Beloved,
Did you miss me? I was missing last Friday because as I was writing my newsletter to you, my computer crashed. YIKES! That episode really sent me into an experience I would rather not have had. No matter what I tried, it remained absolutely dark and silent. I brought it to Staples but they could not guarantee that all my files were saved or that they could save them.They suggested a new computer but I was more concerned about all the notes and information that was on the hard drive. I decided not to make a rash decision and get more advice before I did anything I could not undo. Is this not the season for all this chaos and indecision? I will add more info about the human status and ways to help yourself further down this newsletter.
I put a call into my computer guru, Barry Costa, one of my best friends who lives in Maine. He is the one who has done all the artwork on my computer and who has made this calling of mine to be a much easier path than it was before I met him. I left a message and proceeded to call my grandson who is a computer geek but much too smart and fast on the computer for me to learn. After one half hour of his very informative guidance, my brain was fried. I could not understand what he was trying to tell me because he has to dumb it down so far and he can’t do that because he is so steeped in computer language. I left my computer with him and really hoped for the best. He called me the next day but was not sure he could save my files and did not want to experiment with it because the hard drive might be corrupted even more.
Barry called me back but since he was not here in person he could only venture a guess but he did something invaluable to me. It is amazing how lost I felt without the computer. I felt like I was coming down from an addiction but realized that I was completely dependent on that machine to give me info that I used to use the telephone book to find. Boy, another example of how I missed that book that was sent to all of us from the telephone company. It had so much information and did not require any outside power except my ability to read. I will tell you a secret – I still kept my telephone books and know they are not accurate anymore but they still help me out to find merchants that could help me with my questions, and it helps me remember the names my mind no longer remembers).Barry went on his computer and came up with the names, phone numbers of 3 computer repair places that he deemed responsible by reading the stories other people wrote on their website. He also used his innate guidance to put them as #1, #2, #3 and I picked #1. He gave me names, addresses, and phone numbers. I felt like I could breathe a little better again yet it was Sunday so I needed to wait until the next day to do anymore.
I know I talked about being a pure novice with my new smart phone and this situation pushed me into using the very thing I had been avoiding. The Sacristan at my church helped me alot by explaining that I had 4 pages which were represented by four dots that I could barely see. I am not good at finger swishing and my mind does not remember to try swishing when I get stuck on a spot in my phone. I finally realized where the sites I was trying to find were.
I had no choice, it was either find out how to use that darn thing or not be able to pay my bills that were due. I used to do that on my computer which I finally trusted enough to use instead of writing a check and mailing it. The next morning I decided to be at the new computer place when it opened rather than call it. My thought was that it would be faster to be there already so that was what I did. When he did not show up, I looked up at his door and noticed a clock that said he would be back at 10am. I decided to use that time to go to my bank a few streets down and beg them to put their website on my smartphone so I could pay my bills. They were very kind and the person spent at least a half an hour showing me how to use it after she downloaded it to my phone. Phew, one step back to be a little more normal.
I went back to the shop and his sister took my computer and said he would call me to let me know his findings. I stressed about wanting to save my files and then left. Later that afternoon, I called and spoke to the sister again as I needed to go to the Post Office to get my mail and they would be closed in 15 minutes. I live on a private street and the Post Office cannot deliver my mail so I need a PO Box. She said he had taken the hard drive out and was trying to save my files and would call me the next day.
I don’t know about you, but when I am waiting for a phone call, I just cannot get into doing anything productive because I am always waiting for the phone to ring. All day I waited by the phone, I did not even go to get my mail. Wednesday morning, I could wait no longer and I called and Glenn answered. I was finally going to get to talk to him. He described how he had taken my hard drive out of my computer but because of a needle??? and some other things he was not able to get my files. He used what he called a donor drive and used its parts to be able to salvage my files enough so he could download them onto a new hard drive which he then put in my computer. I still have the old casing and computer with a NEW hard drive and since it takes quite a while to download, my computer would be ready later in the afternoon. I picked it up at 6pm with a lot more air in my lungs. He is not only a great technician but a smart business man as he had a list of things he had done even with a warning not to defrag. Someone like me needs written instructions to be able to understand technology after I am no longer in their presence. My wonderful friend Barry will be smoothing out the rough spots where the apps will be where I am used to them being and answer my questions. Because I am not sure which OFFICE to use for my newsletter to you,I am creating it in my email and hopefully all will be fine. It might look a little different from my normal one.
I have a couple of messages from seers who can better explain what is happening in our world to all of us.
This has very simple steps you can do to release the tension.
Ann Albers has simple explanations of what is happening in our world.
This newsletter is long enough but I wanted to give you something that will carry you to peace and smiles. I wish I had this when my computer gave me a valuable opportunity to grow as I learned more about technology.
HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN no matter how you are celebrating it.
Love and Light
