I woke up yesterday morning with the idea of making some headway on a project, but instead I got nothing done for a good half hour.

Why?

Because my computer couldn’t connect to the internet.

I first tried renewing its DHCP lease, but no go. Then I tried connecting to WiFi on the off chance that that would work. Also no go.

That’s when I remembered that we were due to have our internet access upgraded, which apparently involved an excruciatingly long period of no access.

So I ended up using 3G on my phone instead. I drew the line at tweeting much, but I was able to get the basics done, like checking email and writing a blog post.

Why am I telling you all this? It’s to illustrate that life doesn’t always go as planned. There are everything from minor hiccups like no internet access, to major issues to contend with as we go through life.

That’s just how life is — less than 100% perfect — so why not admit that up front and plan ahead?

When you have a backup plan or three, you’re in a much better position.

With some money set aside, a flat tire is an annoyance that takes a little time out of your day. Without that money, a flat tire is a disaster or a big setback.

With insurance, a medical issue means you can concentrate on getting well. Without it, your finances and life are filled with even more stress and worry.

Backup plans can be powerful. And if anything, backup plans seem to have a way of helping to keep Murphy at bay. Or maybe it just seems that way when things that used to be major problems are transformed into minor inconveniences.