You have two days left

The message “You have 2 days to reset your password” flashes up on the screen. I have been ignoring this message for weeks with a mix of dread and annoyance. t’s not that I don’t have the time, I do. It’s the shear pain of the whole thing. You’d think someone would figure out a way to make this not so damn …stupid. When you do this, you have to come up with some concoction of 16 letters, numbers, and special characters. Then you have to log out and log back and pray that it works. Oh, and don’t forget to connect to the VPN first! The problem is this doesn’t ever seem to work the way it’s supposed to and it takes FOREVER to get back online.

Last time it did not go well for me. After, I logged out I could not get back in. It said “Too many attempts, please call the help desk”. Well, what is the number? They don’t give it to you and you can’t log in to find it. So, after you swear at your computer several times you look through your phone to see if you have anyone’s number from work that you can reach out to. Ah, there is Sue. Sweet, you text Sue explaining the situation. Sue tells you that you can find the number on the SharePoint site and sends you the URL. After a very deep breath and more swearing you calmly text back her back. LOL I can’t get onto the site because I am locked out of my computer. Could you please send me the number? You see the tiny dots, then they appear again, then they go away. You throw your phone across the couch in frustration and go get more coffee. The whole time mumbling under your breath about how stupid this whole thing is. Berating yourself on why you bothered to change your password now, I mean it’s not like you don’t have shit to do!

Ding. Finally, it’s a text from Sue, she sent the number to the all mighty help desk. You call, and after many, many, and I mean many phone prompts later you think you picked the right one. You’re on hold. Music is playing, it is paused every so often for the recording to say “wait times are longer than expected”. Great. More music and forty-five draining minutes later a live human answers the phone. Finally help has arrived!

Hello, this is Brad how can I help you? “I reset my password and now I am …” dial tone.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!

After you finally calm down, which requires breathing exercises and a call to your BFF to complain extensively, you call back. Of course, you’re on hold for another decade before you get to another human. This time all goes well and your computer is unlocked.

The thought of going through all of that joy again is what makes me click the “remind me later” options over and over again. But then every morning you are reminded that your days or procrastination are limited. If you don’t do it by the end of the count down you're just plain locked out. Then you do have to call the help desk no matter what. So, I guess, if you think about it, it is painful either way it goes….

Sigh, ok well I guess I might as well get it over with. I click “Reset password”. I come up with a crazy new combo of numbers, letters, and characters. I log out, I log in. I hold my breath, now for the moment of truth. I enter my new password and just like that I am all set.