When I wrote about treating 2005 like a blank slate, I wasn't quite expecting my computer to take me literally.
Four days ago my hard drive broke down completely. And the last time I made any CDR back-ups of data was January 2004.
Just got the machine back from repairs, fitted with a new drive. On top of losing all kinds of original text, images and stored emails I'm now £110 pounds poorer, and I have to go through the long process of re-downloading all the updates and programs I use on my paltry dial-up connection.
Apparently, Data Recovery services exist even for a hard drive that "the BIOS doesn't recognise" (my quotes to indicate I don't want you to think I know what I'm talking about). But such services are upwards of £500. Is what I lost worth that much? I have no idea – I can't remember. That's why I used my computer to remember things for me. And now this has happened. It's as if my PC has argued that, as I failed to get much writing done during 2004, it's taught me a lesson by effectively wiping the year, Jim Carrey-and Kate-Winslet-like, from my memory. Thank goodness for web diaries.
So, Dear Reader, if you've been expecting an email from me, I could well have lost it. <b>Please get in touch again</b>. My profuse apologies.
This time, in addition to making more regular CDR back-ups, I'm starting to favour the less frustrating medium of (whisper it), pen and paper. Pocket diaries, address books, notebooks and <i>cahiers</i> courtesy of Moleskine, the stationary fetishist's brand of choice. I realise this probably makes me far more of a fashion victim than if I started to wear jeans around my ankles, but so be it. I do like my stationery.
