Why wouldn’t people be having memory problems, with everything we have to know with numbers and passwords to get by nowadays?

Basically, it used to be that we know our birthdays and other family members’ birthdays, our own Social Security number, our telephone numbers and street addresses.

Now, there are bank account numbers, account numbers on the various bills, post office box numbers, credit/debit card numbers, many cell phone numbers and our license plate numbers to keep track of. One of these days, I’m going to mix the numbers of my birth date up with something else.

And, to top that off, we who work with computers have to have passwords to get into certain files, and sometimes those change around quite often. We’ve started clocking in online now here at work and I’ve heard others having started doing that.

I know technology is constantly changing and requires us [those who are not as technically inclined] to do more things than we’re used to, but we just have to cope. So far, I’ve kept my sanity. At least that’s what I’m trying to convey to others.

Even though I don’t know where the newspaper business would be today without computers and other electronic gadgets, I sometimes think it would be nice to revert back in time for just a little while so our minds can take a “vacation.”

Actually, it’s not that bad, but, like I said, the numbers and passwords we need to know to get by, are constantly growing daily.

I’ll try to hold on for the wild ride this thing known as technology is taking us.

In the meantime, I want to thank Jay Leno for making me famous, when he ran the headline that I wrote for George and Barb Elliott’s 50th wedding anniversary this past week on his TV show. I even called George up to let him know that he was on there, too. He just laughed, just like he did when I inadvertently stated that he and his wife were celebrating 60 decades of marriage.

I didn’t view the Late Night Show when that segment aired but I was told about it. It’s a good thing I don’t watch him, or I would have had a coronary that night. But, I do know that mistakes happen. I wish it wouldn’t have but it did and I have to let it rest.

I knew better, but there I go again…numbers.

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Happy birthday:

• Jan. 14 to Mathieu Baldridge (4).

• Jan. 15 to Cari Glancy, Betty McMiller (86), Jane Faller Hole, Tyler Neal (15) and Dan Hittle.

• Jan. 16 to Nihla Davis (90), Brian Wagaman (45), Jeanette Ida Noggle, Jim Grant, Kody Ketring, Marilyn Weider, Dorothy Sanders, Jeff Byram, Helen Witt (90), Nancy Linebaugh, Gary Hummel, Tisha Hodson Smith, Brooke Mills, Jason Mills and Jill Schepis.

• Jan. 17 to Tyler Hiestand, Wanda Eley Burke, Anita Brown Unrast, Kenton Moore, Twila Carter, Lois Drew (65), Ruth Rogers, Tom Magoto Sr., Brian Jones, Ben Hoying, Jennifer Teegarden (15) and Kitty Zumbrink.

• Jan. 18 to Ralph Dean Byrd, Tom Moody (60), Brent Erickson, Theora Rismiller, Jeff Wappelhorst, Brooke Willoughby (18), Barbara Clevenger, Norma Garrison, Gloria Burns and Ed Minnich.

• Jan. 19 to Crystal Mead and Paul Ackley (55).

• Jan. 20 to Judie Hathaway Josh Riffell, Karen Smith Brown Fiste, Dale Beam, Kelsey Walker, Ellen Hetzler (45), Alexa Hetzler, David Kress, Bud House, Bev Garrison and Taylor Hammaker (18).

• Jan. 21 to Connie Hodson, Junior Bryant, Tina Lyme, Cindy Shuttleworth and Denise Huff.

Happy belated birthday to Kelly Leeper on Jan. 9.

Happy anniversary Jan. 15 to Lee and Joann Emrick; Jan. 16 to Jamie and Trudy Hileman; Jan. 17 to John and Anne Vehre; and Jan. 2 to David and Peggy Pretzman.

Happy belated anniversary to Don and Carol Hisey (50) on Jan. 5.

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Don’t forget to pray for: Holli Anderson, Melissa “Missy” Helmer, Terry Black Sr., Phyllis Collins, Cindy Cunningham Fleenor, Jim Hiestand, Hugh Linebaugh, Krista Fourman, Charlie Hubbard, Ralph Wood, Richard “Pappy” Harshman, Larry “Rafe” Elson, Robert “Bob” Melling, Donna Temple Leugers, Pam Arnold Young, Dick George, Susie Gress of Nebraska, Angel Nicely, Bob Codling Sr., Gerald Kenworthy, Tom Brumbaugh, Ben Bowman, Barb Skinner, Wesley Crumrine, Jim Faller Jerry Paulus, Amber Kiser, Jody (Barga) Spitler, Carol Byrd, Delores Duncan, Jack “Papa Tiger” Amspaugh, Breanna Lundvall, Judi Schneider, Carol Schuh, Tony Printz, Norma Byrd, Wyoneda Stephens, Angela Ridout, Doris Curtis of Rossburg, Ron Dirksen, Amy Fashner, Coryann Strawser, Jim Rinderle, Kathy Walter, D.J. Miller, Randy Fourman, Carrie Waymire Dehart, Jim Moody, Harry Moody, Kathy McEowen, Rob Hathaway, Mac Goodpaster, Alberta Aukerman, Rick Jones of Ansonia, Curtis Miller, Gene Yohey, Tom and Marilyn Smith, Natasha Kirk, Chuck Davis, Dolores Nestor, Linda Lore, Rylee Blanken, Becky York, Julie Widener, Deputy Dave Werling, Mike Custer, Karen Meier, Barbara Martin, Dana Holzapfel.

Kara Didier, Mike Rammel, Nick Voisard, Laura Harman, Joe Whittington, Jared Marker of Fremont, Linda Manos, Tod Fink, Dorothy Rismiller, Gertie VanDePitte, Joe Fortkamp, Betty (Koons) Tinkham, Tom Henry, Carla Welch, Keith Hiegel, Mike Collins, Chad Wert, Kathy Black, Jeremy Litten, Greg Eubank, Alice Broering, Peter King, Shane Wetzel, Brandy Reier, Gene Sharp, Shannon Peters Hall, JoAnne Foreman, Lester Ward, Stephanie Klingshirn, Paul Hodson, Zane Wetzel, Dick Foureman, Leann Ressler, Roger Harbison, Mamie Warrick, Pauline Powell, Eddie Rhoades, Gertie Hampshire, Don Hittle, Bill Schuette, Tim Heck and all of our military people as well as this nation.

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Jamie and I extend our condolences to the following families: Earl Fox, Jimmie Cohee, Rita Evers, James Wolfe, Kenny Shanks, Dan Waymire and Jackie Clark.

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Think about it: The most beautiful discovery friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart. - Elizabeth Foley

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Linda Moody is features editor for the Daily Advocate. Her column appears every Sunday. She can be reached at lmoody@dailyadvocate.com.