In a private email I was reminded of something I didn't mention: Passwords. My correspondent said she had hers in a secure file that a couple trusted relatives knew how to unlock. I know other people who use a cloud service for their passwords. But whatever solution you use, make sure you have those passwords with you; you never know when you might need them, or how long it will be before you can get home to retrieve them-if your computer even survives.
I have several password caches, with an actual paper list. (No, it isn't stored by the computer, I learned that lesson a couple decades ago when a friend had his computer stolen, along with the password list and ALL his backups that were kept next to the computer.) That list was one of the first things in the suitcase, along with the package of important papers like birth certificates and our marriage license. I just didn't think to mention it separately.
Give some thought to how you store and retrieve your passwords. Can a friend or relative access them if you are incapacitated? Are they accessible to you if you are forced out of your home by a disaster? There are lots of potential solutions. Choose one. Choose several. Keep them updated. (As an aside, I truly despise sites that insist you change your password every 60 or 90 days. If I already have a strong password-your own algorithm said so!-why should I keep changing it?) Keep your designated backup person updated.
OK, now that we have the serious stuff out of the way, I have a story that I found funny. Be warned, I have a warped sense of humor, and so does the friend who told me this.
You've been warned...
My friend was going in for a serious surgery. We all anticipated a good outcome, which is exactly what we got. But on the day he left for the hospital he gave us a quick tour of where to find all the emergency contact, information, etc. Just in case anything went wrong. Not morbid, or scared, just practical.
He showed me a notebook that was carefully out of sight, and explained that his brother would know where to find it if he needed it. It contained passwords and so on, just like I've been talking about. Then he told me his brother also had the password to find and remove the "porn folder" from his computer.
I kind of shrugged, and allowed as how that was probably a good thing. Wouldn't want anyone stumbling on that thing accidentally.
My friend grinned, and started laughing. "Joke's on him," he said. "It doesn't exist. But it will make him crazy looking for it."