The Slice: ‘Sameold’ passwords can truly add flair

Let me ask you something.

Do you take pride in coming up with computer passwords that are personally significant without being instantly hackable?

I do. Maybe that’s weird.

But a lot of us start the workday by signing on to a computer. And it just seems like it makes sense to have the password be something that fleetingly reminds you of a fond association.

Of course, I’m not talking about using anything obvious like names of family members or unscrambled references to your alma mater.

Here’s an example of what I mean.

I’ve always liked the old movie, “Meet John Doe,” starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. In that film, there’s a scene at a newspaper where a column is referred to as “the same old cornball.”

I like that. So, for a while, “cornball” was part of one of my passwords. Then, when that was about to expire, I went with “sameold.”

Now there’s no reason that would be of any particular interest to you. But have you ever imagined thousands of computer users in our community all signing on and typing in passwords that are sort of a secret wink at themselves?

I have. Somehow it’s comforting to picture people starting their day by entering – along with a few security tweaks – the name of a favorite hiking trail, a truncated song title, the slightly misspelled name of a WWII fighter plane or admired fictional character, an obscure “Twilight Zone” reference or the date of a daughter’s first marathon.

These people’s jobs might be impersonal. They might have angry e-mails from the boss waiting for them.

Still, in the fast rattle of a few keystrokes, they get to quietly affirm their individuality.

“PoeOpePoe64” might not mean anything to most. But for the “Dr. Strangelove” fan logging on for another day at the office, it can be an agreeable little ritual. One that has something to do with purity of essence.

Today’s Slice question: Where does the weather rank in the list of the Top 10 things that determine your mood?