The Pith of the Matter: Word

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=word

“I know there's a proverb which that says 'To err is human,' but a human error is nothing to what a computer can do if it tries.”
― Agatha Christie, Hallowe'en Party

tags: computers, errors, technology

        OK am I the only one who has issues with passwords? YES I admit my memory is not what it use to be. BUT I have been informed that I should not write down my passwords?!? So then how the heck am I suppose to remember them? I cant use the same one for all the places I need to be on the internet, because it makes it too easy for my accounts to be hacked. What someone would want to hack my life for I don't know. Im poor, and there are many people out there with a far better credit rating than I have, and Im pretty sure most people would not enjoy my life as much as I do despite the short term memory issues; which probably adds to the enjoyment of my life now that I think of it. ;) Anywhoooo... Im suppose to have multiple passwords stored into my brain, and be able to retrieve them at any given notice. Insert maniacal laughter here.
          A couple of months ago I went to visit my son, and his wife, in New Mexico. I was still in school, and needed to bring my text books with me to do homework. I didn't even think about needing to access a computer; which I ended up needing to do not only for school, but for my email, and bank account; ALL of which I forgot the passwords to, and, of course, didn't bring anything written to remind me. Because what if someone stole my purse in the air port...which actually never happens anymore since they have gone into lock down.
         So I phone home and ask my youngest son to look through the multitude of sticky notes I keep plastered all around my desk hopeing that maybe he would find something...he did...(after letting me know that this process of mine was totally unacceptable, nothing like getting disciplined by your youngest son to humble you.) What he found was about 4000 post its for yahoo, the bank, and school..because every time I forget what my password is, and change it, neglecting to throw away the old sticky note, or date the new one. So none of these sites recognized me because not only was I was logging in from a different computer, but I was using the wrong passwords. Needless to say they thought I was hacking my accounts...sigh.
         So I changed all the passwords again.  Just randomly writing them down on a page of my math notebook. All was well until I got home. (That plane ride was long! Don't judge me...) Then I couldn't remember which password went to which account....I couldn't log in...again... and when "they" asked for the security questions I couldn't remember those either.   ERGH!!! The scream of frustration could be heard across Florida, and was deeply felt by all persons my age also dealing with middle aged memory reduction. (YES Im still technically middle aged...look it up; Im just at the tail end of middle aged.)
          So I did some investigating and found what I needed to do first was get a four digit number from Yahoo that "they" gave out after I failed to log on. (accessing yahoo would allow me to get new passwords sent to my mail box so I could get into my other accounts.) This number by the way needed to be used with in a certain time frame...so I ended up doing this process twice. (Because when you are dealing with short term memory loss you are easily diverted and distracted.)
          When I finally reached yahoo the nice little girl on the other end of the line notified me that she was going to ask me some of the security questions on my yahoo account. She would ask three questions, I could only fail twice, then there was nothing she could do. I tried to explain to ther that I couldn't remember any of those questions, AND get this, even the questions she asked, and I answered correctly wernt right? Where was your mother born? I KNEW THAT but it wasn't the right answer!?! WTF!?!   SO I started throwing out other answers foolishly thinking that maybe I just gave some bizarre answer...it happens. TO make a long story short... nothing...no open account. (Another point of interest here. If you don't fill out the security question information, and personal information there is nothing they can do for you. You cant give answers to questions that you failed to answer in the first place....sigh....seriously.)
          So there is a yahoo account out there accumalateing about 100 pieces of mail a day with my name on it. Mostly junk so that's not too bad. I havnt been on the account since October...so...getting calculator hold on...so... approximately 90 days of unread mail times 100...yep 9000 pieces of mail unread...unopened...just sitting there. If it was paper mail there would be a huge over flowing pile at the post office gathering dust. I would be receiving nasty notes from the United Postal Service. I long for the good old days when I was a kid, and you maybe got one letter in the mail box, out by the curb, in front of your house, a month. Once a week if you were really popular or had a pin pal. Most of the mail was bills...now the mailbox has maybe three bills a day, and one Christmas card in December....sigh. No one harasses you if your mailbox over flows anymore. Just a polite sorry and try to remember the answers to your security questions and try again. Have a nice day...click.  I feel old.... (stupid yahoo)
           So to make along story short I opened a new account on yahoo. AND screw the over protective nay sayer's who have told me not to write down my passwords. I have now written all my paswords down in a nice little notebokk that has a....never mind...theyre just written down...and not at all right out in the open of my office.   Here are a few sites to inform us all on how to create and remember secure passwords and ways you can remember them. Hope my experience has been helpful to you.
Peace out
Namaste
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Password-You-Can-Remember
http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-a-Secure-Password
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/tips-for-creating-a-strong-password

“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
― Apple Inc.