# What memory phrases have you created? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247 "2010-10-06T13:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/21 "2010-10-06T18:47:52Z")
Strings of the guitar (standard tuning): _ **E** very **A** lcoholic **D** rinks **G** ood **B** eer **E** veryday_ I came up with that when I took lessons in the 7th grade. Occasionally I try to program myself to use the slightly more accurate _Good Booze_ instead of _Good Beer_ but it’s a losing battle. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/22 "2010-10-06T19:17:48Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > There are female and male versions of my real-life name that differ only by a vowel, and people regularly get it wrong, so I came up with a little mnemonic to help them remember which spelling is the girl spelling and which spelling is the boy spelling. I draw a lower case “e” and a lower case “i” on a piece of paper then point out to them that the “e” has a hole in it and the “i” sticks up straight. People have later told me that they’ve never confused the two spellings since. Heh. I teach folk dance, and there’s one dance where “the men go up and the women go down” at the same time. I tell people to think of something naughty, and they usually remember. When doing Charleston, there’s a “woman spreads her legs and the man('s foot) goes between” figure. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/23 "2010-10-06T19:32:43Z")
I don’t think this qualifies, but I’m going to put it out there anyway. A friend of mine and I were Wii golfing one day, and he kept getting his hook and slice mixed up. I told him it was easy to remember if he just counted the letters. Both hook and left have four letters, so the hooks go to the left. A slice goes to the right, which both have five letters. Another friend in the room heard this and thought it was neat (not amazing, just neat), as she can never remember which direction is Port or which is Starboard (her hubby is an ex-navy man). I told her it is the same thing. Port and left have four letters. Right and Starboard is a bit of a stretch, but if she just thinks of a five-pointed star, she will be _right._ The alternative was to smack her in the head with my \*right \*hand so she would see stars, but I didn’t think hubby would have liked that. (It’s okay, I’m allowed to do that. She thinks she’s my little sister, so I’m allowed the occasional whack once in a while.) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/24 "2010-10-06T19:36:49Z")
stalaCtites come from the ceiling; stalaGmites from the ground. My wife says, “The mites go up and the tights go down”. “Friend” ends in “end”. So does “fiend”. And easy as pi: Now, I have a rhyme assisting, my feeble brain its tasks resisting. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/25 "2010-10-06T20:17:59Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > stalaCtites come from the ceiling; stalaGmites from the ground. My wife says, “The mites go up and the tights go down”. We were taught in grade school that stalagmites “might” reach the ceiling while stalactites hang “tightly” to the ceiling. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/26 "2010-10-06T20:34:53Z")
Setting flatware on a table: Fork goes on the Left (four letters) Knife and Spoon go on the right (five letters) Also- spelling “family” (not that it’s so hard, but anyway) Father And Mother I Love You. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/27 "2010-10-06T20:44:51Z")
In chemistry class: **M** ary - Methane **E** ats - Ethane **P** eanut - Propane **B** utter - Butane The rest are easy because they have the numerical prefix, i.e., 8 - **oct** ane. I’m here all week folks. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/28 "2010-10-06T21:15:33Z")
Can’t remember the end products of mitosis and meiosis (correctly pronounced my-oh-sis)? Meiosis makes eggs and sperms, so it’s my OH OH OH sis! Taught high school science for 26 years- never taught the kids that one. ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/29 "2010-10-06T22:37:21Z")
I didn’t make it up, but here’s how to remember the streets in downtown Seattle, roughly from Pioneer Square to Pike Place Market (south to north, 2 streets per letter): **J** esus: Jefferson, James **C** hrist: Cherry, Columbia **M** ade: Marion, Madison **S** eattle: Spring, Seneca **U** nder: University, Union **P** rotest: Pike, Pine Of course, within a two-street set I never remember which comes first, but I’m never more than a block off when I’m walking around or giving directions. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/30 "2010-10-06T22:43:04Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Strings of the guitar (standard tuning): > _ **E** very > **A** lcoholic > **D** rinks > **G** ood > **B** eer > **E** veryday_ > > I came up with that when I took lessons in the 7th grade. Occasionally I try to program myself to use the slightly more accurate > _Good Booze_ > instead of > _Good Beer_ > but it’s a losing battle. You had a nicer guitar teacher than I did. 😃 **E** very **A** dult **D** ick **G** ets **B** ig **E** asy 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/31 "2010-10-06T22:57:04Z")
There’s a neat card trick that depends on the qualities of this array: GOOSE BIBLE ATLAS THIGH Each row contains a double letter and a letter in common with each other row. The trick: (works with up to ten trickees) -Deal out 10 2-card groups face down on a surface. -Have your trickee(s) select a 2-card group, memorize it, and set it back down while your back is turned or you leave the room. - Without mixing the groups together, pick all of them up - Lay them out face-up according to the array above. -Ask the trickee(s) to tell you which row or rows his/her/their cards are in. -Point out, or pick up, the indicated groups and amaze all involved. ---
**Author:** ![Rain\_Soaked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/32 "2010-10-06T23:28:24Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > > [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > > > stalaCtites come from the ceiling; stalaGmites from the ground. My wife says, “The mites go up and the tights go down”. > > We were taught in grade school that stalagmites “might” reach the ceiling while stalactites hang “tightly” to the ceiling. I’ve just remembered that stalag **M** ites are like **M** ountains and Stalag **T** ites come down from the **T** op. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/33 "2010-10-06T23:33:31Z")
Roman numerals: Ivy, excel, seedy, M. (I, V, X, L, C, D, M) ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/34 "2010-10-07T03:50:03Z")
> [@Leaking\_Boot](#): > > I teach English at exam level, and for the less able students I drill into them that, when writing about poetry, they must sit STIL > S - Structure > T - Theme(s) > I - Images > L - Language > > Can’t think of anything that might suit the final ‘L’ in still, though - any thoughts? Lyricism. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/35 "2010-10-07T04:01:27Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Strings of the guitar (standard tuning): > _ **E** very > **A** lcoholic > **D** rinks > **G** ood > **B** eer > **E** veryday_ Every anteater devours grass before eating. ---
**Author:** ![\_mostly\_Harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/9d8465/32.png) [@\_mostly\_Harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_mostly_Harmless)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/36 "2010-10-07T05:14:11Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > stalaCtites come from the ceiling; stalaGmites from the ground. My wife says, “The mites go up and the tights go down”. > “Friend” ends in “end”. So does “fiend”. > And easy as pi: > Now, I have a rhyme assisting, my feeble brain its tasks resisting. The part about “friend” reminded me that I do this kind of thing for lots of words. I wasn’t a great speller when I was a kid so I started saying the words how they were spelled instead of how they were pronounced. When I came across a word like “friend” I would say “fry-end” out loud so I knew how to spell it. I would change “appreciate” into “up-rek-ee-ate”. Sometimes I actually say “up-rek-ee-ate” in regular conversation and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/37 "2010-10-07T05:40:31Z")
The dodgy mnemonic I used to recall the seven layers of the OSI model for school was PANT SPA. What makes it dodgy is that I had to remember that the “A” in “Pant” was _actually_ a “D.” - but PANT SPA was easer to remember than PDNTSPA Turns out there’s something slightly better: **Please Don’t Take Sales People’s Advice**. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/38 "2010-10-07T13:35:54Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > There’s a neat card trick that depends on the qualities of this array: > > GOOSE > BIBLE > ATLAS > THIGH > > Each row contains a double letter and a letter in common with each other row. > > The trick: (works with up to ten trickees) > > -Deal out 10 2-card groups face down on a surface. > > -Have your trickee(s) select a 2-card group, memorize it, and set it back down while your back is turned or you leave the room. > > - Without mixing the groups together, pick all of them up > > - Lay them out face-up according to the array above. > > -Ask the trickee(s) to tell you which row or rows his/her/their cards are in. > > -Point out, or pick up, the indicated groups and amaze all involved. Excellent! It took me a while to master it, but I will be amazing my kids with it tonight! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/39 "2010-10-07T13:47:47Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > > [@Zeldar](#): > > > > There’s a neat card trick that depends on the qualities of this array: > > > > GOOSE > > BIBLE > > ATLAS > > THIGH > > Excellent! It took me a while to master it, but I will be amazing my kids with it tonight! Good deal! It’s a fun one all right. I think I recall sharing this one before in a thread on card tricks. I’ll try to find that one (or more) thread(s). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247/40 "2010-10-07T13:57:22Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > It’s a fun one all right. I think I recall sharing this one before in a thread on card tricks. I’ll try to find that one (or more) thread(s). Found one: [A neat self-working card trick. Got any?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=328015) from 07-30-2005, 03:22 PM. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-memory-phrases-have-you-created/556247.md?page=3)