The Day The Wheels Came Flying Off.
I remember it just like it was yesterday. Oh yeah, it was yesterday.
Lest I forget my manners, Welcome To This edition of The Preppy Chronicles. I was not sure if I would be able to bring you this new post or if I would still be sifting through the ashes that once was The Chronicles.
Most of you know that I am not very adept with computer technology, I look at it with the same expression as our little fella in the photo. So when I say with all confidence, that in this medium I have a clue about what I am doing, be amused and let me live in my delusion.
The long and short of the matter is this: I have in my mind to expand, the timing is right, it feels natural and the pieces are coming together. So as any self-respecting WASP would think, I thought, just add another domain to my existing hosting account, How difficult can that be? So, with the confidence that comes in my delusional state, I proceeded to buy a new domain and add it to the account. I did have enough on the ball to e-mail my host and ask how to carry out this simple task. This I did with relative ease, I even asked the Head Geek to look it over and make sure that I had done it right. Rich, assured me that all looked well. Now you can imagine what this bit of praise did for my delusion.
What transpired in the next few hours can only be described as a blood bath of carnage and self-will run riot. I think this photo shows what transpired. I thought that I was in control of the ship and this adventure, this most excellent of Quests.
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.
Tied up and twisted; gnarled and knotted with wrinkles; haggardly firm and unyielding; his eyes glowing like coals, that still glow in the ashes of ruin; untottering Ahab stood forth in the clearness of the morn; lifting his splintered helmet of a brow to the fair girl’s forehead of heaven.
( Moby-Dick, Herman Melville )
I will admit that it might be a stretch to compare my struggle with Ahab’s, the point that I am making is that the obsession was the same, Cannot let the beast win. Deep into this struggle and well into the illusion of control, I found myself doing things out of sheer desperation. You see the more I fought the beast the more it resisted my demands, the more it resisted, the more fixed in my resolve I became. After five intensely grueling hours, I struck the death-blow. I deleted all of my files, there was so much satisfaction in watching folder after folder scroll into nothingness.
I HAD WON!
As I sat there brain numb and fingers sore, realization of what I had just done washed over me. PANIC set in, MY GOD MAN WHAT HAVE YOU DONE. With all the speed that I could muster I set to the task of surveying my wreckage
.
I could not bear to look at it directly, I e-mailed Rich in Oslo, then took solace with a group of friends. In short time, a new perspective was to emerge for you see one of my friend’s entire life hung in the balance and he was barely keeping it together. This, this was only a web site, not life and death.
Rich, was able to pull me back, from the edge of destruction and fix the problem, it was something to do with codes and permissions.
So, as you see I am back to this state of being. Thank you all for sticking with me through this.
Please feel free to join me at my sister site The Preppy Chronicles II
All rights reserved. The Preppy Chronicles Edition II Volume IIII
Can’t keep a good blog down. Glad to see that all is well.
I know firsthand the frustration and crazed rage that arise when a computer is disobedient, even insolent. And I know what it’s like to lose years of work because of some malfunction, despite many backups. You must have been beside yourself. But as you say, in the grand scheme of things the lives of those dear to us are far more important, and there are bigger issues than online activities. I’m glad you’re back, in any case.
@Kristina, Glad to be back. The lesson learned is: Backup, Ask and WAIT for the answers BEFORE acting.
@Andrea, It is a computer, it is a stupid machine and yet, I let it get the best of me. Thank you for being there.
Sounds like a Peter Pan adventure…
@Dennis LOL, But where is my Wendy ?
Been there, done that. So glad you were able to recover the site and you are back up.
@Wendy, Thank you so very much.
I hope your friend is doing okay.
@Pink One, Thank you for your concern, I am not sure how he is doing I do know that he is still in there fighting.
Always, Bumby
I’m mortified, I thought I left a comment here, but apparently not..eek. You know I am just so happy things were able to be remedied, I know all too well what happens when you lose the hard drive, we went through that with my old windows machine. A wretched experience, to be sure.
Good for you on the backup Bumby, it’s a great lesson for all of us!
tp
@ The Princess, that is perfectly understandable you have been busy. I do appreciate all of the love and support I have received in regards to my stupidity.
Thanks again.