Memory Tricks

~ Ellie

Quick now – which way do you turn your kitchen faucet handle to increase the flow?

That happens to be something that I always got confused! I finally – just today – figured out a way to remember. My taps have to be turned counter-clockwise. Now, “counter-clockwise” has more letters than “clockwise.” So if I want more water, I turn it in the direction of more letters!

Don’t know about you, but I seem to be increasingly forgetful as the years fly by. They say it’s a natural part of aging, but it’s so disconcerting!

I find that one way to deal with this – aside from whining and complaining, which of course I also indulge in – is to invent memory tricks. There’s a proper phrase for these:  mnemonic devices. And I would use that phrase, except that when speaking aloud, I have a problem. I can never remember if it’s pronounced “nemonic” or “memonic.” There’s a silent letter in there, and whether it’s the n or the m, I give up! …Okay, I just checked the dictionary, and it says the m is silent, so it’s pronounced “nemonic.” Fine.

As I was saying: so more and more often, I try to come up with mnemonic devices in order to remember things. It doesn’t work with long lists, such as things to check that I have with me before I leave the house. Keys, purse, phone, water bottle, gloves, etc. For those, I just keep a sticky note next to the door. Of course, then I have to remember to look at it. Unfortunately, I often forget. 😦

Here’s another mnemonic device many of us will remember from our school days, if we took music as a subject:

  • F-A-C-E  – This is an acronym for the names of the notes on the spaces of the staff, going up.
  • Every Good Boy Deserves Fun – The initials are the names of the notes (EGBDF) on the lines of the staff, going up.

I was good at creating acronyms in school! I remember getting an A in history because, for example, I made a word out of the first letters of “causes of the French Revolution.” There were only four or five main causes, according to my Grade 10 class. (Not that I recall them now, mind you! But I remembered them just long enough to ace the history test I studied for.)

So I am all in favour of mnemonic devices whenever and wherever we need them! Do you have any memory tricks that you use? Let’s share some!

Now I am going to SAWAF. (Sit And Watch A Film.)

 

13 thoughts on “Memory Tricks”

  2. For the water: you’re at the (kitchen) counter and want water. So counter to get water.

    Don’t want to forget to read your note on the door reminding you of what things to bring with you? Tie a string around your finger. Of course, *I* would quickly run out of fingers!!! 😦

    In music, we learned it as, “Every good boy deserves fudge.” (Thanks, PSBGM music teacher, Miss Hamilton and your hat pin: Henrietta 😦 ) Makes more sense to me. And it’s much more delicious!

    There was a French Revolution? Wasn’t it just a couple of referendums? (Referenda? Can’t remember.) Oh… in France, not Québec! 😀

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  6. Okay. Now, my head is spinning. And it may be that I never came up with acronyms that I was lousy in history. So much information to store and then I struggled with math. All those dang it formulas! I do best by writing things down. I make good use of my memo app on my cell phone, if it’s a quick list. Otherwise, this year, I’m going back to my old school days of making a list every evening for the next day. Already have a check on one thing I’ve done today. Gonna be a long day though.

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    1. Lol, actually I don’t do the acronym thing anymore. That seemed to end along with my school days! I too use the little memo app in my phone! Plus the Notes app for shopping lists. I haven’t done anything really useful today that I can tick off, darn it! Oh well, heck, it’s a holiday!! Peace and joy, Tosh! Peace and joy! 👍🏻❤️👍🏻

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