Passwords

Ever since we bought our first Gateway computer in 1998, I have fought with passwords; they have been the bane of my existence.  How on earth, I thought, is someone supposed to keep track of all those passwords on all those websites?  I'd keep a notebook beside the computer and write them all down.  Then I'd lose the notebook, or a page from a notebook, and have to make a new password to write down.  Although I knew you are supposed to use a different password for every site, but I ignored that advice and used something I might remember on several websites; that way I could remember it without having to look it up.

If only I had used Google twenty-five years ago and searched something like, "I keep losing my passwords".  About six months ago, I learned that all my passwords were stored within the browser of my computer.  I imagine most of you have known this for years, but not this dummy!  I don't even know how I found this out, but somehow I stumbled onto it and wondered why I didn't at least ask someone knowledgeable.

Well, there is a simple answer:  I was embarrassed by my ignorance.  My "someone knowledgeable" would be my daughter, Rachel.  In the beginning I was asking her questions all the time, and she'd show me what to do.  But she has a busy life and a job that includes working on a computer all day, and I felt bad using up her spare time so often.  I decided to live in ignorance and hope my computer didn't explode.  She had never complained, at least to me.  I just felt bad about bothering her when she worked so hard.

Fast-forward twenty-three years.  However it happened, I found out if I clicked on the word "Chrome" at the top of my Chrome browser, then clicked on "preferences", I only had to type in my computer password and it showed me all my passwords, even on sites I hadn't used in years.  What a life-changer!  I still had an occasional problem, though.  

I use two different browsers:  Chrome used to be my browser of choice, but after I went to the dark side (Apple) I decided to use Safari, the browser that comes with a Mac.  However, there seemed to be some things that just worked better on Chrome, so I installed it too, and now I switch back and forth a lot.  Here's another thing I recently figured out:  If you change a password on Safari, that does not change the same password on Google Chrome.  You have to go find your password on Safari and copy-and-paste it to Chrome preferences.  I figured that out all by myself, and felt like I had discovered gold.

You see, when I learned that my browser saves the passwords for me, I began using the "safe" passwords that are a mile long with letters, numbers, one capital letter, etc., so I'm less likely to have my computer hacked.  I don't have to type them out and save them on paper.  

If you are wondering why I use two browsers, it's mainly because of blogs... the ones I read and also my own blog.  Google owns the Chrome Browser; Blogger is also a Google product.  Chrome has many features on blogs that don't even show up on Safari.  If I'm reading other people's blogs, half the time I can't comment unless I'm on Chrome; I can't tell you how often I type in a two-paragraph comment when I'm using Safari, try to post it, and it won't post.  On Chrome, that has never happened.  Live and learn.

On the bright side, I'll be seventy-seven years old in July, and I'm still learning new things.

How I spent Easter

There was no big Easter dinner at our house.  I made chili Saturday and we had enough left over for Sunday; not a traditional Easter dinner, for sure, but at least I didn't feel overstuffed and tired when all was said and done.  No children were here to hunt eggs; grandchildren and their families had other plans, and our daughter and her husband did their own thing like we did.

But I had a great Easter!  The Baptist Church I attend always goes to the Corps of Engineers park, next to the Missouri River, for a sunrise service.  So I left Cliff in bed and the preacher's wife picked me up.  I'm about halfway between their house and the park, so it was on their way.  The morning was cool, but not bad, especially after the sun got high enough to warm us up.  

 

The park is right beside a railroad track, the same one that runs along the back of our property.  We had one train go rumbling past during the service, which stopped us for awhile; it was a long train!  Another passed by as we finished up.  

I was dropped off at home, where I spent an hour or so with Cliff before he took me to town to the Methodist church; when those services were over, I walked three blocks to the Baptist Church.  Cliff and Gabe picked me up there  at 11:30 and we went back home.   I am a loner, but I do like being around some real people every once in awhile; and both small churches are attended by some very nice folks.

Yesterday we went to pick up our grandson and his girl friend at the airport.  They had gone to Georgia for Easter weekend to visit his dad (our son).  

I finally got over myself for fretting over money I don't even feel I should be receiving (and yet covet earnestly).  I am more fragile of spirit these days than I used to be, and I let myself get downhearted at the silliest things.  The shut-down we've had, the never knowing what's really going to happen with this terrible virus, have contributed to some of my current negativity.  I'm sure I'm not the only one.  Oh, and the political climate of the past year didn't help.  

I think perhaps we've come to a "new normal".  If so, I had better learn to adapt.  I'll survive a while longer, as long as my two churches don't close their doors again.

"We're all just walking each other home."  That's a quote by Ram Dass, and I love the picture those words paint.  I think of the blogs I read:  The joys, the pains, the routines, the lives shared.  Truly, we are walking home together as we share pieces of our lives with one another.