Electronically Challenged

I know, that sounds strange coming from someone who is on the computer most of the day. But I swear, sometimes I think my electronics have a conspiracy against me.

First, the printer. Granted, my youngest caused this to malfunction by running over the cable with his tricycle. Damaged the USB port AND the paper feed. If I needed to print multiple pages, I had to stand over my Lexmark and feed each page individually.




Then there are the files I saved on my computer. How many times have we heard always back up your work? Well, that's fine and dandy, but when all your backup files are ON your PC when it crashes, mass panic occurs.

Not to mention my daughter's favorite trick, removing all the security features my Techno-Geek friend put on it so we wouldn't have this problem!


And then my son came home and introduced me to a wonderful new invention, the Flash Drive! This has caused some hilarity in my family, mainly because of my desire to own two. One to put my written documents on and the other to house my E-Books (this was pre-e-reader!). I didn't care that I'd barely used 10% of my first flash; I wanted two separate drives with two separate works on them. And so I got my way; a new flash drive was purchased and Molly was happy.

Until two weeks ago. As many of you know, I have an extensive TBB list and a Reading/Buying Schedule. I transfer X amount of books from the TBB list and put them on the RS file, housed on my e-book flash drive. Now occasionally, when I plug in this flash, a window pops up asking me if I want to scan/fix the files. About 70% of the time, I'll click yes. But on this fateful day in August....you guessed it, I clicked 'No' and watched in horror as my files changed before my eyes.

Rest assured, all my e-books are still there. But the two Word docs, gone. I searched. I searched some more. I ejected the flash and plugged it back in, each time hoping for that 'scan/fix' window to reappear. Nothing.

I waited two weeks. Still no sign of that window. And then I remembered my first method of backup files. First place showed me I'd deleted the ones on the Reading Schedule. But the second still had books from the July schedule on it! All together now...Haaaaaaaleluja! Houston, we have been saved!

And yes, I now am a convert of Drop Box. And yes, both my TBB list and my Reading Schedule are saved on it. As well as my PC, flash drive, and hard copy....hey, I've had files fail on my all over the place. In the end, Paper Copies are my best friend:)

So what's the lesson here? You can never back up too much. I like to write in longhand, because I'll always have a copy of what I've written (I may be the only one who can read it...and even that is doubtful at times, lol!) and as long as they don't get thrown away, I'm good.

Now if someone can just invent a 'smart' DVR....one which recognizes when programs run long or are preempted.....I didn't get to watch Big Brother from Sunday, due to the PGA Golf Tournament, and was too tired to check the TV when I got home from Purdue.

It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Anyone else feel their electronics are ganging up on them, or is it just me?