Wednesday 26 February 2014

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.

18 comments:

  1. Oh no ... how awful! I have had this horrible experience too ... I now operate with two external hard drives, a backup of a backup ... I have promised myself often to start sorting and printing but I never seem to have time. You made me giggle about Facebook ... I've never delved in and when I say I'm not on it I get some puzzled looks but more often than you might imagine a look of respect ... I think a lot of users would happily opt out ... delighted to hear you Mum is home and enjoyed her comforts ... Bee xx

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    1. Hi, Bee! Sounds like you've got it all under control as far as saving your images is concerned... but yes, editing them down and getting them printed is one of those jobs you never quite get around to.
      I did disable (but not fully delete) my Facebook account, and felt strangely rebellious doing so. Sad, I know!
      We're glad my mum's home too. She's been busily catching up on her sleep and enjoying the garden x

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  2. Hey Sarah,

    I really do hope that you haven't lost your photographs. Perhaps there is a way to get them back.

    I'm really interested in what you said about Facebook. I have pondering the same. There are a couple of reasons why I haven't left already, and I tend to use it for a bit of mad and meaningless banter with friends that are scattered far and wide. This mostly involves obscure Victoria Wood quotes remember when nostalgia. It isn't used for any heart on the sleeve stuff. My blog is my personal space, and I am more me there than on fb. I have a friend who recently came off, and they told me that they feel nothing but relief. Food for thought.

    I love your blog btw

    Leanne xx

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    1. Hi Leanne - and thanks for the comment :)

      I disabled the FB account and may go as far as completely deleting it, but I have to admit - there were many photos on there so I spent a large chunk of the evening saving them back onto the computer first. So Facebook does have it's uses! Having said that, it was quite liberating to step off the whole 'who's doing what' merry-go-round. And it's put a stop to one source of the being constantly 'switched on' feeling. I like it!

      I get the whole nostalgia thing too. I just messaged the people I'd like to stay in touch with directly and explained I could still be contacted via email or the blog.

      So... all good so far.

      S x

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  3. Lovely to read that your Mum is at home x

    Facebook ... I use it to promote the blog and to participate in group messages with a couple of sets of friends ... if it weren't for that I'd have let it go long since.. Good for you if you take the plunge :)

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    1. Hi Annie -

      Nice to hear from you. And thank you for the comment. Home really is the best place to be, isn't it?

      I did take the FB plunge - and am pleased I did. As for promoting the blog, I should be less shy about that maybe. God knows where I'd even start!

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  4. Sorry to read that you have lost a whole load of your photos - if they were on your external hardrive was it as a backup and therefore would they not be on your computers hardrive? I am on Facebook but I only have limited friends and family - it means I can keep up to date with the people that matter and of course track my daughters movements! I often find they are coming to tea by their Facebook announcements - one day they will think to tell me first! If I had to live without it though I could - after all I have spent 75% of my life or more without it!
    Good to hear about your mum.

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    1. Hello!

      Sadly we used the external hard drive as storage so we didn't 'clog up' the computer(s) with images. Oops. There's a possibility it could be fixed - we've had an offer of help so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

      As for Facebook... I agree, it does have it's uses. At the moment I have a lot going on and have reverted one of my 2014 mantras: Identify the essential; eliminate the rest. Although I've only disabled it for now. And it seems I went through a period of posting lots of photos so I've been able to retrieve those first :)

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  5. I hope you're able to save your photos. You may be able to retrieve the photos but not use the hard drive again...I hope so! Still another lovely collage S. I'm on facebook but never update my status. I find it very dull which I strange as I like twitter and blogging. Maybe it's the fact that it's people you know!!! Hope your Mum is enjoying being at home and not feeling too awful. x

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    1. Hello!

      My mum's just relishing the peace and quiet at the moment, I think... that and the good food!

      I felt a bit sick about the photos but will either get them back or not. One thing about recent events: you learn what's really important. Not to say I haven't learned my lesson though. Must fight my technophobe tendencies and look into the whole Cloud thing!

      Have a wonderful weekend x

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  6. I'm really glad to hear your mum is home, what joyful news. But the external hard drive...argh!! I thought those things were indestructible! We back up all our photos on ours. Do we now need a back-up external hard drive too, just in case?

    I know what you mean about facebook but for me the pros massively outweigh the cons, mainly that I can keep in touch with my family and friends very easily and share what we've been up to, what the kids have been up to, that sort of thing. Although I regularly get irritated with it too. x

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    1. Hi!

      My father-in-law pointed out to me today he uses two hard drives. Bit late for us, I suspect! It may be worth investing in another. Annoyingly I was in the process of copying all the best images from ours and putting them on the desktop in a new file when disaster struck. Typical!

      I don't know whether you've read the other comments but FB did me a favour: prior to bowing out, I discovered a lot of photos I'd posted on there in various albums so nicked them back. Facebook and I are currently 'on a break' ;) x

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  7. That's really good news about your mum Sarah, I am so pleased she is back to her home comforts and ready to recuperate. As for Facebook, well I am on it but I visit about once a year, I really don't like it at all, much prefer pictures telling the story in Instagram. I definitely know of people who cannot comprehend not having Facebook and that's fine, its just not for me. One of Alice's friends older siser was telling me that on applying for her Uni course she found out that its not a good idea to have been on FB in case you have some silly photos or statements posted that can be almost held against you. I guess its public property if its out there!

    So sorry about your external hard drive, it reminds me that I must print off photos that I would hate to be lost to a dying computer! Thank goodness for your daily Joe and being able to save those photos.
    I really love this collage, its beautifully put together and very gentle in appearance. Take care xox Penny

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    1. Hello!

      The whole idea of being on Facebook and committing your most embarrassing moments to eternal findability... No thanks! I do feel a sense of relief at having opted out. I think we're constantly bombarded: TV, the internet, emails, texts, people phoning the house selling things, junk mail... Anything we can do to cut some of it out has to be a good thing.

      It's also solved a bit of a dilemma. There are a few people in my life who I feel have no right to be there any longer. Instead of 'unfriending' them (and having to deal with the whole aftermath of that one little click) I've simplified things in one very easy move.

      Onto the more important stuff: I'm overjoyed my mum's back at home. She makes a few appearances in the collage you've so kindly complimented.

      Have a fantastic weekend xx

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  8. Oh no! I really hope you your photos can be rescued. I've started using a flickr pro account - all photos can be uploaded there straight from iPhoto on the mac which makes it easy - or I think Picasa which is linked to from Blogger has web space you can upload photos to through your blog account? Although reading the other comments, I'm wondering if we need a back-up external hard drive too?!

    Ridding yourself of Facebook sounds very freeing. And I'm so glad to read that your mum is home and enjoying lots of lovely things. xx

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    1. Hi Helen - thanks for your comment... my mum is indeed relieved to be home again. Lots of reading and resting and knitting. In fact I passed on The Snow Child to her and she can't put it down :)

      As for the computer-related stuff: thus far I'm not missing Facebook one little bit. And it may be worth getting an external hard drive, but I'd definitely recommend storing things in a few places having experienced what we just have. I'll look into the Picasa thing, thanks for the tip x

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  9. hello there, I came over from Tales of a happy house. Your mosiac pictures are indeed lovely! I was also intrigued by your recent writing of memories amongst other things. It's nice to meet you. I am also on facebook but have to confess to never reading updates. I occasionaly share things but it's mainly to keep a record of them for me! Sometimes the clever computer people can find the old lost photos.....good luck with that. All the best to your Mum. Heather x

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    1. Hi! Always nice to meet new people... thank you for paying me a visit :)
      And thank you for the good wishes. It's a difficult time at the moment but my mum seems to be dealing with it all better than the rest of us!
      I keep forgetting to pass the hard drive on to someone who can help so I should just keep it handy for the next time I see them.
      As for Facebook, I don't miss it at all. It did come to the rescue in a way though, as I managed to salvage all the photos I'd put on there... it does have its uses!
      Sarah x

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