We’ve all seen the stuff on TV that claims to increase your memory and stuff…do they really work?
The reason I am asking is because I have always been regarded as an intelligent fellow, but I, for the life of me, can’t seem to remember simple things…like the names or people I just met, phone numbers etc.
The only way I can seem to learn something ‘by heart’ is shear repetition.
I have a buddy that will remember something he has read after reading it once, (I’ve always been good at trivia, but this guy blows me away!) where as I would have to read it a few times to let it ‘sink in’ as it were.
Any ideas on how I can improve my short-term memory so it will be come long term???
I read a book about increasing your memory by… um, that basketball player guy… whashisname… Jerry something… anybody help me out here?
I can remember my phone number from 1970, but I leave the keys in the car because if I didn’t, I’d never remember where they were. It’s a good thing we have keypad locks at work, or I’d lose those, too. I know that Onasis had whale penis bar stools in his yacht, but where it my wallet?
Jerry Lucas! He has a system for converting numbers into words that I use for memorizing combinations.
Neat. The way I found to remember phone numbers is to remember the pattern that is made while dialing. I couldn’t write a number down for you, but I could dial it because I rememer the button sequence. I know…it’s wierd…and over-seas calls are a bitch…
Not applicable, in my case. Also, I don’t use aluminium based antiperspirants, either.
I have had several traumatic brain injuries, however.
But I don’t think that’s it, either… because of all the pointless stuff I have retained. My 1st girlfriend’s BD! My CB radio license number! Theodore Dreieser’s wife’s name! AARRGGHH!
These are pointers from an article titled “The Evergreen Mind”.
[li]Learn a foreign language[/li]
[li]Do crossword puzzles[/li]
[li]Guess where your parking space will be[/li]
[li]Guess what clothes you friends will wear[/li]
[li]Find new routes to the same destination[/li]
[li]Extend the duration of foreplay*[/li]*No joking, this was in the article.
My favorite is the crossword puzzle. They improve your vocabulary, and most especially your retrieval time for words and other information. Try to learn nemonic methods for memorizing phone numbers and addresses. I try to put them into a numerical equation form. For instance:
telephone number: 541.1055
5-4=1 5+4+1=10=5+5
And so on…
After years of this sort of training, my memory is so good that I can remember the night that I went out with my father and came home with my mother.
Thanks dude! I used to do CWP’s and was pretty good…I guess I’ll get back into them.
The problem I have always found is that I can be easily distracted while learning. There are times when I can’t get to sleep at night because I can’t ‘shut off’ my brain. )Always thinking about ‘something’.
CWP’s are good becuase they get your undivided attention, I guess.
I think there also has to be an intrest in the subject. I am ALWAYS the first one my friends come to with 80’s music trivia. I can usually get the artist, title and year of the song, with some accuracy I might add. But this is only because I am a HUGE fan of 80’s music.
