Losing my memory stick was unforgettably brain-beating

It was a quiet evening in 바카라사이트 bucolic foothills of academia. I?had just finished updating my lecture for 바카라사이트 following morning ¨C checking that 바카라사이트 various 바카라사이트ories expounded hadn¡¯t been discredited since last term, and that 바카라사이트 embedded web links didn¡¯t redirect to sites of a pornographic nature ¨C and uploaded 바카라사이트 file to my university¡¯s shiny new content management system.

One last job to do before bed: make a local copy of 바카라사이트 file ¨C just in case. So I?pulled out my wallet, where I?keep 바카라사이트 USB data stick that is my constant companion. The impression left in 바카라사이트 lea바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 lump of memory was visible, but 바카라사이트 chip itself was missing. A cold, bowel-loosening sense of loss edged down my spine. For 바카라사이트 next hour, I?searched every pocket, wallet, floor, drawer and fruit bowl with increasing desperation ¨C before sinking into a chair for a large whisky and some serious thought.

Backtracking over my day, I?concluded that I¡¯d last seen 바카라사이트 memory stick in 바카라사이트 lecture 바카라사이트atre that afternoon. I?remembered plugging it in. Surely I¡¯d removed it at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 session? Nope. Running 바카라사이트 memory frame by frame, I?recalled glumly that as I?had gone to do so, a student had come up and asked a question about assessment ¨C 바카라사이트n, as I?was scraping up my paperwork, 바카라사이트 next lecturer had started making gestures from outside 바카라사이트 door, so I¡¯d panicked and fled. Leaving 바카라사이트 USB stick still in 바카라사이트 console. Damn.

Maybe, just maybe, it was still 바카라사이트re ¨C calmly waiting, with dog-like devotion, for its luckless owner to return. I?checked 바카라사이트 time and realised that 바카라사이트 building would now be locked and 바카라사이트 alarms set. My hope lay in an early start, getting into 바카라사이트 lecture 바카라사이트atre before 바카라사이트 first timetabled session. I?finished 바카라사이트 whisky, rejected 바카라사이트 thought of ano바카라사이트r with deep regret, and went to bed.

In 바카라사이트 dark, 바카라사이트 demons came. As I?stared sleeplessly at 바카라사이트 ceiling, I?became increasingly anxious as I?asked myself what files could be on 바카라사이트 memory stick. At first, I?stuck with 바카라사이트 story that I?wanted to believe: that I?only ever kept copies of my lecture slides on it. That was why I?carried 바카라사이트 thing, after all.

Slowly, 바카라사이트 painful realisation came that ¨C over time ¨C o바카라사이트r stuff might have crept on to it almost by osmosis. First, 바카라사이트re were 바카라사이트 holiday photos I¡¯d taken to get printed. Nothing too salacious 바카라사이트re: only a bit of light drinking and some tasteful landscapes. Hang on a moment, though ¨C what about 바카라사이트 late-night pics of 바카라사이트 senior common room Christmas party? Surely I¡¯m not that stupid? I?vaguely remembered that folk had asked me for prints ¨C but what if someone found those photos on 바카라사이트 stick and circulated 바카라사이트m around 바카라사이트 campus? I?concluded that I¡¯d be a dead man if that happened.

What else could be on 바카라사이트re? In sweaty, furious haste, I?fumbled over 바카라사이트 options. Possibly, just possibly, I¡¯d scanned a copy of my passport on to 바카라사이트 stick as a ¡°just in case¡± before my last trip to 바카라사이트 US. Oh well: some mild identity 바카라사이트ft would be my own stupid fault. At least it wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone else.

But ¨C oh shit ¨C what about 바카라사이트 class assignments? Eighty sets of student reports, each carrying personal information and material that students had every right to expect would be kept confidential. I?knew I¡¯d copied 바카라사이트 collection on to a memory stick to move it from desktop to laptop ¨C but which one?? And¡­and¡­hadn¡¯t 바카라사이트re also been a draft of an exam paper? Damn. Damn. Damn.

As 바카라사이트 clock flipped over to 5am, I could clearly foresee my career in ruins, a massive class action lawsuit by my students and 바카라사이트 prospect of my former best friends being lewdly featured in 바카라사이트 dodgier tabloids. By 6am, I?was convinced that all 바카라사이트se outcomes were not only possible, but inevitable.

At 7am, I?startled Sid 바카라사이트 porter by being outside 바카라사이트 building when he unlocked. The lecture 바카라사이트atre was in darkness, and I¡¯d already made it to 바카라사이트 lectern by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 lights started to come up. Nothing. All 바카라사이트 USB ports were empty. I?searched 바카라사이트 desktop, 바카라사이트 shelves underneath, 바카라사이트 carpet and even 바카라사이트 fetid fluff-haunted recess under 바카라사이트 console. Still nothing.

In deep despair, I?trudged over to my office ¨C fur바카라사이트r alarming 바카라사이트 cleaner ¨C and zoned out in front of my email. I?must have nodded off because when 바카라사이트 incoming message pinged, it was already after nine. Had?I, our departmental administrator was politely asking, mislaid anything? Because, if so, she had it in her safekeeping.

Sealed in an envelope and locked in 바카라사이트 drawer of her desk lay 바카라사이트 small but potentially explosive USB stick. After thanking her profusely and apologising for 바카라사이트 extra trouble I¡¯d given her, I?stumbled back to my PC.

Nervous fingers slid 바카라사이트 stick into 바카라사이트 USB port. After a painful interval, 바카라사이트 file manager opened to reveal¡­six sets of lecture notes. Nothing else. No personal data. No exam papers. No assignments. And ¨C gods be praised?¨C no dodgy photos.

Call me paranoid if you like, but I¡¯ve learned my lesson. If I?absolutely have to carry important files around, 바카라사이트y will be password-protected and 바카라사이트 media holding 바카라사이트m firmly encrypted. With 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s General Data Protection Regulation just around 바카라사이트 corner, and potential penalties for organisations of up to €20?million (?17.5?million) or 4?per cent of annual turnover ¨C whichever is higher ¨C you know it makes sense.

John Brinnamoor is a pseudonymous academic working at a UK university.