Wednesday, 3/9

If there's one thing I could change about myself, it would be this one thing.

Actually, there are probably many things I'd like to change about myself. But I definitely know the one thing I really do need to change about myself, whether I have the power to or not.

And that would be to remember people's names.

This happens to me quite a bit, and I may have even written about it before.  But between Radio Jim & TV Jim and History Jim I get introduced to a lot of people, people to whom I'll run into again at a later date. And when that happens I'm very embarrassed to mention how many times I either don't know who they are or knew I knew them but couldn't remember their names. Thankfully, whenever I own up to my inadequacies the people in mention were cool about it.

Even if I wasn't.

There are actually two parts to this problem. The first is that because of who I am I meet a lot of people, oftentimes in groups. So if I get introduced to six or seven people at a time I have to remember six or seven names, while the people to whom I'm introduced only have to remember me. Not that that's an excuse; after all, there are many people who are in the exact same situation and can handle it without any difficulty.

But not me.

The other part of the problem just seems to be a structural problem or inefficiency in my brain. I've tried different tricks and different methods for remembering people's names, but none of them seem to work. Sure, I can hear an obscure history fact or pop culture reference and it's lodged in my brain forever, ready for instant recall. But the name of someone I've met or someone to whom I'm related? Not so much.

I'm a quality human being, aren't I?

So if we've ever met once or twice before and I'm supposed to know who you are, let me apologize in advance. There may be a point in the future where we meet again, you greet me like a normal human being, and I just smile back and utter the phrase “And remind me who you are again”? It's not you. It's me.

And it's something I would very much like to change about myself.

(jim@wmqt.com)