People say I’m like an elephant.Β
Before you start rolling on the floor with uncontrollable laughter, please note that the likeness is restricted to its mental attributes only!
You’ve certainly heard of the phrase, ‘An elephant never forgets’. Well, that’s where I come in. I have a good memory. It’s not photographic and it’s not foolproof, but it’s pretty good. One of the things I loved doing , growing up, was remembering people’s birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions and important milestones. Aunts and uncles always said that they would invariably wait for my call on the day.
As time went by, this extended to names and faces. Remembering people after meeting them once is something most people find difficult. Strangely, I reveled in this. V always turned to me for help in recalling names and faces, a fact that I obviously enjoyed.
Today, with Facebook to tell you whose birthday is coming up or your mobile phone to display the caller’s name and picture, there is no need for us to retain information.
And, that scares me! In fact, there is more pressure.Β
If I miss a birthday now, the unspoken implication is , ‘How could you forget? It was up on display on your News Feed!’
If I don’t recognise a number, the caller asks, ‘What? I thought you had saved my number!’
Sigh, I don’t know about you, but I resent the fact that the ‘elephant effect’ is being taken away from me. I want to remember all this on my own. Technology should aid, not overtake.
And, let’s face it. The world can always do with more elephants, both the wild and the human variety.
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| Photo credit/Copyright: Write Click Travel |
Word count: 275
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Written for the A to Z 2014 Challenge
E is for Elephant effect
My theme for the month is :Β Introspection in shades of 11
My recommended blog for the day is Tulika Singh and her post on Enid Blyton π
My recommended blog for the day is Tulika Singh and her post on Enid Blyton π
Also linking this to theΒ Ultimate Blog ChallengeΒ for April
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Oh it means that I am an elephant as well but I have realised long back that with the advent of technology my sharp memory is not that sharp anymore. I still remember birthdays but not the phone numbers anymore. Such a loss it is for sure. I so can relate to your post.
I agree that we need more elephants of all kinds! π I was never good with names or no's but always remembered birthdaya but sadly I am now dependent on FB!
I'm one of those who can't remember anything.
Sue Ann Bowling
Homecoming Blog
Stormy's Sidekick
Blogging from A to Z April Challenge
Fully with you, here. I'm an elephant myself, with regard to phone numbers and birthdays, and the advent of technology threatens to take away this faculty from us. I take a conscious effort to key in the number and then make the call while using the mobiles, even if that person is in my contacts list. Thanks for sharing this with us, here. This is surely a topic to introspect !!
I am so bad with memorizing such details like birthdays, anniversaries…I remember these for only a handful of people in my immediate/extended family. I tell myself this is enough, because all those others aren't really that important for me anyway π
I too posted on Elehpant π I have a stupid memory in terms of recognizing faces… but I remember incidents… as clear as day. I might remember meeting you but will not remember the face π
Hi! I used to be really good at remembering things. I assumed as I got older, my memory started slipping but I think you are right in the fact that the technology is overtaking rather than aiding! I'm not sure which I prefer LOL! π Great read. Thanks!
And I love your “60 Days since I last yelled”!
well i do hav the memory of an elephant but only when it comes to remembering bad things!! i tend to remember things whch am supposed to forget n forget thngs whch i shud remember π
Hi Shailaja,
Very interesting piece!
The 'elephant effect' and
the 'technology effect'
Good keep writing
Keep informed. π
Hahaha. I am blessed with an elephant's memory too. And? I write everything down. π don't depend on technology to nudge moi.
Loved your post.
Wow! That makes us two of a kind! I am good at remembering things too! As you rightly mentioned, it has its drawbacks too. Recently, I missed informing KG about a friend's birthday. (Yes, I remind him to call friends and relatives on important occasions) and he coolly said, ' You never forget so there must be a reason for not reminding me”. Rolling my eyes was the only option I had by means of explanation!
I'm a bit like an elephant in the physical attribute too π little bit π but I like that I can remember things easily. Like birthdays.
I am very good at remembering names, dates and faces whereas my husband is not π He turns to me for help when he is faced with a person whose name he has forgotten, which is very often. Loved your elephant post π
I'm so not an elephant in your sense.. Though might be closer to one in appearance.
My wife used to say, till a few years back, that I had a photographic memory… No longer now on the wrong side of 40 :-(.
I was like d elephant (remembering things) but after FB, trust me I forgot my best friend's bday and i was so struck up bcos she was like even FB didn't remind u.
Worst was one of my friends wontedly changed bday on FB and i wished wrongly -_-
Stri
π I can empathise with that. I used to be SD's shopping list, birthday and name diary rolled into one until motherhood struck. Now my brain's like a sieve. π I blame it all on RD.
Elephant Effect. I love it! I was the birthday encyclopedia. I still am for people from my past, but new people, forget it. I guess FB has made me lazy.
I used make an effort to remember things and like Kim, I assumed age was having an effect on my memory. I love tech; appreciate its advantages and worked in that sector for a long time, but yeah… I think it is overtaking us. Suddenly if it's not in my To Do List in Cozi, it's unlikely to get done. Not wonderful.
I too used to remember telephone numbers but now I can barely remember names.
For some things technology is making us weak.
I only recently bought a cell phone. In high school, I had an actual address book in which I kept street addresses, phone numbers, and even (later) email addresses of family, friends and acquaintances. But I memorized a lot of addresses and even more phone numbers to the extent that I can still dial my best friend's cell phone (and her home phone) from memory. I also listed peoples' birthdays in that book so I remember most of those too. (And yes, I still have the book!)
My own cell phone number? Couldn't tell ya. π
Stopping by from the A to Z π
and I'm at http://jaimieramsey.com π
Another Elephant post π well I am also known for something similar. So much so I remember every single detail of my childhood too!
Richa
I'm also an 'elephant'. These days, I rely on technology (with a hard copy back-up!) for birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers, etc., preferring to save my elephant-like quality for things like remembering faces, names, incidents, etc.
The one negative about being an 'elephant' is even unpleasant memories cannot be erased! π
I used to have a fantastic memory and was the go-to person for my family – but now I have a few problems retrieving old information! π
Shailaja, Great memory! Keep it up!
True that though tech has made our life easy, lots of problems such as the ones you have shared π
ha in that case I'm an elephant too! But lately there are silly things that I forget like what we call curtains or candles or silly things…I find it hard to explain that to people…
Random Thoughts Naba
I have a poor memory! lol can never really remember stuff especially when I want to either!
Very clever post and the connection to elephants. How lucky you are to have a good memory like that. I don't. I make lists and then lose the lists. Yes, technology is sure making us lazy when it comes to remembering. Why bother? Just Google it!
http://cattitudeandgratitude.blogspot.ca/2014/04/e-is-for-elise.html
Hehe! I too have said to have an elephant's memory. Though its not a positive feedback in my case (lol). On serious note, these facebook updates are really a pressure.
Though I am saved because of my habit. When others' forget my day, I call them and ask them to wish me! π So it has become a ritual for them too, 'better to remind it than to mind it' π
My best friend still has the best memory. We live in different states but she still remembers all of my kids' birthdays. It's really amazing. I'm terrible when it comes to matching a face with a name. It takes me a few times before I remember them.
Elsie
AJ's wHooligan in the A-Z Challenge
So true! I used to remember so many telephone numbers. With the advent of the cell phone, my brain has given up it's elephant effects indeed
I am also of the elephant kind…..
Used to remember even the minutest of the details……
But now…….I am not that sharp…..probably technology is the answer
I was good at remembering birthdays and anniversaries and other important dates, now i am finding difficult to remember !