My Computer Caught the Swine Flu... Twice.

Howdy all.

I know it's been about a month since my last update... urgh :/

But this time there's an excuse far better than my laziness. Little did I know it was International Technology Failure Month, and boy, have I been celebrating in style.

First, my computer at work crapped out on me. For the first time EVER, I caught a virus, and it crippled my computer like little else I'd ever seen. Our IT guys had to get me a complete Windows reinstall and a happy little lecture on why it's probably NOT a good thing to click on the "Enlarge My Penis? Sure!" ads and I was good to go...

For exactly two days. That's when my computer at HOME died. This wasn't a virus, but a hard drive breathing its last. So I got a little preoccupied with saving the precious data therein (500 GB of music with NO backup. YES, I am an idiot.)

The GOOD news is that, thanks to my awesome friends in the Dispatch IT Dept., they're in the process of saving most of the stuff on it and I hope to have it back in 24 hours.

The BAD news is that, while I was computer-less at home, somehow a SECOND virus reared its ugly head on my work computer, crushing it ALL. OVER. AGAIN.

Now here's the thing. I tend to pride myself on my computer abilities. I don't know the first thing about hard drives or how to diagnose/fix any problems that arise... but I DO know my way around the internet better than most.

I've had a PC at home since 1994. And I pretty much LIVE on the internet, including some not so happy places on the net. As a semi-professional club DJ, I'm always on the make for the newest and greatest music -- and over the years, that's involved everything from Napster to Limewire to seedy back-alley Russian websites and such.

And I have NEVER had anti-virus software on my home computer. And I have NEVER gotten so much as a hiccup of a virus on my home computer...

Yet I'm supposed to believe that I picked up TWO devastating computer viruses within 14 days of one another at work? I call party foul.

My theory is that someone (i.e. perhaps our cleaning staff, perhaps an off-the-clock employee) is sneaking upstairs to our neck of Cubicle-World and going willy-nilly on our computers. A few weeks ago, I logged on in the morning to find a rich and exciting web history of checking out dudes on Match.Com. No offense, but that's not really my style (or sexual preference.)

So now we're installing security cameras and putting "VERBOTEN!" signs on all our puters and seeing what happens.

The point is, my columns are saved on my home computer... and backed up on my work computer. And both have been fritzed out for the better part of two weeks now.

So as SOON as I'm back online with my column archive, I'll update the blog. That might even be tomorrow or later today, so keep yr fingers crossed!

In the meantime, how 'bout that Lost season finale, eh?