Plagued With Password Problems

You know how some people have Good Hair Days and Bad Hair Days?  For me they are all the same--Ponytail Days.  My Tech Days; however, are a horse of a different color. Some of my Tech Days are better than others. Unfortunately, the  better Tech Days seem to be far and few between.  Take today for instance...

After coming off a weekend where I found my old laptop has nothing but a black screen, and my new laptop locked up tighter than Fort Knox--and it insisted my password was incorrect (even though I have a hint reminding me what password I used), I found my work computer would not accept my PIV password, and therefore, would not let me do my job.  I knew I would have to change my program password today.  It's a different password--this one expires every 90 days--the PIV password is supposed to be good for my VA lifetime, like my eSignature code.   Evidentially the computer from hades does not recognize the difference between my "good for life" PIV password and my "expires every 90-days" program password.  The electronic abomination aka my work computer reminded me daily, for the past 14 days, that my program password would soon expire.  It even had the gall to ask me if I'd "like to change it now?"  I refused on principle--if it's good for 90 days, don't ask me to give up two weeks.  The computer requests to change my password early reminds me of magazine and membership renewal notices that start coming 6-months before they are due.  I once paid one early and lost 5-months because the next renewal also came early. 

Anyway, I knew this was D-day.  The time had finally arrived to do the Password Shuffle.  I came to work armed with a new, easy to remember password. Only the computer wouldn't let me get to the page where I could change the password.  Arghhh! 

On a day when I'm only working 3 hours any way (regularly scheduled doctors appointment followed by a regularly scheduled iron infusion.). And we are still down two PCCs--but the Float worked overtime so there was only one missing slot today. No problem. I can do eight hours worth of work for my Ward and part of the ICU in less than 3 hours. But it quickly became a problem when couldn't access my work computer.  

I called my ADPAC and she hiked across the parking lot and assessed the situation as I told her I had already turned the computer off and rebooted (their first-line response to every problem).  We ended up calling the National Computer Hotline. I started out as #39 in line.  

As I waited for my turn,  I decided to check my TSP balance on my iPhone. 

Guess what? I'm now locked out of that account as well. 

I finally got into my work computer. We found that the multiple-drive migration that was supposed to occur Saturday night, did in fact occur. We were both amazed. She left. I got logged in to the computer only to find I was now blocked from the program. In the past the new password was linked. Now it's not. I now get to log in with the new password, then use the old password to get into the program. Joy. I ended up not having anyone new in my part of the ICU and only 7 new admits to my Telemetry Ward, so I was able to throw together reasonable facsimiles of care plans for everyone before I left this morning.

It was hurried and not my best work. But at least I don't work at Baylor Scott & White--when I saw my Hematologist, and the girls in theTreatment  Room--they had horror stories of  their own system-wide computer crash this morning.  Suddenly life with the VA computers is not so bad.

I think the only electronic left I can possibly get myself locked out of is my iPad. 

But then I remember my SUV has electronic doors.  

I'm hoping my lock-out problems confine themselves to electronics, because if I go old school--I could lose my key to my Post Office Box (darn!  No junk mail or bills); my Safety Deposit Box (for the second time--it takes a drill to break in and replace that lock--and quite a pricy service call); but the worst would be to lock myself out of my home--while Bandit ransacked my garbage can. Again.

All-in-all my Ponytail day was manageable--although I still haven't checked my TSP status.  But I'd like to not have another Tech Day like today--or else I'll need a Do-Over Tech Day.  

PS--appropriately the song playing right now is "Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This."