HTC Evo Shift out of control!

My HTC Evo Shift is only 4 months old and in good shape. I've had times where I would have to lock and unlock it to make it do what I wanted it to do, ie change screens, go home etc, but a lock and unlock has always fixed it. Now its opening apps on its own, thinking im hitting the screen repetitively and seems to have a fascination with my weather page. Hard reboots do nothing. Is there anyway to make my phone more "controllable?"

I'm at sea right now in the Navy, so no signal whatsoever this week. Nothing new added to it. I could do a factory reset, but I really don't want to lose my books and games etc while at sea.

I do shut down the screen before putting it in my pocket, but its going off in my hands as well. I can watch it start sifting through menus, rotating through screens etc. Sometimes it even starts my voice mail. I thought I may have a damaged screen somehow, but its not always like that. Other times, like now, it works perfectly fine.