Smudger Snippets: Numbers
Created | Updated Aug 29, 2010
I suppose it's because I have so much time on my hands these days, that all these memories come flooding back to me.
Numbers
I was trying to log into one of my favourite sites using my desktop computer, which we recently upgraded to Windows 7, and I just could not figure out what was going on, as I could not sign in at all! As you know, we all get signed into our favourite sites automatically while using our own computers, as we set our computers to remember them for us, yet when we use a different one, we have to type in the details ourselves.
It was while I was trying to sign in manually that I realised something was wrong, as no matter how many times I typed that information in, I simply could not get in. Then it dawned on me, after spending what seemed like ages, that I had forgotten to put the full stop after my user name. That had been added to my details by the site administrator some time ago, when I was having problems logging into the same site. I found it amazing just how one little dot like that could stop you in your tracks, while you are trying to do the simplest of tasks.
When you come to think of it, we have to remember quite a lot of numbers and user names in today's modern living. We have credit card numbers as well as the PINs that go along with them. Then we have our bank card number that we need when using an ATM, and on top of that we have our home telephone and mobile phone numbers to remember as well. Even the radios in some of our cars have a security pin code number that we have to punch in, if we have activated the security alarm, while leaving the car parked for some time in a strange area.
With both of us being disabled, my wife and I have separate cards that we have to take to the post office to collect our benefits, and those cards also have identification numbers. In fact, I have to collect my wife's benefits as well, as she is basically housebound these days. It was while using her card one day, when I went up to the counter after waiting in the queue, and inserted the card into the machine, when all of a sudden my mind went totally blank! I just could not remember her PIN, no matter how hard I tried.
It was so embarrassing, as I removed the card and stepped aside, to allow the next customer in the queue to be served. Luckily I had my mobile phone with me, as I always carry that when I am out of the house, so that my wife and I can keep in touch, as with her disability she is vulnerable when she is alone. Yet I knew as I dialled the number that she would not know her PIN either, as she has never collected her own benefits from the post office. So it was no surprise when she answered the phone and told me she didn't know it, and then went on to ridicule me for not knowing it myself. When I got back home a few minutes later, she went on to have another go at me, as if I wasn't embarrassed enough already.
It was just as well that I had written down all the numbers we need, way back when they first gave us those cards. What I actually did was to write them all in a row, with no spaces so that even if someone got to them, it would not mean anything to them. It had every number we needed between us for everything, from our mobile phone numbers to our bank PINs as well as our benefit card numbers. I remember my wife saying at the time that we shouldn't write them down at all, but on reflection it's just as well I did.
So it was not that long before I was back at the post office counter, and punching in the required numbers. It was just as well that I was well acquainted with the person behind the counter, as that took away most of my embarrassment. Now if that wasn't bad enough, we now have to use numbers during peak times to watch films on our television, as part of the kids protection scheme with our new SKY TV package, and to make thing worse, we have two SKY boxes as my wife needs her own one in the bedroom. Just another two numbers to try and remember along with all the rest, eh?
