15 Hours of Terrifying Provocation Blackness
Let me just say, NO I DID NOT PUSH THE DAMN BUTTON.
However.
At approximately 8:45 p.m, on April 22nd, 2009, I lost Provocation of Mine (d) into a soul sucking, gut punching black abyss of Internet Hell. I shall now call this infamous 15 hour time frame:
“When The Husband HIT some goddamn f**king button.”
Now I understand some of you may not have realized that the Earth had stopped spinning. That life as we know it had been altered between the hours of 8:45 p.m. last night until 12:20 p.m. today. Unless you had tried to visit Provocation between those hours you would not have been aware of the subtle air changes and the dramatic seek & rescue that was being enacted. I hope you enjoyed your peaceful bliss. Really I do. Sleep well?
Some of you did try to come by and was greeted with that oppressing Error 404–Not Found. Some of you emailed. Some of you twittered me. I thank you. I found great sympathy and comfort in those emails and power packed 140 messages. This is what went down………..
8:32 p.m: I had achieved official blog perfection. Beautiful Heather had sent the instructions for removal of ugly gray bar bullets on my blog, the only wart I had left to zap and I did it. I was exhilarated and at 8:36, I sent Heather an email stating we both rocked. I was on top of the website world. No more bullets and I had made that picture video for my blog. (2 bucks is in the mail by the way Heather)
8:45 p.m. I clicked on my website to admire my bullet handy work. BUT instead of perfection, I get this ::Error 404-Not Found:: The shock was instant. Brain ramming into brick wall– splat.
Me: “Oh My GOD WHERE IS MY WEBSITE” as my eye’s sliced across the office to my husband who was logged onto our server host merrily deleting things from his computer. “What DID YOU DOOOOOOOOOO???”
Husband:” What, nothing, I’m just cleaning up our files like I was told to do by that tech lady.”
Me: “It’s gone! GONE! My site is gone! Get it back. Get it back right this second. DO SOMETHING. Call tech support, backspace, undo, I don’t care but YOU get my website back up right this minute and if one hair, one single letter or line is out of place you will pay!!!”
Husband starts clicking things. “Ok, calm down, I’m sure it’s not GONE gone, Let me call tech support again, I’m sure it’s not a big deal. OH my God, all my websites are gone too! Oh shit!” (delayed panic surrounding his own sites was not a good move btw)
Me, hyperventilating, “You should know, you’re life, existence as you know it, is hanging by a thread right now.”
Calling Tech support from the States at 9 o’clock at night is not enjoyable. I applaud the abilities of those working in India, really I do. However 3 word sentences when one needs comforted and assured doesn’t do a lot for the soul. Things like “we work it” “we email you” “we understand” “hopefully find you” “24-48 hours you email” does not tie a pretty bow around all out anxiety attack.
This morning I woke up wayyyyy before my alarm clock. I guess I was hoping my Provocation would be like the resurrection of Jesus. I would get online, click on the link, and she would be smiling down on me with margins open wide and a new glowing halo atop her header. Instead I got the devils smile stretched across error–404.
So I prayed a lot, to the technology gods. Things like, “If you bring back Provocation, I’ll write everyday in a row for 60 days…..I’m sorry I claimed I was a technology Goddess when I posted that video I made…if you give Provocation back to me, I’ll back up, I promise!…If you let me have Provocation back oh powerful Techno Gods, I’ll never cuss at you again”
And then my mind turned to murder. Because HE pushed the damn button that murdered my precious website. Murderous thoughts grew rampant as the morning wore on. I thought about it. I would bet if I had my lawyer get a jury full of bloggers, I could get off based on sympathy alone. They would understand the irrational panic and temporary insanity of losing their blogs. They would shed a tear for me~
I managed to make it through the morning without committing any felonies. Barely. At noon today, the husband was back on tech support begging for (marriage) mercy and finally, he and them, did something so the world was spinning again. Provocation came back to life. (He’s acting pretty proud of that fact now. Strutting around like a peacock. I think he sees himself as a hero for pushing the buttons to bring Provocation back, personally I see him as damn lucky)
All I can say after such an experiece is this: Go home, hug your blog. Give it love, and a few hugs. Kiss the screen it walks across. Honor a comment I got just last week, Pauls haunting words that would not stop chanting in my ear for 15 hours, “Backup, backup, backup.” No blogger should ever have to go through the gut busting terror I’ve just suffered. No One.
Yowza Good Grief! I’m sorry I asked if you pushed the button. (Ducks whatever was in Rebecca’s hand) I did do the whole Woot! Relief dance when I saw it was back up though didn’t I (looking mighty pitiful by now). I do believe only someone who values and babies every single word she writes would fully understand what you went through. I’m betting Robert is going to be kissing some major butt for awhile. So I’m thinking you’ve already backed up Provacation of Mind(d)…
So does this mean you owe the technology gods another 30 post? (Duck again)…In all honesty I would of missed you until you found a way to get back up online. If it’s any consolation Paul has pushed the delete button on me a few times, thankfully it wasn’t anything major. (((Hugs))) Breathe now…(Hugs)Indigo
Indigo’s last blog post..Do You Love Me?
Oh wow! I just figured out the perfect way Robert can make it up to you…a little toy called the Kindle2. Now would be a great time to play the guilt card. (Hugs)Indigo
Indigo’s last blog post..Do You Love Me?
Wow! So now I can predict the future. Should I write a letter to Randi asking for the million?
Speaking from the husband’s POV, bear in mind that situations like this one are right from the handbook.
Step 1. Create crisis.
Step 2. Claim ignorance of said crisis.
Step 3. Acknowledge the severity of crisis as it pertains to spouse. (Your husband left this step out.)
Step 4. Claim full responsibility for crisis solution and day saving, regardless of your actual effect/effort/input.
Step 5. Use crisis aversion for personal gain. (I.e. snuggles)
Yep. It’s all right there in the handbook. Right between Toilet Seats and Lawn Care.
Paul’s last blog post..5 things you didn’t know about Jesus…
I think Indigo is on the right track – he totally owes you a Kindle 2 now
Kirsten Wright’s last blog post..Achhooo! My page had a sneeze…
WOW! I can imagine the panic. I’m glad you are back up and running!
Try this out to: http://www.blogbackuponline.com/techrigy/ It is an independent back-up of your blog, for free.
Andi’s last blog post..Day 17 of 31DBBB Challenge – Watch a First Time Reader Use Your Blog
Oh wow! Wheeew! I saw your tweets on it yesterday. So glad you got it all back.
Celina’s last blog post..Day 265
You barely introduce your Internet posse to the husband, a husband you have previously gone to great lengths to much compliment on a few different occasions with me, one time in snail mail actually singing the praises of marrying the man, I can copy that for you & send it in tomorrow’s post if need be & now …..
you are already casting him to the lions….
barely one year married~ Tsk Tsk.
Don’t make me start the Robert fan club, because he is too tall for me. ~Mary
Mary’s last blog post..Pomps & Vanities~No, I didn’t read this in Reader’s Digest
I wonder if your hubby realizes how close he came to the fires of Hell? Did he smell his own singed hair? I’m thinking he did.
Tell me that you’re going to use another program to write your entries, and save them, and then transfer them to your blog. Tell me, Rebecca. Even if you lose the formatting, you can recreate that eventually…you can’t recreate your words if you haven’t saved them.
I’m doubly redundant. I write in Google Docs, transfer to Live Writer, and publish from there. I hope you’ll find a system that works for you so that your words will remain.
Beth’s last blog post..One step closer….
Indigo and Kirsten aren’t seeing the big picture. I say, spa treatments, girls weekend, bling, AND this fancy Kindle 2 toy. Better yet, just ask him how he would like to pay for these purchases and make a day of it … and of course purchase a few things for him (unisex in case he doesn’t care for your choices) just to show your appreciation (or remind him never to do it again).
My motto: Think large. Live larger.
Welcome back! I wondered where you went, but figured it was just a glitch…glad that got you back up and running intact!
~K
kel’s last blog post..Password Protected
Btw…I really like the new bullets on the left of your website. Very nice! Kudos!
Mr. Rebecca: you scared me. As in – oh sh*t I’m gonna pee my panties – kinda scared me. It was only a knee jerk reaction kind of temporary scared, though, because I knew you would save the day. Knew it! Not a doubt, whatsoever. So, ummm, yeah, ignore my comment above. Just talking smack.
It’s 9PM. Do you know where your blog is?
Debbie’s last blog post..Still Excited, But Sexy, Too!
Oh you silly bunt. You can’t really “delete” anything once it’s out there on the internet. It was explained to me a few times, and I can’t do it justice, but it’s actually very difficult to get rid of a website. All you can do it unplug it, temporarily.
But it was worth it just for you to realize that you’ve become an addict. You will never go back to your backsliding blogwriting ways. You are hooked. A blongkie. One of us.
Marc’s last blog post..War Crimes
15 Hours of Terrifying Provocation Blackness? Oh, I thought the post title was 15 Hours of Terrifying Interrogation Blackness, which reminded me of when Alexis waterboarded me for 15 hours for leaving my socks on the floor.
Chris’s last blog post..I couldn’t wait
this has me thinking… i’m not sure if i ever backed my actual site up. i know that i have a separate WP account, with my blog there, private. and i still have my blogspot blog that i think has those posts. but the ones I’ve done since then? nothing.
hmmm..
let me know if you find a good back up.
anyways– i had a customer stare at me weird because i literally screeched and did the happy dance when i saw that you had “tweeted” about being up and running again! THANK GOD.
and did you seriously send me two dollars in the mail? girllllllllll, you crack me up.
now, after you calm down a bit, do the upgrade– you’ll LOVE it and it’s SO easy to fix and change template stuff. TRUST ME.
have i steered you wrong?
nope, don’t think i did. in fact, it was definitely NOT ME who pushed the “delete” button.
<—glares at husband
Heather’s last blog post..Baby, you should be in pictures..
ain’t tech support grand? – - mine are in India so when it happens to me i just send an email and then go about my business of reminding myself to breathe.
glad you’re back on the air.
That must’ve been a horrendous feeling to see your entire site *poof* vanish into thin air. So, how DO you back up your blog? I’m glad you’re back.
Ang’s last blog post..Dare to think different
OMG I can’t imagine the terror and gut wrenching agony of those 15 hours! I’m glad your bloggy is back!
Fiona’s last blog post..Casual Friday ~ The Blonde Talks Green
I have already experienced it and I was so terrified that I would loose my blog. Good thing that I have regain control.
Palabuzz’s last blog post..Marian Rivera as the new Darna
I have felt your pain…that’s why I am a hardware person, not a software person. Raven has the right idea…why wait for your birthday, time for the kindle2.
David’s last blog post..More Springtime in the Rockies
Wow, reading about the 15 hour loss of your blog was far scarier than reading a Stephen King novel. Eeks, not good at all, my heart is still pounding with fear. Fingers crossed tightly that it NEVER happens again. No Provocation of Mine (d)??? Heavens no, that would simply be far to much stress to deal with. Ooooh, I hate even thinking about it…blah!
Glad to see you back (and hope like heck you stay here).
Tara’s last blog post..All Gassed Up With No Place To…Blow?
I never thought of my site going dark. Now in additon to worrying about a satellite falling through my roof, or a vicious attack by killer birds, I’ll strart losing sleep over my blog going into that not so goodnight. If you hear a sound, it’s me screaming loudly. (I’m a bit of a drama queen.) So glad that you recovered everything.
Sheria’s last blog post..If It Quacks Like A Duck, It’s Torture