An observation

When I’m actively doing something like speaking, writing, working or being involved with any activity at all, I occasionally have a stray thought come through my mind. This thought may be about  something I want to do in a few minutes, a few hours, tomorrow or even next week. Unfortunately, I almost never remember what it was I wanted to do. Actually, it’s amazing that I’ve remembered to write this at all.

So here’s the thing; let’s say I’m typing a blog entry into a word doc (which is what I’m doing right now). And as I type, I think “Hmn, I sure could use a cup of coffee.” I continue typing thinking that surely I will remember to go get a cup of coffee at the end of the sentence or the paragraph. But, no, that doesn’t happen.

What does happen is that after a short while I remember that I wanted to do something but that I’ve forgotten what it was. This is annoying.

Another thing that annoys me is not being able to remember the actual subject of the thought I’m in the middle of communicating. I might want to say “Yes, I know that the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plains,” but I’ll probably forget that the rain is in Spain and fumble at that point. And, if I remember the location of the rain, I’ll then stumble over where it Spain that rain is falling.

You know, I really DO want a coffee. I’ll get it in a few minutes. I want to finish my train of thought first.

At times during which I cannot remember some key aspect of what I am communicating, there comes the inevitable stalling for time tactic of saying “uh,” or “um” that hopefully buys me just enough time to remember the most important thing I’m trying to say…oh yeah, the rain falls in SPAIN! I knew that all along, but please don’t ask me where in Spain it falls. At least not right now.

At times, delaying tactics fail and a glaring silence announces my complete coherent thought epic fail. Ouch.

I asked my doctor if any of the medications that I am taking could contribute to the issues I’m now dealing with. Unfortunately, he said no. I pressed the issue a little, but he wasn’t buying it. He said something to the effect that “as we age…” at which point I purposefully forget what else he said.

So there it is. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me. I’m just aging. Hey wait! Maybe there’s a pill to enhance memory. No wait, there is! I bought some at the Vitamin Center. I just keep forgetting to take them.