Yep, as I get older I seem to remember less, but can remember the context. I never could remember names, but very seldom forget a face.
We call it selective memory.

I don't know if its age or interest. I find if I'm not interested I don't retain much of a conversation.

Nope. I'm just like your daughter and husband.....and when it comes to golf courses, I can remember every hole.

I think it's natural ability. I'm not good at repeating things back either.

DH can do it and so could his grandmother when she was alive. I can't even get 1/2 of it right, and never could. I says its hereditary.

I THINK it's an ability that I have never had. It was my great struggle in school too. I could finish reading a page and not know half of what was on that page.

When it comes to repeating, I generalize, and seldom go into details.

DH is one who tells it all step by step, spoken word by spoken word --- and it drives me nuts when I ask a simple question, like "How is so-n-so feeling" and he will give me the WHOLE conversation that took place (including his thoughts!) I'm sitting there thinking, "Will you please answer my question - I don't need to know about there whole life!. I do run out of patience!

I remember everything about conversations. But ask me to describe a *thing* and I'm out of luck.

I am happy if I remember breakfast!

I can recall parts of a conversation, but not exact sentences.
Rosemary, I also remember houses... the layout of them anyhow. I can remember our neighbors house when I was just 4 years old (probably only because something bad happened there). I remember the floor plan of ALL the houses my grandparents (3 sets) lived in too and where my classrooms were in grade school.

I think there are certain things that for some reason are just easier to remember. Every one I know is having the same problem: we remember faces, but not names. That follows the concept of a picture is worth a thousand words, i.e. a Face is a picture; a Name can be a word or a number of words. I think that is considered pretty normal.

I know I often am told something that doesn't seem very interesting, but then I forget who it was or why it was told to me. And if I am telling someone something, I tend to chase rabbits and sometimes forget what it was I was going to tell.

Memory is a strange thing. Just this past TDay, my son was home and he and his DGS were shooting pool at his DD's. I mentioned to my DS something about the pool table he had when he was a teen ager. He didn't even remember ever having one. I remember every detail of the purchase and the arrangements to have it delivered and set up in the basement on Christmas Eve.

Oh, wait. What was the question?

Sue

I remember my grandmothers' houses and all sorts of details from decades ago, but I have NO short term memory. and I'm not joking.

Thank you SO much for the responses.

I'm in Illinois on a long tough booksigning gig and I miss home and I miss my soft bed and I miss my cute dog and I miss my morning walks (too cold here in Illinois) and oh yeah, I also miss my husband. ;)

Every day is a one-to-two hour drive (minimum) and at least one (and sometimes two) booksignings, and each signing includes a 60-minute talk. Plus, there are interviews every day. In short, it's a lot of mental work.

On this trip, my short-term memory seems worse than usual. I'm doing fine at the talks, but when I'm visiting with friends or family, I'm having a rough time retaining spoken conversation. Well, more rough than usual.

I tell myself it's the stress of being far from home and away from regular (healthy) foods and regular bedtimes and other routines. Anyway - it's very aggravating to me and a little upsetting. I feel like I should be doing better than this.

Thanks again for responses.

I only remember the parts that when repeated, gets me into trouble.

I was all set to answer this question, but by the time I hit the screen where I type you my response, I forgot the question. :o)

What I remember depends on how interested I was in the subject.

Not much, I think theyre washing memory away at dialysis.

I was at lecture several years ago about handling aggressive dogs in an animal shelter situation. I had gone to this talk because I am a dog trainer. I decided that the lecture really wasn't for me because I would never get myself into a situation where I HAD to handle aggressive dogs. (When they show up in my classes, I ask them to take private lessons so they can come back for group lessons.) She said that people only remember about 10% of what you tell them and you never know which 10% it will be. That's how much I remember about it.

sue_va, love the description of "chasing rabbits". I do that too!