How bad is your memory?

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Short term bad... long term = extremely good. Lots of ROM... need more RAM.

I have an excellent visual memory. I might not remember what was said or decided at a particular time, but I can tell you that it was a sunny day, a red car went passed us, and you had something on your teeth - years and years later! I remember situations and feelings very easily, and if I go through every minute of that moment I MIGHT remember what was discussed - that is actually a very fun exercise by the way. I think my biggest problem is remembering speech - like spoken names and requests, I have to write it now, and THEN I will remember it... maybe, depending on how mindful I am at that moment.

But when it comes to history, I might confuse dates, people and situations. I love numbers, but I tend to memorise a number, find a mathematical pattern for it to remember it better, and then another number comes out. 5's and 7's are the worst to remember right, because 7 is 5+2, and I always make that connection since I learned maths in primary school, so you tell me 27 and I write 25.

I also feel like my memories are stored in folders, organised by year and month, a bit like a wall calendar, and all in sequence, this way I can tell you what year and month or time of the year an incident happened. Love it! I might not know what your name is and what you work with, but I know where we met and how that meeting went

Is there any way to improve memory?

I think it can be improved like any other thing. Train it. Use it. I think it would also help improve other cognitive functions.

If you want objective data, if I've read it then it's in the catalog and I'll find it; if it's personal information, then that s**t is already lost to the nether the moment it left your mouth. So yeah, data, I've got excellent memory; personal, well not so much. I have to write myself notes to keep track of what people tell me about their life or I'll just up and forget.

my short term working memory STINKS!! !! !!
But once I learn something.... I never forget it.... ever............

My memory ain't that good, but I always figured it was to do with ADD. I have a better long-term memory. My short-term memory isn't that good.

I am (usually) good with remembering people's faces, how to spell words, the year of certain things that happened in my life (but not the precise dates, and not things that happened before I was born), to keep hygienic, to go to work on an alternate day, and a few more things like that.

What I have trouble remembering is if I've got too many tasks to do at once, writing things down to help remember them, bus and train times (even ones I get regularly), most number-related stuff, birthdays (except for close family), phoning friends, appointments and events, and many more stuff.

I even had trouble remembering my own special interests when I used to have them. I had to write it down in a pad, or draw it, to help me remember what's what.

My short term memory is pretty bad. Sometimes when I go to do something, I get distracted and forget what I was even going to do. I also tend to forget to bring certain things with me when I go out somewhere. My long term memory is much better though.

Well, it's...oh, s**t, what was the question?

^Laughter is my gift to the world!

My long-term memory is very detailed. I can remember intricate details of random events from my past events or conversations, exact places that they took place, etc. I didn't realise that was unusual until relatively recent years, when I recalled memories when talking to people and they cut in with "Wow, how do you remember that?!". I have clear memories right back to being 1 year old. I'm also very quick at picking up song lyrics and memorising them, though this is starting to deteriorate with age.

My short-term memory is absolutely terrible. I can't remember a route that I've driven many, many times before. I'm constantly losing things seconds after I had them. If someone says "please can you do this?" and I've got anything else in my mind at the same time, or I'm going to be busy for a minute or two, you can bet that what they've asked me will not get done. I can't list two things at once in my memory - I have to focus on one thing at a time or one will be forgotten. I frequently tell people "I'll message you when I get home and we can sort that out", only to completely forget to message them. I need lists for everything. I can't remember dates, like birthdays, or ages.

Perfect example. I remember watching a sitcom in the 80s I was very young. There was a really attractive lady in it. Only watched it a few times in passing. Never saw her in anything since. She was in a to series the other night. I remembered her name from 30 years ago. Copy and pasting links to email to a friend, I forget almost instantly what link it is so I have to keep rechecking sometimes the same link 4-5-6 times. :0/

It seems a great deal of us have amazing memory. But it also seems to be a bit fickle. I wonder if there is a way to train my brain to be more responsive and by command rather than throwing hissy fits when I need it the most.

I can recall every detail of something that happened years and years ago but then can't remember what I had for dinner last week. I guess I'm both good and bad with it, maybe just got a rubbish short term memory.