Inconsequential Thoughts
October 26, 2005
Have you ever had those moments where you completely forget whatever it was you were supposed to do? Despite meticulously jotting said “to-do” item in an event planner, journal, online app or just a plain piece of paper you still forget. It doesn’t matter if you used a blue pen, if you were practicing yoga at the time or flying 2,000 feet over the Indian Ocean, we rarely remember everything we need to accomplish, even when we write them down.
Then, out of the blue, someone says something completely random like, “Gee, I really like scrubbing the mold off three-day-old bread with the edge of a butter knife.” and suddenly that little lightbulb turns on over your head, blinking on and off like a busted neon sign, and you remember that you needed to pick up butter from the store.
I can’t remember what I said the other night to my wife, nonchalantly, as I was adjusting the cushions on our couch. Whatever it was it inadvertedly reminded her that she needed to call her mother about something important and all because I made an offhand remark about something completely random and inconsequential but oddly relevant to our disjointed conversation.
14 comments
Are you sure it wasn’t because you were adjusting the cushions? For some reasons, couches always remind me of my mother (she fixed the pillows frequently) and La-z-Boys always remind me of my father (he sat on one a lot).
by Neil on October 26, 2005 at 6:52 pm. #
Man, you sound like me now. I think of those occurrences to be natural especially if you have to juggle your work and a life balance.
by Jorgeq on October 26, 2005 at 7:34 pm. #
Jorgeq: Yeah, it also gets worse as the years go by and I’m not much older than you.
I’ve just noticed it happening more often and unexpectedly of course.
by kartooner on October 26, 2005 at 9:16 pm. #
Happens to me all the time. I have to resort to insanely ridiculous measures if I want to make sure that I’ll remember something really important. And even then, it’s hit or miss. It’s not for not trying though. I’ve to the whole tada list, Post-it™s, pen marks on my hand, you name it. Then out of the blue bam! “I really should claim my dental bill,” or “I really should pay my car’s registration,” (both of which still need doing). So yeah, I can sympathize.
by Ara Pehlivanian on October 26, 2005 at 9:21 pm. #
What did you just say
by Sprons on October 27, 2005 at 10:57 am. #
I forget where I park.
All the time.
I used to laugh at my mother for always parking at the same place at the mall (at the entrance to the lingerie department at Penny’s, which was traumatic for me as a young lad). Now I understand why she did it. I spent an hour last Christmas at the mall trying to find my car, in the cold, snow and wind, panicking the whole time that they towed it away (it was a somewhat illigitimate parking spot).
Now I always park in the same place everywhere. And my wife laughs at me.
by Eric Shepherd on October 27, 2005 at 7:49 pm. #
Great point Eric.
It was something I was going to add but never got around to, but basically that as creatures of habit we have a tendency to avoid forgetting things by sticking with a formula that works, one in which helps us to remember.
For you, it’s finding that same parking spot and parking there to prevent yourself from playing a real-life version of Pac-man as you search for your vehicle, especially in the frigid conditions of New York weather, that’s just madness.
by kartooner on October 28, 2005 at 12:03 am. #
It is funny where thoughts come from, they just appear.
by Michael on October 28, 2005 at 10:46 pm. #
Yes, yes, yes. This stuff happens so often! I do think most of the times it’s my own fault. Y’see, I try and work some utterly pointless sentences into any conversation, just to spark the mind. It’s a good way to keep people sharp, too
“Blah blah blah.“
“There are no bunnies anywhere!“
“Uh… What?”
by Rob Mientjes on October 29, 2005 at 6:11 pm. #
I envision our thoughts and memories as shops on the side of the highway of thinking. So when a particular comment goes towards a memory bank, and passes by a shop that says Call Mom Today, well, your brain takes notice and remembers.
Yea, I know, weird explanation. Which reminds me, I need to see if I got any butter left in the fridge.
by Matt Burris on October 31, 2005 at 2:27 pm. #
Happens to me quite often. But what’s worse is when I’m already in the middle of a conversation when suddenly I forget the whole punchline of my conversation. These conversations are normall while there’s some add on and I turn blankly at the TV looking for answers. As soon as the adds are over it’ll hit me only to be told to shutup. Don’t want to miss the show.
by Aaron Hall on November 3, 2005 at 11:52 am. #
Happens to me too often, maybe moving the cushions subconciously reminded your wife of something her mother did quite often? It’s weird how things can trigger it…smell is the worse for making you remember olf stuff.
Or maybe it’s just linked to the whole “Matrix” thing…
by Indie Music Reviews on November 7, 2005 at 4:50 pm. #
This happens to me all the time. Although my wife is usually angry at the comments I made and I dont remember what it was…
by trench on November 12, 2005 at 7:06 pm. #
Rob: The bunnies are watching you!
Matt: Great analogy, it’s something I’ve never put into words so eloquently, but yes, that works in a Jack Handy kind of way.
Aaron: Yeah, television is distracting, especially when you’re trying to figure out whatever it was you needed to say.
Indie: Now you’ve gone down a path of which I cannot follow. I mean, I would never be able to decide either red or blue, really.
trench: Same here. I also get the “evil eye” and I’m for certain you know what I mean.
by kartooner on November 14, 2005 at 8:51 pm. #