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A thread I just saw about "your favorite childhood treat," got me thinking back to my childhood. Some people who responded on that thread, seemed to actually recall what Twinkies tasted like . . .It made me think that I WISHED I could remember actual scenes with TOTAL RECALL . . . not just snapshots and images, but actual scenes where you can see, smell, taste, hear, and sense what is going on . . .
When you think back to your childhood, is it just snippets that you recall, like me, or do you recall actual scenes with detail, context and continuity?
As an example: I remember a particular birthday party scene with the kids around the table, but I can't see who they were, I don't know what kind of cake it was - it is all very vague. I recall the image of the backyard, the decorated table (but I couldn't tell you what the decorations were), kids interacting, but I can't see the kids faces - I only know who they were because I know who my friends were at that age (the scene I am recalling was probably when I was five-ish, but I am actually not even sure about that).
I have a bunch of those childhood scenes . . .but they are very incomplete - like one dimensional photos . . .
I even recall the scene when I was born - I see the tiles in the delivery room - blue or green and the bright lights and I recognize it as being my birth . . .
How do you experience your memories? How do they look to you? What kind of detail do you recall?
Do you have full recall or only partial recall? (In other words, is it possible to recall every minute of one's life?) I guess that would take a lifetime to remember!
We've been led to believe that short term memory is what suffers as we age.
I'm finding the opposite.
Until the recent years past events/conversations could be recalled like a film clip.
Now it seems that the theater has closed.
People are always telling me what a great memory I have of things from long ago. I thought everyone did until I'd say to my husband or sister or best friend, "remember in '75 when we stayed at that condo and Mary had that pink bikini that you spilled coffee on??" And they look blank..
I can remember and visualize walking through all the houses we lived in, the floor plans back to age 5 (snips and pieces around age 3, major events) and can remember lots of details of playing outside with neighbor children, most of their names, trips we've taken.. the good, the bad, and the ugly. ha
But ask me what I had for dinner last night and I draw an instant blank. I have to really strain my brain to remember what I did yesterday unless it was something out of the ordinary. It helps writing emails to friends discussing daily events because I have to force myself to think back and remember.. exercising the old noodle. Use it or lose it, they say.
I'm glad the other poster said this was normal as we age because I was beginning to wonder about myself.
Dreams are a whole different ballgame. Unless I make a conscious effort to recall every detail and replay it, they disappear unless I'm really tired and blips of it come back to me during the day.
Some things I remember in great detail. Other memories have disappeared for the moment, but tomorrow I might reach for a different set of memories and there it'll be.
The other day I was trying to remember how I happened to sign up for a class in designing menus when I was in college. All I can remember now is I took the class, but I don't remember much else--not why I chose to sign up for it, not what I learned in it, not even what my final project looked like (although I do remember staying up late a few nights to work on it). I got one of the best grades in the class (impressive since HRM wasn't my major), so you'd think I'd remember more about it. But.... not today I guess.
At more or less the same point in time I vividly remember drawing a poster on a rainy afternoon for a campus blood drive. I even remember a conversation about the Partridge Family bus that we had while we were doing this. It wasn't a big moment in my life but for some reason I remember all the details.
Why did my mind choose to remember one thing and not the other? Beats me. My brain seems to have little regard to what I think is important to remember.
Some things I remember in great detail. Other memories have disappeared for the moment, but tomorrow I might reach for a different set of memories and there it'll be.
The other day I was trying to remember how I happened to sign up for a class in designing menus when I was in college. All I can remember now is I took the class, but I don't remember much else--not why I chose to sign up for it, not what I learned in it, not even what my final project looked like (although I do remember staying up late a few nights to work on it). I got one of the best grades in the class (impressive since HRM wasn't my major), so you'd think I'd remember more about it. But.... not today I guess.
At more or less the same point in time I vividly remember drawing a poster on a rainy afternoon for a campus blood drive. I even remember a conversation about the Partridge Family bus that we had while we were doing this. It wasn't a big moment in my life but for some reason I remember all the details.
Why did my mind choose to remember one thing and not the other? Beats me. My brain seems to have little regard to what I think is important to remember.
They actually had a college course in designing menus?? We never had interesting things like that offered. I would have loved to have taken it. That would be a fun job to have.
I agree that some of the things we have total recall of are totally odd; like your Partridge Family bus conversation ! LOL Would be nice to understand the workings of the brain. I love those PBS specials.
A thread I just saw about "your favorite childhood treat," got me thinking back to my childhood. Some people who responded on that thread, seemed to actually recall what Twinkies tasted like . . .It made me think that I WISHED I could remember actual scenes with TOTAL RECALL . . . not just snapshots and images, but actual scenes where you can see, smell, taste, hear, and sense what is going on . . . When you think back to your childhood, is it just snippets that you recall, like me, or do you recall actual scenes with detail, context and continuity?As an example: I remember a particular birthday party scene with the kids around the table, but I can't see who they were, I don't know what kind of cake it was - it is all very vague. I recall the image of the backyard, the decorated table (but I couldn't tell you what the decorations were), kids interacting, but I can't see the kids faces - I only know who they were because I know who my friends were at that age (the scene I am recalling was probably when I was five-ish, but I am actually not even sure about that). I have a bunch of those childhood scenes . . .but they are very incomplete - like one dimensional photos . . . I even recall the scene when I was born - I see the tiles in the delivery room - blue or green and the bright lights and I recognize it as being my birth . . . How do you experience your memories? How do they look to you? What kind of detail do you recall?Do you have full recall or only partial recall? (In other words, is it possible to recall every minute of one's life?) I guess that would take a lifetime to remember!
Before I get into my favorite childhood memory..come on....you remember your birth?? I don't think so. The color of the tiles?? The delivery room??? uh...highly unlikely. Yes, I do remember lots of things from when I was a child. I am 64 and my Mom died from Alzheimers which she started getting in her early 60's so I feel blessed that I can still recall anything and am still coherent. I recall this wooden station wagon that would come around to our neighborhood selling ice cream. The driver's name was Uncle Ben and he sold the most awesome banana ice cream on a stick. I can still see his face, see his station wagon and taste the banana ice cream..nothing better on a hot day than Uncle Ben and banana ice cream on a stick. Your memory of a delivery room?? Is it possible that could be from another episode at the hospital where you had tonsils out or some other surgery when you were older?
We've been led to believe that short term memory is what suffers as we age.
I'm finding the opposite.
Until the recent years past events/conversations could be recalled like a film clip.
Now it seems that the theater has closed.
My short term memory stinks!! I can take a pill from my pill keeper and STILL not recall if I have taken it or not..5 min. after the deed was probably already done! I have looked at my husband and knew what something was and cannot get the words out. Am I nervous about this..?? A bit. My Mom had Alzheimers and so did her Mom. We are keeping an eye on it and should it get any worse about the only thing I can do is take meds to slow it down. My Mom suffered more than I can tell you and I can only pray that it doesn't happen to me too. Odds are not good right now.
I can vividly recall memories that are happy and there are actually years of complete blanks when I was not (childhood). Strangely enough, I have detailed memories and memory of my thought process from about age one, when I was learning to walk. I can also look at black and white photos from about that time, recall the colours of my outfits, and what occurred before and after the photos were taken. My Mom verifies much of it. Music triggers vivid memories for me. I think everyone is different in respect to memory and just because we can't remember some stuff doesn't mean we have alzheimers, etc. The less stressed I am, the more memories I can recall.
The things forgotten you don't need anyway- things like walking into a room and wondering what the reason was for going there is not important- If I enter a bathroom- I am reminded by my body why I am there- As for memories- all I know is that I had a very interesting childhood- a few wonderful wives- a hundred lovers..and the rest- well it's fading - but that's okay- I live in the absolute moment...The past is gone- I do miss my father- my mother...but not those who were my enemies...I have managed to out live most of them- My duty is to out live all the jerks in the world- cheers
I have a great degree of encyclopedic recall of places, events and people going back to about age two. It's both a blessing and a curse.
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I have to really strain my brain to remember what I did yesterday unless it was something out of the ordinary. It helps writing emails to friends discussing daily events because I have to force myself to think back and remember.. exercising the old noodle. Use it or lose it, they say.
