The Craft of Memory

[happyfilmluvguy]

Remembering something isn't always easy. During the day, you are more than likely to have thousands of thoughts rushing through your head, and the one thing you need to remember isn't until the end of the day. By then you had forgotten it entirely. Memory is a craft. Many people have particular ways of remembering. Writing notes and post its, leaving a message on their phone because they know they will check them that day, writing messages backwards on their forehead, and much more.

Sometimes there will be a link that reminds you of what you needed to remember. For instance, if you were supposed to remember to pick up your clothes at the cleaners, and later in the day while you are walking past a clothing store and look at the clothing, you think to yourself, "what a nice shirt", or "what a nice pair of shoes", and suddenly a thought strikes you. "Oh shoot, I need to pick up my clothes at the cleaners". The clothing in the window reminded you of what you needed to do.

So how do you remember things?

 

[Tomasso]

So how do you remember things?

I'm never without a jotter.

 

[carter]

You can purchase spiral-bound calendars that have day, week, or month views at Target, Wally World, et al. They're cheap and easy. Buy yourself one. Heck, buy several, they come in colors.

 

[Midnight Palace]

Actually, my memory is usually flawless. It's mainly because I tend to obsess on the consequences of forgetting. If I know I have to get gas in my car...my mind will be constantly focused on the fact that I'll run out of gas tomorrow if I don't do it.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I can remember Ringo Starr's Liverpool phone number, and I've never called him once! But, I can't remember my own, or the names of some of the people I work with everyday! :eusa_doh:

Memory for me must be hooked to some obsessive component or it seems to loose all meaning and value in my mind. I have the uncanny ability to quote something from some book I've read, go to that very book, crack it open to almost the very chapter and page which I'm quoting and read back. [huh]

But, I leave my own house and can't remember what street some store I've visited a hundred time is on. I drive five miles around the block searching for the address while singing some obscure song by Freddy and the Dreamers.
I remember the names and faces of some Playmate of the Month but can't remember old co-workers when they rush up to greet me in a restaurant.

Now...........ah............I can go out to the Fedora Lounge URL, but I can't remember what the thread was about.

-dick's son Kanun (I think!)

 

[carter]

Originally posted by Dixon Cannon
I drive five miles around the block searching for the address while singing some obscure song by Freddy and the Dreamers.

So that was you I saw last Saturday...? lol

 

[Diamondback]

In my case, my memory is both a blessing and a curse--I appear to have a form of eidetic memory (so-called "total recall"); once something's seared into long-term memory, I cannot forget it even if I want to. The catch is getting it burned in... short-term, I use a combination of notepads, emails to myself and just flat-out talking to myself.

 

[Samsa]

I have a pretty selective memory. Things that should be important (facts of U.S. history, historical dates in general, etc.) somehow escape me. Yet I can remember what song I was listening at a certain time, sometimes years later.

After doing some reading about memory, however, I have come to simply not trust long term memory. The mind frequently plays tricks on one...

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I have a pretty selective memory. Things that should be important (facts of U.S. history, historical dates in general, etc.) somehow escape me. Yet I can remember what song I was listening at a certain time, sometimes years later.

After doing some reading about memory, however, I have come to simply not trust long term memory. The mind frequently plays tricks on one...

I'm the same way. As far as history, I remember things I understand, like concepts, stories, ideas and events. The dates, I always forget. I have an uncanny memory when it comes to details, mostly because I am a writer by nature and am attuned to such things. For example, I can describe the houses on a street, but it doesn't matter how many times I drive on it, I will keep forgetting the name of the street!

Oh, and my desk is covered with post-its.

 

[scotrace]

I bet you remember at least 75% of the Sullivan Ballou letter, PrettySquareGal. Probably 100% of the Bixby letter.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I bet you remember at least 75% of the Sullivan Ballou letter, PrettySquareGal. Probably 100% of the Bixby letter.

You know my taste well.

One thing I want to add- I am a worrier, but sometimes will suddenly forget what I was worried about, and then worry that it's something important. lol

 

[LizzieMaine]

I tend to leave myself notes -- my computer at work is festooned with scraps of paper with things I need to do on them: DONT FORGET TO CHANGE THE MARQUEE, and things like that. I used to be able to remember most anything without effort, but the older I get the harder that's become. I tend to lose track of things now a lot more easily than I once did.

When it comes to remembering numbers, though, I have a foolproof system -- I link them with uniform numbers of Red Sox ballplayers I remember from my youth, since childhood memories tend to be more indelible than those of later life. Thus, when I try to remember my locker combination at the Y, I think of Fred Lynn, Luis Tiant, and Tim Blackwell: 19-23-39.

 

[Twitch]

I have a photographic memory to the extent that I remember things like phone numbers or other written info by visualizing the piece of paper it was written on and seeing in my mind the words and numbers as they were written there.

To recall a phone without visualization I use association. A number of 555 5729 would to me mean five 1955 Fords, a 57 Ford and B-29 bomber. Weird I know but it works.[huh]

 

[Tomasso]

When it comes to remembering numbers, though, I have a foolproof system -- I link them with uniform numbers of Red Sox ballplayers

I do the same but with the Chicago Bears.

 

[Undertow]

I have a photographic memory to the extent that I remember things like phone numbers or other written info by visualizing the piece of paper it was written on and seeing in my mind the words and numbers as they were written there.

This is exactly what I do. I have an atrocious memory without it.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

My memory is much like Twitches and Diamondbacks. Like Diamondback, I have a very strong long term memory and can recall things even back to when I was 3 or 4. Like Twitch, I have a photographic memory and can visualize where things are and what they say. A lot of times when I am in a whole other city and get a call from my high school film teacher with a question about computer software, I see the layout in my mind and can tell him where to go to answer his question.

But like Diamondback, it's a curse to remember things you don't want to remember, and at the same time not being able to remember where I just put the bread twisty 2 seconds ago. I've trained my mind to remember short term things though. Like when I take out a loaf of bread, and undo the twisty and put it down on the counter, I have a sudden though to put it in a eye's view, and the problem doesn't persist. I rarely write down notes, but keep a pocket notebook just in case. For things like phone numbers and log in passwords, I remember them the moment I need them, but can't remember them otherwise. [huh]

 

[Ecuador Jim]

Um....what was the question? [huh]

 

[Marc Chevalier]

As a teacher to adults with lower middle class to lower lower class backgrounds, I learned that illiterate people tend to have excellent memories and can do some elaborate financial calculations in their heads ... because they have to.


.

 

[John in Covina]

POST IT NOTES

I will write notes, usually on a post it to put on my dashboard. I will also call my own phone and leave a message.

Often I write out shopping lists on;ly to for get them at home and discovering that when parking at the market.

During the course of the day i will get an idea and wished to remeber to Google about it at night, the moment i turn on the computer that thought seems to just evaporate.

 

[Qwkslvr]

Daughter

I tell my Daughter names and phone numbers I need and she can tell me the number years latter when I ask her for them (providing I can remember the name).