Reminder to self: Back It Up

A couple of nights ago I left my laptop in a hotel bar. I realized it the next morning when I picked up my laptop bag and realized that it was a bit light. For some reason I did not immediately freak out, notwithstanding that my intellectual life for the last 5 years is in that laptop.

I went to the hotel front desk and got some help. Fortunately the bar personnel had found the machine, and I got it back within the half-hour. I made a point of smiling throughout, keeping in mind that 1) it wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine that the machine went missing, and 2) it’s poor form (not to mention very bad strategy) to lay your untrammeled emotions on the only people who can help you out.

Anyway, it ended well. Now I have to remind myself: backup, backup, backup. 3 years of lyrics, finished and in progress, are on that machine, not to mention a lot of other very important stuff. Backup, backup, backup.

Also good to remember that anything you send in email is in effect backed up by the email provider. That’s a fast and easy way to back stuff up one document at a time. But however it’s done (look at self in mirror and wag finger), it MUST be done!