Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Gremlin GONE

The frontiers are not closed and the doors are not all shut.

Maxwll Maltz
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Until about 3:30 yesterday afternoon, Monday, September 12, all my frontiers were closed and all my doors were shut. Among all the other dead gremlins of my recent computer problems that litter my apartment there was one that would not die. I didn't want to discuss it on these pages, and in fact mentioned it to only a very few people, because I didn't want to cause the anger and frustration to those of you who would be affected.

On the first day of Summer I posted this question. "Same sex marriage. Should it be legal or not? If so, why? If not, why not?" Then for the next several weeks I received 21 excellent answers from you. Most of you genuinely thought about the question. Your answers, both pro and con, were well thought through, articulate, compassionate and, in some cases, very personal.

On September 3rd, while AOL was working on another problem the entire file disappeared. The AOL technician managed to retrieve it. But on the 8th I discovered that it was missing again. Since then I have been frantically trying to get it back. Multiple phone calls were made to AOL. Verizon and HP seeking information, advice and hours of work. It was no use. No one could figure out what happened to it, how to find it or how to get it back. Altogether, from the 8th until 3:30 yesterday afternoon, I spent about 18 hours on the phone, and that's no exaggeration.

I thought I was going to write a journal entry for you with my humiliated apology for having lost all your superb efforts and deeply felt words. I was sure I would have to express the shame, rage and wretched sorrow I felt. I was already composing the entry.

But not wanting to give up I made one last, almost hopeless call to AOL, expecting once again to be told they couldn't find it and weren't able to restore it. Instead, my call was answered by a magician and miracle worker named Chris who spent an hour going in and out of esoteric files, charts and tables. Suddenly it appeared. SUMMER QUESTION ANSWERS, with everything in place.

If I could explain to you the anguish I have been through during the past week over this issue then you could appreciate my joy. Please share it with me. And if you haven't answered the Summer Question yet, WELL?............

DB - The Vagabond
Never Give Up
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SUMMER QUESTION

The end of Summer is fast approaching, people.

It's a long, hot, sticky summer, so here's a hot, sticky question for you.

Same sex marriage. Should it be legal or not? If so, why? If not, why not?

dbdacoba@aol.com

21 interesting answers so far.

You have until the last day of summer, but don't dally.
I eagerly await your answer.

DB
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6 comments:

Ken Riches said...

Glad things are back to some sense of order.

Jon said...

I'm delighted to hear that your file was retrieved! I know the agony you were going through and I'm sure this has been a great relief.
Most of my recent problems with my blog and YouTube have also been resolved.
Does this indicate a happy ending for both of us? Unfortunately, I doubt it. Computers are hostile and have minds of their own......

pacifica62 said...

Are you still relying on your computer to save and store your summer question file, where it could conceivably vanish into thin air at any moment? I cannot understand why you are not copying and saving your important stuff on some memory stick where it could remain safe outside of your computer. I must be missing something.

DB said...

Yes Pacifica, I could easily save and store some of the intrusions that still plague the computer. When and if the day ever comes when it is completlely clean I will save it.

Dannelle said...

Hard copies! Sometimes you gotta use da paper! I get so scared sometimes I save in different hard drives also. That's why I have an external hard drive, just for storage. Glad you got your file retrieved.

Arlene (AJ) said...

Glad to seeyour words back up to some degree DB. You're having better luck then we are here with our computer mess. Hang in there, I sure understand your frustration dear.