Fight Delete-ism.

You’ve just finished writing the 24th Everyday Change for May. (Hey, that’s me.) Only 6 more to go. Outside, a flash of lightning, then the sound of a tree cracking, smashing to the ground. Blackness.

Um, hello? Where’d all my tips go? (I know Word would recover them, but just play along. I’m trying to make a point here.)

Lightning probably won’t take out your power line, but something—i.e., a virus—could take out your system. Regardless of how protected you think you are, always, always, back up everything you can’t bear to lose—photos, documents, etc.—on a regular basis. Both at home and at work, copy your important files to some other location—CDs, DVDs, an external drive or removable storage device—take your pick. You never think it can happen to you until it does.

OK, very funny. Now quit horsing around and recover my tips...