Last night we came home from our road trip (more on that tomorrow) to find a friend's email informing us that our computer - apparently feeling angry and betrayed by my absence all day - was sending out spam messages to everyone in my address book. Larry spent the next 3 hours (and let me tell you, after driving over 7 hours in one day, this was not what he had in mind for his evening activities) doing whatever magically tech-y things he does to erase viruses and build firewalls and generally batten down the hatches on both our computers.[Ladies! If your husbands are ever similarly engaged, let me advise you - it is not the best time to helpfully mention that the clothes dryer is drying too slowly and maybe it's time to clean out the dryer vent pipe again. His response, as I can sadly attest, will not be a positive one.]
This morning I sat down to send an email to all my contacts explaining that actually, no, I was not trying to introduce them to an "international trade company" that sells "many kinds of famous electornic (sic) products." And I certainly don't think it is "really a good opportunity for us to do shopping." But, as it turns out, I never had a chance.
My contact list was gone.
Let that sink in for a few minutes. E-mails, street addresses, phone numbers, birthdays, anniversaries - all vanished. Evaporated into thin ethernet, as it were...
Sometimes things really are as bad as they look. But, as always, we've got a bright side - that Christmas cards mailing thing? This year, it seems, I'm off the hook.
So the sonic boom of that head exploding the other day was yours or Larry's, eh?
ReplyDeleteTechnology. Great stuff.
Good for you. Look on the bright side of this thing because the dark side is depressing and will only end up eating away at you.
ReplyDeleteYou wanted to do a little cleaning out of the ol' address book anyway....didn't you? Anyway...what comes around goes around. Carma is a wonderful thing.
I'm not sure if I am relieved or not that I did not receive such a mailing from you!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to tomorrow's post. In the meantime, I'm living off cookies & tea -- the only 2 things I appear to be able to stomach right now.
*ouch*
ReplyDeleteoh no!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're scaring me. I really need to backup and cleanup my computer. I think your husband also deserves some awesome prize for the last 48 hours or so.
ReplyDeleteTime Warner said they were going to send me a Power Boost to speed up my computer. What they neglected to mention was that it would wipe out my entire filing cabinet of important saved documents.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the virus stole your contact list? I didn't even know that could happen.
I lost my address book in a move five years ago - Saved me several hundred dollars in cards, stamps and photos at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteIt's a blessing.
Oh no! Great silver lining, though.
ReplyDeleteArgh!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so sorry. My Mac crashed in April and I lost everything...including 5 years worth of pictures. I feel your pain. Since then, I've purchased a external hard drive and backup EVERYDAY! A very hard lesson to learn.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kari
Well, since obviously my address is the one you're most dying to get back, I'd better quick go leave a comment so you'll have it.
ReplyDeleteSeriously--I'm so sorry. And as a Sidekick owner, I feel your pain, although I only lost some of mine. If I reboot my phone like Microsquish keeps telling me to, I'll lose the rest of them...
In my house I'm the one fixing the computer, while JMac hovers over my shoulder asking stupid questions like "hey is there a program for this? how did this happen? how soon will you be done?" He's lucky he is still breathing after these instances.
ReplyDelete