What have I DONE!?

I think I messed up, big time.

In a fit of frustration, pique (not “peak” or “peek,” as many try to spell it), and false bravado, I mentioned an Unmentionable in yesterday’s post!

I fear the end of the world may be near.

I came home from work today to find that our power had been out at some point. My computer (which I had left on) was running, but had obviously rebooted since no applications were open. I successfully opened several with the mouse, but then tried to type something on the keyboard.

Nothing happened. Nada. Zip. Zero.

Dead keyboard.

I tried unplugging and plugging it back in. The “Num Lock” light was on, but no keystrokes were getting through to the computer.

Okay, I thought, I’ll just restart. When all else fails, pull the plug and plug it back in. That works 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time you get electrocuted.

But the odds were with me so I restarted. Still nothing.

This was starting to get serious.

Oh, I know that keyboards are fairly cheap, but I was worried that the computer itself might have shorted something out on the motherboard, and I would need a LOT more than just a new keyboard. I thought about possible workarounds, like a USB keyboard (mine is a PS2). But again, if there’s a damaged component on that motherboard I’m in serious trouble. (I thought about the fatherboard, too, but the motherboard is MUCH more significant. If the motherboard is fried, it can be a real mother-something-else of a problem.)

I tinkered. I unplugged and replugged. And in the process of those activities, the mouse also died.

Now I was in REALLY deep doo-doo. The mouse is a USB device, and if THAT system fails I’m looking at a phone call to Dell or a trip to my friendly Best Buy that I mentioned yesterday for a whole new “system.” I had visions of $$$ flying out the window, or down the drain, or (choose your favorite analogy).

With absolutely no control I/O device left, I did the only thing I could. I literally pulled the plug on the computer.

No more software restarts. No more softball. If this computer (and the [shudder] “C”) were going to play hardball, I guessed I would too (not “to” as many tend to spell it). I reached under the desk and pulled the plug out of the socket. I waited a few seconds and plugged it back in.

Since I WASN’T electrocuted, the odds were REALLY in my favor now. Keyboard and monitor lights flashed. The speaker “beeped.” The computer restarted, booted normally, and everything worked.

PHEW!!

Likely that was my one warning. My precautionary shot fired across the bow. I’ve been put on notice that the “C” is neither to be toyed with nor mentioned in polite company.

As we say here in the South, “Well shut my mouth!”