Chapter 43 Good Memory.
No one can dispute the importance of good memory. Remembering names, faces, phone numbers, facts, etc, all contribute to awareness, skills, efficiency and performance. All these culminate in social success and commercial advancement. Various memory-wizards in the world have shown some stunning feats. They remind us that we do have these potentials which we overlook or take for granted. Today, we will develop some memory skills, and we will meet the most peculiar word in the English language - Mnemonics, it is spelled like no other, and it means, the art of improving memory.
Mnemonic scientists identify 2 main items in the memory process: 1. The Memory Trace, of the thing or event remembered. This may fade with time or overcrowding, causing the Trace Decay. 2. The Trigger or Retrieval cue, which is a present or past situation that can recall memories. The main reason why we forget is that our surroundings do not always give the right cues to trigger off the return of lost information. Contrary to popular belief, the Memory Trace does not decay much with age, they remain hidden in your brains. One needs only to revisit a childhood place, to find a flurry of forgotten memories returning vividly! The Triggers are there to awake those experiences of long ago. When trying to remember something, it is important to relive the intellectual and emotional state you were in when the inputs first entered your memory system. Funny enough, an indirect pursuit of an elusive name or phone number often turns out more fruitful. So, the good news is: Few things are lost from memory, if you can find the right key, you can unlock the lost treasures! Mnemonic gurus recommend the following keys for improved memory:
1. The Visual and Imagery Way. At parties and conventions, slow down to memorise names and faces during introductions. Spend more time to study looks and behaviour, not just name-tags. Focus on unique and prominent features and tie these to names. I am sure you can remember the lady with the cherry-red nose called Mrs Cherish. Likewise, a Miss Chester or a Mr McCormack (comical), can be remembered by her flat chest and his clownish behaviour! You may not always get the perfect coincidence for imagery, but there are many visual cues to tickle your recall later and you should use them. I used to tell my kids that one of the best ways to master spelling is the visual approach. Just etch the look of a word in your mind, and after a while it is easy. That is why Parris and Gineva dont look right until the are Paris and Geneva. Poodle and Dalmatian look good, but Poodel and Dulmatian look awful! You can also remember numbers visually if their appearances are obvious or haunting. Take the phone number 8855102 - Two fat children sitting, two thinner ones running with a bat and ball (10) after a swan (2)! Doesnt 8442255 look like a doll and 2 aerobic girls scaring the 2 geese away? The fat look and jingle of say 899 897 is equally easy.
2. The Organisational Method. It is best to organise a string of things into categories or segments, then put them in a certain order for easy recollection. For example, let us take a mouthful of things: Grapes, pencil, hammer, apple, radio, calculator, matches, racquet, papaya, water-melon, torchlight, and hair-dryer. First, remember the total number - 12, then put them into 3 meaningful groups of fruits, wooden and electrical things, finally you put them in ranking order of sizes, and you get:
(Water-melon, papaya, apple, grapes) (Racquet, hammer, pencil, matches) (Radio, torch-light, hair-dryer, calculator) Recalling these is easier.
Phone numbers can also be organised for easier memory, like this:
248 953 - Rising and falling pattern; 1 added to each falling digit!
65 48 50 - 65 in that township, USA had 48 states, then 50 states.
33 36 11 - 33 for that suburb, mothers age 36, brothers age 11.
3. The Association Technique. The above phone numbers also use this technique, associating with geography and ages. Similarly, the Visual Way was also thrown in, as in the cases of cherry nose and flat chest! Association provides the trigger effect to arouse recall, this is why a childhood place or even a song, can bring back memories. You can for instance, associate the names and faces of people with various furniture and items at a party. The doorbell with Mr Bell, the camera with Miss Cameron, the aquarium with Mrs Fisher, and the mirror with Mr Murray!
Experts devise codes for registering numbers in the mind, and here are examples: 0 = egg or ball. 1 = brush or spear. 2 = duck or swan. 3 = camel or butterfly. 4 = yacht or girl. 5 = runner or snake. 6 = lamp or elephant. 7 = flag or walking stick. 8 = doll or snowman. 9 = racquet or elephant trunk. 10 = bat and ball. Isn't that fun? I have used some of these too for phone numbers earlier.
Memory pegs have also been developed for the recall of a story or text. These pegs can come from common items around the house, such as window, door, carpet, lamp, dinning-table, flowers, hi-fi and piano. They can help you to recall, say a funny story you read. I will show an example here: „We were startled when John and a chimp appeared, tapping at the window, Mary ran to open the door, the chimps big feet made wet imprints in the carpet. He was smiling; his head was as big as the lamp-shade! He joined us at dinner and later fiddled with the flowerson the table. The house was frenzied with excitement. Then „Goliath started dancing to our hi-fi music, and joined us at the piano! For starters, I have shown you a simple, direct form of association with memory pegs. Mnemonic experts use pegs for more complex stories, and you can read about these in your libraries.
4. Accentuation for emotions and the 5 senses. If you were introduced, at a rose garden, to a girl named Rose Profumo, who wore much perfume, you probably would not forget her. Everything was accentuated for your senses: Roses, fragrance and perfume! Even hearing alone can memorise things; try saying 234284 7 times, the jingle is enough to carve it into memory.
In conclusion, let us not forget that good memory must follow intelligent priorities, and remembering names and faces is a top priority. Other things like phone numbers which are hardly used can be recorded anyway. We should care about people first, and we always remember things we care about! After all, we usually need to put in some concern or enthusiasm to remember something well. Let bear in mind too, that memories are parts of a happy life. Pleasant and grateful memories contribute to happiness, while past wrongs and grudges destroy it. Let us harbour good and beautiful memories always.