The Craft of Memory

[Flivver]

Like several others here, I have a photographic memory. I think I developed this as a kid by teaching myself to draw cars by studying them from all angles and by tracing car ads from the 20s to the 60s. I can still draw cars from that era from memory.

But for some reason, I just can't remember people's names...unless I've seen them written down. Then the photographic memory kicks in.

 

[wedding belle]

I use an organiser

and diary, with a combination of large notes stuck to my computer! I'm pretty good with work and research stuff - I can remember the details of a study or paper no problem. Home stuff (up to and including what day my daughter goes back to school) is another matter indeed! We have a rule in my house - if you want mummy / partner to remember anything at all then please please nag! There is then at least a vague hope that we might get somewhere.

What is really interesting is watching my girl... precipitation, acid rain, any number of facts about rock formation and chemical formulations and she's there like a shot - day of the week, where her shoes are, her birthday...forget it! Just goes to show the power of motivation in terms of memory. She even has a list that she uses to get ready in the morning - oh the power of learned behaviour

 

[Nashoba]

having been a Police Dispatcher and a Police Cadet, my memory has been trained to remember details. I'm not quite as good as I used to be but I have a pretty good memory. I still write a million notes everywhere and keep a notebook with my dayplanner though. Mostly because my mind goes at about a million things a minute (ask celticmom it's ridiculous sometimes) and I have to do lists pages long. Some details though I don't forget...a touch....a smell...a moment...but even though i remember things pretty well, and pretty vividly, I still take ridiculous amounts of notes.
It's what made me a good dispatcher.

 

[Edward]

I'm average with memory. I use my mobile phone reminder functions a lot, which is convenient as I so rarely am without it nowadays. Otherwise I will try to write things down someplace. Post-It notes are common in the office.

I really wish I was gifted to be good with names. I'm getting better than I used to be, but still not perfect. One person who has amazed me recently is Steve Pemberton of the League of Gentlemen (an English comedy troupe, very dark humour, the comedy of the grotesque, much influenced by 60s and 70s British horror). I met him a few times when he appeared in the 06/07 touring production of the Rocky Horror Show, and a couple of times sicne in other shows, and each time after a gap of several months he has called me by name. I've also seen him do thsi with many others - the guy obviously has a gift for it.