Ok, this is kind of funny now but if things don't change, I can see how it could get seriously scary in the blink of an eye. I am referring to the fact that I have been seriously....oh, what was I going to say...oh yeah, forgetful as of late! This currently includes some minor sorts of things, like making a 'mental' grocery list with, say four items on it, then running out to the store shortly thereafter only to remember at most two of those items. Or, realizing I left home without my nice packed lunch for work AND my wallet and now having to scrounge, or beg (I haven't had to steal...yet) for my lunch that day.Not much harm in missing a lunch, but there are bigger things as well, such as completely forgetting that I had a pre-operation appointment a week before my recent knee surgery. Or, worse, forgetting about a high-level lunch with the boss of my boss, also known as 'The Big-Boss'. Luckily, it was a social lunch with several others invited, but still it didn't look good and was precipitated by the fact that it totally slipped my mind, and that I didn't get an Outlook reminder (Yes, The Big Boss was skeptical also). Unfortunately, these things both big and small are happening with much more frequency in the past year and I am beginning to question my organizational approach to life.
Why might this be happening? Let's recount the facts: (1) I am the big 4-0 now. Nuff said. (2) I am a new dad. Ok, Lukas is over a year old so am I really still a new dad? (3) I am an involved dad. Mrs. LIAYF works full time, so we share the household duties pretty evenly. (4) I am blogging regularly now and distracted. And, (5) I have a job that requires me to problem solve all day long, and make decisions on the fly, so I am used to keeping things in my head and not taking notes (this means I am also the type of person who believes that I can use my mental compass to figure out which direction to drive in a strange town, and have generally had great success with this approach).
Personally, I think my memory problems are not the result of one of these factors, but a combination of all of them. But, I am not sure what combination. What I do know is that I want to address this before I forget something really important, or something that could affect Lukas' safety. I am realizing that what I believe I will remember, and what I actually do, don't completely reconcile. So, when Mrs. LIAYF lists four things for me to get at the grocery store and tells me to write it down, I need to do just that instead of rolling my eyes because it is only four things and I can't be bothered. In other words, I need to make good use of the organizational tools at my disposal - pencil, paper and a pocket (or my palmpilot!).
It is a great feeling to know that you can improvise well and solve problems. But, it is high time I concentrate more on making sure there are fewer situations, rather than more, where improvisation is required. How about you? Did your memory begin to fail more when you became parents? Or about when you reached a certain age?
Please tell me I am not just lazy, or just getting old!
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I can't remember people's names 2 minutes after being introduced, or my date of birth, or my telephone number, but I can tell you every FA cup winning team since WWII, and name every Irish international midfielder since 1988.
Brains are just weird.
I actually forget things in the middle of thinking about them. I think it comes with parenting. Too much going on.
@Xbox - I guess it is what you place emphasis on, and with the added focus on Lukas, I put less emphasis on the little things.
@VegasDad - Yes, there is an amazing amount going on now. I guess I need to realize that and make adjustments.
"Maybe it's a tumour."
In my best Schwarzenegger...
"It's not a tuma!"
@scifi - LOL! That is hilarious, but wouldn't you feel about 2 inches tall if it were a tuma! Not a tuma!!
Sorry to be thee bearer of bad news.
It is really a distraction thing. There are 10 things going on in your life all at the same time. I am having to spend more time remembering lately.
I have my wife email lists to me to my Blackberry.
@MTE - Yeah, I agree. I am much more distracted now, by those things I listed and need to concentrate more on the important things.
I think they're all right. I write everything down and still forget half of it.
We have come to the conclusion in this household that kids suck your memory cells out.
Both hubby and I had excellent memories pre kids, never had to write lists, keep a diary etc. Not so now. The more kids you have the worse it gets!
Oh that and being the wrong side of 40 doesn't help either haha.
Looks like it's happening to all of us. Even if I make a list for the store I sometimes forget to bring it.
The worst is names--you might as well not even tell me your name because there is no chance in hell that I'll ever remember it.
My wife will give me a to-do list--sometimes just two things--and I'll forget one of them after one hour and have to call her at work for a reminder.
It's scary!
@Whit - I really thought I had a better memory than this, and probably did. How things change.
@Shorn - By the time Lukas is done there may not be any cells left to suck out!
@Darren - What is it about that store list? It always gets ya!
@Ed - Yes, scary. That describes me to a tee lately. Mes. LIAYF is getting annoyed with repeating herself so often!
I was wondering about the same thing myself. Just a couple of days ago my hubby was looking for a container of cherries he just bought and cannot find it in the refrigerator. I said it should be there and keep looking. Later he found it in the freezer...haha! I did not have any memory of putting it there. Scared me and I thought it scared my hubby too as he has no complaint what so ever.
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