# Recite a sequence by heart! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 30, 2001, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206 "2001-07-30T07:58:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/1 "2001-07-30T07:58:17Z")
Angrignon, Monk, Jolicoeur, Verdun, De L’Eglise, LaSalle, Charlevoix, Lionel-Groulx, Atwater, Guy-Concordia, Peel, McGill, Place-des-Arts, Saint-Laurent, Berri-UQAM, Beaudry, Papineau, Frontenac, Préfontaine, Joliette, Pie-IX, Viau, Assomption, Cadillac, Langelier, Radisson, Honoré-Beaugrand. Côte-Vertu, Du Collège, De La Savane, Namur, Plamondon, Côte-Ste-Catherine, Snowdon, Villa-Maria, Vendôme, Place-St-Henri, Lionel-Groulx, Georges-Vanier, Lucien-L’Allier, Bonaventure, Square-Victoria, Place-d’Armes, Champ-de-Mars, Berri-UQAM, Sherbrooke, Mont-Royal, Laurier, Rosemont, Beaubien, Jean-Talon, Jarry, Crémazie, Sauvé, Henri-Bourassa. Berri-UQAM, Jean-Drapeau, Longueuil. Snowdon, Côte-des-Neiges, Université-de-Montréal, Edouard-Montpetit, Outremont, Acadie, Parc, De Castelnau, Jean-Talon, Fabre, D’Iberville, Saint-Michel. All 65 Montreal metro systems in geographical order. So what long sequences are taking up space in your brain? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/2 "2001-07-30T07:59:57Z")
3.1415926 But I’ve heard my youngest brother knows it past 50 places. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/3 "2001-07-30T09:11:38Z")
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming! and don’t forget the territories of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ---
**Author:** ![Yumanite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b487fb/32.png) [@Yumanite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumanite)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/4 "2001-07-30T10:54:01Z")
2.718281828459045 That would be “e”, of course. Well, some of it. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/5 "2001-07-30T11:17:47Z")
Reading, Lower Early, Winnersh Triangle, Winnersh, Wokingham, Bracknell, Martins Heron, Ascot, Sunningdale, Virginia Water, Egham, Stains, Feltham, Twickenham, Richmond, Clapaham Junction, Vauxhall, London Waterloo. The sequence of stops on the train I took to and from school for five years. You’re thrilled, I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/6 "2001-07-30T11:36:25Z")
Series A: The Way Back, Space Fall, Cygnus Alpha, Time Squad, The Web, Seek-Locate-Destroy!, Mission To Destiny, Duel, Project Avalon, Breakdown, Bounty, Deliverance, Orac. Series B: Redemption, Shadow, Weapon, Horizon, Pressure Point, Trial, Killer, Countdown, Voice From The Past, Gambit, The Keeper, Star One. Series C: Aftermath, Powerplay, Volcano, Dawn Of The Gods, The Harvest Of Kairos, The City At The Edge Of The World, Children Of Auron, Rumours Of Death, Sarcophagus, Ultraworld, Moloch, Death-Watch, Terminal. Series D: Rescue, Power, Traitor, Stardrive, Animals, Headhunter, Assassin, Games, Sand, Gold, Orbit, Warlord, Blake. And the “original audio dramas”, The Sevenfold Crown and The Syndeton Experiment. Every episode of “Blake’s Seven”. In order. (Yes, I am a deeply sad geek. No, there is no hope for me at all.) ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/7 "2001-07-30T11:44:05Z")
Now I will a rhyme construct By chosen words the young insrtuct Cunningly devised endeavour Con it and remember ever Widths in circle here you see stretched out in strange infinity. Pi to 30 decimal places… ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/8 "2001-07-30T13:07:20Z")
-This is the house that Jack built. -This is the malt that lay in the house that jack built. -This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the preacher all shaven and shorn that married the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the cock that crowed in the morn that waked the preacher all shaven and shorn that married the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. -This is the farmer that sowed the corn that fed the cock that crowed in the morn that waked the preacher all shaven and shorn that married the man all tattered and torn that kissed the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that lay in the house that Jack built. This is what happens when you have a favorite book when you’re two years old… Anybody want to hear ‘The Little Engine that Could’? 🙂 And my girl wonders why I can never remember a phone number… ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/9 "2001-07-30T13:13:25Z")
1. 2. 3. 121312141213121. 1213121412131215121312141213121. 121312141213121512131214121312161213121412131215121312141213121. 1213121412131215121312141213121612131214121312151213121412131217121312141213121512131214121312161213121412131215121312141213121. 121312141213121512131214121312161213121412131215121312141213121712131214121312151213121412131216121312141213121512131214121312181213121412131215121312141213121612131214121312151213121412131217121312141213121512131214121312161213121412131215121312141213121. Tower of Hanoi solutions for 1-disc, 2-disc, 3-disc, 4-disc, 5-disc, 6-disc, 7-disc, and 8-disc towers. I do them in my head to pass the time. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/10 "2001-07-30T13:33:47Z")
Mensa mensa mensam mensae mensae mensa Mensae mensae mensas mensarum mensis mensis Servus serve servum servi servo servo Servi servi servos servorum servis servis Rex rex regem regis regi rege Reges reges reges regum regibus regibus etc etc I’m sure I could use this brain space for something else but I can’t wipe these no matter how hard I try! ---
**Author:** ![Syzygy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Syzygy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syzygy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/11 "2001-07-30T13:34:11Z")
1. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species - Order of Biological Nomenclature 2. 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144… - Fibonacci Sequence 3. 1,2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19,23,29,31,37… - Prime Numbers 4. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto - Order of planets in Solar System from middle outwards That’s all I got for now. ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/12 "2001-07-30T13:37:44Z")
9.10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,…etc. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/13 "2001-07-30T13:53:26Z")
From many, many moons ago and repeated 100 times, repeatedly: “I must not wilfully or inadvertently do anything which may contravene the rules of the school or in anyway affect the manner in which the school operates. To do so is an offence against the school and may result in punishment that may or may not include expulsion. It is therefore in my best interests to conform with the rules of the school which I am happy to so do” ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/14 "2001-07-30T14:42:11Z")
About 100 years ago when I had the prestigious title of “Boomerang, Head Operator” (it was a bumpercar ride at a large amusment park). Every 3 minutes I would have to recite these exact words that were taped to the wall near the P.A. system. "Welcome to the Boomerage. Everyone please put your shoulder harness over your head and one arm. Over your head and one arm." Then I would have to walk around and make certain everyone followed these simple instructions. Ninety percent of them did not. "In order to operate your car, push the peddle to the floor board and turn the steering wheel until your car moves in a forward direction. Please avoid all head-on collision and slamming into the side wall. Hang on and have fun!" I was saying this in my sleep and 23 years latter I still can’t get it out of my head. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/15 "2001-07-30T15:34:36Z")
“We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and promote the general welfare do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.” ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/16 "2001-07-30T16:25:37Z")
Please stand clear of the doors… Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas… Please stand clear of the doors… Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas… And as if that weren’t bad enough, the music from the Main Street Electrical Parade has been stuck in my head for about a week now. ---
**Author:** ![Syzygy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Syzygy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syzygy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/17 "2001-07-30T16:35:56Z")
I just thought of another one. It’s not a nice mnemonic device, but dammit, it stuck with me ever since my shop teacher in high school showed it to us. It’s the numerical equivalents of the color bands on a resistor in numerical order (0-9). “ **Ba** d **Bo** ys **R** ape **O** nly **Y** oung **G** irls, **B** ut **V** iolet **G** ives **W** illingly.” **B** l **a** ck, **B** r **o** wn, **R** ed, **O** range, **Y** ellow, **G** reen, **B** lue, **V** iolet, **G** ray, **W** hite. It’s “G” for both green and gray, but I guess we were supposed to remember that the colors were in rainbow order in the middle. Anyways, that rather inappropriate mnemonic device helped get me through circuits classes through high school, and then in college. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/18 "2001-07-30T16:58:06Z")
The major keys, based on the number of sharps in the key signature: Go Down And Eat Before Father Comes G-D-A-E-B-F#-C# and the number of flats: Fat Boy Eat Apple During Good Climate F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Cb The lines on a G-clef: Every Good Boy Deserves Favor and the spaces: F-A-C-E ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/19 "2001-07-30T17:16:22Z")
Alphabetagammadeltaepsilonzetaetathetaiotakappalambdamunuxiomicronpirhosigmatauupsilonphichipsiomega. Alphabetagammadelta… My Pre-Calc teacher offered a prize (I don’t remember what it was) to everyone who could say the entire Greek alphabet five times while holding a lit match. He was tired of constantly having to translate symbols. Washington Adams Jefferson Madison Monroe Adams Jackson Van Buren Harrison Tyler Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce Buchanan Lincoln Johnson Grant Hayes Garfield Arthur Cleveland Harrison Cleveland McKinley Roosevelt Taft Wilson Harding Coolidge Hoover Roosevelt Truman Eisenhower Kennedy Johnson Nixon Ford Carter Reagan Bush Clinton Bush. My seventh-grade geography teacher was appalled that his charges didn’t know the Presidents in order, so he made us memorize 'em. Of course, at that time the list ended at Reagan. A i u e o ka ki ku ke ko sa shi su se so ta chi tsu te to na ni nu ne no ha hi hu he ho ma mi mu me mo ya [yi] yu [ye] yo ra ri ru re ro wa [wi] [wu] [we] wo n Japanese “alphabetical” order - the basic syllabary set. Let’s see if I have this one: Mediterranean Baltic Reading Oriental Vermont Connecticut St. Charles States Virginia St. James Tennessee New York Kentucky Illinois Indiana Atlantic Ventnor Marvin Gardens Pacific North Carolina Pennsylvania Park Place Boardwalk I can never remember the order of the railroads. I never liked them or the utilities 'cos you can’t _build_ anything on 'em so what’s the point? Ok, so you might get more cash. Yawn. And from when I was a student in Nagoya, Japan: Irinaka, Irinaka des’. Gojosha arigatoo gozaimas’. Owasuremono-nai-yo-ni, gochuu-i kudasai. Literally: "Irinaka, Irinaka [it] is. [Your] honorable riding [makes us] humbly thankful. Honorable-forgotten-things-notfully honorably careful please [be]. Which I suppose means: “This is Irinaka, Irinaka. Thank you for riding. Please be careful not to leave anything behind.” Ah, the wonder of a language where subjects and verbs are often implied… ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2001, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206/20 "2001-07-30T17:32:18Z")
The U.S. Presidents and Vice-Presidents Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J. Q. Adams, Jackson, Van Buren, W. H. Harrison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln, A. Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, B. Harrison, Cleveland, McKinley, T. Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, F. D. Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, L. B. Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, G. H. W. Bush, Clinton, G. W. Bush Adams, Jefferson, Burr, Clinton, Gerry, Tompkins, Calhoun, Van Buren, R. M. Johnson, Tyler, Dallas, Fillmore, King, Breckenridge, Hamlin, A. Johnson, Colfax, Wilson, Wheeler, Arthur, Hendricks, Morton, Stevenson, Hobart, Roosevelt, Fairbanks, Sherman, Marshall, Coolidge, Dawes, Curtis, Garner, Wallace, Truman, Barkley, Nixon, L. B. Johnson, Humphrey, Agnew, Ford, Rockerfeller, Mondale, Bush, Quayle, Gore, Cheney [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recite-a-sequence-by-heart/74206.md?page=2)