I have come to realize that I will never again remember things as I once did. Now, when trying to remember the name of, say, a prominent actor, it’ll go like this:
“Oh you know, the guy with the voice–he’s been in tons of movies. He was in The Great White Hope and Dr. Strangelove, and he’s the voice of CNN. Oh, oh, (snaps fingers, bangs back of hand on forehead) oh…JAMES EARL JONES. “I’m your father, Luke.” (This routine is typically followed by chuckles of embarrassed relief.)
This explains why there is much less time available as we get older. Everything takes a full minute instead of a second and suddenly, the day is gone. Then the days are gone, and then the…you get the idea.
My dad tells me he and his buddy Doc have perfected this. They mention someone well known (in their case, generally a sports figure), but can’t think of the person’s name. Still, they are able to recall a chunk of the person’s (often lengthy) resume. Finally, they agree they are talking about the same person without ever coming up with that person’s name. It keeps the conversation moving. Rather than agreeing to disagree, they are agreeing to agree about That Which Cannot Be Remembered Right Now But Will Be Later During a Bout of Insomnia.
Is there anything that you’re not remembering these days?
In praise of the long lens:
In praise of the beauty that is California.
Photo © Timothy Down
West Coast Grrlie Blather 
Boy, am I familiar with that phenomenon. I have an excellent memory. I just have a lousy retrieval system.
That is a problem which is often seen in the legal, law enforcement, & political fields in particular
LOVE the photo!
Man oh man, I’m glad I’m in good company!
Yes, exactly
I mentally file alphabetically so I can always get at least the first letter right.
Ditto Ann. It’s not necessarily names with me. I’m having noun trouble in general.
I already have this problem. I’m screwed.
Amy, it doesn’t have to get worse. I’ve had the Noun Problem for ten years and holding. If I can’t think of a word I can just look it up in one of those thick, paper things with all the pages and words in it.
Hahahahahahha! I wish my husband would agree to this solution. Instead, he admonishes me: “Don’t start talking until you remember who you’re talking about.” As if.
Stunning photo!