Password

[poliphilo]

I didn't like it when LJ told us to lose our old passwords and replace them with meaningless, unmemorable combinations of letters and numbers. I fixed on a formula (it has a key) and wrote it down and promptly lost the piece of paper. Oh, well, I thought, I'm permanently logged in so I'll never actually need the damn thing anyway. But- of course- the time came and with it the judgement and I was asked for my password and didn't know it, but- did I panic? No, I went and fetched the book that holds the key and retraced the steps by which I'd devised the password in the first place and- bingo- worked it out at the first attempt.

I'm so pleased with myself. Fetch me a crown of tinsel and holly. I am the Conquistador of cryptograms. The Caesar of seasonal smugness.

Comments

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

The Caesar of seasonal smugness

This is now my favourite phrase of the day. Probably of the week.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I nearly left it out; I thought it was maybe too far-fetched.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Oh, no - it's fabulous. In fact, I think you should temporarily make it the title of your livejournal, just for the festive season (and / or until 'Rome' is over).

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You know what- I think I'll take you up on that....

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you did--I think it's great, too!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks...

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Hee, great stuff!

[airstrip.livejournal.com]

Careful, lest you be stabbed.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yon Cassius hath a lean and hungry look...

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I bow to you, a deep bow.

LJ did this to me, too. I think I remember my password, but I have a notebook (somewhere)--

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I suppose they meant well, but I think my original password was far-out enough to foil all but the most determined hacker.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to figure out what an LJ hacker would do--write about his day and call it yours? Add zany friends to your friends list? De-friend people or write nasty comments?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

All of those things I suppose. I believe it has been known to happen.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Then I'm glad I changed my password.

I used to be in a popular online newsgroup that was, like many others, invaded from time to time by renegade trollers who wrote awful things and made personal comments--finally they drove me out of the newsgroup--that and increasing spam attacks.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm a member of the feminist community. It's very heavily policed- which irks me sometimes- but I understand why it's necessary.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I have ignored their repeated pleas to change my password because it's "too easy to guess". I defy them to guess it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Well done, you!

Stand firm!

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

See, you need to be more perverse like me. I simply ignored the message, and eventually, it went away - and I didn't have to change my password. There's a new one now, and I intend to ignore it as well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I gave in because they kept bugging me. I have no moral fibre.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's a good thing if it makes our journals harder to hack.

[ibid.livejournal.com]

I find merely by replacing l's with 1's it worked fine.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Smart move!

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

OH! I LOVE it when you crack your own little cyphers. When I was engaged to Magnus, I would write about my emotions in really bizarre and complicated code. Later, while on Saipan, I found the old journal and spent a good portion of a week working my way through the labyrinth. It was AMAZING. Our minds are such amazing things.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Tracking yourself, puzzling out how your own mind works (or worked), what sneaky tricks it's capable of- yes, cool!

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

I think every year, we should endeavor to come up with some elaborate code. Then we can put them together in a book and leave for future generations.

"This was your great aunt's mind, Little Drake, she wanted you to do her puzzles. There are all sorts of secrets hidden in this old house. Have fun!"