Thoughty Thursday: Procrastination, Backups & Thpbpbpbpb

by Amy Shojai | Jun 2, 2011 | Uncategorized | 4 comments

I missed posting Tuesday Tips, the next in the Kindle-ization series, and I’m HISSED OFF! You see, I have most all of that series done, and ready to go. They’re all on my laptop.

The laptop that DIED this week. Thpbpbpbpbpbpb! (that’s a virtual raspberry)

Actually, we suspect the battery ran dry–and it won’t run on just the plug. I’ve ordered a new battery, and hope for the best–but prepare for the worst. I guess the old laptop served well–letters on the keyboard had worn off and a couple of books were written on it including all the updates to the newly Kindle-ized titles. Come to think of it, that’s where I kept the final versions of the updated manuscripts.

THPBPBPBPBPB!!!

I’m the person who always arrives early for meetings and circles the block until it’s not embarrassing to show up. With few exceptions, I meet or beat deadlines. And I angst and grow gray hairs and sprout crow’s feet lines when I can’t cross off each item as finished. These days, though, with 5-10 blogs a week plus two weekly columns and the puppies.About.com stuff–oh, and a co-written musical play to produce, fiction WIP, acting gigs– keeping all the eggs in the air without scrambling them on impact takes a toll.

[caption id=”” align=”aligncenter” width=”237″ caption=”Scratch THIS!”

”Some

So my blog schedule and backing up files fell to the bottom of the to-do list. Often I can get a few done early on weekends, but–well, over Memorial Day I actually shut off work and played with the Magical-Dawg and Seren-kitty! So I planned to post Tuesday’s blog on Tuesday morning (instead of days or at least the night before). Fortunately I had edited and uploaded the Ask Amy youtube videos for this week so yesterday’s Woof Wednesday and tomorrow’s Feline Friday are ready.

Just a week or so ago, one of my colleagues lamented the crash of her entire computer and loss of files. That was a wake-up call. I nearly subscribed to an online backup service but was instead convinced by my tech-guy husband to use thumb drives. So nearly all of the work on the !@#$%^&! laptop had been saved just a few days ago–but not the Ebooks and not the blog notes and content.

”Strawberries

I can re-created it but at the moment the pity-party-whine-fest is much more satisfying. Oh, I quick-like-a-bunny bought a new laptop with higher speed, larger storage, and updated software. And I’ll get a few more of those thumb-drives and put it on my schedule for backups with more religious fervor.

How do you procrastinate? Has it ever bitten you in the ass-ets? What are your top reasons to THPBPBPB? Don’t be shy–vent away. And bookmark this blog to remind you what crappiocca can happen to derail even A-type go-go-go plan-ahead people like you and me!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

4 Comments

Pat Browning on June 2, 2011 at 11:23 pm

4 to 6 years is an eternity for a computer. Good thing you had those thumb drives. I’m hauling around CDs and they are weighing me down. I’m thinking of just investing in a portable hard drive.

For some reason this reminds me of something a writer friend just said. I was passing along info that for people 60 is the new 40 and 80 is the new 60, and he said, “Yeah, and 100 is the new dead.” Cracked me up.

But I’d say four years is the new old age for computers and six years is the new dead.
Well, maybe you had to be there …

Pat Browning
Reply
- amyshojai on June 3, 2011 at 7:23 am
  
  ROTF Pat! “…the new dead” cracks me up, too!
  
  amy *typing in the spanking-new computer*
  Reply
amyshojai on June 2, 2011 at 3:38 pm

I know lots of folks who love Macs. I like my Microsoft Office. *shrug* The laptop was old, it wasn’t a problem with a virus, and the price for the new computer was well within my budget and I already own MS Office. I like it, know how to use it, no delay in learning a new system, all my files are already in that format…win-win for me. *vbg* I figure a 4-6 years lifespan on a laptop ain’t bad.
Reply
Wayne Borean on June 2, 2011 at 2:59 pm

And that’s why I own a Mac. It babysits me. I get regular reminders about when I need to backup (and it won’t quit till I do), the Apple backup software called Time Machine is simple enough that even on my worst days I can’t mess it up.

Really, for a writer, a Mac is a great deal. When you add up the numbers it’s less expensive than almost all of the Windows options. Compare the price difference between Microsoft Office and IWork. IWork is $50.00, and has better features than MS Office.

Macs are a great deal.

Oh – and they come with far better screens than most Windows machines have, which is useful when you stare at a monitor most of the day.

Wayne
Reply

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