What's Your Name?

I am the worlds worst about remembering names. Seriously. I've tried repeating new names over and over again, it doesn't work. I've tried everything anyone has ever suggested, it doesn't work.

The only thing that has come remotely close to helping me is to find some sort of association to link the name to.

For instance, I use to have this proofer that worked for me named Raven. I worked with this woman for almost two years on a day-to-day biases and it took me six months to get her name correct every time I talked to her. After stumbling over it, I tried associated her name with a 'bird'.

As I walked up to her, my mind would start a dialog that sounded like this:

Bird. Blue Jay. No, maybe just Jay. No. Red Bird. No idiot, it's a Cardinal. No. Hawk. She's not a guy. Grackle. (mental snort) No.

She told me she was named after birds in a Shakespeare poem. So I tried that. Only I'm not very well read in classical pose.

Shakespeare? Crows? Or, was that Steven King? Didn't he write a story about crows? Wait, didn't she say the bird was a scavenger? Buzzard?

After several more wasted months in trying other associations, I finally landed on black bird. Yes, I had to go through a couple of birds, but I always ended up on Raven fast enough to seem like I remembered her name.

Age hasn't improved my ability to recall names, just my ability to associate text with them.

Paul's daughter I remember as Lilly-Pad, her name is Lilly. As my children are named after plants that was an easy association for me.

Jessy's youngest two boys (age 2 and 4) gave me a HARD time until I associated them with ice cream (Ben and Jerry's) their names are Benjamin and Jeremiah.

Just something about the way my brain is wired. So don't feel slighted should I not remember you name next time we meet, it's not personal. I just haven't had a chance to associate you with something yet.

Or, maybe I just don't like you and didn't want to waste my time.