looks like the 'blackout' was just a powertrip. and i searched high and low for the switchbox, and guess what? i found my longlost laptop accessories, including the recovery disk! (which my mom was so sure it was nowhere to be found ever again). and it turned out that the switchbox was just outside my room, hidden in the cupboard.
finally remembered to buy ant poison to feed those little deprived ants in the house. irritating little crawling things that are attacking everything.
die ants die! go to hell and never come back!

once again, i'm laughing at myself...