# How bad is your short-term memory? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 17, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304 "2008-10-17T01:32:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/21 "2008-10-18T20:47:31Z")
I have noticd that as I get older I keep thinking more and more about the Hereafter. Like I’ll go into a room and suddenly think “Now what did I come in here after.” ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/22 "2008-10-18T21:49:33Z")
My Darling Marcie once asked me if I had ever had a good memory. I was forced to tell her that I couldn’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![Debon\_Err](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@Debon\_Err](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debon_Err)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/23 "2008-10-19T03:50:45Z")
My memory, both long term and short term are terrible. I rely on Post-it notes and calendar reminders if I need to accomplish anything. Unfortunately that does not help me when I find myself in the next room thinking, what the hell did I come in here for? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Cloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@Little\_Cloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Cloud)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/24 "2008-10-19T06:21:46Z")
I’ve always had very bad short and long term memories. My husband tells me stories from when our boys were babies and I’m grateful and jealous. It must be so nice to have a memory. I can retrieve all kinds of arcane data for crossword puzzles but it feels like it just “comes to me”. I don’t have the sense of actively remembering it. Age is not improving the situation but intelligence helps me compensate. If I were stupid too I’d really be in trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/25 "2008-10-19T10:32:07Z")
I can remember things rom 1972. I can’t remember this post. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/26 "2008-10-20T07:52:49Z")
My train of thought get derailed easily; I am also find it increasingly harder to resume programming after a toilet break (and I am like, 26?) BTW, which thread am I in again? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/27 "2008-10-20T12:28:10Z")
Have you ever been watching show on TV; it goes to commercial, then during commercial break you forget what the hell you were watching!! Yeah, that’s scary as hell. I also have a problem with remembering if something actually happened or did I dream that it happened? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/28 "2008-10-20T12:34:03Z")
I don’t generally think my short-term memory is bad, but my new job entails selling people popcorn, hot dogs, pizza, pretzels and drinks–and I frequently have to ask people what they ordered after they pay for it. It’s really annoying to see someone still standing there and look at them and they say “Um, can I have my cup?” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/29 "2008-10-20T17:23:04Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > \And I can’t always tell the difference between remembering a conversation with somebody and remembering thinking about a conversation with somebody. Like in my head I’ll plan out something I’m going to tell my fiancé, and later all I can remember is the idea of telling him that thing, but not whether I actually did it or not. I do that with my husband, too - I’ve started asking him, “Did I tell you about X, or did I just think about telling you about X?” Writing notes really gets to be your friend. The problem comes when I mean to write a note and forget. I had made plans to hang out with my sister, forgot to put it on the calendar, and completely forgot about the date. And I mean _completely_ forgot about it - as in, “Holy crap, you’re right, I was supposed to be there an hour ago!” forgot about it. I don’t like that much. I’m a prompt, reliable person - I don’t like just leaving someone hanging. My new m.o. is to write a note immediately - stop whatever I’m doing and write something down before it gets lost in the shuffle. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/30 "2008-10-20T18:10:26Z")
My red vehicle went into the dealer’s service department on Thursday. The loaner was silver. Later on Thursday the shop switched it for another silver vehicle. Then on Friday they switched it for yet another silver vehicle. Friday after work (and after the dealer was closed) I went to the mall. Do you know how hard it is to find your vehicle in a large mall parking lot when you don’t recall the model or year, and only have the make and colour silver to go on? Fuckity, fuckity, fuckity. I finally found it by wandering around pressing the key-fob door lock button while watching for the vechicle to flash its lights. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/31 "2008-10-20T18:34:51Z")
I’ve lost my car before, too! I never remember where I parked. That’s why I try to always park in the same general spot, whether at the grocery store, or work, or the mall. I’m even worse than you guys forgetting why you came into a room. When I’m cooking, I’ll turn to go get something, and forget what I needed. Sometimes I open the pantry when I need the fridge. It’s annoying as hell! I have to look where I came from to see what I needed. I attribute it to my brain being so much farther ahead than my body. I’m already thinking about the next thing, and have deleted the current thing. I do this while talking, too. I can think about talking about something and not actually start talking about it until the second or third sentence. People look at me funny, sometimes, lemme tell ya! 😉 I’ve been this way for quite a while, but I can’t remember how long! 😛 (I’m 50.) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/32 "2008-10-20T19:22:00Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > My red vehicle went into the dealer’s service department on Thursday. The loaner was silver. Later on Thursday the shop switched it for another silver vehicle. Then on Friday they switched it for yet another silver vehicle. Friday after work (and after the dealer was closed) I went to the mall. > > Do you know how hard it is to find your vehicle in a large mall parking lot when you don’t recall the model or year, and only have the make and colour silver to go on? Fuckity, fuckity, fuckity. > > I finally found it by wandering around pressing the key-fob door lock button while watching for the vechicle to flash its lights. I put some very nice decals on my silver Corolla for this reason. I know what make and model it is, and I STILL have trouble finding it sometimes. There are a lot of silver sub-compacts in this city. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/33 "2008-10-20T20:57:53Z")
As for myself, I have a memory like a steel sieve. Walking into the next room and forgetting what you went after? Amatuers. I’ll flip over to google search page and forget what I was going to look for. I can remember crap I learned in high school a quarter century ago, but yesterday? Forgot about it. Occasionally I’ll have episodes where I can’t remember common words and that just bugs the crap out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/34 "2008-10-20T21:19:42Z")
My short-term memory is really bad. I’m surprised I can even function sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![wisernow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@wisernow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wisernow)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304/35 "2008-10-20T21:57:32Z")
You can’t beat me. I have problems with both STM and LTM. I am not sure which is the worse. Because I know I have problems remembering things, I try and write down the things I have to do on a piece of paper. Then I forget that I have that piece of paper and come back home only to smack my head when I am emptying my pockets. And of course, I misplace things, and can’t find stuff. As a result, on several occasions I end up buying stuff, only to discover later on that I already had it and now I have two or three of the same thing. If I get out with a list of things to do and relying only on my memory, 9 times out of 10 I will come back not having done at least one or more of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-your-short-term-memory/468304.md?page=1)