Technology

October 3, 2026 By yclmanager5 1 Comment

Password Protection

Confession is good for the soul, they say. So here goes…

Not long ago, I tried to log onto my 2 laptops and kept getting the “Invalid password” message. I type that password twice every morning. Pre-coffee! Of course, I knew what it was. I tried rebooting. I tried CAPS ON and caps off. I called my IT support who was going to come with his reset software.

I finally quieted down enough to try the password on auto-pilot as I usually do. Oh… yeah… there are 2 more digits to it.

Later in the week, my sister wiped her iPhone clean because she got confused about her phone password. She never turns off the phone therefore she never uses that password.

I use a password protector software but I had left my Windows password out of it. My sister uses a password storage software but it doesn’t have online access, only phone access.

Confession over. Let’s talk about how you can prevent either of these scenarios happening to you.

You ABSOLUTELY can not use the same password for multiple accounts! This is a serious problem. Please! It’s worth the effort to make your data safer. A data breach at Dropbox was just to gather emails and passwords, not for info in stored files. The hackers take the passwords, try them at banks, PayPal, Google, etc. to get access to your accounts.

Option 1 – I strongly recommend this!

Use LastPass.com to record and input passwords. Last Pass will create complicated passwords for you or you can make up your own. (See Option 2!) LastPass will fill in the user name and password for you on website logins. You can see the list from your computer, your tablet, your phone. You can access it online. You can store other info like social security numbers, spouse’s auto license plate number. I will help you set it up if you need some assistance. Basic service is free. Premium is only $30 a year. Using LastPass on your tablet or phone does make it easier to access sites from those small screens. And if the phone is locked up, you can access the password list from your computer.

Could online storage be hacked? Yes. A meteor could fall from the sky and land on your head. You could win the lottery. Similar odds so don’t use this excuse.

Option 2

Create a series / pattern you can remember but changes with each account. Should be at least 10 characters including a capital letter, a number and a special character.

Example: Series is 125chAracters3434$% (3rd character is always capitalized)

Then for your Google account the password is 12goOgl3434$%

for Southwest Airlines the password is 12soUth3434$%

for Yelp the password is 12yeLp3434$%

You can remember the series. Each password is different so that if a hacker gets the Google password they can’t access Yelp.

You could have a series for bank and financial accounts. Another for business accounts. Another for personal accounts. Or you can use one series for everything.

This is IMPORTANT! Call me if you have questions or need help getting set up.

September 28, 2026 By yclmanager5 Leave a Comment

Prevent Eye Strain While Working

There are some simple tips to help prevent eye strain while you’re at your computer.

Change the brightness of your monitor screen to match the light level of your room. EX: If you’re working with the lights off in the office, dim the screen. Or the reverse, brighten the screen when the sun is shining in the windows and adding to the florescent lighting.
Adjust the monitor and/or your chair until your eye level aligns with the top of the monitor. We naturally look downward by about 10-15 degrees. Next best option: Align so you are looking at the center of your monitor. Do NOT look up at your monitor! That’s bad for your eyes and your neck.
Increase the font size of your Windows displays and of your software programs. Use at least a 12 point font. You can even use a larger font later in the day to help with eye strain.
Be wary of the colorful background designs offered by Windows, Firefox and other software manufacturers. Yes, they are entertaining but they are harder on your eyes than a simple design where the contrast between the background color and the font is greater.
Take frequent breaks. No, not to play solitaire! Blink your eyes. Look out the window, across the room, somewhere in the distance. Do a couple of easy stretches sitting in your chair or standing at your desk. Close your eyes and take some deep breathes.

September 11, 2026 By yclmanager5

How Can Cloud Services Protect Stored Data?

Cloud services have become an integral part of our daily lives, catering to various needs such as storage, computing resources, and application hosting. With the increasing amount of data being generated and stored in the cloud, data security has become a major concern for both individuals and businesses. In this document, we will discuss how cloud services protect stored data and provide a comprehensive understanding of the measures taken to ensure the security of our valuable information.

Read the details on Social Media Explorer.

August 7, 2026 By yclmanager5

Back Up Your Files NOW!

Here’s the rule of thumb for when and where to back up data.

group of electronic devices

The more important the information

The more often you should back up and

The more distant those back up files should be.

I back up my QuickBooks data every time I do a lot of input. I don’t want to re-build or re-do a lot of entries. So the time it takes to do the back up is a savings compared to the frustration and time required to re-do the work.

If YCL does more than 1 hour of input on a website, we back up the site immediately. No need to risk losing that work!

Really important information like a password list, payroll records, client info, photos of grandchildren, etc. should be in 2 or 3 different places. Maybe a copy on a thumb drive in your office. A copy on Dropbox. A copy on iDrive.

If the thumb drive gets corrupted, you can pull from Dropbox or iDrive. If Dropbox crashes, you can pull from the thumb drive or iDrive.

Yes, even files stored on the cloud should have back ups!

Case in point, I store all of my passwords with LastPass. It’s a great software that I’ve recommended to many of you. One time a few years ago CenturyLink had a nation-wide system disruption that affected the LastPass servers. I couldn’t log in!! The info was still there but I couldn’t get to it. Now I am exporting the passwords once a month and storing them in Dropbox.

I highly recommend that at least one of your back ups be automated. Sync everything with Dropbox. Use iDrive. Buy an external hard drive with back up software. Automating the process will save you time and give you protection even on those super busy days where little tasks get missed.

Don’t wait for a disaster to happen. Plan and implement your system now for peace of mind. Call me if you need assistance making an action plan!

August 5, 2026 By yclmanager5

Should I Respond to Update Messages?

Maybe. If the update notice is from a reputable company like Adobe Reader, Java, QuickBooks, etc., yes, do the update. They are fixing bugs, updating security and improving the software.

If you don’t recognize the name of the software, do NOT respond or update. Call Your Computer Lady or your hardware tech to ask first.

Best option: Take a screen shot of the message and email it to your adviser. That will give us all the details we need to give you a good answer.

How do I make a screen shot?

On your keyboard, there is a key titled “Print Screen.” Press that key while the message is on your screen. Now open a Word doc. Right click on your mouse to get a pop up menu and choose “Paste.” This will paste the screen shot into Word. Save the document. Email it to YCL or your IT tech.

July 8, 2026 By yclmanager5

Caution: SmartPhones May Be Hazardous to Your Health

cell phone Smartphone use isn’t formally recognized as an addiction – yet. But we have all caught ourselves in addictive behavior. Not long ago, I headed to my bank which is a mere 3 miles from my house. About halfway there I realized I had forgotten my phone. I started to turn around to go get it! REALLY?!?! I used to make cross-country trips without a phone. Now I can’t drive 3 miles to the bank? In town on a sunny day?

The addiction is bad enough in adults but children, teens and young adults are even more susceptible as they have grown up with a phone in their hands.

Why is it hazardous?

Constant notifications and activity interfere with concentration.
People become less social when they focus on their phone instead of the people around them. Technology can never replace a friendly face and a smile.
Children and young adults are particularly damaged as they are still developing social skills and miss experiences that help them grow.
Scrolling through news feeds can be huge time sucks lowering productivity, happiness and even the amount of sleep you get.
We literally get a hit of happy hormones (dopamine) from some phone activity. We are training ourselves to want more and more.
Multiple studies have shown increases in depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are directly related to phone usage time.
Even communities, cities and social groups lose opportunities when people sit in public spaces using their phones instead of interacting with others.

How do you disconnect?

No, don’t throw away the phone! Small adjustments in your behaviors can have big results. Our lives will become more and more connected to our phones with SmartOvens, Informed Mail Delivery, integrated calendars, etc. etc. etc. So there is no better time than TODAY to start intentionally disconnecting from your phone.

Research recommends these actions:

Notifications

Set notifications from social media platforms, your emails, services to come in a one time once a day instead of separate notifications from each one at each little action. (This will also make you more productive as you get into “email mode” and answer several emails at once.) Not having all those dings and blips on your screen will also lower your stress level.

Hide your social media and email apps

Drag the icons for your social media platforms, email apps, service providers to your 2^nd or 3^rd screen so you don’t see them all the time. You can even put them into a “Once A Day” folder. Or delete the apps from your phone completely and only access the apps from your laptop.

Hide the phone

There really is some truth in “out of sight, out of mind.” During meals, put everyone’s cell phones in another room. In the office, put the phone behind you and on silent for a set period of time to let you focus on a project.

Make access a little inconvenient

Don’t use biometrics or Facebook ID or other shortcuts for logging in. Make logging in a little bit harder to give yourself time to think “Do I really need to do this right now?” Science shows this small pause reduces phone and app usage!

Gray your screen

We are attracted to colors and images. Set a time – maybe 2 hours behind bedtime – to gray out your screen. It will reduce usage. It will reduce anxiety by making the screen less attractive therefore easier to turn off.

Make a list of tasks or set time limits

Before you pick up the phone, make a list of the tasks you need to do. Don’t just pick it up and “walkabout!” Mindless wondering eats up a lot of time. Setting time limits will also help you focus on what you need to do.

Your support team from Building Bridges Business Solutions and Your Computer Lady want you to be happy, healthy and productive with all of your technology! Call us if you need further assistance!

: (602) 604-5000

: (480) 929-0335

November 23, 2025 By yclmanager5

The Importance of Passwords

I’m back on my soapbox to encourage you to use good, strong passwords. Check out this list of the most common passwords and how long it takes hackers to break them.

Top 200 most common passwords

Now go change your password!!

October 15, 2025 By yclmanager5

How and When To Back Up Your Data

Simply put, the more important the data

the more often you should back up

the more back up copies you should have.

EXAMPLES:

Pictures of my daily Wordle results

Back up once a quarter

One copy on a thumb drive is enough.

QuickBooks back ups for my company

Back up every 2 times I close the program

Keep a copy on my external hard drive and a copy on Dropbox

Payroll records

Back up after each payroll period

Keep a copy on my external hard drive and a copy on Dropbox

Not only can your hard drive go bad, your external hard drive, thumb drive or DVD can also go bad. So important data needs to be backed up in multiple places. For years, when the standard back up method was to a DVD, I kept one copy in my office and another copy in the trunk of my car. I figured the office and the car wouldn’t be destroyed at the same time!!

Now with online options, it’s even easier.

Thumb Drive

Large thumb drives allow you to back up all of your files or a major project quickly. The process is manual which means you have to discipline yourself to do the back ups.

External Hard Drive

BBBS can assist you with purchasing and configuring an external hard drive that sits in your office and automatically backs up your entire hard drive. If the computer hard drive goes, you can download everything you need from the external hard drive.

Online Back Up Services

There are multiple options for you. BBBS can assist you in choosing the best service and help you configure the settings.

One Drive is part of your Microsoft 365 account.
Drive is part of your Google account.
Dropbox is my favorite but there are many Software-As-A-Service (Saas) companies.

How To Determine And Adapt To Your Customers’ Communications Preferences

As you begin implementing your marketing plans, one big consideration should be “How do my clients WANT me to communicate?” If a prospect contacts you via Facebook then it’s reasonable to assume they want a Facebook response. Don’t demand that they call you because you like talking on the phone better. Start with “They’re a FB person” and respond. Then you can move them to a phone call or in person meeting as needed. First you want to meet them where they are. One client I work with never responds to an email no matter how urgent the subject. But they answer to every call. So why frustrate both of us by sending emails? I’m not a big text person. When I have a client who is, I respond by text then forward their text and my answer to my email so I have the continuity that I like. But I don’t expect them to change to fit my preferences!! Communication is definitely a case where the client is always right. Here are some more suggestions.

July 16, 2025 By yclmanager5

Clean House!

Get rid of your old electronics and eliminate some clutter.

Decluttr.com	Phones, gaming consoles, video games, tablets, Apple and Samsung wearables, MacBooks, CDs, DVDs
Gazelle.com	Phones, tablets, iPods, Apple computers
Walmart.com	Phones, tablets, all types eReaders, gaming consoles, smart speakers, MP3 players

Visit their websites for details or call for assistance.

Donate

CellPhonesForSoldiers.com – accepts all types of cell phones and accessories, tablets, MP3 players. You can also buy pre-paid minutes for active and recently returned service members.

Too old for re-use

Staples.com will take any electronic and recycle

AZStRUT.org (Mesa) will take any electronics, accessories, cables, etc. etc. They re-use what they can and recycle the rest.