Sorry to hear about your computer troubles, but in the grand scheme of things, it could have been worse eh? Was your computer plugged into a surge protector or just a power strip? Surge protectors are our friends. Anyway, starting anew can be cathartic, think of it as a new beginning and not an ending =).
Oh and while data recovery services are available for formatted/damaged hard drives, they cost $$$$ and I think it's not really a feasible solution for us regular folks.