09/11/2012:
12:00: Here I am still working on the computer. I add the other network printers to this computer so that they can print to this computer. I then test printing to the printers. I also test out the functionality of the programs used by the staff.
12:45: I add the lines and voicemails to the sidecars. I setup the voicemails for the staff as well.
1:30: My dad and I get everything together. I have my laptop, the keys, a box, and the lender POE switch. My dad has a few things. We have everything to make one trip. I open the door, the keys come off my laptop back. I reach down to pick them and and hit my head on the guard rail. I pick up the keys and unlock the van. My dad opens the back of the van, while I go to the side door. When I try to open the door it doesn’t open right, so I put my laptop on top of the van and I finish loading what I have in my hand. My dad closes the back of the van, and I close up the side door.
1:37. I look at my watch as I walk around the van to get in. We are both in the van. I start up the van, and we drive off.
1:55: We are half way home when I try to remember what I did with my laptop. I pull over to the side of the road and search the van. It is not, uh oh, I realize that I remember putting my laptop on top the van, but I do not remember taking it off. I turn the van around and head back to the office to check the area around the van was parked to see if it fell off when we were leaving.
2:05: We get back to the office, and the computer is no where to be found on the ground, we search the van again, not there. We drive the route 3 times looking very close and we don’t see it anywhere! I head back to the office where we started.
2:45: I log into my LogMeIn account to check on my computer. Someone turned it on because it was last seen online at 2:06. BLAH, I have my remote software, so all is not loss, but it is now going to be a challenge to get that laptop back. I call up COX and tell them that I lost my laptop, I did a traceroute and see that it is in New Orleans and on a COX IP. They tell me that they cannot give me that information, and can only give that kind of information to an active investigation by police. I figured the would tell me that, but it didn’t hurt to try. At least when I called COX, they knew exactly what I was talking about and new how to respond to me.
3:05: My dad and I head home, there is nothing else can do, no sense looking on the street anymore, someone picked it up.
3:30: We get home. I try to sleep but can’t I check the status of the laptop a number of times. It doesn’t come back on and I eventually fall back asleep.
9:00: I wake up, the laptop still hasn’t been back online.
10:00: I get up out of bed, the laptop is still not back online.
10:15: In the shower.
10:30: Out of the shower.
10:45: Out of the door.
10:57: I get a spot to park.
11:00: I have an appointment with Dr. Yager. He checks me out and likes what he sees 😉 LOL NO NO, not that way. My neck feels fine, my breathing is good, and everything about is pretty good. He goes over things he has been doing around the office since I have last seen him. As long as nothing else goes wrong, he will see me in 4 months for a regular check up.
12:00: I get on the chat with Dell to find out the serial number of the laptop along with the date of purchase and a few other things. They are able to pull up all this information even though I purchased this laptop 5 years ago. Wow 5 years, that was quick… I use this laptop strictly for configuring networks and remote access. I don’t keep any client information or personal information on this computer. It is just a dummy computer with some tricks and tools of the trade loaded into it to make my job easier. But it is my computer.
1:30: I get all this info emailed to me, I type up a statement, and compile as much stuff as I can.
2:00: I have my mom snap some pictures of my wife’s laptop and the laptop case, as I bought two of these at the same time off of Dell Outlet.
2:30: I print up all this paperwork and the pictures. I print up three copies of all the paperwork.
2:35: I lock up the office, get in my car, and head down to the 2nd District Police Station in New Orleans.
3:00 Traffic is terrible with all the schools on the route and around the police station. I get a place to park where we usually park when we go uptown to eat at the Indian restaurant. I walk around the block and into the police station.
3:15: I am asked to have a seat and someone will be with me shortly.
3:20: An officer briefly talks to me asking me what I need, and tells me he will take care of me shortly.
3:25: Another lady comes in and she is also asked to wait.
3:30: I wait to talk to an officer.
3:35: The lady is service first, I am not going to argue. She is chasing a lost cell phone, but in the wrong district, so she is told to report to another district, and given instructions of how to.
3:40: I am seen. I give the office all of the paperwork that I have prepared. He writes down the info and then reads through the paperwork that I have brought. He is interrupted a number of times with calls over the radio and calls on the phone. He is the only person working the front desk, so it is his job to not only take care of me, but to take care of all radio calls for the station and all incoming phone calls. I repeat myself a few times and we finally get all the details out. He writes up a item number for me and will file the report. He gives me the item number with the info, and sends me on the my way. The only thing he told me is that since it is lost and not stolen that it will not be actively investigated. GREAT! That means I will have to do more investigation work myself and watch for my laptop to come back online.
4:30: I head back out to my van and head back to the office I was at the night before to check on things. Everything is fine. I could do a few things today, but I am tired, and don’t feel like sticking around tonight.
5:00: I get in my van and head back home.
5:30: I get home. I get on my computer to check on my laptop, and it still hasn’t made its way back online yet. I eat some Tacos. Then a family friend brings over some wheat pasta, red gravy, handmade meatballs, spinach and breadcrumbs, salad, bread, and cheese. I eat a plate of this.
6:00: I am laying on my bed checking the status of my laptop. I start dozing off.
7:00: Wake up check, the laptop is still offline, doze off.
8:30: Wake up check, the laptop is still offline, doze off.
10:00: Same thing again and again, here and there, you get the picture.
11:30: I wake up, check the status, and its online, I do a double take and see it is online, this is my chance. I remote into the computer and send a message to the user saying that I see they have found my laptop, and I put my cell phone number for them to contact me. They close out the screen. I then become persistent. I tell them that it is my laptop, who I am the usernames on the computer. I tell them that the computer has been reported as missing to the NOPD. I even tell them that I will reward them with $100 for returning my laptop to me. I tell him I will meet him tonight, he doesn’t want to meet tonight, he will meet tomorrow he says. He repeats my phone number and asks if that is correct, I confirm. He says he will contact me tomorrow when he is in Metairie. For some reason I doubt that this person will really contact me, but I know the money side of things will hopefully work in my favor. The whole time while I am on the computer with him, I attempt to contact the police department. They are of no help! I do a traceroute and find that the computer is now in Marrero on an AT&T Uverse account according to the IP address of where the computer is at. I can provide myself with more information than needed by the police and ISP to come up with an exact street address. I contact AT&T. WOW AT&T again, here we go again. Their tech support is horrible. They do not even know what they are talking about. I was asking them about tracing an IP, and the lady told me they had no way of doing that. I lit into the lady. I was like by law they have to keep records of everyone and the IPs that are used and associated to what customer at what time. She says AT&T can’t do that. I tell her that COX can, and other ISP’s can, why can’t they, they should be able to. WHO DOES AT&T HIRE? Another reason I hate AT&T. She gives me the number to the sales department and says I should contact them in the morning for more information. How the hell is the sales department going to help me when what I am looking for is technical. BLAH Stupid AT&T, I can never stand talking to their tech support, I feel as if I am talking down to them everytime.
11:59: With that said the night is over. Check tomorrow for where this continues. The computer is turned off and is no longer online 09/11/2012 11:59 – Last Seen Online.
