how to retrieve unfinished "answers" that accidentally disappear?

To heaven w. all the lost socks.

Doubtful you’d be able to retreive it. That’s really frustrating. If you comment me the specifics of what happened and I can try and make sure it won’t happen again.

when in doubt, copy your answer before doing anything else. Sorry that happened.

I notice that when, occasionally, I try to correct the Live Preview text instead of in the Answer box, my answer also flies away.

I’ve noticed sometimes my second draft is better, but not usually! It’s just like those times when you wake up in the night, and a poem or song flows into being from your thoughts and mood, but you’re too lazy to get up and write it down so all effort disappears with the morning light. Don’t hold on! Let it go! Don’t hit enter before the answer box is clicked.

@joli: ”...the answer box is clicked?” I’m confused as to what you mean…

“Check your work, then… Answer! If you hit enter or shift prior to finishing, sometimes your reply in process disappears. No way to retrieve.

It just happened again and sure enough, I was editing something for gailcalled about the unwanted suitor from her past, and accidentally tried to do so in the “live preview” box.
The end.

susanc: please try again. Your answers are wise and funny, and I DO need help. I just did the same thing when writing to Joli about HER unwanted suitor. But I took a deep breath and rewrote it..

This is troubling… and I’m very confused as to what is happening. Are you pressing “delete” and it goes back to the prior page? What browsers are you using?

Has anyone else had this problem?

Safari for me. Sometimes my brain is working too fast. Occasionaly when I try to edit, I put the cursor on the text that appears in the “Live Preview”” box w/o thinking. Whoosh…

It happens after I start to try to type. Occasionally

@gail: How do you mean “put the cursor on the text”? You accidentally click a link? You click the Live Preview text and then hit delete (this will take you back a page)?

If the latter is the case, and I think it may be, you can just click the forward button and your answer will re-appear.

When I want to edit, I put the cursor on the text that appears in “Live Preview” and start to type on the keyboard. I may hit “delete” but tend to use highlighting and retyping for small errors, but can’t remember. The whole answer disappears as does the fluther site. There is no return to the previous page. I am now scrupulously careful when I am conscious; so when answer does disappear, I am daydreaming and can’t remember the details. Could it be related to Mac OS X rather than browser.