Every one has their flaws, I have many. One of them is that I’m bad with names. I can meet you 6 times and forget your name, and then the grace period where I should know your name has passed and I’m too shy to ask who you are…
Also, I’m not always good at putting faces I know with names I know. It’s happened more than once that someone I SHOULD know who they are has stopped to talk to me and I’ve looked into their eyes, examined their face, told myself that, yes yes that person looks familiar, but I still have to say “And you are?”
I’m going to cut myself some slack because those are usually people I know from these grand internets or from some tech article I read or from some one’s flickr stream. I bonk myself on the head and laugh about it apologetically, but I can pretty much guarantee it will happen again and again. Maybe I need a handler?
This doesn’t just apply to people though. My mind also goes blank when it comes to movies, art pieces and music.
This morning I was reading tweets when one caught my eye. WyattWerner tweeted “kicking off the day with Watermelon in Easter Hay.”
What an odd way to start the day, I thought. And then it rolled around in my mind a bit. Something about it sounded strangely familiar. Oddly relevant. It seemed like something that I should know… or something that I should find out about. So I asked “@WyattWerner am I supposed to understand what watermelon in Easter hay is? Is that code for something?”
It turns out it was something I should know. Something that was relevant. It’s a song at the end of Frank Zappa’s Joe’s Garage album. Not just any song though, a beautiful haunting instrumental that Mike included (an edited version) in the play list at our wedding. I remember listening to it as I leaned against him. I remember smiling at him, handsome in his black suit and short spiky hair. I remember thinking it was a perfect moment.
I never knew the name of the song. Now it’s something I won’t be able to forget.
And yeah… I totally turned a stream of tweets into a romantic memory and a blog post… yay me.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
The ancient Romans had a name for that kind of handler: nomenclator. He or she would stand or sit behind their employer and whisper names and associations in their ear. “That’s @verso, you know her from Beer & Blog.”
I am the same way with names and faces and it makes me feel like a gynormous ass, too. Why can’t I remember? Sigh.
Also…where do I apply to be Cami Kaos’ handler, and what do I get to handle?
i am only going to talk about the handling because then you would have a hat-trick of handling comments.
and i think you need a mnemonic device. you can get them at longs.
I on the other hand, am really good with names. I never forget a face which isn’t always a good thing. My issue is that I can’t remember where I know you from just that your name is so and so and you were drinking milk the last time I saw you. Then suddenly it all snaps together. And then I usually run after you shrieking, “We went to second grade together. You used to eat paste!” Good times!
This is why, my dear, I’m a BIG fan of name tags–it just makes it easier on everyone. Fortunately, I will NEVER forget your name.
Nice.. now if either of us could ever remember addresses…
S’funny, I remember this about you from previous posts…
I am also hopeless with song titles and remembering which actor was in which movie. It sucks when I am looking for a song to download because I dunno what the title is even if I can sing it!