Real Security?
One of the finest features of this home is the secure garage. I love opening the garage from the inside of the car as I drive up, in rainy or dark days, watching the cave brighten and the safety of the lair swallow us up. The other feature that attracted me to this house when I bought it was the alarm system. Motion sensors, window alarms, door alarms, fire alarms, it all seemed absolutely perfect for a divorcee a might bit fearful living single for the first time in thirty years. It is a big change from relying on two people to manage a household, to being on your own and being solid and convincing to three children.
I had the security system repeatly come tell me how to work the control pads, which as a college graduate, teacher, parent , I felt I would be able to master and took on as a challenge. In no time we had several false alarms, police came, and we forgot codes, left doors open, forgot keys, were called about strange people climbing in windows(all my own children), and given warnings about the safety of alarms. I really do not understand why the code pads were so confusing to me. The books explained it simply, and I referred to them in order to refresh my mind. I still often confused the procedure. One problem remained that my kids had really scary friends, and the alarm was often set to protect me against them, so I did not want them all having access to those codes. In fact, the reason I put on the alarm was mostly to keep the kids in at night, so I would know if they broke out, not to know if strangers broke in. I figure my hoodlums would beat the tar out of any burglers if they got IN, or before they got too far. I just did not want to worry about where they were, so I could get a good night's sleep. Well, they would try to crawl out of the windows, and even break the windows, or sneak out of the doors, and I would hear the alarm chirp( usually three times). I would be standing right there, asking them what they thought they were doing...So they cut the wires to the alarm, and I had it repaired at a cost I was not happy to pay. Again I was not able to use the alarm a lot, with all the false alarms, and problems with the code. One storm window is still cracked from the time they tried to crawl in quickly and had a little too much to drink..or smoke.
Finally I upgraded the alarm system to a small foolproof code box that hangs on my key chain, with four small buttons on it. The sons, for whom I had wanted the security system to keep them IN, are now moved off with other fish to fry. The children with me now, I would like to keep home and secure, in the more traditional meaning. I thought this would be great for us three. The buttons on this small fob were "off", "stay", "away" and a red button which said "panic". In the 8 months since I have had the upgraded system, I have used it once. On that fateful day, the first day I got it, my fingers slipped, hit all buttons at once, the panic button sounded, I could not turn it off, and the police came. Apparently once you touch it, accidently or not, the police comes. REGARDLESS if you tell them, with apologies, that your fat arthritic fingers slipped, or that it's your first day using that alarm, THEY COME!!!!! Like Pavlov's dogs, I have become so alarm resistant that I have to write the codes everywhere if I want to use the system. I have several friends remind me what they are- there is a "password" you give the alarm company to assure them it is really you they have on the phone. I cannot even recall that word. They have to call my friend and ask if it is really me that can't recall the password, and they tell them to just let me be.
As for passwords, what is that all?????? I have to use a password to read the Ladies' Home Journal Newsletter on the internet, the PTA newsletter on the internet, or go to the Ellen Show or to the Oprah Show. Can't we just be visitors like at a movie and observe? Do we have to sign in everywhere? As for all these special passwords I can't recall them. You have to know when you capitalize, whether you use spaces or not. My first car was a grey and red one. Guess how many times I was locked out of a bank account or a special health site when I could not recall if I spelled it grey or gray on the answer? Or my Mom's maiden name is a double name- did I use spaces, did I use capitals, did I use all lowercase- oops, three guesses and I'm locked out again. At least when you have a batch of house keys, and you are trying to get into your house, you can jiggle them, try them, and by trial and error you have a chance. These computers have no heart. Hard work is no reward, and noone to help when you have lost your password.
I had the security system repeatly come tell me how to work the control pads, which as a college graduate, teacher, parent , I felt I would be able to master and took on as a challenge. In no time we had several false alarms, police came, and we forgot codes, left doors open, forgot keys, were called about strange people climbing in windows(all my own children), and given warnings about the safety of alarms. I really do not understand why the code pads were so confusing to me. The books explained it simply, and I referred to them in order to refresh my mind. I still often confused the procedure. One problem remained that my kids had really scary friends, and the alarm was often set to protect me against them, so I did not want them all having access to those codes. In fact, the reason I put on the alarm was mostly to keep the kids in at night, so I would know if they broke out, not to know if strangers broke in. I figure my hoodlums would beat the tar out of any burglers if they got IN, or before they got too far. I just did not want to worry about where they were, so I could get a good night's sleep. Well, they would try to crawl out of the windows, and even break the windows, or sneak out of the doors, and I would hear the alarm chirp( usually three times). I would be standing right there, asking them what they thought they were doing...So they cut the wires to the alarm, and I had it repaired at a cost I was not happy to pay. Again I was not able to use the alarm a lot, with all the false alarms, and problems with the code. One storm window is still cracked from the time they tried to crawl in quickly and had a little too much to drink..or smoke.
Finally I upgraded the alarm system to a small foolproof code box that hangs on my key chain, with four small buttons on it. The sons, for whom I had wanted the security system to keep them IN, are now moved off with other fish to fry. The children with me now, I would like to keep home and secure, in the more traditional meaning. I thought this would be great for us three. The buttons on this small fob were "off", "stay", "away" and a red button which said "panic". In the 8 months since I have had the upgraded system, I have used it once. On that fateful day, the first day I got it, my fingers slipped, hit all buttons at once, the panic button sounded, I could not turn it off, and the police came. Apparently once you touch it, accidently or not, the police comes. REGARDLESS if you tell them, with apologies, that your fat arthritic fingers slipped, or that it's your first day using that alarm, THEY COME!!!!! Like Pavlov's dogs, I have become so alarm resistant that I have to write the codes everywhere if I want to use the system. I have several friends remind me what they are- there is a "password" you give the alarm company to assure them it is really you they have on the phone. I cannot even recall that word. They have to call my friend and ask if it is really me that can't recall the password, and they tell them to just let me be.
As for passwords, what is that all?????? I have to use a password to read the Ladies' Home Journal Newsletter on the internet, the PTA newsletter on the internet, or go to the Ellen Show or to the Oprah Show. Can't we just be visitors like at a movie and observe? Do we have to sign in everywhere? As for all these special passwords I can't recall them. You have to know when you capitalize, whether you use spaces or not. My first car was a grey and red one. Guess how many times I was locked out of a bank account or a special health site when I could not recall if I spelled it grey or gray on the answer? Or my Mom's maiden name is a double name- did I use spaces, did I use capitals, did I use all lowercase- oops, three guesses and I'm locked out again. At least when you have a batch of house keys, and you are trying to get into your house, you can jiggle them, try them, and by trial and error you have a chance. These computers have no heart. Hard work is no reward, and noone to help when you have lost your password.
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