And why my first instinct was to blame myself
Thursday, a little before lunch, my Outlook went dark.
My first thought was that I'd done something. Clicked the wrong button. Changed a setting I shouldn't have touched. There's still a lot about this computer I'm learning, and I suspect many of you feel the same way.
Some days I'm convinced it's possessed. It seems to have a mind of its own, and that mind doesn't always agree with mine.
This time, though, it wasn't me. And it wasn't my computer.
Microsoft had a widespread outage that took down email and calendars for people across the country and well beyond. More than 100,000 people reported trouble with Outlook alone. Microsoft says it wasn't an attack, just a change inside its email servers that didn't go as planned.
I'll admit I was relieved. Misery loves company.
Once the relief wore off, though, it got me thinking.
So much of our lives now lives in that one little inbox. Statements, bills, notes from the CPA, the link to the insurance portal. If it disappeared for a day, would you know how to reach the people who look after your money?
I believe most of us would have to stop and think. I know I did.
A few small things are worth doing now, while it's all fresh.
Write down a handful of phone numbers on paper. Your bank, your CPA, your insurance agent, and me. No passwords, just numbers. Keep the list somewhere you and someone you trust can find it.
If you'd like a place to keep that list, just ask. I have small FAI notebooks, pen included, and I'd be glad to send you one.
If something stops working, give it time before you start fixing things. Reinstalling programs or resetting passwords won't help when the problem is on Microsoft's end. Email sent during an outage is usually delayed, not lost.
Be careful with any “helpful” message that shows up afterward asking you to verify your account or click a link to restore service. Moments like this bring out the scammers. When in doubt, call the company at a number you already have.
And if you ever can't reach me by email, just call. I'd much rather hear your voice than have you send something sensitive through a workaround.
713.834.1111. That number works no matter what Microsoft is doing.
Computers will always surprise us. I'd just prefer the good kind of surprise.
Financial decisions are rarely just mathematical decisions. They are emotional decisions disguised as numbers.