Technical difficulties and virtual deadwood

I've never been much of a 'techie'. My limited skills amount to setting up new computers, a bit of photo editing, some self-taught stuff (Publisher) and the usual internet and email things. Oh, and this blog of course - which is pretty basic and easy to maintain.

Yesterday I made a horrible discovery: the external hard drive has conked. Four years' worth of photos (I dread to think how many that actually is) have, presumably, been lost. Some were used for greetings cards we sell through a local farm shop (and make pennies from) but most were memories: holidays, friends, family, walks. Joe.

I'm hoping the hard drive is repairable but that's doubtful. Luckily we do Joe's blog daily so there's a good selection of photos there. Old family pictures are, of course, pre-digital so are kept in boxes (awaiting sorting into albums one day). So it looks like we may have to start making lots of new memories and photographing them. And storing them somewhere a bit more reliable. Which was the whole idea behind the external hard drive anyway but let's not think about that too much.

That all explains the use of yet another collage, I hope... fortunately I started a little folder on my desktop with some favourites in it.

In other (un)techie news, I'm going to go though my emails and unsubscribe from all those sites which are forever clogging up my inbox. Promotional stuff which starts appearing as soon as you fill in a form or buy something online. There's a lot.

And - now I'm getting really radical - I'm seriously considering cutting Facebook out of my life.

I'm not one of those people who feels the need to give a running commentary on what I'm currently watching on TV or eating or thinking about. Which may explain why I don't want to read other's updates. I know some people who literally run their lives through Facebook as some kind of virtual organiser. On the other hand, it's also brought me back into contact with some old friends.

Maybe the way to go is to email those I actually want or need to have relationships with and just let the rest get on with it. Anyway, I do use Twitter occasionally. And my blogs. I even have actual, real-life conversations on the phone and - gasp - in person.

I can imagine the look of incomprehension from new acquaintances when, on being asked, I reply, 'No, I'm not on Facebook'. It sounds so very daring, doesn't it? But also incredibly tempting. I suspect if I do make the break the world as we know it won't collapse.

Lastly, my mum came home from the hospital yesterday and is revelling in her home comforts: the garden, good food, books, rest and peace. These are the things that really enrich our lives.