TWO MEMORY ISSUES

A.  TAXONOMY AND NOMENCLATURE

When I was a pre-med biology major at Temple, I took Histology, Protozoology, Anatomy, and a bunch of courses where exams consisted of identifying what we saw (Genus, Family, Species), or labeling body parts and parts of parts.  I studied like hell. I got all A’s cause I was an Ace at memorizing and pleasing teachers. 

Can’t do it now.  I can blame four concussions and being 74+.  The psychologist who interpreted the four hour memory test I took said my Executive Function was terrific but my short-term memory was dreadful...  that trying to learn a new language would be very frustrating for me.  

Photo of a Sign in Norway

 I had been thinking of “language” as English, Spanish or Norwegian.   But last year I sat in a class on Georgia Geology hearing about Ultra-Mafic, Amphibolite, Gneiss, and Igneous rock.  This is a new language!   Much of science involves learning the lingo.  So that’s why I feel like such a dunce! 

I go on weekly Nature Rambles and woodland hikes where we focus on trees, flowers, moss, grass, mushrooms, insects and spiders.  I hang out with knowledgeable folks who like to tell the difference between kinds of red oaks, who can name hundreds of wildflowers and insects.  

Here’s Bill who turned a mushroom upside down after he excavated the base.  He’s  photographing the gills to identify the exact name of that mushroom.

Since I can’t remember crap, I concentrate on looking and finding, just to enjoy this beautiful world.  But now and then I actually remember something. 

Amanita

Here’s a mushroom named Amanita.  Wikipedia’s first sentence is:  “The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide.”  I’ve actually learned this name because we see it fairly often and there are specific ways to identify it that, magically, I’ve remembered!  Why this one and not the other 57 different kinds we’ll see?  Who knows!

Turkey Tails

I remember this one, too, cause it looks like its name:  turkey tail.  



 



Here are a few mushrooms I’ve named myself cause their "real" name eludes me.  Do you think the mushrooms care?

Three Little Maids From School

Freckles

Parasol

Pink Ruffles

Red Guy

Sunny Side Up

B.  Memory Trick #1

Sing a Song

When I’m in the loo and see the toilet paper roll is nearly gone, I can forget all about it walking the 15 feet to where it’s stored.  To keep it in my mind, I sing this song from South Pacific: 

Toilet paper is the thing I need, bomp bomp bomp bomp
Toilet paper is the thing I need, bomp bomp bomp bomp
Toilet paper is the thing I need, And I will get it soon.

 

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