If I think about it, I’ve been “on the internet” for a very long time. Longer than some people have been alive. How weird is that?

I’ve always been involved in computers (it kinda runs in the blood) but I was only introduced to the big wide world of the world wide web back in 1994. Doesn’t seem that long ago until you realise that it’s 2015. That’s over 20 years, people. TWENTY YEARS.

So, not surprising that the email address that I have had for those 21 years (yes, the same online nickname as well) gets abused quite a lot as it’s been “around” on the web for a very long time. I used to get really angry, and a little anxious too, I must admit, when I found myself subscribed to things I most definitely did not sign up for. But as I’ve gotten older, wiser, more thoughtful and a hell of a lot more security conscious – I now PANIC for a few seconds and then relax and go change my password again.  This morning I found myself signed up for “milfaholics.com”  – yeah. So not my thing. *sigh* So I changed my password and went through all the fun that goes with it these days (resetting app passwords, re-entering passwords on my phone etc)

A few weeks ago I was signed up to “Golfing Now!”  – in California. Also, not my thing. I don’t golf. I hate golf. Most boring sport in the world. And a waste of space, too. But apparently someone signed me up. I did, however check that one thoroughly, as they required an email verification which somehow got sent to my email. The person who was actually WANTING to sign up had misspelled his own email address. Nothing I could do about it but block it and move on.  A few months before that, I was signed up for “vampirefreaks.com” – also, not me.

It gets a bit annoying, but that’s the price you pay for being around so long, I suppose. I am slowly weaning myself from all “excess” sites and applications (it began with deleting my Facebook account) and I’m making progress. But it’s at times like these that you understand just how _long_ you’ve been here on the ‘net when you find sites in your list that you don’t even remember signing up for, but you know you did. Now I’m changing all the passwords for old sites – from when I was less security conscious. Not that that I was weaksauce, but I wasn’t as paranoid as I am now, that’s for sure.  It’s time consuming, but brings up lots of memories that I had lost.

Countdown to Odin…. 3 days…  I bought all his stuff yesterday (made it to Ramstein on my own in my little orange car in the snrain and wind and cold) and I did give the girls a new toy, but there are plenty to come when Odin arrives. Hoping that this will help them associate him with GOOD THINGS. I also got him an awesome collar. Hope it fits.