I once read that Albert Einstein didn’t know his own phone number. He said it was a waste to crowd his brain by memorizing information that could easily be found in a book. I’m pretty sure that is an urban rumor. But I use it a lot to cover my own ineptitude with numbers. For instance, I never remember the exact ages of our grown children. I mean, I know what year they were born (most of the time) and if I have a calculator handy, I can figure it out.
I realize some people do not suffer with this problem. My friend Barb once had the entire church phone directory memorized – home, work, and cell! Nobody bothered looking anything up; we just asked Barb. I, on the other hand, inevitably transpose two random digits in every phone number I jot down from the answering machine.
This is a great occupational hazard for the part of one’s job that entails returning phone calls.
So, after I blogged about Charity’s birthday, people kept asking me how old she was, and I’d just mutter, “twenty-something.” Finally, in the evening, I decided to figure it out. Fortunately my sister was in the room at the time, and two of her children bookend Charity in age. Unfortunately, she never remembers how old her children are either.
And that is the great thing about sisters. They can always make you believe your wackiness is actually normal. So, here’s to sisters. Mine just drove across the country for the birth of her fourth grandchild following the engagement party for her youngest son. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t remember how old anyone is today, and I doubt she even cares.
I've had Michael's social security number memorized forEVER, and when I needed it the other day I couldn't remember the last four digits. Not at all. As I wrote this, I tried to pull it from memory again, and there it was! I don't know why that person asked for it anyway. How are you with passwords? I use so many of those every single day. It always kind of astounds me that I can remember which password goes with which username for which function without really even thinking about it. I've finally learned to write them down though for those moments when I stop to think too long and it's not there anymore.
Also, I'll be 33 this year. Blechk. An odd one.
How convenient of you, Serenity. Obviously you were born when I was 20. That makes keeping track of you way easier. (If I don't forget) And I'm terrible with Passwords. I have two main ones, but they are exactly the same length, and so I don't always know which is which when it is time to switch them.
"They can always make you believe your wackiness is actually normal."
Yes! This might be the most charming thing about sisters. I think I'll go call mine. š
I think I am worse than you — my kids are five and two, so their ages are pretty easy to remember. But I have trouble remembering how old I am without stopping to figure it out. And I never know how old my husband is without first thinking about it!
I feel your pain. Be comforted in knowing we are women of words, not numbers. I can remember whole poems I learned in high school, but cannot remember a number more than a few seconds.