Serious Crisis: My motherboard died!

Today was not a good day! I woke up ready to work and found my computer completely dead...like only the fan turns on, nothing shows on the screen dead! With the final draft of my paper, which is due tomorrow, not backed up (I keep meaning to update my external hard drive but have been too busy) and HOURS of research saved on my computer, I was freaking out...just about to have both a nervous breakdown and heart attack but then Nicole (IT at CTS) saved the day! While she officially declared my computer dead, citing the motherboard as the issue, she was able to retrieve everything off my hard drive-phew, nervous breakdown adverted! And, she was kind enough to let me take a loaner home while I work on getting a new computer. Mary has also been very gracious letting me use her computer all day...I never fully realized how much I depend on my laptop until 12 hours ago. Lesson learned, back up regularly, especially with so many papers due!