In Junior High, I discovered a video game called Dark Sun: Shattered Lands.  It stands as one of the most memorable RPGs of my childhood, mostly because it was so much better than anything else that existed at the time.  When Baldur’s Gate came out four years later, it seemed like a ripoff with better graphics.

One of the pre-made names in this game was “Rick th’Untamed.”  The game would only let names be 15 characters long, so “Rick the Untamed” would have been too long.  Every time I saw that character, or thought of his name, I laughed and laughed.  Rick th’Untamed.  It kind of has a “Poindexter the Barbarian” feel to it.  Apparently, someone felt it was very important to include this name.  Not important enough to allow names to have an extra character, but important enough to make sure that the first name was Rick, and not any of the numerous three letter first names that exist.

I was so enthralled with this name that I adopted it for my first password.  I replaced Rick with my high school nick name, vu.  For years, I would type vumonkey TAB vutheuntamed ENTER whenever I wanted to check my email. I had a rhythm that I would type it to…

Vee, You
Tee-Aitch-Eee,
You-En-Tee-Ay-Em-Eee-Dee

Before long, I was using vutheuntamed for every password where I needed more than four characters.  I carried it with me through high school, into college, and into adulthood.  I used it for my bank account, my credit card, and pretty much anything that I needed to keep secure.  When 12 character passwords were too long, I would shorten it to vuthe.  When a number was required, it became vuth3untamed.  And at the height of security, when capital letters were required, it became VuTh3Untamed.

After over a decade, Vu the Untamed is finally entering retirement.  I’ve changed all my passwords on the net, and exposing him here is the final nail in the coffin.