Recovering...
I feel like I'm using someone else's computer. I've re-installed everything I can, but it's far from the same. I've lost total momentum - though in a weird way, it does feel good to start from a clean slate. But I seriously spent the day in mourning... I'm such a geek. It's just data, right? (Yeah, but it was MY data).
My last backup of personal data was from March... But I lost a bunch of stuff I never thought of backing up. For example: Fonts. Where the *#@#$ are all my freakin' fonts? 1) Where did I get them in the first place? 2) Why didn't I ever back them up(!?!?) and 3) Where the hell am I going to find a way to replace them? Do you know how expensive Fonts are? I mean, yeah - you can get like 500 for $20, but I want the good fonts. Frutiger. ITC Franklin Gothic. Bodini. Etc. Those cost serious cash. Ugh.
There's only one good outcome about the whole thing, I finally have incentive to switch hard drives. As you know by now, I have two drives: One is an 18 Gig IBM and the other is a 12 Gig Fujitsu. I was using the IBM as my main Windows drive, but I finally used this rebuild as an excuse to switch to the Fujitsu... Why lose 6 gigs you ask? The IBM is a screamer. It's got this MASSIVE background noise that will drive you insane. Turning on the computer is like starting a Jet Engine in my living room. AND THIS IS A LAPTOP. The other drive is quiet as a mouse. I'm amazed at how loud my fan is now, actually... I could never hear it before.
The rest of the situation sucks... but at least my hearing is out of risk. (I wonder what will happen if I unplug the fan. Hmmm...) Aren't Macs pretty quiet? Man my next computer is an iBook...
Thanks to everyone in my comments and online for your condolences. Now BACK YOUR DAMN COMPUTER UP. Friend's don't let friends lose data.
-Russ