Oh no!

When I turned on my computer this morning I discovered, to my horror, that the internet connection was gone! After frantically checking connections, turning the modem off – waiting for 5 nerve-racking minutes – and then turning it back on, my beat up laptop still refused to connect. After much thinking, two re-starts and several strong cups of comforting coffee – I discovered that somehow the tiny invisible (!) wireless network button had accidentally been turned off. Problem solved.

This little incident almost gave me a heart attack but it also reminded me that I have to update my “Emergency Pack” as soon as I get back to school. My emergency pack is just a simple plastic box with a lid (bought at IKEA) but it has saved my life a number of times! The box has my name written in big friendly letters on top and it “lives” in the computer-lab closet.

Contents

 25 pencils with eraser tops – to lend out

• 1 whiteboard marker and eraser – just in case
• 1 2GB memory stick – so I can save students’ work if the connection fails mid-lesson
• 3 sets (25 copies each) of worksheets on computer related topics – if all else fails
• A wad of white lined paper – always useful
• A list of direct extension numbers I can call for help (glued to the lid) – the computer department, HOD and VP

Surprisingly, the Emergency Pack does not include coffee of any kind. Must look into that…

;-) CoffeeAddict