Technology Bites But Daddy's Rule

Okay, so I seriously almost had a complete and utter meltdown yesterday. I went to get on my computer to continue the fantastic work of editing my book and… NOTHING!

Now first I should mention that when you’re blind and an error message comes up when you start up your computer, it’s a little difficult to know they are there. I didn’t know what was wrong with the lap top but I new something definitely wasn’t normal. The usual comforting start up music just wasn’t playing. My text to speech program (JAWS) wasn’t loading telling me to enter my password. I gave it a while and still… NOTHING! I took a deep breath and decided it wasn’t time to panic yet.

I waited for my ten year old daughter Princess to get home. when she arrived she let me know that there was a message on the screen that she had never seen before. It said that my computer could not be started up and measures could be taken to restore my computer. It went on to promise that none of my personal information would be tarnished. I let my daughter click the “OK” button and we waited.

It said the process could take up to a few minutes to complete. Thirty minutes later a new message popped up. It said that my computer was unable to be restored. It said that if I had recently plugged in an external device to unplug it and restart the computer. If the problem persisted then I would need to contact the manufacturer of my computer. There was just one little problem…

My lap top is a declining hunk of machine that I love because it’s all I have. But, the USB ports are broken and the CD drive won’t open. Therefore, I had nothing plugged into it that could have caused this problem. So my mind automatically turns to mush and I’m paralyzed. If nothing was plugged into it to cause the problem then there must be something else wrong! My youngest daughter Peanut rushes to my side and says, “Oh mommy yer puta… what’s wrong with yer puta?” I pat little Peanuts head but don’t realy respond. My mind is too busy spiraling downward like a broken elevator plummeting twenty floors to the bottom. My stomach began tying itself into a million and five double and triple knots.

This just can’t be happening. I have a book that I’m nearly finished editing and several that I’m working on. The Universe must be out to get me. I couldn’t save them to outside sources because of the USB port and CD drive complications. Basically in a nut shell, I am screwed! I hate this day! So I did what any reasonable, mature and fully independent woman would do.

I made a frantic call to Daddy…

After work he came over. I admit I wasn’t very hopeful. I was already crushed and resigned to the fact that my work was gone. I didn’t want it to be true of course but come on… you heard what that error message said to me and Princess.

My wonderful dad turned on the computer and again we waited… Before I knew it, the normal comforting start up music was coming on. I sucked in a breath. Could it be true? My dad punched in my password and we crossed our fingers. The desktop loaded up as per usual. Everything seemed to be in working order. He did an update that was flashing at him and then shut down the computer as requested. When he restarted it the glorious machine powered right up again.

It took everything I had not to leap into my dads arm screaming things like “YOU MIRACLE WORKER!” Or things like “YOU ARE THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS!” I did ask him, “Are you kidding me?” I had been in a state of emergency all day and that’s it?

We have no idea what caused the error message or what made it start working again. I maintain that my daddy’s got the electronic touch and that he’s like a Shawmen reincarnate. But he wouldn’t agree with me. He’s sorta modest.

The moral of this story is BACK UP YOUR WORK! It doesn’t matter if your USB ports and your CD drive are broken. It doesn’t matter if you already saved it with the normal parameters of Microsoft Word. BACK UP YOUR WORK! Attach it to an Email and send it to yourself or someone you trust. Don’t be like me and hope and pray your daddy can swoop in and save the day. This time that worked. Next time, I might not be so lucky.

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