My Brush with Virtual Death!

What a NIGHTMARE of a weekend I had!

I've said it out loud and I've repeated it many times in my head that one of my biggest fears is getting a Virus on my Laptop! I frequently remind myself that I need to back up my files ESPECIALLY all of my embroidery designs. Well just thinking about it obviously didn't help!

The unthinkable happened this weekend! On Saturday I inserted a CD of Jpegs that I received in the mail from one of my wholesalers and with in seconds my WHOLE ENTIRE HARD DRIVE WAS DELETED!!!

"FFFFFFUUUUUDDDDDDGGGGGGEEEEEEE!!!"

I screamed like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story"... WTH just happened?!

Unsure of what the black screen with blue text meant I immediately called 911! (My IT neighbor) and interrupted his family cookout. OMG, neighbor, I think my laptops dead! You have to come over....Stat! This man has 20+ years of IT experience surely he'll know what to do! After many attempts to reboot the look on his face told me the outcome looked grim!

Where's your back up drive, he asked??

I don't have one!

What do you mean?

What do you mean what do I mean...I don't back up!

You don't back up?

WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND???

Oh geez Kristen...you really need to keep a back up!

OK, must we add salt to ulcers that are forming in my stomach as we speak? I'm about to loose my best friend to a deadly virus and you're giving me a lecture?? FIX HER!!

So off he went with my best friend in tow...across the street...I'll be back in a minute he shouted!

I took that literally....I sat looking out the window for about an hour waiting for their return. Once I saw him flipping burgers on the grill I assumed my BF was in stable condition and it was replenishing its fluids or something. Never heard from neighbor the rest of the night...:O(

After a sleepless night of tossing and turning I couldn't help but reminisce on all the "Memories" I hoped she'd remember...would she recognize me after she woke up...would she have saved all the gifts I had given her in the last year...how about all the contacts she had made...would she recognize them again? UGH...the pain was unbearable!

The next morning I paced the floors...eager for her return! Although everyone I talked to was sympathetic no one really understood. I heard alot of "Kristen, it's not the end of the world", or "Things could be alot worse" and I agreed....I began to question my state of mind. Were these feelings warranted? After all it IS just a laptop! But I couldn't brush it off...I felt sense of overwhelment as my blackberry chimed with new emails...new orders...and Blogger Love! "Dear God", I cried..."Why me??" what am I going to do? EVERYTHING'S GONE! Months and Months of work down the drain...shoot me, shoot me NOW!!! Ok, alil Diva-ish and dramatic but at that moment this situation was right up there w/cancer!

Then a knock at the door..."Good News", says neighbor! "I was able to save your embroidery designs, your emails and favorites! Bad News, The rest is corrupted and needs to be euthanized!" Ahhh...this is Good News!! The Cancer can be cured and although the recovery may take some time my BF will be surfing again soon!

"THANK YOU SO MUCH, NEIGHBOR!!! I'M FOREVER INDEBTED TO YOU!!"

Lesson Learned!! Just like my attempts to dodge cancer by not smoking or staying out of the sun . The way I obsess over cleaning mine and my daughters hands with antibacterial wipes to prevent the spread of germs...I will also back-up my best friend to insure her good health can be restored even after a "Brush of Virtual Death".