Can you remember the words to a song years later? Can you remember someones name 10 minutes after you met them? What about facts and figures? Good at that?
I’m horrible with names of people for some reason, but I’ll remember series of numbers, patterns (especially patterns!), names of buildings, streets, signs, places, cars, LICENSE PLATES, equations and weird stuff like that.
I can’t remember a guy named Bob that I just met a few minutes ago, but know that his name is three letters and very common. Was it Jim? No. Ned? No. Jon?? No! Dan?? NO!! ARGH!!! But if I remember that his name started with the same letter it ended with, I’ll have a better go of it when trying to troubleshoot and eliminate possibilities.
Ridiculous, my mind is!
Since I read that article Chris posted on the Cognitive Neuroscientist, I’ve been playing with some of the techniques described in the article. I’ve been able to remember quite a few obscure experiences that I had never otherwise would have.
I think like your muscles, memory is something that can be exercised and strengthened.
Speaking of license plates. I saw this one on the way to work today: L8TODAY
I’m going to experiment with remembering names. I’ll try to remember just the first letter of their name. That might jog my memory enough to remember the entire name.
I’m terrible at things I should remember and seem to have that inexplicable knack for remembering the mundane and the trivial. Seems like a common affliction, though.
As for names, I’ve tried linking names of people to characters from TV shows or books. One guy I kept forgetting his name (Tim) until I linked him to the Tim of the British office and the running gag where they all yell ‘timber!’ Stupid joke and it had nothing to do with the guy, but the fact that I elaborately explained how I would now remember his name… that seemed to do the trick. Weird, no?
I have a photographic memory that plauges me at times. I can see someone out somewhere and it bugs the hell out of me until I figure out who they are. Usually turns out to be something like the gas station attendant that took my money 3 days ago for gas!
I can remember the lyrics to “Baby Got Back” and the “Humpty Dance”, and remember how to say “You’re Beautiful” in Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Hindi – yet I can’t remember my Mom, Dad, or Sister’s birthday. 🙂
Um…
What are we talking about again?
I’m really good at names, words to songs, and random facts. I’m really bad when it comes to numbers though. I hardly remember my own phone number.
Nice meeting you today Brian!
Hey Brian, that was fun getting lunch today!
I’m terrible with names, too. I remember taking a name-memory test somewhere online before, and I only got 2 out of 8 correct on the first go and 1 out of 8 the second time. That’s how bad I am. I look too much at a person’s eyes, focus on their body language and demeanor, and therefore rarely remember their names.
Song lyrics and worthless information, though…I’m your girl!
Yeah, lunch was fun… finally putting a name with a face. Uh, names…
What was your names, again? j/k. 😉
The name’s Thomas. Or Tom. Yeah. 🙂
Here’s a tip for remembering names:
As soon as you ask someone’s name be sure to repeat it back to them e.g.
THEY SAY: Hi, my name’s Dave.
YOU SAY: Good to meet you Dave.
Then try to throw it into the conversation again a little later on. The more you repeat the actual name yourself the more likely you are to remember it.
15 responses to “Do you have a good memory?”
I’m horrible with names of people for some reason, but I’ll remember series of numbers, patterns (especially patterns!), names of buildings, streets, signs, places, cars, LICENSE PLATES, equations and weird stuff like that.
I can’t remember a guy named Bob that I just met a few minutes ago, but know that his name is three letters and very common. Was it Jim? No. Ned? No. Jon?? No! Dan?? NO!! ARGH!!! But if I remember that his name started with the same letter it ended with, I’ll have a better go of it when trying to troubleshoot and eliminate possibilities.
Ridiculous, my mind is!
Since I read that article Chris posted on the Cognitive Neuroscientist, I’ve been playing with some of the techniques described in the article. I’ve been able to remember quite a few obscure experiences that I had never otherwise would have.
I think like your muscles, memory is something that can be exercised and strengthened.
Speaking of license plates. I saw this one on the way to work today: L8TODAY
I’m going to experiment with remembering names. I’ll try to remember just the first letter of their name. That might jog my memory enough to remember the entire name.
I’m terrible at things I should remember and seem to have that inexplicable knack for remembering the mundane and the trivial. Seems like a common affliction, though.
As for names, I’ve tried linking names of people to characters from TV shows or books. One guy I kept forgetting his name (Tim) until I linked him to the Tim of the British office and the running gag where they all yell ‘timber!’ Stupid joke and it had nothing to do with the guy, but the fact that I elaborately explained how I would now remember his name… that seemed to do the trick. Weird, no?
I have a photographic memory that plauges me at times. I can see someone out somewhere and it bugs the hell out of me until I figure out who they are. Usually turns out to be something like the gas station attendant that took my money 3 days ago for gas!
I can remember the lyrics to “Baby Got Back” and the “Humpty Dance”, and remember how to say “You’re Beautiful” in Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Hindi – yet I can’t remember my Mom, Dad, or Sister’s birthday. 🙂
Um…
What are we talking about again?
I’m really good at names, words to songs, and random facts. I’m really bad when it comes to numbers though. I hardly remember my own phone number.
Nice meeting you today Brian!
Hey Brian, that was fun getting lunch today!
I’m terrible with names, too. I remember taking a name-memory test somewhere online before, and I only got 2 out of 8 correct on the first go and 1 out of 8 the second time. That’s how bad I am. I look too much at a person’s eyes, focus on their body language and demeanor, and therefore rarely remember their names.
Song lyrics and worthless information, though…I’m your girl!
Yeah, lunch was fun… finally putting a name with a face. Uh, names…
What was your names, again? j/k. 😉
The name’s Thomas. Or Tom. Yeah. 🙂
Here’s a tip for remembering names:
As soon as you ask someone’s name be sure to repeat it back to them e.g.
THEY SAY: Hi, my name’s Dave.
YOU SAY: Good to meet you Dave.
Then try to throw it into the conversation again a little later on. The more you repeat the actual name yourself the more likely you are to remember it.
That’s a good tip, David.