Mourning the Loss

So it's not enough to be unemployed, in debt from grad school and chronically dizzy (with the doctors telling you - you're fine) but my one year old Mac Book decided it couldn't take living anymore and committed suicide. The hard drive just up and died.

I was just sitting in my living room, minding my own business, when my computer froze and started making, what could only be described as a sharp moaning sound. So I shut it down and when I turned it back on the clicking sound of agony started up again. Then on my screen appeared a folder with a flashing "?" on it.

You would think I would learn from my lessons in the past and back up my work everyday having lost a new computer because I spilled coffee on it and two ipods because they too decided life was not worth living. But clearly I didn't learn - so I lost quite a lot of stuff... not to mention this seasons episodes of The Simpson's and Family Guy, and the Sex & The City movie I had bought on itunes. But I should have been more worried about my thesis play and the new draft I had just written, that sat with it's only copy in this tomb of a hard drive. Then again I looked at it like this... the more time I have to think about my re-write the better. I probably rushed that draft anyway. Now it's a clean slate to start over... or so I have been telling myself ever since.

I went to the apple store twice. On the first day they said they were too busy and to make an appointment for another time. Which turned out to be three days later. So I went all the way into the city for nothing. Three days pass - with no computer - kind of made me a little crazy - then late Sunday comes and I go back to the apple store only to have them tell me that there is nothing they could do and maybe I should go to Tekserve. Well, I called the number they gave me and it said they were closed, so rather then schlep to another part of town I went home to deal with the normal Sunday subway troubles.

Next morning I go to finally get my mac fixed. Back into the city. I took a number that they give you when you walk into the door and waited, I felt like I should order some turkey when my number was called, but all they have behind their counters were some manuals, extra hard drives and some broken computers... not something I'd like to put on my sandwich. But what was really strange about the wait was - this guy I saw on the train getting picked on by two twelve year old boys (who were skipping school) was there. On the train the guy actually turned around and smacked one of the kids who were screaming to him and at anyone who would be startled by their behavior. So of course these wanna be thugs get up in his face. Then this nice Russian woman tried to calm the boys down but told the guy to be an adult because after all these were just kids and maybe he should move seats. Well, he didn't and the kids didn't. They kept cursing and screaming at him, even spiting. I was in the seat right between them... I was like really? I'm just trying to get somewhere but there always has to be some situation on the train it feels like. So I'm sitting in the make shift subway car seats at the store and the guy walks in and I think his day's even crapper then mine, to get picked on by kids and have a computer problem. Oy!

So my number is called and I go to the counter, the guy helping me asked what the problem was, I tell him about the clicking and the freezing, he gets it. So the apple store already told me the hard drive would be replaced for free since it was still under warranty but if I wanted my data off then that's gonna cost. I called around before I went in on Monday and was told anything over $400 is ridiculous. So I go in knowing okay... that's my limit. So when he tells me to get my data off (if they can) it will be $800.00 - but free obviously if they don't get anything off - I was a little shocked. Well, sorry but how do I know they don't just get one thing and say that's it? This guy helping me seemed like a nice guy, but he's not the one doing the data recall, $800.00 is a lot to just hand over. No matter what I'm told to ease my mind, it doesn't make the price go away. Well, it's either pay my tuition or pay $800.00 for my last draft of my thesis play.

So then I ask, can I have my hard drive back at least? Because then I could obviously get my data back cheaper (sending it to Florida of course) and have a computer to use. The problem with that plan was Mac recycles the hard drives, so if I want the free replacement then no I wasn't allowed to have it back. But the guy tells me I can buy a hard drive from them for $240.00 and then yes I will get my hard drive back. The problem with that is after the $240 I would still have to pay the
$400 to someone else for my data retrieval... you do the math. So of course I pass.

It's important to know what's worth keeping onto. Once that was decided I did end up renting a another lap top for $100.00 while they had my computer. He said it would take until Friday to get it done. This being Monday I couldn't loose another week of working. In the back of my mind I wondered, do they take so long so you pay for a rental? Friday seemed like a long time away, in the end they called me Wednesday evening, saying it was ready. Had I known it wouldn't take until Friday I would not have rented the other computer... so yea... they did get me with that.

On Wednesday, late afternoon I get the call that the computer is ready. This guy leaves a message saying... I tried to get your data off but your computer was making a real loud clicking sound. I was like really? I hadn't noticed.

So I schlep to the store and retrieve my computer. The bad thing.. I was down several weeks of work, lost a lot of my photos... but I did end up with a new key board. The guy who helped me the first time noticed it was cracked and British, he said he would ask if they can replace it. And at first he said they couldn't... but when I picked up my computer there it was... all shiny and new! So over all the people who work there are nice... but I don't agree with their prices... I always see a difference between the people at the counter and the people who set the prices / policy's. (Maybe that's a wrong way to look at companies... but it's my way... and if you don't like it... don't read what I have to say.)

It's weird not having a computer for those few days. I know my childhood was spent without one, even right up to high school, but now it's like my life force. I feel like I have an arm missing or something... I do a phantom google search in my mind and picture what all the websites would look like if I looked up the word 'sucker.' Of course... eventually I'd come to my picture. Why would someone keep buying a product that just up and dies? Because they are so much fun to play with while they are alive....
(I'd insert a picture here but they are all gone now... into cyber death space.)