M: Memory. I've always had a little vanity about my memory. In my first high school chemistry class on the day before a big test, our chemistry teacher told us he would give a bonus point for every element we memorized on the Periodic Table along with its atomic number. I memorized the entire thing that night and still managed a 100% on my chem test.
BUT ... now thirty years later I've learned to not trust everything to memory. I make lists of things I need to do for my writing, for the yard work, for the grocery shopping, for my upcoming retirement ... you get the picture. I no longer trust my memory. This is even more true in writing. I write books in series which means long time lines. I make lots of notes and keep a calendar of what is happening when in my invented worlds. And going back to my A to Z theme, I have an ever growing list of things I'm going to be doing come June. Thanks to some wonderful feedback in comments, I'm continually adding to that list.
So how is your memory doing? What do you make lists for or are you gifted enough to not need any? What method do you use to keep the days and months straight in your writing?
17 comments:
I've got an awful memory, especially for names. Someone can tell me their name and guaranteed I'll have forgotten it thirty seconds later.
I don't remember much of that stuff I memorised in school now! I like my lists too, mostly because it frees up my mind to do other things.
Rinelle Grey
I need and live by my lists.
I can remember all kinds of weird (aka useless) stuff, but I use hand scribbled and typed lists and a To-Do app on my phone for bigger, more important things. Doesn't always work but it helps. :)
my memory is pretty good, at least i think so and yes i love lists--make em everyday or so :)
I'm like Kellie, I"m a name forgetter. I have to keep repeating people's names if I want to remember them.
When it comes to names and dates, I've got a memory like a screen door on a submarine. :)
I have an astounding memory for the price of things though, and for voices.
I can remember useless trivia like nobody's business but I couldn't tell you what I had for dinner last night.
i forget even to write lists!
I'm great at dialogue I've heard or read. I can recite whole passages. And useless trivia - I've got a whole head full. Faces? Well, I'll sort of remember seeing one before but I won't know where or when. Names? Nope. Can't remember them at all. Things I'm supposed to be doing? Um...what was the question again?
You should check out the new miracle drug Provigil. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAKS0aVhGto
Think of Huey Lewis' song "I wanna new drug!"
Since having my daughter my memory is pretty shocking. I have a page-a-day diary to write everything down that I need to do. I also use my smart phone with a to-do list to keep track.
I'm quite organised and methodical,sometimes I find I've already done something and just haven't remembered it!
My memory needs all the help it can get these days. I, too, used to be pretty vain about it but there are more and more lists popping up around my house every day LOL
I feel like my memory is pretty good, but I do notice that when I'm stressed my memory is pretty awful. I'll have to ask people what I said to them. I do enjoy my lists :)
I write lots of lists. Then I forget where I put them.
Your memory sounds like my mom's. When she can't sleep at night, she doesn't count sheep, she visualizes her second grade classroom and names all the kids and where they sat. Wish I'da gotten even a smidgen of that! lol!
My memory is very good, especially when it comes to sequences. Also, the act of writing something down usually implants it in my memory. I love to make lists, but then I never have to look at them again!
#atozchallenge, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com
I need lists to help me, but I try to do some brain exercises now and again to help improve my memory.
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