What Did I Forget?
There are days my memory seems fluid as water. That old saw about walking into a room and immediately forgetting what I was going there for, describes me perfectly some weeks. My head is talking to itself, rehashing ideas and opinions, stray words and images weaving their way through, reminding me of some things, making me forget others. If James Joyce had been able to see my stream of consciousness, he would never have written Ulysses. Too chaotic. Best stick to a regular plot line, stream of consciousness aside.
I had left a pastel painting for framing last week. On Friday they called and said it was ready. I decided to go pick it up Monday morning. Monday morning I woke up and thought about what I had to do that morning. Nothing stood out. I thought I had made plans, but I had no idea what they were. So I spent the morning at home. That evening, something reminded me I should have gone pick up the framed painting. So I went on Tuesday.
This week I promised my daughter that as soon as her father got paid, I would put money for rent and her share of the bills in her account. Last evening, my husband was given his wages, and I made a note in my head to take the money to the bank. This morning, I woke up thinking I had to do something, but I had no idea what it was. There was a niggling at the back of my head as I settled down to eat breakfast. Nothing special popped out at me, though.
I went to take out the trash, and I saw the small envelope my husband was given the money in. Suddenly, my head exploded with remembering. Bank! Money! Daughter! Rent! Deposit! Now I remembered what I had to do this morning. So, I quickly went to do what had almost been put off for another day.
There are times I think I must be getting onset of Alzheimer's. I remember things from so long ago, but I can't remember where I left my phone. I remember plans I have for days or weeks ahead, but I can't remember plans for today. Perhaps the punishment for thinking is an overcrowding of the brain, and the shunting aside of the merely routine. I've noticed that more people that think about little else than gossip and football have better memories than people who use their brains regularly to deal with new information.
I like to believe that I can think over and process new information well. I would like it if I could also remember what I had to do as soon as I wake up, and not five hours later or the next day. Write it down in an agenda? The problem with that is I've tried it. I bought an agenda once and made myself write down the daily things I had to do. I would then forget to either write them down or to check the agenda.
The other option is to write things on my hands and arms, like my daughter does. Her agenda is her skin, which she takes with her everywhere, and which passes in front of her eyes continuously. I think I would get so used to seeing words on my skin that I would even forget to remember that I wrote something important on it. Until I would see the faded ink and realize I probably forgot something important. Again.
I had left a pastel painting for framing last week. On Friday they called and said it was ready. I decided to go pick it up Monday morning. Monday morning I woke up and thought about what I had to do that morning. Nothing stood out. I thought I had made plans, but I had no idea what they were. So I spent the morning at home. That evening, something reminded me I should have gone pick up the framed painting. So I went on Tuesday.
This week I promised my daughter that as soon as her father got paid, I would put money for rent and her share of the bills in her account. Last evening, my husband was given his wages, and I made a note in my head to take the money to the bank. This morning, I woke up thinking I had to do something, but I had no idea what it was. There was a niggling at the back of my head as I settled down to eat breakfast. Nothing special popped out at me, though.
I went to take out the trash, and I saw the small envelope my husband was given the money in. Suddenly, my head exploded with remembering. Bank! Money! Daughter! Rent! Deposit! Now I remembered what I had to do this morning. So, I quickly went to do what had almost been put off for another day.
There are times I think I must be getting onset of Alzheimer's. I remember things from so long ago, but I can't remember where I left my phone. I remember plans I have for days or weeks ahead, but I can't remember plans for today. Perhaps the punishment for thinking is an overcrowding of the brain, and the shunting aside of the merely routine. I've noticed that more people that think about little else than gossip and football have better memories than people who use their brains regularly to deal with new information.
I like to believe that I can think over and process new information well. I would like it if I could also remember what I had to do as soon as I wake up, and not five hours later or the next day. Write it down in an agenda? The problem with that is I've tried it. I bought an agenda once and made myself write down the daily things I had to do. I would then forget to either write them down or to check the agenda.
The other option is to write things on my hands and arms, like my daughter does. Her agenda is her skin, which she takes with her everywhere, and which passes in front of her eyes continuously. I think I would get so used to seeing words on my skin that I would even forget to remember that I wrote something important on it. Until I would see the faded ink and realize I probably forgot something important. Again.
Comments
Post a Comment