Learn from my mistakes...

((Unfortunately I don't have much to show for myself lately but to keep up with posting at least one pic a post- Meet Erin McNafferty. A character I created with Smoludozerka from DeviantArt & the web comic Demonade for part of a "Lets Create a Story Contest" in which we were given a plot and had to create a character based on the 6 types given. She made up what our character looked like and drew him up while I created his back story. For more information go here. Sadly this will be all anyone will probably see of Erin, but it was fun while it lasted & we did get second place ^_^''))

Okay. I know it's been a long while since my last post but to be honest things have not been well for me. I wont go into personal particulars but I will go into the computer problems I've been faced with recently with hopes that I can help someone avoid the same issues in the future.

Firstly my computer, though not all that old, is starting to go. I've had to replace the back light at least three times but now the problem is with the battery. I'm waiting on a replacement but there is no guarantee on how long that one will last me.

Secondly- I had the misfortune to experience loosing an entire days worth of editing when I accidentally saved over my files with an older file from my flash drive. Sadly I was not able to recover my lost work but I did learn how to set up a backup for my Word Files. Apparently this can help if something like that should ever, forbid it to ever, happen again.
If you go into Word, click on the Tools tab and scroll down and click on Options. In options click the Save tab and make sure the "Always Create Backup Copy" button is checked. That way every time you save, the file gets backed up and you even get a few extra saves that linger until the program is closed. I don't know how well it really works and I hope I never have to find out, but its always good to have an extra safety, just in case. (this is for Microsoft office word 2003) for 2007 you can probably find something usefull here

Loosing that work was a real setback for my novel but I managed to trudge on, only to find myself stuck again when I decided to sum up three chapters into one. I'm still trying to work but due to circumstances, it hasn't been easy sailing and I've been getting really frustrated. It doesn't help much either that I don't have much of a support team rooting me on... Can't even find someone to give me an opinion on my re-edited pitch *sigh* but that's another story for another time.

Back to computers!

I must warn anyone reading this of anther virus going around. At first it seems innocent enough, pops up like a normal virus scan but it will really mess you up, especially if you let it linger too long. Microsoft Recover. Looks legit but its not. For one relative it wiped out all his files. For another it was a big inconvenience and kept him from getting work done. For me... it was just a pain. Aside from trying to download random files it hid all the ones I already had and made me believe they had all been deleted though they were just made "invisible". For my brother, since we knew what it was the moment his background picture went missing we were able to capture and remove it before it could do any harm. (malwarebites might be a helpful program to get rid of this sort of pesky virus)

So dear readers learn from my mistakes- Always back up your files on and off your computer. Even save it twice if you must (a normal copy and a second under a different name)on and off your computer for extra safety. And always make sure your computer's virus scans are up to date and running, always seeking out threats and keeping you from accidentally opening malware disguised as something else.

well that's all from me for now.
Night!

ps- sent a co-worker who's kid really loves the Warriors series to a book signing with the cheif writer of the series (Sorry I don't know her name since the books are a collaboration of different minds under one name- Erin Hunter)because I thought her kid would have a blast. Apparently it was a great time had by all and she said she'd never seen her kid smile as much as she did that evening. So thank you Cheif Warriors writer for visiting us and making so many children's day.