It’s Probably Just the UPS Driver Anyway

We have one of those snazzy little cameras at our front door that alerts us when someone walks up.

It also sometimes alerts us when the sun comes out from behind a cloud or when the lawn crew that cuts the grass across the street parks in the road in front of the house.

A few evenings ago, I got a notification of someone on the porch, so I clicked to be taken to the camera so I could see what was going on.

Instead of going to the camera, however, I got this message telling me I was logged off. And it asked for my phone number so they could text me a verification code, because they were no longer emailing them.

I don’t know why security has to be so tight on things like this. I’m not really worried about a bunch of hooligans standing around watching the UPS guy drop something on my front porch.

We’ve had our checking account compromised numerous times. I wonder how the security camera company has more protective measures than a financial institution.

I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s too good not to repeat. Once, the person used our account to join the Christian Mingle dating site and to book two plane tickets.

He got two tickets to paradise, and God is the pilot, I suppose.

I have to spend way too much time proving that I really am me.

I cannot use my advertising agency email on my phone because I do not know how to find the code that I apparently sent myself to allow access.

That’s frustrating.

Some documents I create I save to “the cloud” so I can access them from multiple devices.

Lots of times, I cannot open them because I don’t have permission.

The message literally says, “You do not have permission to view Barry Currin’s document.”

This is one of the reasons I shy from some of these so-called “smart” devices.

The last thing I want to hear first thing in the morning is, “You do not have permission to brew Barry Currin’s coffee.”

A smart refrigerator can tell you when you’re low on milk. I already know when I’m low on milk.

You can even ask it while you’re at the store if you’re low on eggs.

I suppose that could come in handy. I wonder if I could also ask it to go look and see who’s on the front porch because I cannot log in to the camera app.

Smart thermostats are supposed to be wonderful money-saving devices, but I guarantee you mine would like the house colder than we like to keep it. I can’t imagine nonchalantly walking past it and pushing the button real quick so it wouldn’t notice.

Call me old fashioned, but I don’t really need to rely on the internet for more than I already do.

Since I know you’re dying to find out, I entered my phone number so the porch camera people could text me the verification code.

And then I jumped through more hoops to prove I really am me. 

Finally, though, I convinced them I was not a criminal. And I was told I could login once I received my verification code.

Which they sent to my email.