Sometimes I wonder, how many pairs of non-work related user id and password we have to memorize these days? I actually have to keep a record on paper and there are close to 45 pairs. In the order of importance, they are: [1] Essential accounts (14%) like the SingPass, [2] Web mail accounts (7%), [3] Gaming accounts (7%) – oh yes, online gaming ranks high in my life, [4] Shopping accounts (12%) like Amazon.com, [5] Utility accounts (17%) like the anti-virus site that asks for my account info oh so often, [6] Social accounts (38%) like YouTube, my favorite forums etc etc, [7] Misc accounts (5%) like those require you to create an account in order to submit a job application.
Seriously, Microsoft may be the evil one. But imagine the world with just one user id and password … the Microsoft Passport. (And no, my passwords are not all the same.)
For days, I have been wondering why the sign at the car park entrance says: season or hourly parking only. What else can that be? One day I turned to Cynthia as the car entered the car park for an answer. Within seconds, she answered: loading unloading? D’oh! At times I think my brain is hardwired in a certain way.
Talking about hard-wiring, since young I was taught how to subtract numbers in a certain way. For instance, to subtract 300 from 128, I would start from the right and work myself to the left. When I top up my cash card, I always round it up. An obsessive behavior of mine. I would stand in front of the ATM trying to work out what to key in for, say, S$78.53 left in my card. I would work from right to left (7, 4, 1, 2, 2) and then have a hard time reversing the order of the answer (S$221.47).
Then one day, I have decided to work from left to right. It works wonder and it is really not that hard. Now I can even work out how to top up 1,395,296,105.49 to 3 trillion without thinking (answer: 1,604,703,894.51). I wonder why I was not taught that way at school.
And one day, I turned to Cynthia and shared with her my “great discovery”. Her response was: all along that was the way I subtract!
Stupid I felt and in British English, the word “ass” means either a stupid person (informal) or a donkey (old use). I wonder if the words “dumb ass” was inspired by a donkey at all.
Categories: Snippet of My Life
Tags: 8 Comments
hahaha… the only thing that popped up in my mind is… Cyn is also a very clever girl (…. that doesn’t mean you are stupid geh… hehe…)!
Hahaha….I substract from left to right all along. It’s easier.
I do have so many passwords to remember too…sometimes I just forget. The only safest place to “Store” these passwords is in my brain cells but the storage space is really limited esp when I grow older :O …..
Having different passwords help to spread the risk in case you lose your ONLY password to identity thefts someday but again….sigh…
Wah thanks Lora for the vote of confidence
Actually, subtracting from left to right is what the professors taught me in university, since my major was Mathematics (kidding !).
But growing up with Rupiah as a currency helps, since the additions / subtractions involve large numbers & digits (as compared to dollars).
Lora – Uh-huh … so what are you saying again? (Ponders at the ceiling)
Tigerfish – You too also subtract that way?! What kind of school I was at?
Try writing them into a piece of paper. Then buy a safe box to lock them up. That way, you only get to remember the numeric combinations
Cynthia – I knew it that one day you will find use in the degree you are after. I wish I was one or capable to be one.
Bro – what I am saying is, BOTH my bro and sis-in-law are very intelligent people! I am always proud of you two! ^v^
Cyn – indeed you are!
btw, I still don’t know the subtraction from left to right… seems that the education in HK is to be blamed… haha…
Lora – Erm … I also don’t know. My “great discovery” is more for rounding up from left to right. Just do a 9 minus the digits and for the last one, do a 10 minus.