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Monday, January 12, 2009

Failing Memory

My memory is not as super-sharp as it used to be. And this is not sitting very well with me at all! What sparked this latest bout of self-searching and self-critique? TVJ's Schools' Challenge Quiz!

I used to be able to answer a decent amount of questions from that competition in any category. I could even solve the occasional math problem. But now, I can barely answer four or five questions on the entire show! I'll sit there, and know that at some point in my former brilliant life, I knew the answer, but now I've lost the information. I just don't remember.

It annoys the heck out of me to not remember stuff about Biology, Chemistry, Physics and the like. I'm too young to have memory lapses. I'm too young to be forgetting so many things already!!

It just sucks to know that I knew the answers but don't anymore, even if I left high school and stopped actively studying those subjects over four years ago... it doesn't matter!! I'm not supposed to forget! I'm never supposed to forget! Once I learn it, it should stick with me forever! Forever, dammit!

And to add insult to injury, my daddy has the memory of a high-speed computer... he doesn't forget anything! Especially world history. He can give you names, dates, countries, timelines, the works... and he doesn't study these things intensely, he just casually reads. So why is he, in his late 40s, able to clearly remember stuff he read at 25, and, I, in my early 20s, can't remember stuff I learnt in my late teens? It's not fair!! Why did I have to inherit the broad nose instead of that amazing memory?

*SMH* It's not fair, I tell you, it's not fair!! I want my memory back, or at least the memory I was supposed to inherit from my father!!

16 comments:

ruthibel said...

They say what you don't remember, you must relearn...

clnmike said...

They also say what you dont remember you didnt need.

Red Flashlight said...

Me too! I want mine back, too. They must be putting something in the water. Or the coffee.

Unknown said...

No, it's not fair! But if you don't need it the brain basically files it away somewhere remote.

Wuthering said...

I can relate Ruthi! I have this problem both at school and work.

Anonymous said...

Everyone starts to lose sme memory post 25!! If you cannot find your pencil, no problem!! But if you do not remember what a pencil is used for, then you have a big problem.Nuff respect!!

Blu Jewel said...

I'm actually to have some of the memory lapses that I have. They're indicative of some trauma in my life, which makes not remembering a wonderful thing.

Don't worry about what you do or don't remember, I'm sure you're able to function well in spite of.

Love to live; live to love!

ruthibel said...

LOL@Esteban... yes, at 21, that would be an area of grave concern, wouldn't it? :) And I will never suscribe to the memory loss post-25 theory.... my memory will remain intact for as long as I live... it has no choice because I will accept nothing less!

@Jewel: Sometimes it's a blessing to forget some things for real. Some things are best left forgotten.

Abeni said...

How about what you don't use you lose. I would console myself and say it was useless info anyway:)

Will said...

lol... girl just wait... it gets worse... wait till you see someone come up to you with a big smile and hug you and ask you how things... all the while you're wracking your brains to try and figure who the hell this person is and wondering why she's attacking your person...

apparently we only store the information that we use regularly in our long-term memory... or something like that...

ruthibel said...

Will, you're not listening: I said I do not and willo not suscribe to this memory los as you get older theory... I'ma fight it for life!!

Will said...

lol... ohhhhhh... is that what you said??? sorry girl... i forgot... (snicker)...

Annie Paul said...

hey Ruthibelle,

found out purely by accident that you're back. best news i've heard this year...WELCOME BACK! and no more disappearing acts!!

ruthibel said...

lol@Will... I know, right, but a girl can hope, can't she??

@Annie... thanks a million... made me LOL in UWI's sacred library...

Anonymous said...

Ruthibelle - nice to have your "voice" back in the blogosphere.

Now, about that memory issue: you know that the stuff on School's Challenge Quiz is mostly innane trivia and is purely the preserve of young persons with absolutely nothing else to do or think about besides memorize and regurgitate practically useless facts? Don't judge yourself by that standard; you have lived way beyond SCQ by now. Smile that you used to know all that stuff, but now you have far more important and interesting things to recall.

ruthibel said...

LOL, Long, I have a lot of friends (ex-SCQers) who would dispute that... but I'm not too wont to do likewise. Bias prohibits me, seeing as I quite like your perspective...