Try to Remember …
Many of you have asked me when I was going to write a new post. Well, maybe just a few of you. All right… no one asked me, I just thought it was a waste of my annual fee if I didn’t use this! I kept putting it off (and forgetting to do it) until I got inspired by a topic. One that is very familiar to me and my aging friends.
As one “matures,” the memory function changes. If you’re lucky (like I am) you still have your wits about you. I can watch a series on Netflix and recognize and name an actor in it who played in another film I watched. For example, I’m currently watching Six Feet Under (I know, but I wasn’t in any hurry to see it 20 years ago) and said, “Isn’t that Donna from Suits? If I forget someone’s name or the type of cheese I served my guests, time will bring it back. Waiting is not a big deal at my age. . Remember “what’s time to a pig”? See https://arleneyolles.com/2020/03/28/the-pig-joke/. But, in addition to just letting it pop up, I developed strategies to help me along. Here are some:
Every morning, I take several vitamins and lately, after replacing the bottles in the box in which I keep them, I forget … did I take this one already? So now I take them in alphabetical order! Vitamin B, CoQ10, D and E.
Has someone given you something and asked you to put it away until it’s needed? And then, months later, asked for it. My husband does that. Lots of luck finding it. I used to ask myself, if I had to put it away now, where would it go? Now I have a note on my phone called Where Is It? So when my husband asked me to find the toilet seat bolts we stored away 4 months ago, I knew exactly where they were!
I keep a very organized and detailed wall calendar. So I’ll look at Wed. and see I have lunch with a friend. Problem? Sometimes, I’d look at the wrong Wed.! So now I have a tab on TODAY to tell us where we are. (Note: I picked a week in the photo which did not share any personal info).
And, finally, my trash service comes twice a week. I used to never remember which day was for trash and which was for recycle. I came up with this word help: Tuesday starts with a T, as does Trash, and FRiday has an R in it, like Recycle.
So those are my little tricks to assist me in my old age. Do you have any you’d like to share?
- Posted in: Miscellaneous
- Tagged: aging, humor, memory, remembering
(A)Musings by Arlene 
You probably don’t remember me but I was in your 5th grade class the last year before you moved to middle school and I just took my son to middle school course info session last week… they had a room for the gifted program with “mindbenders” on the table and my first thought was “Mrs Yolles used to do these with us every Friday!”.
Then a day or two ago, I was looking for something in my craft drawer and found my report card from 5th grade! With funny notes about me you wrote that could absolutely have been written about my son who is now in 5th grade. Crazy how life comes full circle.
I hope you are doing well. It looks like you still live in the same house you had the whole class over to way back when. Thank you for all the knowledge and fun we had in 5th grade!
-Victoria (Bosshart) Lewis
Victoria, if my aged mind is still intact, I absolutely remember you. I used to have the last marking book from that year with photos but I’m trying (despite my husband’s opposition) to get rid of stuff. You were smart and communicative. Did I give you the butterflies I had in a frame? Thank you so much for reading my blog and giving me a fond moment of remembrance. I still have all my Friday Mindbenders! Cannot find a person who is interested in them. If you are local and want them (to do with your son), I’d love to gift them to you. Fond regards, Arlene Yolles
Yes! I had the butterflies in my room on the wall for years. I loved the Friday mindbenders. And still remember 3.14159265358979 😂 Definitely still mad at you for letting Sara Ceponis recite first when we all knew she’d know the most digits and no one else could go after that in the contest hahaha. The things that stick into our brains forever…
I would love the mindbenders but I live in Richmond VA and have been here for the last 10 years. I went to graduate school in Saint Louis and then ended up in VA. I am an occupational therapist and work in early intervention. I’m also a foster parent and an adoptive mom. My oldest son is just like me. In the gifted program at school and can’t stand it if he knows someone is wrong and he can’t convince them.
Im so glad we were able to connect again and you seem to be enjoying life! Thank you for your sweet reply.
Ah, yes, Sarah Ceponis, another smart cookie! Glad to hear from you — and proud of my 80 year-old-self for remembering the butterflies! As Bob Hope used to say (do you know who he was?): Thanks for the memories! If you ever come to CT, you’re welcome to revisit my house!
😊 88’ M..
Lots of interesting tidbits for remembering things. at 81 I, too, try to assimilate things to remember other things. For example, being a car guy, I know that there are AC spark plugs and that reminds me of two neighbors’ names, Alex and Charlie.
Being a court stenographer, I use thousands of short forms and they have helped me remember many names, places, things and people. For example, one of the short forms for a police officer is plifr;, a pediatrician is a ped, ped; a chiropractor is a kitor.
So over the years I have learned in my every day life to remember by short cutting words that give me meaning to not forget things. My wife’s name, for instance, is Lenore, and I need nothing more than Len. God forgive me if I ever forgot her name!
Anyway, always nice to read your blogs. Keep them coming.
Rick