I am actually having a nervous breakdown..., Right Now!!! Options

[Charlemagne]

The short of it is that I am currently taking one final course for my Master's program. The course sucks and we have to post work online almost every night. Anyway, that part is not really that big of a deal but one major part of the course is that we have to have create this big "plan" that is essentially a massive document on how an entire school year will be. This "plan" comprises of a number of group development theories from various texts, lesson plans and units, a massive index and reference page, etc. Anyway, the plan was on a template that the professor provided us. Apparently, this template can only handle so much information because this morning when I tried to open it, the document says it has been corrupted and it will not open. Mind you, this is the motherload of all that I have been working on for 7 weeks of this course. I simply can't go back and retrace my steps. I have a back up but that is not updated and complete. Anyway, the long and short of it is that I have reached the point where I am honestly "beyond the beyond". I can't handle the stress that is my life right now. I might take a long walk in the woods and never come back.

[Horror Business]

It's a very good day for a walk in the woods. Have fun.

[allie]

It's been my experience that professors, for the most part, don't want their students to lose their shit. I suggest taking that walk, but please come back! Then try and let the professor know what happened. Maybe you can get more time or you can work out something else. Good luck!

[Mister Shhh]

Is the head on your shoulders going berzerk?

[Mark VI]

Is the head on your shoulders going berzerk?

please, get it right.

Im about
To have a nervous breakdown
My head really hurts
If I dont find a way out of here
Im gonna go berserk cuz
Im crazy and Im hurt
Head on my shoulders
Its going...berserk

anyway, take the walk. you will feel better. it is beautiful outside today.

[Charlemagne]

It's been my experience that professors, for the most part, don't want their students to lose their shit. I suggest taking that walk, but please come back! Then try and let the professor know what happened. Maybe you can get more time or you can work out something else. Good luck!

I will find a way I suppose. This prof is not the most approachable and forgiving type but I might have to look into some options. I have put a call into a computer specialists about this. I really hope they are able to retrieve this because to start again would be a massive undertaking not to mention that this course moves at a very quick clip and that it would set me behind tremendously. I am almost laughing at how peversely horrid this situation is. It is like getting just about 10 yards to the finishing line of a marathon and then having one's legs give out.

[Charlemagne]

Is the head on your shoulders going berzerk?

Eddie Cochran?

[Mrs. Rockit]

OH YIKES.

What program was the template built in? Word? Word usually has a "backup" document somewhere. Only reason I ask is that sometimes you can change the extension to say an .rtf format and it will open. Of course you'd want to do this to a copy - if you have somewhere to copy the corrupted document to.

Have you sent any versions to the unapproachable prof? If so when was the last one sent?

Sorry - that does suck. Hope the computer wizards can help!!

[Charlemagne]

OH YIKES.

What program was the template built in? Word? Word usually has a "backup" document somewhere. Only reason I ask is that sometimes you can change the extension to say an .rtf format and it will open. Of course you'd want to do this to a copy - if you have somewhere to copy the corrupted document to.

Have you sent any versions to the unapproachable prof? If so when was the last one sent?

Sorry - that does suck. Hope the computer wizards can help!!

No versions were sent to the unapproachable prof. I think one version was rtf and the other was a word doc. I am fairly certain that it crashed because there was so much information in this template (information that was required by the course mind you). I am really on edge right now. I feel like need to hit some drums really hard. I am going off to the Jamspot.

[Mister Shhh]

[Lollipop]

Having any panic attacks???...'cuz those are even better than a nervous breakdown.
the last time i had a genuine panic attack was while getting my Masters.

Hope you can straighten everything out. it sucks when technology fails you!

[Charlemagne]

Having any panic attacks???...'cuz those are even better than a nervous breakdown.
the last time i had a genuine panic attack was while getting my Masters.

Hope you can straighten everything out. it sucks when technology fails you!

No panic attacks yet...more just the feeling like I want to walk far, far away and maybe ride the rails, join a circus, sign up for the Foriegn Legion...

[twistnshout]

No panic attacks yet...more just the feeling like I want to walk far, far away and maybe ride the rails, join a circus, sign up for the Foriegn Legion...

Did you go to the jamspot?

I just made a Donovan mix for MG, really mellow, I think you need to listen to it. I'll burn you a copy...

Hang in there, dude...

I'm sure you'll be able to collect most of what you lost...it's the last course...remember you have a whole extra semester to finish an Incomplete grade...

[Charlemagne]

Did you go to the jamspot?

I just made a Donovan mix for MG, really mellow, I think you need to listen to it. I'll burn you a copy...

Hang in there, dude...

I'm sure you'll be able to collect most of what you lost...it's the last course...remember you have a whole extra semester to finish an Incomplete grade...

Thanks for the CD mix. I can't handle continuing on with this course any longer than May. I am no longer physically or mentallly able to handle being in graduate school anymore. The only way I could ever take any courses again would be if it was some good ole' history grad courses on say the Civil War era. This school of education stuff though is garbage.

[Hopey]

Oh god. I'm actually working on my Master's thesis now and that is my worst nightmare. I had a brief scare when my computer died last weekend and I realized I hadn't backed up in a long time. I've been backing up faithfully now. I know what you mean about getting to the point where you feel like you've given it all you've got to give. There were times even when I was working on final semester projects where I felt that if I lost my work, I wouldn't have it in me to recreate it.

I hope that you are able to retrieve most of your work. And hopefully after you've stepped away from it for a while, you'll be in a better place mentally and be able to push on. You're so close to finishing! Good luck.

[Flipper]

Buy a shitty old used PC (you can probably pick one up for around $100 or so, maybe less)

Get your hands on a good, solidly made sledgehammer.

Throw on some of your favorite music.

Smash away.

Kidding aside, that really sucks in all kinds of ways. You sound like you're still in the "shock and anger" stage, though. Once you get this out of your system (I'm telling you ... smash something to bits. It helps) You'll reisgn yourself to the fact that there is after all some kind of solution (as much as it may suck) to this and do what you need to do.

You didn't come this far/work this hard to let a technological ass-fucking defeat you, right ?

I feel your pain, man.

Buck up !

[Blodwyn]

Oh, I'm so sorry - that sucks so hard. I bet that a techy person can get it back for you though, in some way or form. Take a breather, try to stay optimistic, and get in touch with one of these guys that can mess around in Dos and other things, I bet he can help you.

I relate to the grad school thing - It's not a healthy or sane place to be. You'll be done soon, hang in there.

[Jack]

I'm pretty much of a MS Word expert. The fact that a document is corrupted doesn't mean you can't read it and get the material out of it. It's just a matter of re-formatting the text. You should get an expert, but you should make a copy of the corrupted file and then start experimenting with it. Try opening it with Word Pad or Notepad.

Your only problem might be losing the file...and even that's not fatal.

[Charlemagne]

Well, I was able to retrieve some of that document. Thankfully, I did get some of the massive index I had created (although some of it has been lost). The thought of retracing my steps with that index would have been too much to handle. I seriously would have taken an incomplete or dropped out the program outright. Looking back, it seems like the very template the professor had set up couldn't handle the amount of information that was required inside the document. In other words, this template had tons of information, rows, columns, margins, etc. Many of the assignments involved downloading graphic information into this template/document. It seemed like the document couldn't handle all the information that the professor was requiring us to have in it. Anyway, maybe it was just something quirky to my own system. I'll be very curious if someone in my class has a similar thing happen.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed with words of encouragement. I highly recommend beating the living crap out of a drum kit to "get it out". I was considerding making a trip to Giles Liquors to drown my pain but now that I didn't I am glad. Blowdyn, maybe you can answer this, is there such thing as a clinical nervous breakdown?

[Flipper]

is there such thing as a clinical nervous breakdown?

Stop it.

[Blodwyn]

Well, I was able to retrieve some of that document. Thankfully, I did get some of the massive index I had created (although some of it has been lost). The thought of retracing my steps with that index would have been too much to handle. I seriously would have taken an incomplete or dropped out the program outright. Looking back, it seems like the very template the professor had set up couldn't handle the amount of information that was required inside the document. In other words, this template had tons of information, rows, columns, margins, etc. Many of the assignments involved downloading graphic information into this template/document. It seemed like the document couldn't handle all the information that the professor was requiring us to have in it. Anyway, maybe it was just something quirky to my own system. I'll be very curious if someone in my class has a similar thing happen.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed with words of encouragement. I highly recommend beating the living crap out of a drum kit to "get it out". I was considerding making a trip to Giles Liquors to drown my pain but now that I didn't I am glad. Blowdyn, maybe you can answer this, is there such thing as a clinical nervous breakdown?

I'm so glad that you got most of it back! You must feel so much better. I hope all is ok now. I've lost work, but never anything that vast, and it sucked. I completely relate to being willing to drop out or take an incomplete rather than repeat something like that.
I'm fighting intense springbreakitis so I'm too lazy to grab my DSM but I don't know that there is something like a clinical nervous breakdown. Offhand I think not, but I also think that your reaction seems appropriate to the situation rather than something that could be treated. I'd feel the same way.

[Mrs. Rockit]

Well, I was able to retrieve some of that document. Thankfully, I did get some of the massive index I had created (although some of it has been lost). The thought of retracing my steps with that index would have been too much to handle. I seriously would have taken an incomplete or dropped out the program outright. Looking back, it seems like the very template the professor had set up couldn't handle the amount of information that was required inside the document. In other words, this template had tons of information, rows, columns, margins, etc. Many of the assignments involved downloading graphic information into this template/document. It seemed like the document couldn't handle all the information that the professor was requiring us to have in it. Anyway, maybe it was just something quirky to my own system. I'll be very curious if someone in my class has a similar thing happen.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed with words of encouragement. I highly recommend beating the living crap out of a drum kit to "get it out". I was considerding making a trip to Giles Liquors to drown my pain but now that I didn't I am glad. Blowdyn, maybe you can answer this, is there such thing as a clinical nervous breakdown?

PHEW!!!!

See "bolded" sentence above - therein lies the a good part of the problem. Microsoft-the anti-christ-Word SUCKS when it comes to handling graphic information - especially a lot of info. "Downloading into" the document is bad news. "Inserting from file" or "inserting as microsoft object" and then browsing to your graphic/info is a much more stable way to get graphic/graphic in. Live graphs and charts from exHELL (I call it), maps or other images copy and pasted - make the file huge. I'm not a pro at word but we use word, exHELL, powerpoint, ArcGIS etc for producing reports (and proposals) all the time. I've been able to get a 30 mg file (with shite-loads of maps pasted in) down to a 2 mg file. (which included needing photoshop but it can be done).

What kind of 'graphical information' do you have in the file?? I may be able to give you ideas of making the document more stable yet keeping the "graphic" in there.

[FrankD]

why blame the template when it was the low amount of memory on your system from all the hackerz?

In undergrqad I had an 80 page paper all printed out and made copies....but the final backup had a "blip" in it that caused the loss of 40 pages.....on tape cassette of course....

In Grad school I backed up EVERYTHING onto CDROM...seriously....do that, just buy a bunch and back up every day.....

PS - good luck on finishing, as much as teh mivie PAPER CHASE it gets, the good news is that it is almost over and you WILL finish and it will be easier to look back....

I STILL want to publlish my thesis with one of those onlne book making companies.....pass them out to my relatives who just didn't understand what the hell I was working on.....kind of a mental blocking doing that though..... : )

[mike oliver]

The short of it is that I am currently taking one final course for my Master's program. The course sucks and we have to post work online almost every night. Anyway, that part is not really that big of a deal but one major part of the course is that we have to have create this big "plan" that is essentially a massive document on how an entire school year will be. This "plan" comprises of a number of group development theories from various texts, lesson plans and units, a massive index and reference page, etc. Anyway, the plan was on a template that the professor provided us. Apparently, this template can only handle so much information because this morning when I tried to open it, the document says it has been corrupted and it will not open. Mind you, this is the motherload of all that I have been working on for 7 weeks of this course. I simply can't go back and retrace my steps. I have a back up but that is not updated and complete. Anyway, the long and short of it is that I have reached the point where I am honestly "beyond the beyond". I can't handle the stress that is my life right now. I might take a long walk in the woods and never come back.

Here , take a couple of my xanax..............

[Jack]

Is there such thing as a clinical nervous breakdown?

That's something I've wondered about for years. I know it's not in the DSM. The term is definitely not used in modern medicine. But did it ever have a clinical definition? I used to want to see someone have a nervous breakdown so I'd know what people meant by it. The dictionary is no help. Does it have to involve crying? Does it have to involve advanced academic coursework? Someone must know.