Karma

Gone.....  It's all GONE.......

As most of you who read my Facebook posts are aware, a few weeks ago my Wii kicked the bucket.  After four years of relentless playing, it finally just up and died.  No matter how hard I tried, it would not run ANY disk put into it.  Hilariously enough, this happened on the supposed "rapture."  A sign from God?  More than likely.  At any rate, I mourned, but then decided that I should just bite the bullet and send the Wii in for repair; or at least talk to a Nintendo rep about sending it in.

While on the phone with the representative, he was discussing with me my options.  I could send it in for 75 bucks plus 10 for shipping and handling, and it'd be good as new.  Or, I could not, and have a broken Nintendo console for FOREVER.  A little weary about the price, I told him I'd probably just set up my order online, as I needed to discuss the price with my parents.

"The price!?  The price is what you're worried about??  Erm...  Well......  We REALLY just want to get your Wii up and running here at Nintendo...  So how about as a one time favor, I knock...  Let's say....  Thirty dollars off your order.  It'll be 45 for the repair, and 10 for shipping and handling."  The rep tells me.

Well who can pass up an offer like that?  I agree, get the appropriate information, and thank him profusely for the kind (albeit EXTREMELY random and highly suspicious) favor.  I talk to my parents who agree, and set about preparing to send it off.

There was some bad news.  For all of you who don't understand technology, I'll put it simply.  All of the data I had saved for every and any game I had ever played was stored on MY Wii.  The broken one.  So, all of my downloaded games, EVERYTHING, was stored on my Wii.  I had to find a way to transfer that to a "filler" Wii while mine was off in repair.  Some friends of mine were kind enough to not only lend me their SD card for the data transfer, but a Wii to play while mine was gone.

So, I sat down and started transferring data.  To my utter disdain, games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. (both games that took me literally years to perfect and get everything into the pristine condition I had) wouldn't transfer, as they had online connectivity.  Well, that's fine.  I just won't play them, as I was ASSURED that all of my data would be returned to me in perfect condition with the fixed Wii.  That being said, I saved what few games I thought I might want to play in the repair time, which was supposed to be about two and a half weeks.  I only transferred over about six or so single player games that I thought were too important to leave not played.  All was relatively well, for now.  I shipped off the Wii and my copy of Legend of Zelda (as it was required to help duplicate the original problem), and all I had to do was wait.

Fast forward.

Two days ago, I checked the repair order status to find that not only had Nintendo fixed my Wii, but they had shipped it back the very same day!  It was going to be here in two days!  I WAS FREAKING JACKED!!  Way to go, Nintendo!  Your customer service is parallel to NONE!  Yeah, all was well in my perfect bubble of a world.

Today, I got the email telling me that the Wii had arrived.  I didn't have time to retrieve it before math, so I had to suffer through an hour long class of hell before I could play my precious, precious video games again... After class, I grabbed a friend of mine and we bee-lined straight to pick up the Wii.  I grabbed the box, caressed it a little, and proceeded to sprint up to my room; knocking several people over in my path, I'm sure.

As I tear open the box, I see my packing slip.  Yeah yeah yeah, bla bla b-  Oh wait.  What's this?  "Services Rendered: System Replacement"  Hmm...  Alright, that's odd.  They sent me a BRAND SPANKING NEW Wii!  Well, alright!  I won't complain!  For 45 bucks, that's a pretty sweet deal!!!  And, since the guy ASSURED me that my data would be preserved, all of it must have been transfered to this new console!  Sweet!!  What's this?  They also sent me a new copy of Legend of Zelda!?  This couldn't get any better!!!  I passed off the new Wii to my friend, in all of it's white and shining glory.  As he hooked it up so we could start what was to be an afternoon of blissful gaming, another piece of paper caught my attention.  It was the post repair instructions, with some boxes checked.  Hmmm...  This could be important, I probably should read it.

The first box checked was pretty standard.  They received the Wii, found the problem, and replaced the console.  All was well.

The second box went as followed.

"Due to the malfunction, we were not able to recover any data associated with your system.  This includes game save data, any Mii's you have created on the Mii channel, message board and address book information..."

Due to the malfunction, we were not able to recover any data associated with your system.


we were not able to recover any data associated with your system.


not able to recover any data associated with your system.


Well.  Needless to say, I didn't handle that very well.

I don't really remember what happened next, to be entirely honest.  All I knew was that I was going into fits of conniptions, to say the least.  There were spats of rage thrown in there, dry sobs, bodily seizures, more rage, lightheadedness....  You name it.  For those of you who are thinking, "IT'S JUST A VIDEO GAME CONSOLE, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!"  Let me put it in perspective.

Imagine that you are of a high rank at a job.  You have spent years climbing to the top, and ascertaining the position you hold today.  The benefits you have are numerous, and you revel in the fact that you have spent years of hard work to get you where you are today.

And then imagine you're fired on the spot for no apparent reason.

Now, you have to start AAAAAAALLLLLLL over again.  Good luck job hunting!  Say goodbye to that almost CEO position and HELLO TO BEING A FRY COOK!!!

Alright, fine.  Am I being melodramatic?  You bet your ass I am.  Is it justified?  I sure as hell think so.

I had spent four years of my life building the data that I had on that precious Wii, and now it's gone; in the blink of an eye.  *Sigh*

My mother was wonderfully sympathetic.  "Oh, that's too bad.  Now, however, you can play all of your old games again like they're brand new."

Gee thanks, mother.  That's just what I want to hear.  However, she does have a point.  I suppose I won't be bored for the next FOUR FREAKING YEARS OF MY LIFE.

At this point, you're probably wondering why on earth the title of this post is "Karma."  Well, here's why.  I had an epiphany in my bouts of hysteria earlier...  I do believe that this all happened was because of four years of bad karma buildup.  The incessant teasing my friends receive at my hand finally came back to bite me in the ass.  And it bit me HARD.  It is because of this that I have gleaned a new outlook on life.  I will no longer be the sarcastic, condescending asshole that most of my friends think I am.  True story.  I'm turning over a new leaf.

(I give it four hours at best before that sentiment fails epically)

At any rate, there will be a funeral service for those who can attend for the old Wii, which, according to Nintendo, was in such a state of disrepair that they just chucked the whole thing altogether.  Tragic.