Woman Who Remembers Everything
There’s a woman from California who remembers everything, and I don’t just mean every birthday or anniversary her husband forgot (just kidding, guys - sort of). I mean she can recall almost every day of her 42 years on this planet! Her initials are AJ and she describes her life as a “running movie that never stops”. While her memory isn’t photographic, she does remember exact events, like a tax initiative passed on June 6, 1978 and a plane crash on May 25, 1979.
This got me thinking about my earliest memories. There are no pictures in our family photo albums of this event, yet I have a snapshot in my mind of a cottage my parents took me to before my brother was born. When I told my mom about it, she said I would have been about two years old. I just remember the cottage and the lake, though, I don’t remember people or any activities.
Another early memory I recall vividly is the arrival of my brother when I was three. I guess I remember it well because I had been an only child up to that point. That, and I told everyone he was a girl. I remember my dad taking me to the hospital to visit my mom and then we went to see Christopher. Someone lifted me up so I could see him through the window. All the babies looked the same to me and they looked nothing like my dolls - they were purple-faced and squishy! I was more enthralled with the baby in the “aquarium” (incubator) across the hall. Of course, I learned to love my baby brother… in time. 
Do you know anyone with a memory like this woman AJ? What is your earliest memory? Feel free to use the No Comments/Comments link below. Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is MEMORY. It’s good until midnight on Feb. 16th.
February 14th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I used to have quite the gift for remembering birthdays and important days for the people around me.
Alas, such a courtesy turned out to be one-way from 95% of my so-called friends (and some family!). So I no longer bother.
Oh, I still remember, I simply no longer care. Does that make me a bad person?
-S.B.
Carly’s Note: No, Sean. It’s called self-preservation. I remember birthdays, too, but now only bother with people who obviously care about such things because they take the time to reciprocate in some fashion. For example, I have a friend who is married with kids, so she has received a wedding and baby gifts from me. She makes an effort to acknowledge milestones in my life, like when I change jobs or move, because I’m not married and don’t have babies. I really appreciate her efforts.
February 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Hi I my memory sucks. As i get closer to 50 its getting worse. I was wondering how the 1000.00 song works. Do you guys give away 3000.00 a day or is it just random. I hear about some people winning but never 3 each and every day. Are these people just not logging on or is it only one every day. Im asking you this cause you respond to emails. Thanks again and Happy Valentines Day Sandra
Carly’s Note: Three winners are pre-selected every day from the Jack Nation, but if any of those potential winners don’t enter the pay song, they don’t win the money and their name goes back into the pool. All that to say, we could have no winners or we could have one, two or three $1000 winners on any given day. A reminder that you have until midnight to enter the pay songs, so just jot them down throughout the day and enter them all at once when you get the chance. I hope that makes sense.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Officially I have been in all 10 provinces of Canada. Unfortunatly I don’t remember too much of any of them. When my family went to the east coast I was still an infant, and I was only 2-3 years old when we went to the west coast. I do remember my mom saying how flat the paries were, and sunrise over the rockie mountains.
I have always known how to play chess. My mother told me I was taught by a friend of my dad’s that took a liking to me. I apparently called him “Buddy” but I have no idea who he is. I do remember a time when he took the queens off the board, and said if you can play without them you can win with them.
Carly’s Note: Chess is a pretty cool memory. I only have memories of Snakes and Ladders and Go Fish.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:55 am
Hi Carly!
Although I can’t for the life of me figure out why a majority of my very early memories have to do with feces,(this is what my mum has told me..),
I do remember a vague memory, of handing my uncle what he assumed to be a “chocolate bar….”
But, I was born, and raised for a time, as a wee one, in Halifax,N.S. Although we lived over the bridge, in Dartmouth. I remember an older girl,
…the family knew her, taking me by the hand, for a walk down to the end of the street, and apparently, there was this BIG doughnut, and bread making factory,where she would take me, and they would give us a small bag of fresh doughnuts, filled with different kinds of jams, and jellies.
They were powdered, and I always came home with my face doused in the
delicious white powder, and jam. I remember that, like it was yesterday.
It was great!!! No wonder I was a little porker at two years of age!
My mum would then proceed to wipe me down with a hot facecloth…and I would watch some TV with her. Sooooo vivid!!!
Great memory!! Great blog!
Have a warm weekend…
Susan.
Carly’s Note: Memories of doughnuts! Yummy.
February 15th, 2008 at 10:41 am
earliest memory before the age of one
can describe details (no photos)
heard Spielberg claims to remember his circumcism…
Carly’s Note: There’s one memory I’m sure he could do without.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Hey Carly, how about you letting one of your regular blog posters win one of the $1,000 pay songs? Perhaps if this happens, we could figure out how to get you married and start having some of those babies.
Carly’s Note: Not sure how to take that, Louie! I hope you’re not saying a woman needs a husband and kids to complete her.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
One of my earliest memories was going to the Ex with my family, one of the few times we ever did anything together as a family. It was at the time they had the huge cable-car ride throughout the park. I don’t remember how old I was, all I remember was having soiled my pants.
Carly’s Note: The Ex - all good. Soiled pants - not good!
February 15th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
My first memory was of traveling across the “big lake” that was the
Atlantic ocean when I was 2yr in the 60’s. To me it took (way way) too long to cover such a short distance at the speed of over 500 mph. I was very upset that the laws of physics were compromised.
Carly’s Note: Cool! Not many would have something as impressive as their first memory.