Lightning Power Surges and New Equipment

 Yes  it has been a minute or two since I have blogged.  On a summer break of sorts.  I had been working on Saturday's and been booked up for quite a few.  Finally had a Saturday off this weekend and I have used it and the past couple of weekends to do some summer cleaning in the house, rearrange the studio, and replace some old equipment.  

I have been wanting to replace our old TV and also my computer was needing a serious upgrade especially with my new camera.  Well a storm this week took care of whether I should now or not.  A little while back we had a storm and a surge went through the router and blew out the Ethernet connections.  Wireless worked fine, but I went and got a new one from Suddenlink.

Well, Ginger calls and tells me the power is out.  I was working.  Well by the time I got home the power was on but the TV was not working Ginger said.  Well, I went and sure enough it wasn't.  Then I got it up, but no sound, then sound, no picture then picture.  I figured a surge got it.  Boy was I in for an awakening.  Our Roku box was dead.  I mean D.O.A.  It is connected to the TV.  Can you guess what else is?  Yep the computer.  I turned on the computer and nothing displaying.  Sounded like it was trying to run.  So I got my old laptop out which I have and keep updated for emergencies (thank goodness I do) and hooked the monitors up.  They worked.  A friend of mine gave me a video adapter to see if that was the problem.  Nope.  And put the adapter in now and it gets a beeping code.  Still no display.  

So what happened?  A surge went through the antenna, zapped the TV, went to the Roku, zapped it, and travelled along the HDMI cable to the computer and zapped the insides.  You'd think I'd freak out.  With my laptop set up, however, I have special cables that allow me to read internal hard drives.   Hooked them up and sure enough I could read and get all the data I needed from my hard drives.  

 

Of course I am a big believer in redundancy.  I have read about too many photographers that have had zapped hard drives or cards and lose their work.  Truly I would have lost very little because I have everything in 3 places except for my most recent edits, which I was able to get.  I did have two work files that I needed and could have replaced with lots of time, but I got them and they are duplicated now.

So my mission this past week.  I got a new TV.  I have ordered some cable surge protectors to put on the cables, they will be in Tuesday.  The electronics were already on surge protectors, the cables, however, were not.  That is changing.  I ordered a new computer.  Actually I ordered a new laptop.  I have been wanting a photo editing laptop for forever it seems.  I researched and found a fantastic machine.  It is always hard for me to make such a big purchase usually, but I figured we might as well future proof ourselves.  And we updated Ginger's phone because, well, why not!  I mean we are getting everything else in order!  The new laptop will be able to be hooked up to the Ethernet cable but it will be unplugged when not in use.  Lastly I am researching APC backup/surge protectors for added piece of mine as well as if there is a power outage we will still have wifi and a certain amount of power for charging phones etc.  

So even though I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) I have been able to channel my energy into some positive energy.  The creativity and photography will be back soon, I have learned so much about my disorder and depression and the cycles that it has.  But something else has helped too.

So because of the kidney stone in June, I have made some pretty big changes.  I still drink water, usually with lemon, almost exclusively.  Except when I go to Chick Fila or Slim Chickens I get Lemonade.  I am eating fruit, crackers, nuts, Kind bars for snacks for the most part.  On the weekends I splurge a bit with some ice cream or cherry pie, but I have designed my lifestyle changes that way.  I eat much healthier for lunch now.  No more fast food 5 times a day.  

It has definitely paid off.  I am slimmer.  Of course the heat does that working out in it for work, but there has been a change.  My blood pressure has gone down quite a bit.  Always was hovering in the 130's and high 80's, now I am constantly in the 120's and high 70's to low 80's.  And I just feel better.  Not so bloated.  Though yesterday I did have pepperoni and sausage pizza!  

So I am gearing up for my new computer (I am pretty stoked) but in the mean time old faithful here is allowing me to do what needs to be done computer wise.

Things have been quiet here lately.  That is a story in itself, but let's just say we have amazing landlords.  

I hope and pray everyone is doing well that reads this.  Please keep Ginger's Dad in your prayers.  As a friend of mine says, Cancer sucks.  Don't know a better way to say it without strong profanity.  We are praying for healing and wisdom from the doctor's.  He is a trooper and Becky (Mom) is amazing.  She is a wonderful wife and caretaker.  Takes a special person to do what she does and she has that specialness in spades.

Ginger and I are doing well, enjoying life and once again, enjoying our wonderful home.  Thank you for all your love, prayers and support.

Baa