# I'm pretty smart but... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2004, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440 "2004-06-09T13:08:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/61 "2004-06-11T20:19:48Z")
I go by the poem: Thirty days has September All the rest I don’t remember I also have great difficulty remembering other numbers like birthdates and telephone numbers (including my own). ---
**Author:** ![IGJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/igjoe/32/5420_2.png) [@IGJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IGJoe)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/62 "2004-06-11T21:15:15Z")
[ul][li]I have no trouble with left and right, but I’ll often write a ‘P’ instead of a ‘9’. Oddly, I never write a ‘9’ instead of a ‘P’, and don’t have any trouble with ‘b’ and ‘d’.[/li][li]I cannot remember how to spell necessary. Is it one C and two S’s? Or is it two C’s and one S? Or is there a silent Q? I just don’t know…[/li][li]One of my sister’s quirks cracks me up: When she’s writing a sentance with parentheses, her mind replaces the last letter of the sentance with the closing ‘)’. So instead of writing _(Except for February)_, she’ll write _(Except for Februar)_. What’s _really_ funny is that she’ll be thinking about this as she’s writting, and psyching herself up to remember that last letter. But it never works. 😛 [/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/63 "2004-06-11T21:38:59Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > I can never remember the 396th digit of pi. > > 😃 1. I have a problem with digital clocks–not in telling what time it is (duh, it’s 3:25, says so right there); I have to translate it to analog if I want to figure out how far ahead or in the past certain things are (45 minutes ago, I can’t just subtract 25 minutes and have 20 left, so it was 2:40; I have to picture an analog clock at 3:25 and then move the minute hand back…). ---
**Author:** ![kalex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dfb087/32.png) [@kalex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kalex)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/64 "2004-06-12T04:11:36Z")
A good friend of mine can’t tell her left from right, which made driving around with her and trying to give directions pretty tough. We finally settled on this system: right became “food” and left became “tampax”. Works like a charm. I am one of the no-math-brain people. If a 50 dollar blouse is on sale at 20% off, I’ll charge it and hope for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/65 "2004-06-12T04:24:50Z")
> [@AmericanMaid](#): > > … I have trouble doing math in my head. For example, if I have to add 5 and 7, I’ll split up 5 into 3 and 2, then add the 3 to 7 which makes 10 and finally add the 2 which makes 12. That’s just proof of smartness. You’ve come up with a unique method of doing it. (And I do that, too, BTW.) ---
**Author:** ![Lando\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f17d59/32.png) [@Lando\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lando_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/66 "2004-06-12T04:39:45Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > For instance, if you tell me I got a 97 on an exam, I’d go home and tell my mother I got a 94. Do ya believe it? I got a 400 on my SATs! A 400! Or was that 1400? Bah, it’s probably not important. 😃 As for me, well, I write dumb. I write all of my letters from the bottom up, instead of the top down method that 95% of the world uses. I always get weird looks when people see me write. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/67 "2004-06-12T05:14:39Z")
I too had a friend who couldn’t tell left from right. We settled on: “Elly, make a bracelet” and “Elly, make a watch” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/68 "2004-06-12T14:04:58Z")
I’ve known how to touch type for over 30 years now, but still often confuse “D” and “K,” and still can’t type numbers without looking, and can \*\*never \*\* remember where “!” and “?” are. I’ve been reading music almost my entire life, but still have to use mnemonics to identify a particular note. Where I live, they have always picked up the trash on Wednesday mornings, so I should try to take it out Tuesday evenings. But it’s amazing how many times I take it out on Monday evenings, thinking they’ll pick it up on Tuesday. Regardless of how many times I’ve been in London, I always forget to look \*\*right \*\*before crossing the street (in spite of the warnings at crosswalks). And I’m another one who can’t tell time from a digital clock without picturing an analog one in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/69 "2004-06-12T17:59:36Z")
-I have trouble remember my age, whenever I’m asked it takes at least 6-10 seconds for me to remember. -I never learned to tie my shoes correctly and for many years they would come undone minutes after I tied them. I finally settled on double knoting them and using them like slippers. -The only reason I can multiply is because I once had a day planner with a multipication table on the back, and I memorized it. I can’t go beyond 12x12 without a calculator. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/70 "2004-06-12T19:22:45Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > A peek into my mental workings for math: > > Using a system similar to Kalessa’s, if I’m in a store and there’s a, say, $57.00 item that is 28% off… > > 5.70 is 10%, > so 20% is double that (at which point, I do (6+6)-.60) > > (Struggle to remember 11.40) > > so 5% is 2.85 > > (Struggle to remember 11.40+2.85=14.25) > > The other 3% is roughly half of the 5%, so, say 1.50. So, it’s roughly a $17 discount. 57-17 would be 40. > > Always add about 2 bucks for rounding and margin of error, you’ve got 42.00 > Actual amount=$41.04, so a few seconds of calculating brings me within a buck of accuracy. > Honestly it makes so much sense in my head. But generally, it’s very straightforward. What’s 73-28? 73-20 is 53-8 is 45. > > My head hurts. How did you get into my head? This is exactly how I do it! I’m glad I’m not the only one. I worried that people would think I was praying to the gods of garments as I stand there in the store, clutching a sale item, staring vaguely into space with my mouth moving and my head nodding ever so slightly before I finish the calculations with a decided nod of my head and a big smile. Also, when typing, if I make an error, I often will just hit the back key and delete everything I’ve typed since the error, instead of just moving the cursur to the error. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/71 "2004-06-13T03:15:26Z")
I can work with numbers in my head, but if I’m doing the work on paper, I count the points and/or ends on the numbers. I assume it’s something I did when I was first learning math, but 2 has two ends, 3 as two ends and a point, 4 has two points and two ends (or four ends, depending how you write it), etc. Also if someone asks “Hey, what’s 7 times 18?” I’d drop the seven to 5, double the five to ten… multiply the 18 by 10… divide the 180 by two… and then add 36 (two 18s, remember dropping the 7 to 5?) to 90… for 126. Or possibly divide 18 by two for 9, 7x9 is 63, 63x2 is 126. I’d never actually multiply 7 by 18, though, as that’s just silly. ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/72 "2004-06-13T06:06:53Z")
When I walk into a room and forget my reason for doing so, I always have to retrace my steps _exactly_ until I find my thought. If you need me to spell something for you, just ask me “how do you spell …” I will spell it correctly the first time, no hesitations. If you ask me if “necessary” has two s’s, two c’s or a q, I will blank out completely. “Necessary? Is that even a word?” Math of any sort is the bane of my existence. I do not do mental calculations beyond the terribly simple. If you need 40% of anything, pass the calculator. Unless it is 40% of $40, which is $16. For some reason, that is just hammered in there. No, I need a calculator for 30% of $30, or 50% of $50. When I am thinking about left and right, I rub my rings. I didn’t realize this until recently, when it was pointed out to me. (Funny moment that - I wasn’t wearing my rings, and couldn’t figure out if I had to say left or right. Glad I wasn’t trying to give directions at the time.) Cardinal directions are all relative to the nearest large body of water. Where I am in the Vancouver area, Burrard Inlet is north of much of the city, therefore I know where I am relative to North. English Bay is West of pretty much everything, and again, I know where I am relative to that. In Calgary, when a river runs through the city on a NW-SE axis, I am completely and utterly hopeless. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/73 "2004-06-13T06:44:47Z")
I usually am OK with left and right, but every now and then, I have to put my right hand on my heart to remind me. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/74 "2004-06-13T12:06:08Z")
Another one here with a horrible memory for dates. Which is why I am very strict with myself about recording all appointments and dates of anniversaries, birthdays, etc. on my PDA, setting reminder alarms on all of them, and keeping the PDA with me at all times. And I am yet another one who also simply can not do math in my head. Which is another good use for my PDA; I can whip it out and use it’s calculator function if I don’t have paper handy to do the math on. Oh, and I can not for the life of me remember the difference between “effect” and “affect” and when to use each. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/75 "2004-06-13T15:04:37Z")
I still count on my fingers to do addition. To tighten/loosen bolts, I have to say “Clockwise to tighten, counterclockwise to loosen.” (That righty-tighty/lefty-loosey thing never caught on with me.) But if I have to fasten a screw or bolt above my head, I always have to stop and pantomime turning a screwdriver clockwise in front of me, and then pointing my hands up so I remember which way is clockwise. :rolleyes: And if someone else is talking, and I think of something I want to say, I cross my fingers to remind me to say it the next time a conversation break comes up. Otherwise I forget about half the time. (BTW, I like the idea of using basic sign language letters to remember what I’m going into a room for!) ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/76 "2004-06-13T15:14:54Z")
Add me to the list who can’t do left and right. I blame my Kindergarden teacher because she always tried me make me write with my right hand when I was a lefty. I have the hardest time telling people where to go when I’m riding in a car. “Turn left up at the stop light” (they’ll then get into the left lane) “No! What are you doing? The other lane! Go left!” “That’s right!” "Oh! Go that way! _points right_ :wally I’m a total moron like that. I also can’t do math in my head. I can add and subtract (by breaking bigger numbers into smaller numbers, just like everyone else here) but I can’t do percents or division. I’m also bad for transposing numbers. $169 can very easily become $196 in the time it takes to get from my brain to my mouth. I can’t spell my way out of a paper bag either. Words with lots of double consonanants (I bet a butchered that word!) give me a hell of a time. Obsession? Necessary? The only way I can remember Mississippi is by using the crooked letter-humpback spelling. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440/77 "2004-06-13T17:24:18Z")
I also still use my fingers to count and do math. I know only basic mulitplication, so if I need to figure out something more complicated, I use that. Ex: 7x6 - 6x6=36…(on fingers)37…38…39…40…41…42 6x7=42 7x7 - 6x6=36…37…38…39…40…41…42 6x7=42…43…44…45…46…47…48…49 7x7=49 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-pretty-smart-but/249440.md?page=3)