Technical Difficulties

The computer is down. Repeat, the computer is down.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I started getting nastygrams from my computer about the hard drive going bad and to backup and replace immediately, if not sooner. Well, that has snowballed. I did everything I could to prep for a hardware-ectomy, but it's looking more like a lobotomy is in order. My personal technical support, my dad, tried to do a simple backup and restore to a new drive (I know, I just lost some of you, sorry), but it's never that simple in this house, and by the end of the day, the computer was in pieces and Dad was muttering something about taking everything to a wood chipper.

I'm so sorry my dad has to go through so much frustration every single time the computer in this domicile goes wonky. And it takes wonky to new levels. I wholeheartedly believe that this house has a ghost. And it is a ghost who hates technology. A computer that works absolutely perfectly in any other building under the sun - I mean it hums like a finely-tuned Corvette - will roll over a play dead the nanosecond it's pulled into a socket in my home. We always - ALWAYS - encounter at least a handful of complications (and not a dainty, ladylike hand - we're talking Wookie-sized paws here) that would send the Geek Squad crying to their dungeon masters (I know, cheap shot, apologies). I cannot tell you how many times the word Reformat has been uttered, and then executed, followed by numerous hours of me reinstalling, remembering access codes and passwords, and cursing under my breath.

It's time for an exorcism. Seriously, I'm thinking of having a priest over for dinner and casually asking if there are any special prayers or incantations or something.

So thanks, Dad, for all your help. I'm looking forward to the next iteration your computer building prowess to go up against our tech-averse spectre. And getting all my files back (I get a little antsy since every picture I've taken for the last 5 years is on those drives - backed up, of course, but still, away from my controlling mitts). Perhaps I'll light some incense or burn some sage of something for the install.

All of this is to say posting may be sparse until I have my actual machine up and running again (this one's a loaner). Please feel free to recite a mantra or cross your fingers or something to make sure this works out with minimal frustration for all parties.