Hard lesson about computer security

December 11, 2011:  When traveling to Sao Jorge, 220km north of Brasilia, my intent was to see the Chapada Dos Veadeiros National Park for a few days.  I was not interested much about the falls or the canyons even though they were beautiful.  I came in search for maned wolves and giant anteaters.  I never thought that my trip here would also involve an unsuspected crash course about computer security.

I happened to give someone access to my computer for under 30 seconds which changed everything.  I can’t blame it on him…I gave him everything he needed to be breach my privacy, so it was purely my “lack of thinking” on my part.  After I realized what was happening, I then remembered that I had items on my computer that I didn’t want people to see besides the obvious such as journals and a small collection of donkey porn. 

My mind ran like an engine with its throttle stuck wide open and an unlimited amount of fuel.  I seemed to spend days deleting files and changing passwords staying up until the wee hours of the morning.  I mentally play out 1,020 scenarios on what might happen with what I had on my computer and 345 of them were not good.  I learned a lesson…when you give someone something, don’t be mad if they take it.

When at the national park I tried to enjoy being out in nature but mentally, my mind was not 100% there – not even 20% there.  Only behind the camera I was able to forget – explaining the loads of photos that I took of nothing.

Meeting a group of amazing people at a pizza place in town, they seemed to take me in for a few days - which was a perfect distraction to this temporary issue.