It just gets worse-LOL!!

On the other hand the space left by the leaving memory is many times filled with wisdom.

Not in my case! I spent at least five minutes trying to figure out what was wrong with my paycheck. Nothing. A change that was slated months ago and I THOUGHT I knew it was coming. Guess not. Not an inkling at first. Not very wise!

It really is scary. Yesterday I was making dinner reservations on the Open Table app. I was going back and forth, considering two restaurants. I made a reservation and then quickly forgot which restaurant! I called each to get it straight.

I know that much has to do with processing too much information at once. While I was making the reservation, I was almost thinking about why I was making it. No more multi tasking. I need to concentrate on one thing at a time.

They say that forgetting is normal as we age, but you can't help but think about dementia

The "being forgetful" jokes are no longer funny to me.

To be fair, I was never one to remember everything. All my life, my twin sister is the one who remembers the details, so I just ask her if it has to do with my past.

I always had many lists going and when the kids were in school, I had the bulletin board up on the fridge to track everything.

Moni, I was cleaning the guest room last month for company and found a wallet I'd bought and put aside for DH's December birthday or for Christmas, now I'm not sure. I was actually surprised to see it, and it took a few minutes before I remembered where and when I'd bought it. It was the style he likes best and I'd seen it on sale, put it away and it left my mind completely. If I hadn't decided to put guest towels and extra bedding in that dresser, the wallet could have still been there next year.

Little things. I added dishwasher Jet Dry to my Costco list when I saw I had about one fill-up in the under sink bottle. Later, getting something else out of my utility closet I saw I had a brand new Costco bottle in there waiting with my cleaning supplies. A gremlin must have bought and stored it, I don't remember doing it.

lol..one for you and one for her....or save for a just because day...

I just keep buying marjoram. :)

Haha

DH says he's "putting it in the book". That book must e getting very heavy...I'm all ways forgetting stuff!

My sister Skyped me so I was on my cell phone talking to her. My son showed up and I wanted to show him pictures from his band contest. I was walking around looking for my cell phone and couldn't find it. Luckily??? my husband was here to find it for me. Yep. It was in my hand. Lol!

This is helping me to feel less alone! The other day I was looking up in a quilting book index, for how to make a knot. I could not find it in the listing. I thought that is odd. Surely they would have that knot in there. Then I realized....I was looking in the N's for "NOT" ! No wonder it wasn't there! Scary for sure.

Oh, I get it! My 57 yo brain is tired baby! So last week I found out I have to study to get my A+ Certification for work.

This is gonna be a killer!!!!

Have I mentioned I can clearly remember my bff phone # when we were 5 yo? Can I remember the training I read last week? haha...are ya nuts!?

While it's true that as we get older we don't remember as much stuff, but only part of that is physiological decline. The strongest memories we create have emotion behind them. When Bungalowmo was five, learning the best friend's phone number was exciting. Getting to use the phone, and make play dates and just talk was special. Being a big kid enough to remember a phone number was a big deal. Lots of strong emotions to keep it current, along with the learn all it can and keep it child's brain.

When you get to be a certain age, that verse from the bible sounds so right: There's nothing new under the sun. You've seen and done it all, and even when there's some new tech marvel it's relatable to something you know. Kids texting = passing notes. Smartphone GPS = maps with a companion to read 'em. If you encounter something new that you want to remember, it helps to get excited about it. Pump yourself up. This is going to be SO cool! Otherwise, it just gets lost in the clutter of everything else like it you've already seen and done.

I keep buying marjoram because I forgot it a couple of times, so I made an annoyed (strong emotion) mental note that I needed marjoram, so now, when I see it, I think I need to buy it. Having gotten so annoyed this last time since I have a newish, mostly full jar already, I'm hoping they will cancel each other out. :)

Moni, next time you buy a gift to put away for one of the kids, think about how much you love her, and how glad you are to find something just right, and feel the love while you envision her pleasure in opening it. You might remember it better, then. :)

There are also brain games, like Lumosity.com, which help you sharpen your active memory. :)

plllog, I am to cocktail sauce and mustard what you are to marjoram :-) I always think that I'm out and pick up more.

Glad to know I'm not alone! :D

You people warm my heart! I'm always forgetting something and beating myself up because I'm 68....when I was younger I didn't care so much.

It's nice to hear that I am not alone. I haven't stored keys in the freezer yet, but my short term memory is so bad. If I'm having a conversation with someone and want to interject but wait till that person is done, I'm screwed. It totally is gone from my mind. It can be worrisome to me because on my maternal side there are instances of dementia in some form. These women (my mother , her sisters, and their mother) all had memory problems when they aged. I don't think any had Alzheimers because they all knew us , but the older they got, the worse it was. Only one is alive now and she was 99 yesterday. When my mother turned 90 , she wasn't paying her bills and was getting very forgetful, so I moved her to a retirement community near my house. Every evening after supper, I'd go over and ask what she had for dinner. She'd always reply..."Oh, did I have dinner? " But she was all dressed up with jewelry on, but didn't even remember she had eaten , never mind what it was. This is why I get worried when I forget stuff because there is a genetic component. I have no siblings, but a female cousin , the daughter of the 99 year old, and I worry.

I'm in that boat with the rest of you. I don't know whether to worry or not. I've forgotten important things.

I think technology has dumbed down and dulled us a bit. I don't have to remember anything because I can just google it! I do use apps on my cell phone to remember appts, grocery/ shopping lists and things I am afraid of forgetting.

Pillog, at first I read you kept buying marijuana! Glad to hear its marjoram.

I agree with you, nycefarm! And people don't read maps anymore...

Sorry to report - got news for ya.

It gets worse.

ole j ... what was that, again?

(censor doesn't like any but first word in whole first sentence)

(should keep them identity tags from gatherings, to pin to chest upside down ... can read name easily if I forget who I am)

Write it down.

Electronically on a PC and smartphone is even better than paper. A calendar, a To-Do list, addresses and phone numbers, notes to yourself, shopping lists, whatever else you find useful, etc. Information and thoughts that are organized won't be lost, forgotten, overlooked, or confused.

Forgetfulness or the need for plain and ordinary organization can be easily dealt with. Don't rely on your memory.

I know, snidely... I do write most down. I will just make a bigger effort of it now.

Yes, your first post so indicates. My comment was directed to others because of the comments they've made.

I've learned that if you take something you've kept in one place for many years, and move it to a "safer" place, you'll never see it again.