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I need a RAM upgrade

Oct 7th 2007Karen Rose
Karen RoseWhen Goddesses Fall To Earth

leakingsieve.jpgTruly.  Unfortunately, my computer RAM is fine - it’s my brain RAM that’s leaking like a sieve.  And I think it’s about as murky up there as this nasty looking water…

RAM is “random access memory” and is one of those things in your computer that you really need.  It’s like uber-short-term memory and stores stuff (your Word doc before it autosaves, your latest Internet clicks) for as long as the power is running.  Power outage - kablam - it’s all gone.  If your computer is older your RAM gets too full more quickly.  Then your computer can’t store as much stuff at its fingertips, requiring it to go back to the hard drive for more info - and the stupid machine slows down.

pinkybrain.jpg[<--- Pinky and the Brain, just because I thought it was cute and real brains are gross.] 

If you can’t see the parallel to my brain by now, you must be under 30 and I don’t want to hear about your ability of instant recall.  Really.  When I was 30, I could juggle 10 projects in my mind simultaneously and pull any detail from any of them at a moment’s notice.  (And I walked to school barefoot, both ways uphill in the snow all year and liked it, by gum!)  Those were the days.

Now, I’m lucky if I can remember something from one minute to the next.  My brain is a sieve.  Kids?  School?  Groceries?  gasgaugee.jpgGas in the car?  Holy crap - when did that needle begin to approach E?  Sunglasses?  I’ve walked out of the house wearing three pairs of sunglasses at the same time - one on my head, one clipped to my shirt and one pair on my actual face.  That’s embarrassing.   It’s also why I never pay more than 5 bucks for a pair of sunglasses.  But I digress…

Somewhere in there I write.  And my kids have full bellies, so somebody must be buying groceries (thank you, DH!)  My car hasn’t run out of gas on the highway, because I’m just darn lucky.

I had to develop a RAM booster, or not survive.  In concept it is not especially high-tech.  It’s called a “list.”  I know several of the goddesses maintain lists.  Mine have to go into the computer or I end up with sticky notes all over the place, including my own head.  Tstickynoteonface.jpghat was a sad day - took me an hour to find the dang sticky and all along it was stuck to my head (along with my sunglasses).

Incidentally - my lists are all spreadsheets.  I find a spreadsheet to be a big comfort - like I have a handle on the world.  HA!  I lie to myself that way.  I even use it to keep my villains’ victims straight.  Handy when the body counts zoom over a dozen…

pda.jpgSO, it’s technology to the rescue!  I have a new toy - a PDA/phone/surrogate brain.  I love it!  It goes “dingaling-ding” in a cheerful way when I’m about to miss an appointment.  Saved my (you know) more than a few times!  Of course, I have to remember to put stuff IN the PDA.  But that’s another skill set entirely.  I still forget stuff, sigh…

Is your brain like a sieve?  How do you remember stuff?  Do you make lists?  Paper or computer or PDA?  Sticky notes?  If you remember everything on your own, I’d recommend lying and saying you forget, too.   Truly.

42 Comments »

42 Responses to “I need a RAM upgrade”

  1. TinaLouiseF on 08 Oct 2007 at 2:15 am #

    Some things I remember no problem. Somethings I have to write down.

  2. Ellie Phant never forgets on 08 Oct 2007 at 7:18 am #

    There are herbs and vitamins you can take to enhance your memory. Unfortunately, I cannot remember which ones.

  3. Judy F on 08 Oct 2007 at 7:24 am #

    I have list, my lists have lists. LOL I have tried mental grocery shopping lists, that has not worked once. I send my self emails from work to remember stuff then delete them. LOL

    Its sad.

  4. twolilhahas on 08 Oct 2007 at 7:32 am #

    Oh, my memory is horrible! I’ve always had a bad memory, but after having kids, it got worse. I can remember things about them, but at the expense of things about myself! It’s terrible when someone asks you what your birthdate is and you have to stop and think.

    When I took spanish for three years, I used to joke that all that memorizing all those new words was erasing my childhood memories!

  5. Kelly Ann on 08 Oct 2007 at 7:47 am #

    I only remember useless information!

  6. doglady on 08 Oct 2007 at 8:27 am #

    I’m with Kelly Ann. Useless stuff I have ready access to at any moment. Things I NEED to remember? FUGETABOUTIT!! So, I have lists! I have two little red notebooks with me at ALL TIMES! One is for my lists of things to remember. The other is just in case my characters decide to interrupt my day and tell me more of their story while I am taking 500 croissants out of the bakery oven. When I taught private voice lessons, my students would take my appointment book out of my hand and write in it themselves because they KNEW I was a dingbat. It is very frustrating. I speak 8 languages and I can remember all or most of those. I can remember every note of dozens of the operas I sang. But I cannot remember where I put my keys last night or that I need toilet paper! If I HAD a PDA I probably couldn’t remember where I put it or how to operate it!

  7. elsiehogarth on 08 Oct 2007 at 8:40 am #

    I have made lists all my life….a must have in my pocketbook is a note pad, a pen and sometimes post it notes sticking to the pad. I write everything down. I’m like Kelly Ann in only remembering useless information. I also believe I have selective memory….I remember what I want when I want–be it important or useless.

  8. Claudia Dain on 08 Oct 2007 at 9:37 am #

    I can’t make a spreadsheet. What? Another computer skill I’m supposed to have mastered?

    I can remember stuff. Sometimes. I remember my sunglasses. I remember to put gas in the car. I remember birthdays. I remember my deadlines. I remember the middle name of every guy I ever dated–is any information more useless than that?

    Everything else is up for grabs. I might remember or I might not. I tried to use a PDA once when they first came out. I never downloaded any of it into my computer so the thing froze, died, and took all my information with it. Now I break out in hives whenever I’m near a PDA.

  9. RachelG on 08 Oct 2007 at 9:46 am #

    My brain is a sieve. Has been for years. Although I do have a remarkable retention for anything unimportant and trivial. Like the names of the cast for Flavor of Love. Both one and two.

    rachelg

  10. Julia London on 08 Oct 2007 at 9:47 am #

    I use post its. They are everywhere — they are all over my manuscripts electronically. They are all over my desk in paper. There are so many that notes get stuck behind notes and I still end up forgetting.

    But I am not as bad as my husband. He drives me NUTS. “Honey, we’re going out with the Smiths tonight.”

    “Great!”

    Two hours later: “Aren’t you going to get ready?”

    “For what?”

    “For dinner with the Smiths?”

    “We’re having dinner with the Smiths?”

    argh. But lest you worry he has early onset of dementia — hardly. He’s got a selective memory switch.

  11. Claudia Dain on 08 Oct 2007 at 9:53 am #

    LOL about your DH, Julia. I’ve taken to telling my DH what I’m going to do, what miraculous plot twist I’ve come up with, some idea for a gift, whatever, just so the two of us will now have the information.

    “I was thinking about the heroine and it came to me that she’s really a Martian with daddy issues. Now we both know. You heard me say it. Remember this!”

    Like the poor guy doesn’t have stuff of his own to remember.

    I use Post-Its but they get lost sometimes. I’ve yet to lose my DH. He’s too big to misplace or get thrown out by mistake. So far, anyway.

  12. Karen Rose on 08 Oct 2007 at 10:50 am #

    Back from taking one of my kids to the doctor - my PDA jingled politely this morning.

    I think DH’s memory and my memory have selective cycles - luckily we tend to cycle in sync, so that at least one of us remembers important things…

  13. Ellie Phant never forgets on 08 Oct 2007 at 11:37 am #

    What was the question again?

  14. Meg on 08 Oct 2007 at 11:40 am #

    I have my Daily Agenda that I carry with me Everywhere!! Just in case something happens and I need to make a note of it. Appointments. Days to meet with people for lunch. I even write down when I need to go grocery shopping. It also holds birthdays, anniversaries, and when to pay certain bills. I would probably be lost without it. And I also love to make lists. I just have to remind myself not to forget them when I go out of the house. :-)

  15. ct009ct on 08 Oct 2007 at 11:49 am #

    Important things like did I take my meds this morning, I forget! You told me you were going where?? when?? Are you sure?? can’t remember - But I can kick but at trivial pursuit!! I don’t get it!!

    Great suggestions for remembering - I need them. Now if I can just remember them long enough to find paper and pencil to write them down.

  16. Kay on 08 Oct 2007 at 12:22 pm #

    My story–and I’m sticking to it–is that my kids have drained away all of my memory and energy. THEY REMEMBER EVERYTHING—where I parked the car at the mall (it’s a HUGE mall) where the permission slip is that I need to sign, where their friend’s house is that I’ve been to once, a year ago, & it’s been painted a different color since then. They also remember everything I promised. “You Promised,” is the favorite refrain of my almost teenager. LOL

    When kids and Dh aren’t there, I rely on my iPod. It has my iCal events, including alarms, on it. I have automatic emails set up, with alarms, for the things I MUST REMEMBER. I have a set grocery list, too. Copy, paste, highlight needed items, emali with alarm. We haven’t run out of milk since. :-) Did i mention that I have directions for EVERY place I need to go on my iPod with the all of the contact information? I would beg Santa for an iPhone, but I just got the iPod last year. Maybe when I sell something I’ve written…… :-)

  17. Ellen sans phant on 08 Oct 2007 at 12:50 pm #

    The last thing I can remember was the doctor saying “It’s a boy.” Everything after that is an ongoing blur of lost keys and forgotten appointments.

  18. colinfirthfan on 08 Oct 2007 at 1:05 pm #

    I lose any list I make so I don’t make them too often but I try!!

    All my appts are in my office email calendar with times blocked off so people know not to invite me to meetings at that time. :) Also it sends me reminders!!

  19. catslady on 08 Oct 2007 at 1:48 pm #

    My sister and I say we have more dead brain cells by the minute. I too write everything down and then promptly lose the list but once it’s transferred to paper it leaves my mind. arghhhh.

  20. Sabrina Jeffries on 08 Oct 2007 at 2:13 pm #

    Once again, KarenR, you and I are clones. I used to have a phenomenal memory but encroaching menopause and incipient ADD make it harder than it used to be to remember things. I use lists, I use calendars that send me e-mail reminders, I use whatever is at my disposal to remember the important things.

    And forget about $5 sunglasses–I buy the ones from the dollar store. I lose too many pair to risk the money. :-)

    Ah, the joys of getting old. I’ll reach for a word and poof, it’s gone. I HATE that. So irksome for a writer.

  21. Karen Rose on 08 Oct 2007 at 2:24 pm #

    Okay, back from my annual physical. PDA ding-a-linged politely once again :-) I love my PDA :-) But I am all doctored out for one day.

    Sabrina - my calendars just pops up on my screen with a reminder, than unfortunately comes with a snooze button. I’m a champion snoozer.

    Which calendar sends you an email message? I must know!

  22. twolilhahas on 08 Oct 2007 at 2:31 pm #

    Well, you’re doing better than me, Ellen. The last thing I remember is the nurse saying, “Well, I can tell you right now, you’re pregnant.” lol Pregnancy ate my brain. That’s my official excuse.

  23. Karen Hawkins on 08 Oct 2007 at 2:59 pm #

    Julia, I’m like your DH — verrry selective memory.

    I’m the person who’d walk out of a test, someone would ask, “What was on it?” And I’d look at them blankly and then blurt out, “I don’t remember.” And I wouldn’t. I would, however, have made an A on the test. Can remember what’s important, but the second it’s not important any more, it’s gone.

    The problem is, once I TELL someone something, my mind clicks it off as ‘done!’ and then promptly lets the information go. I have to be careful not to announce, “I’m going to the store” or in my pitiful mind, the Deed will be crossed off and forgotten. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked anyone “Do you need something from the store?” and then promptly forgotten to go.

    Does Google calendar send notices? I wonder if that would help me remember things?

  24. colinfirthfan on 08 Oct 2007 at 3:20 pm #

    KarenH, I think there is a checkbox that asks if you want an email reminder. Not sure though.

  25. Karen Hawkins on 08 Oct 2007 at 3:31 pm #

    Thanks, colinfirthfan! I’ll check that out. I could really use a reminder to keep me on track. I’d get a PDA but I’d have to keep track of it and I don’t think I could, but a laptop is wayyyy too big to lose.

  26. ericaleigh on 08 Oct 2007 at 3:44 pm #

    I have a PDA, a smartphone, a list and I’m under 30. My friends at work tease me that I have a list for my lists. Personally I like to be organized and no matter how many electronic gadgets I have I still like the satisfaction of crossing items off of my list. Having lists make me more focused and feel like I get more accomplished.

  27. Karen Rose on 08 Oct 2007 at 4:06 pm #

    Erica - I like crossing things off my list, too. When I first started keeping a Franklin Day Planner (in the days before PDAs when we still wrote with a chisel), the first thing we learned to do was make a list entry that we would make our list. Then when the list was done we could cross off the first entry.

    That still makes me smile :-)

  28. colinfirthfan on 08 Oct 2007 at 4:53 pm #

    I made a list of books that are being relelased that I have to buy and saved it as a draft in my email. :-)
    It gives me great pleasure when I can delete a book off of the list.

    SuzanneE I am reading A Touch of Minx. I dropped my son to school and headed to the doctors office when I realized I hadn’t taken Rick and Sam Jellicoe with me. So I went back home picked it up and rushed off. I figured a 10 min delay in getting there was better than sitting in the waiting room wishing I had the book with me. :)
    (they were actually quick for once so I only got to read for 10 mins :( )

  29. Suzanne Enoch on 08 Oct 2007 at 5:23 pm #

    I was going to comment earlier, but I forgot. *g*

    Yay, colinfirthfan! I hope you enjoyed the ten minutes of Sam & Rick you managed.

  30. colinfirthfan on 08 Oct 2007 at 5:47 pm #

    Suzanne E, I loved it. I can’t wait to get home and read again. Just an hr to go :-)

  31. ct009ct on 08 Oct 2007 at 5:49 pm #

    I found a pen and paper - now what was I going to write down????

  32. Kathy on 08 Oct 2007 at 6:40 pm #

    I think that memory loss is menopause induced. (unfortunately spelling is one of the things I don’t remember so well!)
    Paying bills online and having credit card companies send reminders has helped me. I am a loss at lists. I use the kid memory freely. She too remembers stuff I was supposed to have said, promised, done. I don’t and sometimes I wonder……… She’s not so good at grocery lists!!!
    The STBE (soon-to-be-ex) loved to wield the sword of I remember even if you don’t. Thankfully I don’t feel guilty about my memory now, that he isn’t around to remind me.
    I miss my memory most at work. I too used to be able to juggle numerous projects, people’s names, and employee work schedules. Now it is “I will have to get back to you on that”. Oh well….

  33. Cookiedough on 08 Oct 2007 at 6:52 pm #

    I have semi-instant recall when it comes to movies, music and television . an annoying habit to recognize vocies during a movie and blurt out exactly what other movies the voice has been heard in. like I said, annoying.
    But when it comes to day to day “where is my list” “what is on my list” as pertains to getting actual work done? forget it! literally.
    As things go in my brain, more fall out and I’m left with the nagging feeling that I’ve forgotten somthing crucial. like to switch my slippers for actual shoes to walk outside-true story. Or when I forgot to put in baking powder last week to a triple batch of bisquits I was making for a client. That was fun to try to fix.
    I’ve heard stories from my family members about stuff I did that I have absolutely no recall on. Yet someone asks me for what actor did that show about such and such ten years ago? Boom- I know the answer.
    memory is such a fickle mistress!

  34. Dot C on 08 Oct 2007 at 7:14 pm #

    I have always envied people that had those beautiful leather bound day runner planners, that had every appointment booked and knew their lives and what would be happening 6 months in advance. I have taken to using the little calendar in my cell phone to list important dates, appointments. Other than that, microsoft outlook has a life planner thingy that alerts you to appointments, and will even schedule your email to respond “sorry, she’s not available at the moment” to incoming email. Or some such thing.
    I do have a beautiful Leather date book I purchased for myself. I never look at it. LOL. I printed some working calendar sheets off of Microsoft Word, and I use those to help me plan the store’s vacation and time off schedules, and I also put my own needs on there to remind myself of upcoming stuff.
    I don’t think it’s a medical issue that we have such hard times to remember..but more than ever we are all called upon to multitask in a billion directions, and keep it all straight.

  35. Karen Rose on 08 Oct 2007 at 7:30 pm #

    Dot - I had a leather bound volume, but it got so darn heavy in my shoulder bag (aka purse) that I was having back problems. PDAs saved my back!

  36. Santa on 08 Oct 2007 at 8:02 pm #

    I have a seive for a brain, too. I write copious notes to myself and use post-its whenever they are around!

    I used to remember so much more but just can’t seem to do it anymore. It’s like my brain is too full and nothing else can possibly fit in. Sad but true!

  37. Cookiedough on 08 Oct 2007 at 8:27 pm #

    I bought myself a tiny 3 yr date book…so far the only thing marked in it is my mammogram in January- and I’ll lose it soon, so I have to post a note on the fridge. Can’t forget that appt!

  38. Karen Rose on 08 Oct 2007 at 9:31 pm #

    Cookiedough - you’re so right. Some appts have to be kept and the Big-M is one of them. I made my appointment today!

  39. Kerri on 08 Oct 2007 at 9:56 pm #

    My mind/memory works very well - but is on somewhat of a delay. Someone asks me who played a part in some movie, for instance, and I WILL remember … hours later, or the next morning, while taking a shower.

    But I DO remember!!

  40. ladydawgfan on 08 Oct 2007 at 10:05 pm #

    Slightly off topic, but if men had to get a prostate exam the same way women had to get a breast exam, you can bet your sweet bippy they’d quickly come up with a way to do it without requiring that our boobs be squished painfully flat!!!!

  41. Sabrina Jeffries on 08 Oct 2007 at 10:59 pm #

    Yes, it’s Google Calendar that sends e-mail reminders. I love it!

  42. Sherri on 16 Oct 2007 at 5:12 pm #

    Wow, a memory for things? After having two children, a husband, two dogs, a household, and a full time job teaching, I absolutely have to have some order. It’s weird, but I can remember our schedules for the day, who has to be where at what time, etc. I can multitask with the best of them, but the little things like remembering to make an appointment for a haircut for myself or shaving my legs? Ah, that all went to hell a few years ago. It’s called motherhood. I wouldn’t change it for the world. :)