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News & Issues > Neatniks and Beatniks

Neatniks and Beatniks

Did anybody happen to watch 60 Minutes the other night? They had a most fascinating segment about a handful of people that have the ability to remember what they did on every day of their life (starting a various ages). Give them an obscure date, and they could recount a significant event (or insignificant, like what they ate for lunch) on that day.
These people are being intensively studied for their amazing abilities.

Of the 5 (on the show), 4 were not married and childless. The three men were left-handed, women right. They seemed "normal". One was an actress (forgot her name). And the point I want to make is: they were all fairly compulsive, one way or another. The actress was a "neat freak", for example.

That led me to analyze my own abilities and behaviors. No, like most of us, I can barely remember what I ate yesterday. Yes, I can remember where I was when Pres. Kennedy was shot, or the Space Shuttle exploded, and other vivid events.
I think I'm rather average.

As far as "compulsiveness", I admittedly have my quirks. My baseball card collection was always compartmentalized. My 45 yrs worth of National Geographics are all in chronological order, neatly shelved. I'm obsessive in stacking my firewood, every piece perfectly positioned in the "right" location. My garden is in perfect rows, spaced exactly apart, weed free. You get the point. Those 5 "savants" were like that.

However, despite the fact that I keep my house and clothes clean and "put away", I have clutters and disorder in many places: my computer desk, garage and basement tools, kitchen counters, and more. I suppose I'd consider myself a dichotomy. I'm "all of the above": organized and orderly, yet am okay with clutter and disorder (messy). I bet psychologists would have a field day with me!

How about you?

posted on Dec 21, 2010 6:34 AM ()

Comments:

Basically, I like a order - a routine - a place for everything and everything in it's place (does not always happen

).
Since the snow has been here (for a month, at least) every day has merged into one, so it has been difficult to remember certain days - I am not alone, my husband has had the same problem.
I can remember my childhood sort of, vividly and my adulthood too. I think that is because I view them in categories/chapters of my life - of which, there have been many (not termed in the 'age' context, more in the way of the varying 'happening's of my life'.
I do, write down any 'important' forthcoming events on the kitchen calender - that is: Birthdays, Hospital and Doctor appointment's etc.
A 'smell, song or movie' can cause me to remember certain events that took place - even a 'name' will trigger a memory - speaking of which, it is the 'hard to pin - point' memory that I am interested in too (as is my daughter Lynniessomethingorother). I refer to 'past life memory'. I would love to know more about that.

comment by febreze on Dec 24, 2010 5:54 AM ()

I just happened to come upon your reply here! Sorry not to respond earlier. I do much the same as you in "categorizing" the past. As for your last statement, did you ever read "Soul Survivor"? That'll make you think twice!!

reply by solitaire on Jan 7, 2011 6:04 AM ()

Now, when I go blank, I will blame it on the statin that I take. I sometimes do if asked abruptly about something out of context of the
conversation. I just blame it on mad cow like Denny Crane.

comment by elderjane on Dec 23, 2010 12:39 PM ()

Sort of like the old "the devil made me do it"? That's the best excuse ever!

reply by solitaire on Dec 24, 2010 5:36 AM ()

This is sort of embarrassing....

I can't take the last of something from a shelf or a cooler or freezer. *Especially* not a cooler or freezer. And I can never, ever take the first thing, closest to me. I always have to reach three back, especially with cold things. I will have a panic attack if I have to take the first item or the last item on the shelf. The OCD affects me in other ways, too but I'll spare you the weird details.

comment by juliansmom on Dec 23, 2010 6:56 AM ()

Quirkiness is what makes you special. I won't even begin on mine! My family gives me a hard time. "I love you just the way you are" (Billy Joel).

reply by solitaire on Dec 24, 2010 5:35 AM ()

This whole post made me think of Julian. A lot of what you described can be characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome.

It's actually not that uncommon for someone with obsessive compulsive tendencies to be, well, obsessive about some areas and very lax in others.

But you didn't ask about Julian, did you?

I'm very, very anal retentive about certain things. Drives people nuts. And other people drive me nuts because they don't wash dishes properly, put things in the right spot, don't fold laundry the way I do, etc.

I also have mild obsessive compulsive disorder. Especially in the grocery store.

comment by juliansmom on Dec 22, 2010 4:14 PM ()

What--do you re-stack the grocery items? I admittedly don't know any more than what I've read from you about Asperger's Syndrome. It must be difficult to deal with his "quirks" if you will. (I don't mean to be disparaging, you understand.) It's hard enough to deal with our own quirks!

reply by solitaire on Dec 23, 2010 6:28 AM ()

I have total recall for the past but not each day. I remember the taste and feel of the 30s. I remember the look of the streets, the sound of the streetcars and dogs barking and the wail of the rag collectors as if I had heard them yesterday. I remember in detail what I wore during an event and that used to amuse Jay to distraction. He'd mention some party and I'd say, oh, yes, I was wearing ... But I forget books I want to get, films I want to see: I make notes and they get buried. I have an accumulation of papers in a bin near my computer and when I finally go through it, I'll be astonished and what I planned to do or research and didn't. I guess, except for the recall of mood, I'm normal.

comment by tealstar on Dec 21, 2010 4:37 PM ()

That's pretty neat that you can recall so much. I kept a diary as a teenager, and in reading back over it, I would not remember doing certain things. My past is a big blur.

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 4:56 AM ()

I have found that all this changes as I change. Moving/aging/clutter

comment by anacoana on Dec 21, 2010 3:23 PM ()

I never analyzed any behavioral changes over the years. I'm thinking I'm pretty much the same as always. And I'll never change.

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:18 AM ()

Not only could I not tell you what I ate for lunch yesterday, I don't remember if I even had lunch.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm a compulsive hoarder.........of yarn.

comment by nittineedles on Dec 21, 2010 1:08 PM ()

Well that I can understand. My grandmother hoarded cloth scraps for quilts. They were everywhere!

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:15 AM ()

I have always had the ability to recall conversations verbatim from years past if they were significant at the time. However, I'm very average at remembering names and not particularly compulsive. I like neatness but not to an extreme as my mother was.

comment by redimpala on Dec 21, 2010 12:58 PM ()

I suppose we remember what we think is important. I'm bad at names, too. And I'm bad at remembering conversations. Lucky you--unless the conversation is upsetting.

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:14 AM ()

Oh I am a sloppy person... if things were in their place I wouldn't be able to find them!

comment by kristilyn3 on Dec 21, 2010 11:47 AM ()

I know the feeling, although I finally gave up searching for my scotch tape I evidently misplaced, and bought another. That about drove me crazy!

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:11 AM ()

Yes,saw this.It is Marilou Henner from Taxi.she has not been doing too many movies and she got involved in other things.
I had a feeling that this is scripted.

comment by fredo on Dec 21, 2010 10:41 AM ()

Scripted? I don't think Ms. Henner even realized she had recall powers that few have. But she was tested and passed. I liked her personality.

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:09 AM ()

Yes, the "60 Minutes" segment was fascinating! While not in those folks' memory power league, I do have a good memory, which I like to think is a result of cultivating my attentiveness and powers of observation over the years, but I would not say I am an obsessive organizer overall. About some things, yes, but not everything. A little structure in life is useful, too much is way too confining.

comment by marta on Dec 21, 2010 10:30 AM ()

We're all unique, yet somewhat alike. Aren't you glad you're not one of those "hoarders"--houses packed to the ceiling with boxes and junk?!

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:06 AM ()

I forget things very quickly. What did I do yesterday... uhmm?
After awhile I'll remember, but I tend to lose unimportant
information so I can hold on to the important stuff.

And I like my house to be uncluttered and neat, but at the same
time I have a very mess computer/hobby room that drives me crazy
sometimes, but I can't seem to get it cleaned up!

comment by crazylife on Dec 21, 2010 10:18 AM ()

I wonder why we're like that--a curious mixture of neatness and slobbiness?

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:04 AM ()

To answer Martin's question, yes, the actress was Marilou Henner. I watched it too.
I used to be extremely compulsive. I hung my shirts from light to dark separated by sleeve length- long to short. My Army drill sergeant would have been proud of my underwear drawer- everything neatly folded in a specific order just like my shits. I could have found a specific pair of underwear in the dark. My house was immaculately clean with no clutter anywhere except for a kitchen drawer that caught all of the odd ends.
What changed? Those were the years that I suffered traumatic amnesia. I guess I thought (unconscious process) that if I kept everything firmly in its place that I could keep the memories at bay. Once my memories returned, I lost the need to control my environment. You have been to my house so you know I am still neat, but I am far from compulsive and live with areas of clutter everywhere!

comment by dragonflyby on Dec 21, 2010 9:31 AM ()

Yes, we have our similarities in the neatness category. And thanks for the belly laugh!!! You inadvertantly left out the "r" in shirt, making the sentence-meaning hilarious!

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 5:02 AM ()

I love to forget. Now what was I going to write here?

comment by jondude on Dec 21, 2010 9:00 AM ()

Selective memory loss can be a good thing, but you should never forget what I say in my posts!

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 4:59 AM ()

It ws Marilou Henner from "Taxi".
My memory is shot--I blame it on the statin drug I take--I am basically neat but not a neatnik--maybe a beaneatnik?
I do keep/make lists compulsively but that's to keep thing neat!

comment by greatmartin on Dec 21, 2010 7:45 AM ()

Statin drug? Ever take red yeast rice? It's a natural statin. Works for me. Thanks for the actress' name. I never watched Taxi.

reply by solitaire on Dec 22, 2010 4:58 AM ()

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Neatniks and Beatniks