Mrs Ron and I were walking around the downtown of our small to medium sized SW VA city enjoying spring time warmth and the lack of masks by most of the population. I spotted a gent I know and had not seen in about 14 months (neither of us in masks). You see we sing with the local symphony and that was one of the activities canceled as healthy people singing can spread germs (unhealthy people with a respiratory ailment cannot sing).
I could not recall his name. Knew I knew him, had sung with him for 5 years, but nada.
About 15 minutes later I saw crossing the street ahead of me another gent, and shouted a name. He stopped and turned and said my name. We had not seen each other since our 5 year college reunion, quite a few years ago (don’t be rude). But I had his name and he had mine instantly. Mind you, we were not close friends but moved in the same circles and saw each other every couple of weeks for the last 2 years of school.
Why does that happen? Is it just me?
9 replies on “Has this happened to you – a tale of memory”
“Ron”, my work had me travelling to Asia 60 times in the last 20 years. I planned each trip, each flight, each itenerary and all business agendas. I new every city’s name, and everything about it.
16 months since my last trip in Dec 2019…..just yesterday I was recalling some travel to my wife, and I forgot the name of 2 cities and one entire region. Gone. I refused to look it up for a couple hours, saying to myself, that It’d come to me. Never did. Had to check on the internet.
I’m nearing retirement, and this is definitely an excellent example of “use it or lose it” in retirement. Projects, problem solving and constantly developing innovative products was my career for 45 years. If I can’t recall 2 cities and a region I’ve travelled to so many times, after only 16 months of inactivity, then I need to keep up the brain workouts or….I’ll forget my own name after a few years!
If you don’t do any type of puzzle, crossword, Sudoku, math problems, start now. You are a west coaster, right? I guess trips to Asia from there are like going to UK from this side. Not easy, but less horrible.
Hour drive to SFO, 14 hrs (with headwinds) to Taiwan. Learned to sleep like a baby on those flights. To keep my mind going in retirement, I’ve been a CAD jockey for 30 years, so I’ll keep a copy of Solidworks with me and a 3d printer. Probably build a CNC woodworkng machine too. Anything to keep the brain going.
I would have thought you’d have much shorter flight than I would flying out of DC or Atlanta. That is much worse than going to Europe from East Coast. Glad I didn’t have to do it.
I have the benefit of having always been bad with names, so no dropoff as I get older!
Thanks, guys. Good to know I am in good company. At least I remember where I keep the scotch.
Well, one must have priorities😆
Lol, yeah Ron, it happens to me all the time. It’s very frustrating but also a sure sign of aging. Take heart in the observation made by my Uncle when he was experiencing this and other signs of aging …
“This getting old shit sure as hell isn’t for wimps.”
I held ol’ Uncle Keith in pretty high regard and linguistic “colorfulness” runs in the family. 🙂
happens to everyone. i am 72 and thought it was just me but i came to realize that it’s a common thing. perhaps one made more of an impression on you than the other?