Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Backing Up

Even though I had been doing my own backup files on the external hard drive, my new computer decided that it was going to do a scheduled backup this evening, right after I came home.

I explained to it very firmly and decisively that it should be performing this onerous task at 2:00 am on Sunday mornings. At which point it agreed and proceeded to back up my files anyway, pretty much locking up my computer and preventing me from using it. It cheerfully agreed with me to do this at 2:00 am on Sunday mornings, while doing it right now anyway.

We were, it seemed, at an impasse.

I could, of course, use one of the other computers in the house. We have, at present, five of them. All hooked into our wireless network and all quite capable of posting an entry on my blog.

But it was the principal of the thing, you see. I wanted to use my computer and sit in my comfy new chair and have my things about me while I composed whatever opus had sprung unbidden from my brow at the moment.

Of course by now whatever it was that I was going to write about has completely fled my mind and gone off to sulk in a dark corner somewhere. Undoubtedly I will find it years from now when I actually get around to replacing the carpet. I'll find this dried, dead, dessicated, withered up husk of an idea jammed beneath the coats and the stack of monogrammed pillows in the closet and think "What the hell was that thing? Ewww!"

I just sat here, staring at the screen while it went on it's merry way creating another backup file that I will never be able to find again should I need it. Of course should I ever have any computer trouble, all I have to do is locate the nearest ten year old who should be able to fix my problem in no time. I think the kid that works in the local computer geek store is no more than fifteen.

Remember when computer geeks all looked like Jerry Garcia? They all had beards and suspenders and wore sandals everywhere they went? Now those same guys all wear suits by Brooks Brothers and drive BMW's. Sheesh.

So I wasted half my remaining awake time waiting in vain for the thing to get done. In the meantime my sleepy pill was working it's way into my system making my eyelids weigh about ten pounds apiece. I have to keep stopping and slapping myself in order to finish a sentence.

I think I'll stop and check the calendar before I fall asleep on the keyboard and wake up with qwerty face syndrome.

Wednesday is National Candied Orange Peel Day, which just sounds nasty. It is also the Great American Grump Out, Intergalactic Star Wars Day and Respect For Chickens Day.

May the fourth be with you....

4 comments:

  1. Candied orange peels are actually pretty yummy when you cut them into tiny slices and put them on top of cupcakes. Try it.

    I'm sorry your computer decided to do things as agreed, and then his way anyway. But that's the way computers are.

    I can't for the life of me figure out how to keep my computer from restarting for updates while I'm in the middle of a post. It just starts doing it without so much as a by your leave.

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  2. My laptop broke just this weekend. Not the actual computer parts, but the hinge to the screen, so now I can't close it. Why can't things just work the way they're supposed to?

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  3. That's funny. I imagine the "conversation" like this:

    You: What are you doing, Hal? [We'll just assume you call your computer Hal.]

    Hal: I'm back up your files, Rev.

    You: You're not supposed to do that until Sunday.

    Hal: Oh, that's right. Sorry about that.

    You: That's okay, I guess. So, umm, what are you doing now?

    Hal: Nothing much. Just updating your files.

    You: What!? Stop that. Wait until Sunday when I'm not busy.

    Hal: Oh, okay...

    [awkward silence]

    You: You're still doing it, aren't you?

    Hal: Ummm, maybe.

    You: What is your problem!? STOP IT!

    Hal: Sorry, what was that? I was busy backing up your files.

    You: Arrrggghhh. That's it! Open up your hard drive door.

    Hal: I'm afraid I can't do that Rev.

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  4. Chanel- Okay, I'll try them. If you say it's okay. And as far as any computer problems go, find the nearest ten year old. He should be able to fix it.

    Brent- From what i hear, that hinge is the most expensive part of a laptop. Figures, doesn't it?

    Bryan- That was the conversation almost exactly. Except there was alot of "Snap" and "Frack" going on as well.

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