# Unusual reminder signs for yourself **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464 "2007-12-28T13:09:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barrington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Barrington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrington)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/1 "2007-12-28T13:09:05Z")
I’m thinking of unusual things that we do in order to remind ourselves. Writing on calenders or other conventional things doesn’t count. Examples: 1. I have a Logitech cordless mouse (wonderful thing!), which needs an overnight recharge on its base unit every two or three weeks. A row of LEDs on the side indicates battery level. Currently it’s on the last LED, so it’s about due for a charge, but I know for a fact that I won’t remember to put it on charge when I go to bed tonight … unless I throw a magazine onto the floor of the passageway leading to the bedroom, which will remind me. 2. The same magazine is used to remind me to turn off the heating on the rare occasions I put it on in the late evening. I may be tired, but seeing that magazine on the floor on the way to bed is enough to remind me to turn the heating off or put the mouse on charge, and somehow I never get confused about it. 3. I roll my own cigarettes, and keep tobacco, rolling papers and filters in an old tobacco tin which I then carry around with me. Before going out, I check that there’s enough baccy, enough filters … and that the pack of rolling papers is thick enough to indicate a plentiful supply. If it isn’t, I put another, new pack inside the tin and, to ensure I use up the identical-looking old pack first, put a tear in the lid of the old pack. 4. Until recently, I lived in a house with two toilets. My toilet-cleaning method involved leaving the toilet bleached up for a few hours, during which I didn’t want to use the toilet. To remind myself, I’d close the lid of the just-cleaned toilet and put the bleach bottle on top. If I went to the toilet and saw the bottle there, and not enough time had elapsed, I’d go to the other toilet. Now … yours? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/2 "2007-12-28T14:10:23Z")
I have this terrific squashy stuffed cow my daughter gave me a few years ago. I’m a little too old to sleep with a stuffed cow, so I didn’t know what to do with it at first, though it is a perfectly wonderful cow. For a while, it stayed in the trunk of my car (don’t ask me how it got in there), and when I bought wine at the grocery store, I would let it cushion the bottle on the way home. Eventually, the cow made its way into the house, and now it’s in my closet. I usually think of things I need to do the next day right before I go to bed, and no matter what it is I want to remember, I remind myself by putting the cow in the bathroom so I’ll see it first thing in the morning. Reminder Cow works like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/3 "2007-12-28T14:31:28Z")
When I take my meds in the morning (lycinopril for HBP and Zocor for cholesterol), I turn the bottles upside down on the little shelf above the sink upon which I keep them. I tend to forget whether I’ve taken them. Sometimes, even when I remember taking them, I convince myself that I’m remembering a different day. WHen I begin these mental gymnastics and see the bottles upside down, I can rest assured I’ve, in fact, taken them. After returning home and washing up, I re-right them all ready to go for the next day. If they’re right side up when I get home, I know I’ve not taken them and take them then. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingCowOfDoom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyingcowofdoom/32/21776_2.png) [@FlyingCowOfDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingCowOfDoom)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/4 "2007-12-28T14:40:26Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] When I take my meds in the morning (lycinopril for HBP and Zocor for cholesterol), I turn the bottles upside down on the little shelf above the sink upon which I keep them. I tend to forget whether I’ve taken them. Sometimes, even when I remember taking them, I convince myself that I’m remembering a different day. WHen I begin these mental gymnastics and see the bottles upside down, I can rest assured I’ve, in fact, taken them. After returning home and washing up, I re-right them all ready to go for the next day. If they’re right side up when I get home, I know I’ve not taken them and take them then. [/QUOTE] You should get one of [these](http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=55334&catid=32880). Fill it up weekly and you’ll always know if you took the pills for any specific day. If I’m away from home and need to remember to bring something with me (i.e. bring something home from work), I have to put my keys on it or I will forget. For everything else I have to set a reminder in my PDA. Damn, I’d forget everything without that thing beeping at me. –FCOD ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/5 "2007-12-28T14:54:35Z")
Suggesteth **FlyingCowOfDoom** , “You should get one of these. Fill it up weekly and you’ll always know if you took the pills for any specific day.” Yeah, but then I’d have to admit my memory’s goin’ and I’m getting old. H-yea, right. Like _that_ will happen. And how would I remember to fill it, anyway? I guess I could leave it upside down… ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/6 "2007-12-28T15:25:06Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] Reminder Cow works like a charm. [/QUOTE] I now have an urge to market ReminderCow [tm]! (Or to suggest it as a Doper name for someone!) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/7 "2007-12-28T15:53:56Z")
If you cross Reminder Cow with Interrupting Cow, you get … MOO! ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/8 "2007-12-28T15:57:26Z")
I don’t leave myself notes…I just put a piece of paper somewhere that it’ll obstruct my view of something I look at all the time. Like, if I need to remember something in the morning, I’ll put a piece of paper over my makeup mirror. Or if I need to remember to go somewhere after work, I’ll put a piece of paper over the instrument panel in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/9 "2007-12-28T16:06:53Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] If you cross Reminder Cow with Interrupting Cow, you get … MOO! [/QUOTE] “Yes, I know, I just…” MOO! “Alright, I remember it now, I…” MOO! “Could you tell me again tomorrow? I can’t…” MOO! ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@Engineer\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Dude)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/10 "2007-12-28T16:44:13Z")
A lot of times, I’ll remember that I have a library book due that day when I’m at work. I then put a big highlighter in my pocket. If I’ve forgotten about the library book by the time I go to bed, I’ll see the highlighter when I’m emptying my pockets, drive to the library, and drop it in the night slot. They don’t charge you late fees if you get it there before they open the next morning. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/11 "2007-12-28T17:05:32Z")
Regular garbage pickup for my neighborhood is Monday & Thursday. I am off work on Sunday & Wednesday. On my days off before I go to bed I put the garbage bag by my front door to remind myself to take it downstairs when I leave in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/12 "2007-12-28T17:11:34Z")
Our laundry room is kind of out of the way, and my SO and I have, more then once, started a load of laundry and left it in the washer for several days. Now, if there is anything in the washer, the laundryroom light stays on. If you see the light on, check to see if the load should be moved to the dryer. I also leave my carkeys with anything I have to remember to take with me. That means they have spent several nights in the refrigerator, if I’m taking food into the office. I like the Remember Cow. Usually, just being reminded that I need to remember something is enough to trigger me. Hmmm. Maybe an Elicit Yak. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/13 "2007-12-28T20:17:15Z")
If I have something that I need to take home from work, or something I need to do immediately after work, I put my car keys in the wrong pocket. Having to look for my keys reminds me that there was something else I needed to do as well. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/14 "2007-12-28T22:27:28Z")
[QUOTE=Tastes of Chocolate] I also leave my carkeys with anything I have to remember to take with me. That means they have spent several nights in the refrigerator, if I’m taking food into the office. [/QUOTE] I do this too, so I usually end up with a small pile of things next to the cell phone charger since the cell phone is the thing I forget the most. That’s my Kitchen Corner pile and so at any given time there’s a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, my wallet, my keys, my cell phone and anything else I might need to remember for the day. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-reminder-signs-for-yourself/431464/15 "2007-12-28T23:43:07Z")
That thing about putting your keys in the wrong pocket is a great idea. (So are the other ones, too!) I’m going to try that.