For the twelfth time I see the message that has been taunting me.
Incorrect password.
I pulled an old laptop out of storage to see if it is still running. I’ll have need of it soon so I figured I’d make sure everything still runs and update any necessary software. It is running LinuxMint for the operating system and I was certain I knew the password to login.
Apparently, my memory is not as accurate as an elephant’s.
I went through all the various permutations I thought the password might be, changes in capitalization and rearranging the characters. Nothing worked.
This is where search engines are your friend. I found instructions for resetting my password from the command line, which in Linux is still powerful. It took a little finagling to get to the command line since I couldn’t log in but once there, changing my password was pretty straightforward.
Then came the updating. It’s been several years sine I last used this laptop so a lot of things were out of date. Running software updates is mainly a exercise in patience. It helps if you enjoy watching the little progress bar move along towards completion. Not that I particularly do, but at least it went all the way without hanging up. That’s always a blessing. Twenty minutes later, the system and installed software were up-to-date.
I took things for a test run, launching several apps and making sure they ran OK. Everything worked as expected.
With as much chaos as is going on in my life right now I’m very happy things went this way. There have been plenty of times in the past when that progress bar stopped in the middle and wouldn’t move forward. Or the app wouldn’t launch after a software update. Then it is a long time and much effort of trying to get the danged things working. There is still much to do and not much time to do it in.
Just a few more days ….
If you’d like to support my efforts, why not buy me a chocolate chip cookie through my Ko-Fi page? https://ko-fi.com/jhusum
Actually, I rather believe that old, unused passwords, like everything else in this universe, will mutate or decay when left unused too long. Unfortunately, I have been completely unable to set up controlled conditions to test this theory, or even attempt to refine the hypothesis.
But the only other thing I can think of to explain this phenomena is that I have an unknown, unseen adversary who follows me around doing random, mischievous acts such as resetting my old passwords.
But that just sounds silly.
Hmm. Old unused passwords mutating into something else. There’s a story in that.
As for the unknown, unseen adversary following you around causing mischief but you can’t prove it, the only thing I can say is ‘lack of evidence is proof that the conspiracy is working.’
Wait. I can see it now. You see a story in my idea. And you’ll write that story. It will do well. You’ll expand it to a novel, and it will be a huge bestseller. And you’ll write a whole series of novels. After working hard for over 40 years, you’ll become the latest overnite sensation, richer than George R.R. Martin and the Tolkien Estate combined!
And where will I be? It was all my idea, but you won’t say a word about it. I’ll just continue trudging along in impoverished anonymity. How can you sleep at night? [Oh, wait, I forgot. You aren’t sleeping at night. Sorry about that. Please disregard that last question. Hmmm, I need another dramatic, damning question]
How can you live with yourself? Curse you and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!