Flagellation

This morning, as with most mornings, I get up early and come downstairs to take on yesterdays abandoned washing-up.  I recall George Verwer (founder of Operation Mobilization) writing in his book 'Revolution of Love and Balance', that one of his criteria for recruiting people to join his Mercy Ships was to ask them 'when' they did the washing up.  During the chapter entitled 'we don't want Mr leaving it in the sink to soak' I gave up my ambition to run away and go to sea.  

In past ages our ancestors would flagellate themselves, enduring all privations.  Beating their chests and climb stairs on their knees, they faced suffering...er in the face.  Now we have the internet.

When I wash up, I like the dull monotony of listening to radio 4.  It reminds me of my childhood, where my grandparents would have Radio 4 playing in a similar way to public loud speaker systems used in communist countries.  This morning is Sunday, so I might be able to enjoy the Morning Service, which I have discovered produces the best 'lockdown' Christian services about.  

I look around for a radio.  In the old days the key thing with with a radio was finding the on-off button.  Perhaps this might extend to doing some squeaky tuning with a knob, but generally it was straightforward.  It's not like that anymore.  You can always find the BBC on your computer or even smart phone.  So I reach for my phone.  First switch it on and wait for it to warm up.  Then find the BBC website.  And there is Radio 4.  So nearly there.  I click, and a message comes up- 'Sign In', with the accompanying message 'it only takes a few seconds to sign in'. 

Internet security is a big modern issue.  But I guess it did exist in the past.  Samuel Peppy's wrote his diary in code.  

But now what is my BBC password?  I have written all my passwords down in my diary and I have it to hand, but the BBC password does not seem to be there.  I grope around in my memory.  Most of my passwords are impetuously made up on the spot like 'for pete's sake' (I try that but it's not correct).  Then I have the challenge of trying out all the combinations.  Capital 'P'? - no. Capital 'F' - no. Capital 'P&F' - no. Did the s have an 's? - no.  I read the message more closely-  it tells me I am missing numerals.  There were no numerals (for pete's sake) (or was that 'For Pete's sake') in what I was trying to say.  I don't care about numerals.  Is this what hackers do?  They sit there trying out all the possible combinations of everything until they get it right, and then only to listen to a church service?  Am I learning how to hack into my own life?  I feel that I am seriously letting myself down.  

By now the church service will be onto the final prays, and then we will move onto the next programme called  'A Point of View'.

I decide to write my own 'point of view'.