I'm an idiot

It's 3 am. (WARNING: non-Mac or even Mac users, below is gibberish)

About two hours ago, I did something REALLY stupid. Dumb. It involved tweaking my 10-month-old Mac, that required me to change the System property file to the previous version (before Leopard came along). So I did. At the end of the process, I tried to change it back to its original version, luck wasn't on my side, the TextEdit failed me. So I figure, what the heck, I'll just restart anyway. Restarted. Basically it rendered my computer useless. Heartburn. The following is very computer geek oriented, be warned...

Reboots. TextEdit fails. Can't change the version back to the original. Computer is useless. Almost no application can run. Everything requires Leopard. Heart starts to burn.

Firefox fails. Can't get online help.
Safari fails. Can't get online help.
Adium fails. Can't get online help.
Mail fails. Can't get any help.
Text Editor fails. Counting on Microsoft Word.

I'm out of ideas.

Panic panic panic.

Friend with the same version of Apple is out. Can't copy file.
While still hoping copying the same file from the friend's computer will work tomorrow, tried plugging in my flash drive. Failed. Machine won't read.

Panic panic panic.

Get other app's property file. Changed the content in Word. Saved as file name. Copied to folder. FAILED. Word changed the file type to word document, which the file isn't.

Panic panic panic.

Tried 20 times to re-write the original file. Version1, Version2, Version3. Failed. File type just won't change. All applications are useless. Mac OS version is still different.

Extremely frustrated.

Thinking of reformatting the whole thing.

After a 2 hour ordeal, flicks eye to "Time Machine Backup" backup drive.

Time machine saved my Mac's infant life, and me from a zombie. A simple clicks and I found the backup file. Copy to folder. Restart. Works immediately. Everything back to normal. I can breathe. And realization hits. Idiot. Why didn't I think of that two hours before???

Time machine rules.

Microsoft Word came out a hero this time. Nothing works except for Office & Finder. I could open the content of file and write the whole thing. Although in the end, Mac's restriction on file type is the real issue, Word still emerges as a reliable help.

At times like this, the restrictions of the system created for the benefit of the user can fire back. I was rendered powerless.

Doh.