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.
8 replies on “Snippet Of My Life Episode 7 – Numbers”
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.