DATA DETAILS
Last night, while attending a “formal” affair downtown, I managed to get a bad case of “foot in mouth” disease. There we were, seated at a table for 8, with good folks that I have known for years, and I kept calling my friend by his wife’s name. Not that I called him Shirley or anything. His wife’s name could swing both ways, so to speak. As valiantly as I tried, I could not stop doing it. I kept correcting myself, and apologizing to my friend. Nevertheless, John is probably wondering today why I kept calling him Bobbi. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent).
What was the problem? Perhaps it was the din of the crowd. Among my plethora of phobias is claustrophobia, and I do have a degree of difficulty with large crowds. Or perhaps I have early onset Alzheimer’s, in which case get me the Aricept. Or maybe it was the 2 Martinis and subsequent wine that I guzzled (I mean sipped), which is my wife’s opinion. As for me, I think my mind is just too cluttered, and the synapses are starting to snap.
Do you ever think about all of the little data details one has to remember? The standard birthdays and anniversaries are just the beginning. Let’s look at some of the other things with which we have to clutter the desktops of our minds.
If you use an ATM, you need to remember your password, or no money will be coming out of the machine. There is your home telephone number, your office telephone number, your fax telephone number, and your cell phone number, plus those of your family and friends, now 10 digits. If you have an alarm system in your house, you have to remember the code to turn it on, and another code to turn it off, as well as the secret password to tell the alarm monitoring company should the alarm accidentally goes off. In addition, my office has an electronic locking system, and I have to remember the password to unlock my door. Addresses are an entirely additional area. With our families and friends spread thither and yon, how many zip codes, now 9 digits, for how many cities do you know?
I balance my checkbook twice each week to make sure I have allowed for the numerous automatic withdrawals from the account. I have memorized the bank 800 telephone number, and I have memorized both of my checking account numbers. With ID theft on the rise, we probably have all memorized our Social Security numbers.
Computers have given us a whole new set of things we have to remember. Some computers require a pass code to simply log on. We have to remember our ISP (Internet Service Provider) name and password, sometimes several if we utilize more than on ISP. I have to remember the password for my office wireless internet network. There are email addresses for us and our friends. All of our programs, such as Window’s Office, have to be registered, and we are given passwords and codes to enter the support site. Then there our E-bay codes, our Google codes, blogger codes, Pay Pal codes, bank and credit card website codes, and my brokerage firm’s code. There is my Hewlett Packard code so I can buy expensive ink. My Home Shopping Network code, my QVC code, my Amtrak code, etc., etc., etc. And let’s not forget my Naptster code so I can get my tunes. All of the above requiring both a name and a password.
Now that I think about it. John is lucky that I called him Bobbi. I could have called him Amscray25887. Oops. There goes one of my names and passwords. I guess now I have to go online and change it, if I can remember my sign in code. BTW, does anyone know the password and code number to get into heaven? Here’s your hint: what is your mother’s maiden name?
What was the problem? Perhaps it was the din of the crowd. Among my plethora of phobias is claustrophobia, and I do have a degree of difficulty with large crowds. Or perhaps I have early onset Alzheimer’s, in which case get me the Aricept. Or maybe it was the 2 Martinis and subsequent wine that I guzzled (I mean sipped), which is my wife’s opinion. As for me, I think my mind is just too cluttered, and the synapses are starting to snap.
Do you ever think about all of the little data details one has to remember? The standard birthdays and anniversaries are just the beginning. Let’s look at some of the other things with which we have to clutter the desktops of our minds.
If you use an ATM, you need to remember your password, or no money will be coming out of the machine. There is your home telephone number, your office telephone number, your fax telephone number, and your cell phone number, plus those of your family and friends, now 10 digits. If you have an alarm system in your house, you have to remember the code to turn it on, and another code to turn it off, as well as the secret password to tell the alarm monitoring company should the alarm accidentally goes off. In addition, my office has an electronic locking system, and I have to remember the password to unlock my door. Addresses are an entirely additional area. With our families and friends spread thither and yon, how many zip codes, now 9 digits, for how many cities do you know?
I balance my checkbook twice each week to make sure I have allowed for the numerous automatic withdrawals from the account. I have memorized the bank 800 telephone number, and I have memorized both of my checking account numbers. With ID theft on the rise, we probably have all memorized our Social Security numbers.
Computers have given us a whole new set of things we have to remember. Some computers require a pass code to simply log on. We have to remember our ISP (Internet Service Provider) name and password, sometimes several if we utilize more than on ISP. I have to remember the password for my office wireless internet network. There are email addresses for us and our friends. All of our programs, such as Window’s Office, have to be registered, and we are given passwords and codes to enter the support site. Then there our E-bay codes, our Google codes, blogger codes, Pay Pal codes, bank and credit card website codes, and my brokerage firm’s code. There is my Hewlett Packard code so I can buy expensive ink. My Home Shopping Network code, my QVC code, my Amtrak code, etc., etc., etc. And let’s not forget my Naptster code so I can get my tunes. All of the above requiring both a name and a password.
Now that I think about it. John is lucky that I called him Bobbi. I could have called him Amscray25887. Oops. There goes one of my names and passwords. I guess now I have to go online and change it, if I can remember my sign in code. BTW, does anyone know the password and code number to get into heaven? Here’s your hint: what is your mother’s maiden name?
Comments
I hope that is all I will have to remember in order to get into heaven. My mother's maiden name. Everything you wrote is true for many of us. Sometimes I just can't remember it all.........which is normal, I hope!
SK