My Suicidal Computer.

Well, folks, my computer self-destructed today.  Yep. Imploded. And I didn't even get the theatrical ticking countdown. *scoffs* So disappointing.

I had just aced a final, so in lieu of more studying, I rewarded myself with a movie from my "Movies to Watch" list while I folded some laundry. Harmless right? Little did I know that my computer was waging war with itself as I matched socks on my bed.

So I'm watching my cheesy 90's movie on Netflix when Google Chrome stops working.  Okay, I think, this happens sometimes. I'll just reload chrome la di da. Well, no. I try to reload chrome but now my entire computer is unresponsive. It's completely frozen and streaks of white start popping up across my screen like it's trying to become some awkward computerized zebra. Weird, I thought, but I'll just restart the whole computer. No big deal, right? Wrong.

I restart my computer and it awakens with a black screen with those block-y white words that you see and you just know that something is wrong.  I snapchat the image of my computer screen to my tech-savvy friends because I have absolutely zero knowledge of computers.  While I wait for their responses, I follow the small white words of instruction that say if I push F1 it will reboot my system.  So I push F1. Many times. And then try F5 because that is another option that I soon find does nothing to help the situation.

Thankfully, one of my friends comes over, runs some diagnostics tests, and discovers that my hard drive is disconnected.  He tells me that there was a slight chance I might lose everything on my hard drive, but he assures me that there is about a 5% chance of that happening, so I should be fine.

Well I take my computer to the IT guys on campus so he can wave a magic IT wand and fix everything.  He opens up my computer....annnnnnndddddd...it's still connected.  "Well, that's bad," he says, "It's still connected. This means it is a problem in the actual hard drive." he informs me. "The spindle is probably out of place. (because I know what a spindle is and where it is supposed to be) We may be able to put it in the right spot long enough to get your information from the hard drive, but I wouldn't hold your breath. Is there anything important on here?" Um...only the last three years of my life! "Nothing TOO important, I guess." I respond.

My computer open and vulnerable, poor thing.

He opens the hard drive and has bad news.  He can't reset the spindle.  My information is lost. There's nothing he can do but give me a new computer and send me on my way with a pat on the head and mumbled condolences.

My hard drive. If you look closely, you can see little smudge looking things on the shiny part.  Those are bad. (I sound so smart talking about technology, right?)

So, there it is.  I got a new computer and all my stuff is gone.  I mean, it's not ALL bad. It could have been in the middle of the semester when assignments needed to be turned in.  Anyway, I've heard that it is important to back up your hard drive, but I apparently I thought that I am immune to computer problems.  Moral of the story: BACK UP YOUR HARD DRIVE! Here's looking at you, kid. *looks pointedly at every single person who hasn't back up their hard drive* 

Finals Week

Well it's that time of the year again. Finals week.  Dreaded by most, but secretly one of my favorite weeks of the semester.

Okay, okay. Tests suck, yes.  Studying is infinitely worse (in my opinion), yes. BUT finals week is fun, too! Hear me out.
1) You get to make your own schedule (for the most part). I have three scheduled finals--one on Tuesday, one on Wednesday, and one on Thursday--and two unscheduled.  You can't change your scheduled exams, but you don't have to go sit through boring lecture for the ENTIRE week and make your own hours.  Whether that means you sleep in (my personal favorite) and study in the afternoon or wake up early so you have afternoons free.  The world is your oyster, my friend.
 2) Tests only last for so long.  Yes, sometimes tests last for hours, which definitely puts a damper on walking into the testing center.  But the way I look at it, I'm gonna go sit down at a desk for X amount of time, but that time will end in the imminent future and then that class is behind me and I have crossed the finish line!
3) People are so strung out and stressed that they're actually pretty fun (at least the ones I interact with).  I mean, the entire student population, for this one week, realize that we're all in this together and that it's completely acceptable to be uncommonly pleasant to one another.  I don't know why this doesn't apply to the entire year..but it is what it is.  For example: Today I was waiting in the line in the WILK to take one of my religion tests and this girl in front of me struck up a conversation with me.  We talked the entire time we waited in line.  Now that I think about it, we didn't even exchange names. We just talked about tests, classes, teachers, the campus, etc. But it was friendly and terrific and at the end of it we genuinely wished one another 'good luck' on our tests and such.  To you, my new friend, I hope you did well on your test and I hope you are indeed signed up for Brother Dorius's class next semester because he rocks.

Also, on an unrelated topic.  I went ice skating last weekend and I'm pretty terrible.  Well, I take that back, I only fell 3 times *patting on back* which I consider to be an accomplishment.  AND, one of those falls was due to a certain someone *cough Maddie cough* pulling my down with her. We were definitely the two worst skaters in the group, and we thought it was a good idea to hold hands and help each other.  Oh yeah, we thought that one through *shakes head*. But we had fun and we laughed. A lot. :) Ah. Life is good.

This picture makes me happy.  

The Blessing of Dead Phones

You know, do you guys ever think of something in your life and say to yourself, "I should blog about that." Well, that happens to me a lot.

Sadly, I don't blog about  95% of it because those thoughts occur whilst walking to or around campus. By the time I get home they have long left my little brain. But today one stuck. So let me share with you the story of my pathetic phone battery.  Once upon a time I got a new and amazing phone with a new and amazing battery.  That dependable little sucker would chug on and power my phone for days.  Oh the good old days. I still have that phone, and I love that phone. It's a pretty terrific little bit of technology, but my battery isn't what it used to be.

My battery dies. Every. Day. And by every day, I mean around 3 pm every day. Starting at 100% charge when I leave the house in the morning.  This could be because I use it often, but it also means that my battery is on its last leg.  Poor little guy.  Well I had an epiphany the other day.  Usually throughout the day I have to stagger my phone use (by throughout the day I mean throughout class...and by phone use I typically mean playing solitaire or snake during lecture) in order to have 20% for the way home (where I listen to music or call someone to catch up).  On this particular day I didn't have the foresight or care to save my battery, so low and behold my phone died exceptionally early at around 1:30pm.  Well after class ended at 4, I started the trek home. Music-less.

Probably the best thing to happen to me.

I walked down the South East ramp (for those of you who know BYU) and marveled at the beauty of the mountains.  As if rediscovering nature trumps technology wasn't enough, I happened to meet a new friend on the walk home. La di da. Happy day, right?

Today, I was sitting through the last of my lectures of the semester (Huzzah!) playing on my phone per usual and thought to myself, "Maybe I should save my battery for later..." When I had by AHA moment. Why do I need to constantly make sure this mini, portable computer is CONSTANTLY on? Correct answer: I don't.  So I put it away and after my last class at 4 (my phone was still alive, say what?) I didn't take it out.  Coincidentally, I ran into an amazing girl from my ward who I got to walk home and chat with.

Moral of the story: Kayla had her "cell-phones are distracting from life" epiphany probably a lot later than it should have occurred, but there it is.