Back UP

Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from. ~Al Franken

Today I'm here so you can learn from me.  :)

BACK UP YOUR PHOTOS!!

Yes, I just yelled that.   And this isn't the first time you've read or heard that you should do so. Before I even get into my story, STOP here and come up with a plan for how, where, when, etc you will back up your photos.


In September 2010, I invested in a new computer to be dedicated to my photography business.    I cleared all my photos off of my old computer, transferring them all to a brand-new external hard drive.  Then I deleted them off my old work computer so it would be more efficient.


Having no idea external hard drives were fragile, I left it on my desk for a couple weeks while I fully made the switch-over.  Then one day a wild puppy, who will remain nameless, Trot, came tearing through my office and ran right through the cord, bringing the hard drive crashing to the wood floor.


At the time I did not understand the gravity of the situation because, like I said, I didn't realize those things were so darn fragile.  Alas, when I tried to use it, nothing.  Dead.  


To make a long story short, I took it to two different experts, who both told me they could do nothing.  They suggested I send it away, so finally, I got up the courage to fork over the $1000 it was going to cost and sent it away this past month (it was one of my goals to deal with it this year).  After some research and asking around I used Drive Savers.  I was totally impressed with their customer service throughout the process.

Sadly, there was nothing they could do (they charged me nothing, by the way).  The tens of thousands of personal photos I had on there from 2004 to September 2010 were gone.  Thankfully, I had backed up on DVD years 2004-2008.  However, January 2009-August 2010 are gone, the highlight of the time period certainly being Aiden's entire first year of life.


I'm not a big "cry over spilled milk" kind of person, so I haven't.  Cried, that is.  I haven't even allowed myself to dwell on it a whole lot.  My saving grace is that I blogged regularly during that time period, so the majority of the photos I would care about can be seen online and in my blog book.  Its mostly just the year and a half of videos that will never be seen again.  You know, of Aiden's first year of life!  But hey...you've seen one kid take their first steps, you've seen them all, right?  :)


The moral of the story?  STOP stalling, making excuses, pleading ignorance.  Take steps today to ensure you will always have your photos!


The other thing that's come of it is me going through lots of files of "old" photos.  I'm going to start doing a memory post every so often.  I'm going to shoot for Wednesdays like I did a while back...Wednesday Walk, as in walk down memory lane...we'll see how that goes!


Why are you still here reading?  Go back up some photos!  :)