I have a password headache and I have full confidence I’m not alone.

Alright, alright, perhaps the usage of the word “headache” is a bit dramatic. Perhaps these words are more fitting: confusion, dizzy, lost, frustration, anxiety. Yes, anxiety, who hasn’t been there?

You know that moment you’re logging into an account you haven’t accessed in a while and the “password” space stares at you blankly. You think you know it. It’s the same one you always use, except it’s not. One strike. You try another. Nope. Two strikes.

Now that anxiety sets in, the fear of being locked out. Good grief, you just want to log into this simple account, should it be this hard? No, but yet it is.

This is a frustration I verbalize on the semi-regular in our work space, as our desktops require us to reset our passwords every so often. It’s also one we share as a staff, when the boss lady tries to recall hers on work related accounts she rarely accesses.

The struggle is indeed real.

So much so, is this real, that I’ve even gone as far as to read articles/blogs on tricks to remembering or choosing memorable passwords. Oh, yes, I know … it should not be that hard Teresa. It’s just a password.

Yet, there are so many and they each reset at different times or if you’re at all like me you have permanent log in or touch memory from your smartphone. God forbid, the occasion arises when you must remember said password from a laptop or remote location. There you are again, now which one did I use for this account?

Not that long ago, I voiced my disgust to a colleague which led me to the topic of thumb print ID on all technology would make this so much easier. This quickly segued to a topic of government big brother and the like. A topic I truly was not ready for.

Geez, man I was just trying to order some tank tops from Old Navy, yet there we were. First world problems at their finest.

Maybe the thumb isn’t the best solution, but neither are the basic tips of using simple words like “dontforget,” “dontforget_01,” etc. The reason why is simple and summarized in one simple word – reset.

That pesky word, which prompts from different sites and different times completely disrupts the harmony of the password order.

So what’s the point of all of this really? Where’s the clever tip or groundbreaking idea to solve this for fellow sufferers? Alas, I must admit – not here.

I am, however, happy to entertain tips and/or suggestions. I’d love nothing more than to simplify this process for myself, as well as our readers.

For today, this is nothing more than one mentally over taxed mom, sharing with others – you’re not alone. As you sit in front of your laptop returning to sites you visit seasonally or on occasion, watching that cursor blink ... I assure you, you are not alone. You are in good company, as well educated, sharp individuals just as yourself struggle to do the same. I know, I know, you just want to order the kids some great shirts from Zuililly before they’re sold out. Take a breath, remember it’s just stuff and by the time you crack the code if that deal is gone, another will soon follow.

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 847-3021.