even took it to another shop to try it on another machine. Nadda. Zilch.

Trying to make a mental note of everything I lost - pretty much everything created after 2005. Email addresses. Pictures - of me with students I used to teach, friends I've met along the way, my friends' children, old family photos, etc. Songs (I'd just cleaned off my nano to hold LESS songs since I had them on my computer. Doh!). Resumes. Spreadsheets that contain passwords to websites and lots of other info. Oh my lord - all of my MS Money information, which translates into HOURS of data entry to keep track of all of my spending. I was tracking loans, credit cards, tax receipts, etc.

I'm listing everything I lost as a reminder to everyone out there to backup your computer TODAY. They make really nifty flash drives that you can buy at Amazon.com (shameless plug) that can hold a LOT of stuff, and you don't have to worry about scratching a CD, dealing with confusing CD burning software, etc.

I think this is a good lesson in letting go. We all hold on to things as if we couldn't live without them. I'm sad that the pictures could've helped me remember some parts of my past (students I'll never see again, family photos of moments that have passed), but really - I'm going to be fine.

In fact, I'm already waiting for a nifty new replacement.

Meet my new computer. I've always been a fan of Dell, and I always try to combine colors from nature with technology. I don't think it's going to ship until next Monday, so I'm trying to be patient while I wait for my new life-tool. I can't wait to get started with the reconstruction process.