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Names

Pats

Pats

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
One of my biggest downfalls. Names stick with me like glue. You know, like using stick glue to hold a 50 pound object - not going to work.
Reason I don't like to read - because the name doesn't stay with me even to the next line so I don't even know if it's the same person I'm reading about in the next sentence or someone else. I've read the Bible my entire life and could not tell you the names of the twelve apostles. I've tried different things to remember names and they just don't work for me. I know that about myself and it's just one of those things, but I know it can be irritating to others. "I'm sorry, I've asked you 20 times already, but could you tell me your name once more? Okay, maybe another dozen times."
I don't even like using names when I talk to people. It feels weird to me to call out a name. If there's a room full of people and I want to get someone's attention I don't like having to say their name, I'm more apt to go stand in front of them and just start talking. When I was married and my husband was in the other room, I didn't like calling out his name - it really felt weird. And it feels weird to hear someone call out my name.
My mom was always 'my mom'. People always made fun of me and my siblings because even when we talked to each other we all referred to our parents as 'my mom and my dad'. People would hear us and ask, isn't she both your moms? Yes. But when I was with my mom and would want her attention, it felt weird saying "Mom". Oh - on her headstone we put "My Mom". It was easier when my kids were around because then she was Gramma and I could use Gramma when calling her.
So I've tried to overcome this name thing by trying to use names more often, just to get it wrong. And I'm one of those grandma's who may be greeting a grandchild with "Hey You!" as I give them a big hug.
 
I still remember my first day working at an insurance company. Where learning the names and roles of many people was integral to me doing my job.

I also recall people being annoyed that I was taking copious notes, making sure to write down all those names and job titles I couldn't possibly have remembered that day given the stress and overload of a new job.

As for their actual faces...lol. Well, that took a bit longer. So sue me! :eek:
 
I worked with a woman who couldn’t remember names, so she just made up names on the fly. I would be Sweetie, Dear, Little One and my favorite, Chicken Little. Lol.
She was so sweet and always ready to help so nobody was in the least bit offended. Lorraine was her name.
I’m good at names but can get them a little wrong sometimes, but I live in senior apartments so nobody around me remembers names. Cal I called Carl, Wanda I called Wendy but they didn’t mind.(if they did, so what). I often get called Samantha because it’s my dogs name! I don’t care.
Anyway, maybe you could do what Lorraine did and call people whatever sweet name pops into your head?
 
Characters in books....sometimes I’ve had to keep pen and paper next to me and write down the character’s name with brief description as they are introduced.
The worst in when characters are called more than one name.
 
Peter and Paul are pretty much the only names I can recall from the Bible, and some of the old-time names like Cain and Abel. Not good with names, remember faces more.
 
For me, I think it's the association. If I have any kind of relation to the person, I can learn their names and faces. If it's used in association with them.
In ten minutes I'm going to an interview where the interviewers are people I've kind of upset by not being able to connect their given names to their nicknames and positions. So much fun. (No.)
 
I'm fine with names, it's faces that I can't remember.

One of my school teachers had difficulty with names, and she used to call any girl whose name she couldn't remember Jemima. I was frequently a Jemima :)
 
Maybe I should start calling people Reese cup and Milky Way.
And my mom would have been My M&M.
 
Pats said:
hmmmmm, You know, I can remember the names of candy bars.
Click to expand...

Jokes aside, for better or worse it does seem to be a pattern for me personally. An ability to identify and prioritize that revolving around inanimate objects as opposed to sentient beings.

Can't help but wonder how many of us here in this community have this trait as well.

It is what it is. With or without remorse. o_O
 
I remember names I've read, but spoken names take me a long time. Faces do, too. I have a problem right now in that the person I'm supposed to work with for one of my clients has similar hair to another of our classmates, so I never know which one of them it is until she approaches me and starts talking about the client or I see her nametag, and we only wear nametags when we are dressed to work with clients. It makes collaborating with her very difficult. I also still don't know the names of quite a few people in my program, which is a problem because apparently everyone else has learned them already and we are expected to know them by now. And when you don't know someone's name they assume it's because you don't think they're important! It's a problem I've never figured out how to solve.
 
You are not alone, I am especially bad at it when I don't have a face to put the name to. Even then if I don't interact with people often I can't remember. I call it CRS syndrome. Can't Remember *Expletive Deleted*
 
Mia said:
Years ago I noticed that my paintings and drawings had no people in them.
Click to expand...

I made a point of attempting to draw the human form in a college art course, but can't say I ever got the results I was truly looking for.
 
Judge said:
I made a point of attempting to draw the human form in a college art course, but can't say I ever got the results I was truly looking for.
Click to expand...
Had a life drawing teacher at art school, a retired architect from Holland. Learned to draw the human form with geometric volumes, squares and triangles. That worked out perfectly for me. Perhaps if you'd had a teacher who taught drawing that technically you may have liked it. Freehand drawing is somewhat overrated IMO.
 
When you use someone's name, it shows that you see them, a person and that they count. You validate their presence in a way.

Doesn't change the fact of how difficult it is to remember blasted things. I find that repeating the name of a person every time you see them while saying hello or at the beginning of small talk makes it easier to keep it in memory.

Faces are even worse, though. Much worse. I remember people by clothes and hair, I can't say who they are outside of a set context. So, seeing a colleague outside of the workplace or a friend outside of university makes them strangers. No, I didn't ignore you because I don't like you. I just didn't recognise you(silly me, haha!). Ugh.
 
Mia said:
Years ago I noticed that my paintings and drawings had no people in them.
Click to expand...
I was very good at ceramics in school, but for one assignment we had to make a caricature of a historical figure and mine was absolutely terrible. I told the teacher that I didn't think I could make a person, especially not a specific person, and asked for help but he blew me off, assuming that I could make anything because I usually could. I was right, I absolutely couldn't.
 
At the first two sentences, I was thinking, "Oh really? That's interesting. Not me at all."

Then, "Yes yes yes!" :eek:

Yep! ;)

I can recognize faces just fine, but only if they're in the place where I usually see them. I only recognize people out of context if I've known them for a long time or if I think about them a lot or if they're really hot which I guess would cause the second one anyway. :rolleyes:
 
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