Lessons

The crash of my external hard drive last month brought a trickling sense of loss. I got it primarily for my photos and layouts, so they won’t hog my laptop’s memory. Sadly, like most people, only 30% of its content had backups. I easily convinced myself that it was no big deal, so I wasn’t too mad about it (especially since it crashed right after somebody borrowed it from me to transfer big files to her PC… grrr). But now, I’m full of “If Only” statements. If only I backed up the files like what I always thought I should do. If only I didn’t let her borrow it. If only I watched her like a hawk while she used it. If only I had finished that album already. If only I had printed the photos already. If only, if only, if only!!!!

Let this be a lesson to people out there who don’t back up their files, and don’t bother to print out digital photos. Virtual storage gets ruined, they crash, they just get lost. So please learn from me and BACK UP files or do it the old fashioned way and PRINT your favorite memories! (Put them in a safe place away from molds, anay and baha)

Sigh. In memory of the following files:

- 2 years worth of digital scrapbook layout and files
- A folder of scanned photos from my mom and dad’s wedding (have to do it all over again)
- Up With People Photos (wahhhhhh) , a UWP half finished digital photo album, and all my scanned mementos (I scanned them so I can throw away the originals – I remember that it was 3 days of scanning)
- Sam’s Photos from his “unit” training. From reception up to his graduation. (wahhhhh)
- Compilation of our wedding photos, our photo album layout. Good thing I had these printed already!!!!
- Scanned “creative work portfolio” and workshop certificates, lovingly arranged
- Raw, layered files of my brochures for work. I kept them there because I didn’t have Photoshop at work to manipulate them anyway
- A LOT of pictures and other files, that I know I’ll probably look for someday.

Sigh.