I had an enjoyable eveing last night. Nothing in particular happened to make it good and nothing at all happened to put a damper on it either. Likewise for my day. I like it when that happens.
I began reading a new book. Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward. Should be interesting. I'll let you know.
There was a teacher who once worked where I do. She was only here for a year on an exchange sort of deal with our language arts teacher. P left a huge impression on all of us. Well those of us who have been here long enough to recall that time. Eh... hem!
You know how when you go to say something and a word eludes you? Its right there... you can even taste the letters on your tongue but you can't pull that sucker out. P told me that once you get to be her age... 63, that's how many words you are allowed to have in your head at any given time. She was 63, so she could only have 63 words. She had to be careful, she said, of learning new words... because if you learn a new one, one of the other 63 words have to go... and that's what causes that problem.
So this morning when I arrived at work one of the other staff members who is old enough to recall P was trying to tell me something about this squirrel and having a devil of a time coming up with the word she wanted. In the end it was "albino"... hence the photo up above. When she finally got it out, I laughed and asked her how many words she was allowed now. She got it immediately... 52.
Do you have a trick that you do when you forget a word or to help you remember words?
I do this ridiculous thing where I begin to madly describe things like I'm on the million dollar pyramid. It rarely helps. But you should see some of the great looks I get.
He's so cute.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I can't think of a lot of things. I had a similar problem with writing (mostly before computers and spell check), when I would just had no clue how to begin spelling the word I needed. Not even necessarily big words either. I once could not remember how to write "of." It doesn't sound anything like that. Sounds like maybe A and V, not an O and F.
Sometimes you get stuck because a similar word is interfering. Then saying that word first sometimes help. But really, if you just let it go, it comes to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing looking squirrel, though. And I guess the good news is you get to add a word each year?
I especially hate when that sort of thing happens to me. Being a voice-over person, and expected to be able to talk with ease and control, I always feel as though I'm being uncovered as some sort of fraud if I stammer or stumble. No specific tricks to recover. I'm like you, I suppose. I grasp at whatever is handy and keep throwing stuff out until something sounds right :-)
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a white squirrel, but I see black ones all the time.
ReplyDeleteThat squirrel must mean either good luck OR bad luck.
ReplyDeleteOh, BTW, you haven't updated your blog list for my new location!
ReplyDeleteI don't usually have that problem with words, but with other things definitely. Usually I turn to the telephone or the Internet. I have "Ralph Kramden Syndrome." You know I can't sleep when I'm trying to think of something, Alice!
ReplyDeleteIs that a wild squirrel? You'd think the hawks would get something like that.
laughing-- Oh... I hate that feeling. I used to do that with the word their... or is it thier... and mix myself up.
ReplyDeletesecret agent woman-- Ha. I guess so. P also said that teenage boys really only have one word in their heads... but they think of "sex" fifteen times a minute. I guess there were exceptions. She was a hoot.
ReplyDeleteSuldog-- I can see where that would be an issue of professional pride in your line of work. At least no one really expects me to make sense when I speak. Ha.
ReplyDeletedmarks-- I'd never seen one before this either. But this guy lives in a tree outside of the school. And yesterday I saw two geese that may have been albino Canadian geese, if such a creature could exist. Or maybe that's how the young ones look. But they were as big as the other adults. Interesting world isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMo-- Oh! I am so sorry! I will get on the update right away. I am terrible sometimes. My apologies.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what it means... a white squirrel. But I like him.
Cricket-- I think if that squirrel lived anywhere else here the hawks would. But there is so much daytime activity here at the school that the prey birds don't come here to hunt. Now at my house he would be toast. Saw a kitten leave with an eagle last summer like that. I plugged my ears and went into the house.
ReplyDeleteHere being white helps him... everyone wants to feed him. He is not afraid either. Maybe he should be. I could see a kid snatching him away to live in some tiny cage for the rest of his life.
ALL-- Okay, I was updating my blog roll and cleverly lost half of your blogs. Sheesh! It will take me the day, but I'll get you back on there. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteI tend to stare blankly at the person I was talking to...then after a few minutes of that I promise I'll call them as soon as I remember.
ReplyDeleteI haven't called yet...ever.
I hate it when I can't think of the word I want, but it doesn't happen as often as when I forget where I put my keys. At my age, you'd think I would train myself to put them in one spot, but I haven't. So much for my resolution to be more organized, eh?
ReplyDeleteThat is one cool looking squirrel. It should be safe as long as there is snow on the ground.
haha! I like that word a year explanation...makes perfect sense to me. I am sure that happens to everyone, but some people are much quicker at recovering. Once I can't "get" something there seems to be little chance of recovering :-)
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, reminds me of that Taboo game from last weekend...
KenV-- Oh that gave me a good laugh. :-)
ReplyDeleteCube-- I had that key thing too. But then Larry gave me a snap clip. Now I snap them onto my purse as soon as I turn the car off. I am okay as long as I recall where I set down my purse. Ha.
ReplyDeleteWell that was taken last spring. So far so good.
laura b.-- Me too on the Taboo! Perhaps I should just say... I'm sorry, I'm only allowed 54 words currently. Do you know what I am talking about? Is it one of your words? Maybe if we pool our words...
ReplyDeleteas long as i can find my candy and the stuff that makes me hungry it doesn't matter if i forget everything else.
ReplyDeletei can't remember why i hate squirrels.
billy pilgrim-- You must be missing your candy by now. But I do admire that you gave something up that you truly enjoy.
ReplyDeleteAs for squirrels... the ones closer to where I live are insane and attempt to kill themselves below my tires with great regularity. They adjust their attacks to my speed. Drive me batty.
Does Ruby like squirrels? hee hee
I've never seen an albino squirrel before, cool. Had white rats as a kid though.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a trick that you do when you forget a word or to help you remember words?
I mess around with my word processor until it returns. Or say to hell with it and just use a different word being as our piece of shit English often has about ten words that has more or less the same meaning.
Of course a finger often states my feelings pretty well also when it comes to humanity.
Billy B.-- Hahaha. Yep lots of words out there. Word processor is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI had rats and mice as a kid and an adult. My biggest rat was so big when he died that I could not put him in a normal shoe box to bury him. I loved that silly rat. He was white with black spots. His name was Nicodemos. A long and happy life he had for a rat.
Thank goodness for the Internet because that helps me out when I can remember something and I am finding myself more forgetful as I get closer to 40 so it has been a lifesaver. It would be cool to see an albino squirrel. We just have the regular squirrels out here.
ReplyDeleteHi Shife! I named the squirrel Eddie, though I doubt anyone else calls him that. It's from a Frank Zappa song... with a line that goes "Eddie are you kidding me?" It just seemed to fit the darned thing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the net is very useful. Saved my bacon a time or two.
Hey... age only gets more interesting. Enjoy it. Good thing you have a good sense of humor. One needs it. Ha.
I agree that the net is very useful. Saved my bacon a time or two.
ReplyDeleteOh sure, what did we ever do without it? Oh, I remember, we had life's.
Billy B.-- Like all things it can be abused, but you know, it can enhance things too. It's just a tool.
ReplyDeleteThat happens to me when I'm thinking too hard about something. It usually comes to me later...Like when I'm on a bus or in a crowd of people and I have to try really hard not to say it aloud.
ReplyDeleteIf I start thinking about something else the word usually comes to mind. Orrrrr... I use google and insert all sorts of key words to narrow it down. Google is quite versatile.
ReplyDeleteChurlita-- Ha. I have done that and then had people look at me funny. Oh well
ReplyDeleteSebastien-- Yep. It helps quite a bit sometimes.