Your passwords probably suck and you probably have trouble remembering them.
Start With a Set-Phrase
One of my favorite ways of creating memorable passwords is to start with a so-called set phrase. Wikipedia has a nice description of what a set phrase is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_phrase. Basically it is any two word pair that means something unique and commonly known. The thing or concept it means is often one that can not easily be described in a single word.
Cryptanalysis is not just for mathematicians. It can be very fun for regular folks. My favorite hand cipher is the Playfair cipher. It was used by the British in WW I. The Germans modified it a bit and used it in WW II. The British cracked it by hand (no computers) and read much of the secret communications of the Nazis. You can read about it in this awesome book.
I came up with the Gartshore Cipher to be a low security cipher with the unique property that enciphering and deciphering can be done entirely in the users head — once you get good at it, you won't even need a pencil and paper to decipher messages.
I came up with the Gartshore Cipher to be a low security cipher with the unique property that enciphering and deciphering can be done entirely in the users head — once you get good at it, you won't even need a pencil and paper to decipher messages. 