How important is it to you to remember experiences/events?

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Bunneth
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29 Nov 2010, 6:53 am

My memory is pretty bad. I can remember 300 phone numbers and the names of most people I meet but I can't remember holidays, days out or any general experiences of that nature. I call my husband my 'memory bank' because when he (Or someone we know) says 'Hey, you remember when we...?' he'll have to patiently go through the event in question with me in some detail before I remember any of it, even if was something amazing which I really enjoyed (i.e. our wedding :oops: )

Although I know I should be bothered by this, I find on the whole it doesn't particularly worry me. Sure, it can cause some embarrassment sometimes but I don't stress about forgetting most of things that happen to me. I've come to the conclusion that as long as I enjoy them while they're happening, that's all I need, as if they're good experiences all you need to do is experience them at the time and if they're bad experiences, then there's no loss in forgetting them. I think this might be one of the reasons why I never take pictures either; I just don't feel the need to capture particular points in time and am just happy to let them wash past me.

What do you think? Do you like to try and remember as much of your life as possible, or do you prefer to just let it all roll past?



Kaybee
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29 Nov 2010, 7:20 am

Sometimes I try to remember moments of happiness, but my memory for such things is also poor, and mostly I let it all roll past, as you say. People used to often show shock at how many events and conversations I would forget, but they mostly seem to have grown accustomed to it. I do try to remember personal details about people who are important to me, though: faces, voices, idiosyncrasies, etc.


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FalconPunch39
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29 Nov 2010, 8:42 am

Extremely important, because I have to maintain time between college and my job.



sluice
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29 Nov 2010, 3:45 pm

I can never remember names, faces, phone numbers, or the stuff they call rote memorization. It is a problem because until I get to know someone they just pretty much blend in with everybody else. I do have a really good recall for past conversations and things I've done. I could have a nice conversation with someone and recall the conversation but probably wouldn't recognize the person I had it with unless they have something interesting about them that stuck in my mind.



chrissyrun
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29 Nov 2010, 7:34 pm

I can rote memorize for classes, but memories, I only remember the sensory stuff, and a few other thing maybe.

Like, I'll say to my family "Do you remember then? We were sitting at a table with a green tablecloth that was cottony and there were 5 chairs, and etc..."
But I don't really remember if I did or said something. And if I did, it is usually like the first letter of the phrase or something weird like that.

As for caring, it is kinda hard to tell.
All the stuff I learn in school, I learn for THAT year, and then forget most of it :lol:
(My Precalc teacher got mad at me because I didn't remember geometry. Geometry! I took that 2 years ago, how am I supposed to remember that?)

Memories of family and friends, I want to remember some of them, but not all of them. In fact, there was a time when I was depressed, and I am trying to repress that memory. At the same time, I do notice that it is a little bit harder for me to remember stuff like that.