Better, Stronger, Faster...

OK I have to give up...For the last two weeks I have done everything I could (within financial reason) to fix my data that was lost with the computer crash. I saved most everything except...my Microsoft Money File...

I have a back up of mid-January, and I had been doing the autoback up, but to the desk top...doh!

So I have to rebuild nearly three months worth of data...Luckily have have been doing double entry with the checks so all written checks are backed up...with paper (which never crashes BTW).

So this weekend I have make like Dr. Rudy and take something broken and mangled beyond recognition and rebuild it: Better Stronger, Faster.

Goofy segway, but The Six Million Dollar Man was a favorite show growing up. Had all of the toys including Maskatron! What's the real Colonel (Austin NOT Sanders) have to do with Personal Finance?...We'll: It is at least a great way to examine inflation. I don't think the Government can buy a toilet seat for under $6M now :)

The other lesson is that no matter how mangled, you can rebuild it...it just take a plan...That my weekend :(

Dead Home Computer Update - Ninja Bill o' Doom

"Aaargh!"

I am not a Pirate, I don't play one on TV, but you would not know that based on my language lately...no not blue I have little kids. But a lot of Aargh! has been heard.

Basically as I said before my hard drive drove off a cliff. Not a mechanical issue but a Windows Partition issue. Luckily, I found a great tech minutes from my house. A guy just out of college running his own business. He picked up the computer at the house Tueday and is (hopefully) delivering it back tonight. After exhaustive effort on his part, he was able to save my data (yeah!) but not my programs (boo!) as Windows had to be 100% ripped out and reloaded and new partitions set.

So, if you are still reading you might be saying to yourself...NEXT Blog! But actually I am discussing this as it taught and reinforced some lessons for me that I wanted to share...

Lessons Learnt (Hopefully!):

• Back up the data on your hard drive...and not just to another area on your hard drive! Even though mine was saved, I still have to go back and update from the last time I saved. I know someone will comment...duh!...well fine, use me as the example of Gufus vs Gallant!
• Keep your program discs handy! - I now need to go try and dig out all of the discs for my programs...yeah right! Some are handy others aren't and it is gonna cost me money.
• Give a small business a chance - Normally if we were in SLC I would have taken this to Best Buy to have them fix it. They have been great, if not expensive! Finding this new business has been great a good guy that I have already began to tout to my friends! On top of it he quoted me 2 hour bench time when he started, this has now had more than 20! However, he is sticking to his initial quote, which mean, in my eyes, he is honest. I will use him again.
• Major inconvenience vs Life - Although I was really bummed by this happening, and I will take precautions it doesn't again. It really isn't the end of the world. We all have an amazing ability to blow small stuff large!
• Have an Emergency Fund! - This is the quintessential Ninja Bill. It popped out from nowhere and will cost a few hundred with new software. I would rather not spend it, but I have it! And it isn't going on my Credit Card. An Emergency Fund is the single most important thing you can do to ensure financial growth and success IMHO.

It looks like I have a big weekend project!

(Cartoon from Acclaim Images)