Memory Retention

[jillleanne]

I find it incredible how a gender enhanced person can remember their first outing, their first time wearing hose, their first whatever, but they cannot remember to replace the empty bag of milk in the refrigerator. Why? I'm betting you cannot remember your telephone number when you were a child, maybe not even the address, and definitely not the zip/postal code. How many know their S.I.N. or Social Security Number without looking at the card? I'm betting few of us except maybe military people. So how is it we can remember so far back to childhood with regards to our gender expression? We can remember minute details such as color, where we hide things, things we purged, our first .....etc. Why has our gender expression impacted our memory to such an extent?

[SusanLCD]

Now, let's see. I used to know the answer to that. What was the question, again?

[Cheryl T]

Well, don't ask my wife about things like this...

I'm the one who knows the driver's licenses, credit cards, birthdays, SS#'s, license plates and all those other rarely used number/letter combinations of daily life. I also can remember my first outing to a mall, the first article I wore, and all those other useless details.

Now that we have that out of the way....what's my name again????

[SuzanneBender]

Memories are most vivid when they capture multiple senses and when they incorporate feelings. I am lucky to remember how old I am without taking off my shoes and counting on my fingers and toes (Darn I am on the second time through!), but I can tell you all about my wedding day, children's births and yes many of my firsts concerning gender expression because of the emotion wrapped up in those moments.

Now can someone help me find my car keys?

[Persephone]

Hmmmmm, Jilleanne, an interesting question!

I can still remember the pattern and feel of the first skirt I bought myself, and the circumstances of buying it, along with a lot of the other details you mentioned in your post. I even vividly remember my first attempt at crossdressing when I was 2-1/2 years old.

But maybe that comes with the territory. Most of the FABs that I know can tell you where and when they acquired most of their clothes and jewelry, and, if it is an important piece, when they last wore it.

The FAB in your life can probably tell you what both of you were wearing on your first date, on the night you proposed, etc. Can you?

It is even a natural part of women's dialog (so if you are out-and-about be prepared to participate). A woman will say to another woman, "That is a lovely blouse!" and the other woman will immediately reply, "Thank you! I got at Nordstroms (or wherever), it was on sale (or whatever)."

Almost like a password (Really!).

So, like the others here, I probably do remember a great deal about most of my stuff (although not always with the exquisite detail that FABs can provide) but, then again, I also remember:

My first phone number (it was five digits, and later they added two letters with a mnemonic word so it became DAvis nnnnn).

The name of my kindergarten teacher, as well as my first grade teacher (although I'm having trouble remembering the brand name of the cookies they served in kindergarten)

And my first address as well as the second one.

Know my social security number as well as my spouse's.

Zip codes didn't exist when I was little -- they were added later.

Damn! Now where did I leave my glasses????? And why did I come into the computer room to begin with?????

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Kate Simmons]

Like most guys we have a selective memory.

[eluuzion]

Recall and things like childhood amnesia are fascinating areas for me. I can easily recall all of those items you listed. As well as lots of other seemingly "irrelevant" information from my past and present that most people discard or do not notice. My mind is like a sponge, soaking up and retaining all kinds of (useless?) information from my surroundings. I do not have a "photographic" memory but I can recall much more than most folks do. My daughter & her friends were always trying to get me to go on "Jeopardy", because of all of the "random" stuff I was always blurting out.

I can also remember faces and read people very well. Once I see a face, I remember it forever. (but not the names). I can claim with a great deal of confidence that once I see any "guys" face, it would be almost impossible for them to "fool" me when CDing. Same with adding/changing facial hair, etc. Everybody has a mind that operates differently and it seems, excels in specific areas.
I think much of it has to do with my high abstract reasoning abilities (not always a positive "gift", lol).

But we all tend to remember details and events associated with high emotional content. Sometimes this works in reverse, too. For example...I was shipped off to a military academy for high school. To this day, I can only remember what the barracks looked like and part of the times I had to walk around in a circle with an M-1 rifle to walk off demerits. The rest of those years there are a total blank.

[sandra-leigh]

I _believe_ I remember my childhood telephone number (the one after they renumbered us when they added touch tone capability and moved us to a different LAX (Local Area Exchange); I remember where those two different LAX were physically located.

I definitely remember my childhood address, in several different forms, as the official address changed several times as the area grew from a town to a mega-city. I remember the exact postal code we were eventually assigned -- and I just cross-checked and Yes I was exactly right in every character. I moved away from there 32 years ago.

I memorized my SIN before I turned 18. Which was a good thing as the card was pretty flimsy and cracked after a few years in my wallet. It totally disintegrated 25 years ago and I tossed it out, and haven't physically had one since, pulling it out of memory when I need it.

I do not know my driver's license number. That might have something to do with the fact that I've never even had a Learner's Permit. :D It wasn't until last year that I got a provincial "almost but not quite a driver's license" ID; the only time I have ever needed the number on that was in applying for a passport.

I have memorized the complete branch and account numbers for two of my bank accounts.

I have memorized every credit card number I have ever had, and to this day could recite them all... all zero of them

I cannot, however, say that I remember every address I have ever lived at: in my student days, I had to move every 4 month (work/study programs).

[sanderlay]

I'm betting you cannot remember your telephone number when you were a child, maybe not even the address, and definitely not the zip/postal code.

Yes... I do remember it. But my parents stayed in the same house and phone number for over fifty years. So I have an advantage.

How many know their S.I.N. or Social Security Number without looking at the card?

Yep... remember that also. And... no... I was not in the military.

So how is it we can remember so far back to childhood with regards to our gender expression? We can remember minute details such as color, where we hide things, things we purged, our first .....etc. Why has our gender expression impacted our memory to such an extent?

I chalk this up to milestone or traumatic events in my life, like last Christmas or Thanksgiving. I seem to remember them with more clarity than what I did last Saturday.

[Jilmac]

I lost my memory years ago, everything I say now is made up.

[jillleanne]

Thanks ladies for the fun replies. Little did I expect so much humor in them which makes it all the more fun. I am also impressed by the memory retention by all. I have asked this question in social outings before( not in tg surroundings) and found more than half could not remember their childhood telephone numbers or address.
It would be interesting (and useless probably) to know if there is an association between tg people and memory retention that exceeds the normal levels of retention by non-tg society. It may also be something associated with the male brain vs. the female brain in general society. I know some very highly intelligent people( both male and female) that could not answer questions about their childhood with such fine detail and I have suspected they simply tossed the info. as 'useless' garbage that need not be retained. Could it be the so-called genetic male brain is wired for such capabilities?

[DAVIDA]

It seems that I too have the unmarketable ability to remember numbers.
I remember the phone number of my best friend from grade school.
I know social security numbers for myself, Jean, and my parents.
All bank accounts and a lot of phone numbers.
What I can't seem to remember are names.
I have been told names, and minutes later, I couldn't tell you what it was.

What was I saying?:brolleyes:

[sometimes_miss]

I find it incredible how a gender enhanced person can remember their first outing, their first time wearing hose, their first whatever, but they cannot remember to replace the empty bag of milk in the refrigerator. Why? I'm betting you cannot remember your telephone number when you were a child, maybe not even the address, and definitely not the zip/postal code. How many know their S.I.N. or Social Security Number without looking at the card? I'm betting few of us except maybe military people. So how is it we can remember so far back to childhood with regards to our gender expression? We can remember minute details such as color, where we hide things, things we purged, our first .....etc. Why has our gender expression impacted our memory to such an extent?

My mind is full of all that junk. I remember all kinds of useless facts that have nothing to do with my life today; phone numbers, birthdays, addresses of people who I haven't seen in 45 years, or are dead, or both. My credit card numbers; I type them into the checking account bill pay every month, and for some reason, I also remember each one's expiration dates. Every address and zip code where I've lived. Girlfriends' perfumes, clothing sizes, favorite foods and drinks, phone numbers and addresses that I haven't dated since I was 20. My license plate numbers and tire sizes going back to 1973.
But crap, where did I park the car?

[Beverley Sims]

I CAN REMEMBER the serial number of the engine of my first car. 9muh9149.
Can someone tell me what the numberplate of my current car is.
I know it is blue, er no... DARK blue.

[Sally24]

We do prioritize our memories. Unfortunetly we can't elliminate useless ones! Adrenaline seems to lock memories in much more than normal times. I can remember just about every time I was hurt ( or close calls ). when I was in college I seemed to still be able.to remember my whole life up to that point. Not anymore!

[Karren H]

Yes I do remember our phone number when I was 7..... Mohawk 44163 (aka 664-4163). But I can't tell you what my wife told me to get on the way home tonight! Lol. Called old age... Pre-altzheimners...

Ohhhh. I almost forgot.... Its Altzheimers awareness month!

[RenneB]

My mind is so cramed with a life full of great memories that if I have to remember one more thing, I swear I'm going to forget first grade or something. Maybe I've got a female brain and a male brain stuck up there. I cam remember the first dress, first bra and first kiss. I now take pics of my Renne days so that I can remember what I was wearing... LOL..

Great topic...

Renne.....

[jillleanne]

It seems that I too have the unmarketable ability to remember numbers.
I remember the phone number of my best friend from grade school.
I know social security numbers for myself, Jean, and my parents.
All bank accounts and a lot of phone numbers.
What I can't seem to remember are names.
I have been told names, and minutes later, I couldn't tell you what it was.

What was I saying?:brolleyes:

Without a doubt, I cannot for the life of me remember names, but faces? Seen once, forever remembered. What's that alll about?

[jillleanne]

My mind is full of all that junk. I remember all kinds of useless facts that have nothing to do with my life today; phone numbers, birthdays, addresses of people who I haven't seen in 45 years, or are dead, or both. My credit card numbers; I type them into the checking account bill pay every month, and for some reason, I also remember each one's expiration dates. Every address and zip code where I've lived. Girlfriends' perfumes, clothing sizes, favorite foods and drinks, phone numbers and addresses that I haven't dated since I was 20. My license plate numbers and tire sizes going back to 1973.
But crap, where did I park the car?

LMAO, honestly!!! expiration dates? lol, I'm crying, laughing!!!! lol

[jillleanne]

I CAN REMEMBER the serial number of the engine of my first car. 9muh9149.
Can someone tell me what the numberplate of my current car is.
I know it is blue, er no... DARK blue.

S/N???? What the hell did you do as a kid, steal cars???? lol

[jillleanne]

Yes I do remember our phone number when I was 7..... Mohawk 44163 (aka 664-4163). But I can't tell you what my wife told me to get on the way home tonight! Lol. Called old age... Pre-altzheimners...

Ohhhh. I almost forgot.... Its Altzheimers awareness month!

Isn't that the truth though! Everytime I'm supposed to pick up something, I get side tracked to the ladies/shoe department. Well you know, there might be something on clearance or something and if I missed out, well!!!!!!!!! lol

[jillleanne]

[QUOTE=RenneB;2659489]My mind is so cramed with a life full of great memories that if I have to remember one more thing, I swear I'm going to forget first grade or something. Maybe I've got a female brain and a male brain stuck up there. I cam remember the first dress, first bra and first kiss. I now take pics of my Renne days so that I can remember what I was wearing... LOL..

Great topic...

That's just because you have too many articles of clothing you spoiled brat, so box them up tomorrow morning and send them all to me!!! wink wink

[kimdl93]

actually, I can remembert lots of stuff including two full credit card numbers, our first phone number and my ex wife's parents phone number. The way the human brain works, its meaningful to us, we remember the moment ( or at least some reconstruction of the moment). Sadly, I often forget the names of people on first introduction - even if I employ various techniques. I'm afraid I treat most introductions are prefuctory courtesies - which makes it difficult to retain names.

[jillleanne]

Sadly, I often forget the names of people on first introduction - even if I employ various techniques. I'm afraid I treat most introductions are prefuctory courtesies - which makes it difficult to retain names.[/QUOTE]

Maybe that's my problem with names as well.

[Persephone]

Now that I think about it, I remember the serial number on my ex-dentist's high speed drill. Seriously! And he was my dentist 30 years ago!

It was 12365.

I remember it because it is the same as the height of Mt. Fuji in Japan.

No, I am not joking!

Hugs,
Persephone.