Memories, like the corners of my mind...

[Blansky]

I've always been fascinated by our memories and our ability to memorize.

Actors in Broadway plays memorize their lines and often the lines of every member of the cast.

Besides understudies, there are "backup" actors, for instance that can replace any member of the cast and are even called upon to travel to another city where the play is also playing, to cover for their main cast if someone gets sick or hurt.

Shakespearean actors (mostly Brits I'm sure) can recite most of Shakespeare's plays as part of their training.

Even Hollywood actors have a knack for memory, although movie scenes are short snippets and movie scenes are shot out of order, but still a talent.

I was sitting in the bar I worked in on a cold Santa Monica winter rainy day, on a Saturday and a few people came in and one of the guys could recite and act out the entire movie of Monte Python and the Holy Grail. A masterful achievement for a rain soaked crowd drowning their sorrows on a sunless
afternoon.

Lin-Manuel Miranda who wrote and acted in Hamilton stated that when he came back to do a charity week in Puerto Rico after a year or so away from the play, when asked jokingly, if he still remembered all the lines, he said it wasn't easy because he also had in his head, about 10 different versions of each song that he'd changed when he wrote it, and THEY were still in his head as well.

An interesting article on memory...

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/h...r-their-lines/

[Bazil]

My wife has a terrible memory …
Every time I buy a new watch I’m sure I told her …
She gets angry and says no I didn’t ..
But I did ..

[AzPaul]

Light

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by Bazil

My wife has a terrible memory …
Every time I buy a new watch I’m sure I told her …
She gets angry and says no I didn’t ..
But I did ..

I believe you.

I’ve had the exact same thing happen to me. Not with your wife but with mine.

She goes “is that new???”

Why no, dumpling……. I’ve had this one forever……

She glares at me.

She has a terrible memory.

[Bazil]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I believe you.

I’ve had the exact same thing happen to me. Not with your wife but with mine.

She goes “is that new???”

Why no, dumpling……. I’ve had this one forever……

She glares at me.

She has a terrible memory.

Trying not to get excommunicated for a slightly risqué comment but I think it’s a female thing ..

[brandrea]

I have a great memory for numbers, dates, anything in that realm. I can recite my social insurance number, visa number, Omega reference numbers etc.

But when it comes to names, or places … not so much. I wonder why that is.

[enjoythemusic]

But, and just stay with me here for a second... What if i don't want to remember?

[Rock]

Memory is something that has always intrigued me.
In my early days at school I noticed that some students could regurgitate stuff that I didn't even remember hearing.
At secondary level I realised that I could study as much as I liked and information literally went in one ear and out the other.
I struggled my way through several degrees at Uni knowing that my retention of information was very poor and that I had to bias my efforts towards course-work rather than exams.
I guess I explain it to myself in terms of poor physiological development of that part of the brain that retains information. My kids are the same. I admit to being a bit ADHD.

[1William]

Funny how it works for me. I have an almost photographic memory and can remember and recite most if not all of the information from my studies and professional training. I also have a memory for life events and people. It is a challenge to try and turn it off and if not managed properly it can be a not so good thing for me. I think some of it may have to do with living my entire life, except for a few years in college, in the same city and neighborhood. I live seven blocks from the hospital I was born in and within three miles of all of my residences and work. Sometimes a good memory is nice, other times, not so much.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I have a great memory for numbers, dates, anything in that realm. I can recite my social insurance number, visa number, Omega reference numbers etc.

But when it comes to names, or places … not so much. I wonder why that is.

It's bizarre. I had an electrical heart issues back when I was 39, and had a 7 hour then a 13 hour procedure to fix it. (now it takes an hour).

Up until that time I could remember names of friends, acquaintances, actors in movies, etc etc. After the surgery I could not remember names any more worth a damn.

My wife and I even had a ritual when I if failed to introduce her to someone I knew but completely blanked on their name, we did this thing, where she'd introduce herself, and I say, oh sorry I thought you'd already met....stuff like that.

I can still remember numbers and everything else normally, but just blank on names. Of course now in my 70s some of that other crap is failing a bit as well.

It's rather strange how it works.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Blansky

It's bizarre. I had an electrical heart issues back when I was 39, and had a 7 hour then a 13 hour procedure to fix it. (now it takes an hour).

Up until that time I could remember names of friends, acquaintances, actors in movies, etc etc. After the surgery I could not remember names any more worth a damn.

My wife and I even had a ritual when I if failed to introduce her to someone I knew but completely blanked on their name, we did this thing, where she'd introduce herself, and I say, oh sorry I thought you'd already met....stuff like that.

I can still remember numbers and everything else normal but just blank on names. Of course now in my 70s that is failing a bit as well.

It's rather strange how it works.

You’re doing well then my friend … my wife and I use the same strategy except I’m in my 50’s


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[Blansky]

.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Blansky

.

[Dr. Robert]

I can remember the exact set the Grateful Dead played New Year’s Eve 1970, but I can’t remember what I had for breakfast.


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[enjoythemusic]

Been waiting for musicians to chime in. Eventually, sheer muscle memory takes over. Always wondered why classical music performances needed music stands. At that level of musicianship, they should know their par imho.

_n3.jpg

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Been waiting for musicians to chime in. Eventually, sheer muscle memory takes over. Always wondered why classical music performances needed music stands. At that level of musicianship, they should know their par imho.

Interesting point about music. I can still play stuff I learned when I was 10.

I guess the interesting part is how and where we store various memory tidbits in our brains and how we can or can't pull them up immediately or not immediately.

I do know one thing though, as people joke about remembering stuff from the past (long term memory) and forget what they had for breakfast (short term memory), in the last few years I've remembered obscure stuff from my distant past, that just popped into my head. Things I'd completely forgotten about.

I guess it ties into older people mistaking the past for the present in their daily dealings.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Interesting point about music. I can still play stuff I learned when I was 10..

Exactly! Even for non-musicians, memories associated with music seem more.... and we PLAY that on a musical instrument :)

my username applies

Like miracles out of nowhere....

[Speedbird-1]

There are two things women find most attractive about a man. One, is a bad memory...









....but I can't remember, what the other one is.

[Phrank]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I have a great memory for numbers, dates, anything in that realm. I can recite my social insurance number, visa number, Omega reference numbers etc.

But when it comes to names, or places … not so much. I wonder why that is.

We are the same except for places and directions. I remember all you listed, but for the life of me I can still get lost easily anywhere in the city I've spent my entire life in.

Outside the city, mapquest and then Garmin became my constant in car companions.

Whereas you could drop my wife pretty much anywhere and she'd find her way, her sense of direction is uncanny.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Phrank

We are the same except for places and directions. I remember all you listed, but for the life of me I can still get lost easily anywhere in the city I've spent my entire life in.

Outside the city, mapquest and then Garmin became my constant in car companions.

Whereas you could drop my wife pretty much anywhere and she'd find her way, her sense of direction is uncanny.

it’s weird isn’t it?


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[Blansky]

Originally Posted by Phrank

We are the same except for places and directions. I remember all you listed, but for the life of me I can still get lost easily anywhere in the city I've spent my entire life in.

Then why did you pick a career as an Uber driver???