How Many Passwords Are Too Many? Vol. 1
The other day I couldn't remember a password or was it the login, maybe it was both. Could it have been my PIN that was missing? This bothered me. I started to worry, was this a sign of Alzheimer's setting in? The more I worried, the more times I had to re-enter another guess at something. I know the security is for my own good; you know to keep anyone from messing with my accounts on my computer.
My accounts are so pathetic it would take a fool to mess with them. That could be part of the problem. I must be that fool, because I do have to mess with them, pretty much daily. I HAVE to know all those logins, passwords and PINS.
In desperation I decided to organize only my current logins, passwords and PINS. It won't take that long if I make a list. I list started with...
BANKS: 2 personal bank accounts, mortgage account, 401K account, and 2 separate businesses bank accounts, a business loan account, my 89 year old mother's bank accounts.
Six so far, two or three security items each.. about 14 +/- 1 or 2
WORK: point of sales, internet sales program, bookkeeping, and payroll accounts. Each computer uses its very own login and password and requires that the passwords be changed every 90 days. The online accounts with our vendors are all different but if you want technical details, you better LOGIN. How many more LPPs is that?
CREDIT CARDS: 2 are mine; mom = 1, hubs = 2, company cards 2 plus 3 employee cards = 12 more LPPs.
TAXES: 5 entities. Basic annual taxes, employment taxes, sales taxes for states. All require fillings and payments be electronically. That includes monthly filing, quarterly filing and annual filing. Each also requires EF transfers for funds. = 21 separate LPPs to add to the complexity of life, most of the PINs are random items assigned by the other end.
DEBIT CARDS: More randomness I did not choose. I had accepted the bank's offer. It would be handy for emergency use, like being stranded in the middle of the desert or something. Not for easy access to forgetfully overdraw my bank.
But my bank also requires me to use it monthly or the dang card is cancelled. I found out the hard way when it actually was an emergency and I REALLY needed to use it. Even though I had resorted to having the PIN tattooed on my arm just in case, it didn't work.
The situation required a phone call, at which point I was to push a hundred buttons, hope and pray I am now waiting in the proper hold queue.
The lousy hold music is constantly interrupted by messages, 'Do you I know that you can log in and get the information on line?" Every time a person's voice interrupts I quickly respond with, "Oh hi, can you help me retrieve my login, password and pin?" before I discover it is the same deaf lady. To make matters worse, they alternate between a man's message and a woman's. If it weren't for the interruptions I could actually get some work done while the hold music drones on. It makes me loose focus on what work I could be doing if they were not bombarding me every few seconds with the question, "Did you know you can get all this information on line at www.ourownpersonalwebsite.com?" How could they not know that. Do they not see I am waiting for the login help line?
Sometimes the hold is so long, I miss coffee breaks, bathroom breaks, lunch and dinner. If I needed an urgent trip to the hospital to birth a baby, I would not hang up. I can't lose my place in the hold queue. It would push me over the edge to start all over again tomorrow.
I quit counting while on hold but I think it is around 48, but I am not done.
Really I am trying to redo and update them all in a system I can use when I need it.
I will do that soon, but for now; hang on, wait a sec..
"Oh hi, can you help mee...." Oh CRAP.
I'm
still on hold!
Now, where was I..?
Shez
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