For Whoever Needs It!

 

I don't recall where I got this from... ;)

Down Memory Lane

I don’t know the name of this tree/shrub. If anyone can enlighten me, please do! It grows in the old cemetery and was at its most beautiful a couple of weeks ago.

I’m having a busy time packing this weekend as I’ll be going away on a little trip for a few days with my brother. From the items spread out in my flat just now one might assume I’m going to the end of the earth and planning to stay away for at least a month… In reality it’s just that there’s so much stuff I need (or might need) these days, even for a short trip. And it’s been such a long time since I last went anywhere at all that I’m out of practice when it comes to packing.

I will be taking a break from blogging until I get back; but I do hope to keep my camera busy. It will be a trip down Memory Lane for me (or at least partly). But I’ve never been there with a digital camera before!

…

Linking to
Shadow Shot Sunday2

Don’t Ask Me

I’m thinking of having this made into a big button to wear on my coat whenever I’m out and about in town.

I might look trustworthy (if I didn’t, I don’t suppose I’d get asked as much!); but more often than not, I feel absolutely useless when it comes to giving directions to people how to get to a place - especially if they’re driving (as I don’t drive in town myself, and never keep in my head which streets are open for traffic and which I can only use when walking). But I’m afraid I’m not always much use to pedestrians either, as I’m not all that good at remembering street names and numbers. Knowing how to get there myself is one thing; giving directions to somebody else is another matter!

Today, having been into town for some groceries in the morning, I was sitting on a bench waiting for my bus back home, when a young immigrant woman (pushing a pram) came up to me and waved a piece of paper about and asked me for help. The heading told me she was looking for the Public Dental Service. So I told her to go past a nearby kiosk, cross the street and she’d be there. For some reason this answer seemed to confuse her a little; but she did toddle off in the direction I pointed ut.

So I was happy with myself until I’d got on my bus; and then my brain woke up and started throwing doubts at me. Okay, I visited that dental service once – but how many years ago? 15? 20? (I only went there for an emergency once when my regular dentist was out of town…) And didn’t I notice, only a few weeks ago, a sign with that name (public dental service) on a completely different building in another street, in the exact opposite direction? and didn’t that make me reflect that “oh, they must have moved”…??

When I got home, I googled. It seems the Public Dental Service actually has surgeries/offices in both those places in central town. As I did not look for a street address on the letter, I can only hope I happened to point her to the right one. She might still have had difficulties finding that one though, as the entrance is from the other side of the building…

Could someone tell me, please, why my brain seems to still keep outdated and more or less useless memories on top for easy access, while it pushes the fresher ones off to the back, from where it takes ages (or at least many minutes) to dig them out??

Linking (possibly a little bit off the mark) to
Friday My Town Shoot Out: Personal

The images are from recycling/closed loop festivities going on in town on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago.

Can’t Concentrate…

A day or two ago I was watching a TV documentary about the human brain, and how we are a lot less capable of multi-tasking than we might think. They did experiments using magicians and film clips, and asked the test people and audience to keep count of more than one thing at the same time, or to look out for more than one thing simultaneously, and then asked them about something completely different. The amount of things, and the kind of things one misses is really incredible. (Like you’re asked to keep count of how many times two people in blue hats, among a group of dancers, step in and out of the spotlight… And afterwards they ask: Did you see the penguin? Er… what… Rewind, and sure enough, there was full size human dressed up in a penguin costume walking across the scene in the background… Unnoticed!)  

Anyway… Google seems to be doing their own show of the same kind today. HOW am I going to keep in mind what it was I was going to look up, when this is what comes up on my screen:

 

 

To my credit, I did notice the ice bear! But I can’t for the life of me remember what it was I was going to google in the first place.

When I clicked the button in the middle, it got worse and turned into a game.

It can’t be April Fool’s Day yet.
Can someone tell me what’s going on?

I can’t help laughing a little… But if it continues, I’m going to have to swith to another standard search engine. (Yes, Google – I’m serious!)

I have no idea any more what it was I originally intended to blog about today.

Dangerous Doorways

Ever since I first heard about it – less than a week ago – it just seems to be getting worse! Or maybe I’m just getting more aware of it?? - ‘What?’ you ask. Room Amnesia! Forgetting things as I go from one room to another. Sometimes also called… er… hmm… Well, you know what I mean, don’t you? Often supposed to be age-related…

BUT – here’s the news: It’s the doorway’s fault!

A team at the University of Notre Dame (USA) have done research on it, putting volunteers through various memory tests. The result shows that it is passing through a doorway that makes us forget.

…when you pass through a doorway, your mind compartmentalizes your actions into separate episodes. Having moved into a new episode, the brain archives the previous one, making it less available for access. It’s as if you slam a mental door…

It does not even have to be a real doorway. It applies to computer games as well.

And contrary to what is sometimes supposed, it does not seem to automatically help memory to go back to the original room either.

I heard about this on the radio last Friday. Not until today did I get round to checking up sources on the internet. You can read more at the Scientific American website.

My flat is not very big, but on the way from my bedroom to my study (or the other way round) I do pass through four doorways. No wonder I keep finding forgotten and unfinished ‘projects’ lying around…!

(Not to mention all the virtual doorways/ windows we bloggers keep popping in and out of!)

On some level I think I already knew. I’ve just been thinking of it the other way round, and as mainly a good thing: That having separate rooms for different activities can be of help to concentrate and not get distracted...

In Memory Of…

Yesterday, 28 February, Sweden commemorated the death of our prime minister Olof Palme who was murdered 25 years ago in a street in central Stockholm. On his way home from the cinema late at night together with his wife, he was shot in the back at close range. The crime still remains unsolved.

Palme, born 1927, was the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until his assassination in 1986. He was prime minister between 1969-1976 and again from 1982 until his death. He also played a role in international politics. As politician he was praised by some while detested by others.

The red rose is the symbol of the Social Democratic Party, so through the years there have been many red roses laid down on the spot where he was murdered and on his grave.

… … …

I was 30 years old. I had been living less than two months in the town where I still live today. 28 February must have been a Friday; because I first heard the news of the murder on the radio in the morning of what must have been a Saturday; because I was going away/’home’ for the weekend to visit my parents (who then lived about 100 km away). My mother’s birthday was the 20th but we must have postponed the family celebration another week for some reason. What I do remember is the bus ride of two hours or so, looking out of the window and seeing all the flags on half-mast, and trying to take in the news I had just heard.

 
Photo from Wikipedia

That’s really all I remember. I can no longer recall what anyone had to say about it just afterwards. Neither in my family, nor at my place of work, nor among my friends. What has stayed with me is the visual memory of sitting on the bus, looking out of the window, and seeing all the flags on half-mast that morning, 1st March, 1986.

Chaos

I used to be an organized person. I worked as a secretary, for goodness sake! Now I’m not working, and yet can’t seem to keep on top even of my own paperwork. Well, to be fair – my own plus my father’s.

In connection with a phone call today, I found myself in need of making even more memo notes, and desperation started to well up! Where?! I have notes and notebooks all over the place: On my writing desk and on the notice board behind the desk; by the computer, on the computer and in the computer; stacked in piles, boxes, baskets, pigeonholes, binders and folders; in my pocket diary and on a wall calendar, in notepads and notebooks, on sticky notes and whiteboards, on the refrigerator and the freezer.

(Yes, I have tried using the digital sticky notes on the computer desktop. That just seemed to make things worse.)

I just made a tour round the flat, collecting ALL of my current notepads. Somehow, I doubt that the best solution is to add yet another one…