09 February, 2011

Extraordinarily Confusing

window desert

Making this collage took quite a while, but it was a delightful process of layering and cutting and changing textures. It was an effortless process. Something that doesn't happen too often.

An artist friend of mine, who also works as an interior designer for large public buildings has asked if I'd sell my collages to put in two new hospital projects. She says my collages have soul, which made my heart go all golden and my checks rosy. 

These last months of setting up my freelance business have been extraordinarily busy, but also invigorating. The strain has been noticeable on my brain: my memory for names and words, never good, is noticeably worse. I am doing my best now to set up a foolproof system for remembering people’s names. 

I had one head of department, who would write down the name and one piece of information about his employees in a little black book. Everyone laughed at this method because he would always refer to that specific piece of information no matter how often you met him. I was the Canadian being asked if I felt at home living in Germany. Another colleague, who liked to sail, was asked if he had bought a boat yet.

I’m looking for methods people use to remember names, or where the keys are… do you have any suggestions? 

7 comments:

  1. Lia, one suggestion is to use the person's name when you speak to them, Lia. And so, Lia, you will remember it better because you have said it out loud a few times. :)

    Other than that -- I don't know. I am inexplicably good at remembering names. It's like my special superpower, but I don't really know how it happens.

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  2. Kristi, I get you point, but you probably remember because you hear the name and you are very audio-based learner. Since you are apt with languages, your superpower is your audio connection to your brain. Mine is with telephone numbers... a perfectly useless talent. Knowing someone's telephone number but not his name is caca.

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  3. Hhhmm, well, you are definitely visual so is there a way to associate a visual image with a person's name?

    I'm jealous of the telephone number thing. I know exactly four numbers by heart, and they don't include my own children's mobile phone numbers.

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  4. Lia,

    I used to do word association to remember names but got into a lot of trouble with that: Here's how..

    I had a customer named Kelly and to remember her name I associated Kelly with belly. I rubbed just below my belt and thought; "Kelly-belly,easy,right?"

    I didn't see her for a few months and when I did I called her Mrs. Mumick..No more stupid association for me.

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  5. Anonymous5:44 pm

    What a gorgeous collage!

    I think that remembering names takes practice...

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