Memory’s strange behavior

Today I had an annual physical that included a “Wellness Visit”.

The Wellness Visit was an interview with an RN who asked various questions about my health and made some recommendations.  One of the first items was for me to memorize three words: apple, table, penny.  I tucked "ATP" in my brain to help remember them.  A few minutes later I could only remember apple and table!  Fortunately my total score for all the cognitive tests was fairly high for my age.

Later I told the doctor about this, but forgot “table”.  As soon as he left the room, I remembered "apple, table, penny".

After the visit, I went back to the fitness center to pick up my things.  The person next to me looked familiar.  Another person came in and said, “Hi, Gary.”  Click: Gary Houdek, owner of Jitters Tea and Coffee.  Except he had sold it recently to relatives of the owner of the building.  He also remembered me even though I hadn’t come in for several years, probably from my Reader Weekly column.

But then I forgot about a play tonight at UMD.  My wife reminded me of it, and so we won’t forget to go.

I had a different closing, but I forgot it.  Just kidding!  I actually remembered that I had forgot about the play and intended its mention to be my last sentence.

I sang in public again

The Lake Superior Freethinkers had a Darwin Night at Beaner's Central in Duluth and had put out a call for entertainers.  I decided that, after a few years of being timid about singing public solos, I would give it a try with "Die Gedanken Sind Frei (My thoughts are free)", a centuries-old German protest song.  I have it pretty well memorized as well as "Arirang", a very popular Korean song.  So, I said yes and was put on the playbill.

Being in a house with a very good musician, it is kinda tough for a late-bloomer like me to practice.  But I did, doing two or three sessions most days.  Surprise, sometimes my wife said I did it well.

Then in the middle of last night, I forgot some of the words to "Die Gedanken".  I carefully thought through them and could recite them again.

I practiced a couple of times today and decided that was enough.  I didn't want to wear my voice out.

We arrived at the appointed time for performers and I introduced myself to the emcee.  She went over her introduction of me, we ordered some food, and waited for things to start.

I was second in the line-up.  I started getting fears about a "senior moment".  I was concerned about standing too close to the mike or too far away.  I think I forgot some words and had to go over them again in my head.

The first pair was done, both long-time musicians.

I was introduced and I climbed on to the stage.  I figured out just the right distance to speak into the mike.  I could not see the audience except as dark shapes.  I said most of what I wanted to say, and started singing: "Die Gedanken sind frei, Niemand kan sie erraten…"  My volume was good, my flow was good.  I think I faltered once.  Tah dah!  I did it and received hardy applause from the two dozen or so in the audience.

I introduced the Korean song "Arirang" with a few words and started belting it out.  Again I faltered a couple of times but recovered.  Again I received some hardy applause.  I made some more remarks about the song that I had forgotten to make before I started, got some more applause, and left the stage.

Then I got even more response.  My wife was pleased.  A choir director who I had sung with years ago said that I had come a long way.  A former professional musician was effusive in his praise.  A few other people gave me big grins and made appreciative remarks, some whom I didn't know, some whom I knew were musicians.

This has gotten me a bit more ambitious about performing, but I don't know if I'll follow through.  After all, I have all these books to read, blog entries to write, wood to cut, and software problems to figure out and correct.

Maybe if I can practice a couple of songs a day and get them memorized, maybe I'll stay up late for somebody's open mike night.

Getting older with an active mind

The older I get, the longer my to-do list gets.  In fact, it is so long that it seems I spend half my time deciding which item to do next.

Even then, after I do something, I am on to so many other things I forgot what I have done.

Several acquaintances have told me that they enjoy reading my letters to the editor, either in the Star Tribune or in the Duluth News Tribune, mostly the latter.  Many ask we when I'm going to write something again.  I've been telling them that I can only get published every 30 days, if my letter or article is accepted.

Today somebody asked me when I would have something in again, and I replied that I had submitted to the Star Tribune.  But I couldn't remember what the subject was; I think in part because I moved on to several other ideas.  It wasn't until hours later that I remembered it was on the proposed marriage amendment to the Minnesota Constitution.

Gosh, I wish I could get as many people who ask me about my letters would read this blog.  I'm still running between 20 and 30 subscribers every day with only one or two actually looking at the full text.

Now to decide which of the seven items in my list in my composition file to write next, or should I select one of the dozen or so in another to-do list, or …

I forgot that I remembered not to forget

Today when I went to our cabin, I placed my wallet and Duluth keys on the counter by the door. I did this because they often chafe my thighs as I work around the area.

On my way back to Duluth this afternoon, I checked my pocket about 10 minutes away. There were no keys in my pocket! Oh, great! I could use my wife's keys but it could be inconvenient.

I pulled into a dirt road/drive and double checked. No keys in any pocket. I watched for oncoming traffic and backed out. As I started up I looked in my rear view mirror and there was a car right behind me. So much for looking carefully. But it could have been worse than the other driver's inconvenience.

I arrived back at our cabin and decided to back in rather than back out. I was only going to the gate and would walk back to the cabin. Backing in is a little dicey because we have a short culvert over the drive. I could back into the ditch very easily. I made it and reached for the keys to turn off the engine.

Those are my keys!

Besides nearly getting rear-ended for this "undersight" and possibly getting stuck in the ditch, I arrived at my bank eight minutes after the drive up closed. I wanted to get quarters for tomorrow's newspapers. Guess I'll have to use a fist full of dimes and nickels.

Is this another of those senior, what's the word?