Ahhh, memories

[Galloism]

Or more specifically, the lack of them. Do you all have periods of your life you can't remember, but you feel you should? I have large periods of life where I can't remember actually doing anything, and I can't remember images of what happened, but I have sort of a summary description of the events in question. So, I can remember what happened, but I can't remember it happening, per se.

I'll give you an example.

When I was in middle school, I know I had a teacher who was a complete and total bitch, and I remember her name. I have a short summary of offenses that she committed against me in memory - in list form. However, I don't remember the offenses actually occurring, I can't picture them, and I don't remember what she looked like, and I don't even remember what the classroom looked like. I just have a summary list.

I have many many more examples, but that's just one that's relatively neutral and comes to mind.

Is this normal? Does it happen to anyone else?

[Conserative Morality]

No. You're a freak.

I have a pretty clear memory of most of my life. Except birthdays. I can never remember what happened on my birthdays.

[Maurepas]

There's a period from about 7-10 years old that I have apparently blocked out of my memory...the few events I do remember during that time, make it more apparent that Im better off not knowing...

[Khadgar]

I have almost no recollection of Highschool. I remember a half dozen people perhaps. Oddly I can name all my teachers up to age 13. I remember my 8th grade locker number and combination. (528 16-2-32) I don't recall the name of the teacher I got into a screaming match with as a junior though. I do remember having to restrain myself from pitching his sanctimonious ass down the stairwell though.

[Poliwanacraca]

That sounds pretty normal. There are definitely plenty of events from my childhood that I do not so much "remember" as "remember remembering" - which is to say that I do know they really happened, and can remember being able to call up the details of those events, but cannot recall the details themselves. For example, I got beaten up regularly in elementary school. I know I got beaten up on at least several dozen occasions, but at this point I can only clearly picture the details of two of them. I can name a few more, like "that time when they knocked me over in the parking lot and gave me a concussion," but I couldn't tell you anything about when or how or why I was being knocked over.

[Ifreann]

Primary school(age 4-12) is pretty vague for me. But then, not very many noteworthy things happened.

[Buffett and Colbert]

I try and block out fifth grade.

[Ifreann]

That sounds pretty normal. There are definitely plenty of events from my childhood that I do not so much "remember" as "remember remembering" - which is to say that I do know they really happened, and can remember being able to call up the details of those events, but cannot recall the details themselves. For example, I got beaten up regularly in elementary school. I know I got beaten up on at least several dozen occasions, but at this point I can only clearly picture the details of two of them. I can name a few more, like "that time when they knocked me over in the parking lot and gave me a concussion," but I couldn't tell you anything about when or how or why I was being knocked over.

There's a chance that's related to the concussion.

[Poliwanacraca]

That sounds pretty normal. There are definitely plenty of events from my childhood that I do not so much "remember" as "remember remembering" - which is to say that I do know they really happened, and can remember being able to call up the details of those events, but cannot recall the details themselves. For example, I got beaten up regularly in elementary school. I know I got beaten up on at least several dozen occasions, but at this point I can only clearly picture the details of two of them. I can name a few more, like "that time when they knocked me over in the parking lot and gave me a concussion," but I couldn't tell you anything about when or how or why I was being knocked over.

There's a chance that's related to the concussion.

I picked that example on purpose so someone could make that joke.

[Saint Clair Island]

Or more specifically, the lack of them. Do you all have periods of your life you can't remember, but you feel you should? I have large periods of life where I can't remember actually doing anything, and I can't remember images of what happened, but I have sort of a summary description of the events in question. So, I can remember what happened, but I can't remember it happening, per se.

Happens to me all the time. It does help that I genuinely do organize my life via still photographs and short written summaries to make sure I don't forget what happened.

Mostly with me it's emotions rather than events that I don't remember -- for instance, I can remember that something sad happened on such and such an occasion, but I can't remember actually feeling the sadness, and thus I can't remember whether I genuinely felt sad or just felt that I was supposed to feel sad in hindsight.

[Neo Art]

There are a few periods of college and grad school I can't really recall. This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.


This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.

[Galloism]

There are a few periods of college and grad school I can't really recall. This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.


This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.

I see what you did there.

[Poliwanacraca]

There are a few periods of college and grad school I can't really recall. This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.


This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.

So what you're saying is, you DID date hookers, but then forgot. I knew it!

[Tiesabre]

I cannot remember anything about 2nd grade whatsoever. All I can recall is that I was in the same school, that's about it.

I think its repressed because Kindergarten and 1st grade I clearly remember what we did and my best friend, but in 3rd grade my best friend is gone. I think he moved when I was in second grade and I was probably so heart-broken I've completely forgotten that grade.

That's the only real gap in my memory.

Oddly, I remember many things that happened very early in my life and according to my mother I was so young she doesn't know how I could possibly remember that.

[Saint Clair Island]

Oddly, I remember many things that happened very early in my life and according to my mother I was so young she doesn't know how I could possibly remember that.

Anything in my life that happened before the age of about six, I only remember because my parents told me about it and showed me pictures -- I think. Now, when I remember something that happened early in my life, I have no idea whether I'm genuinely remembering it, or only know about it because someone told me.

[Neo Art]

There are a few periods of college and grad school I can't really recall. This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.


This however may be a result of the tremendous amount of drugs I was taking at the time.

So what you're saying is, you DID date hookers, but then forgot. I knew it!

Have we met?

[Buffett and Colbert]

I cannot remember anything about 2nd grade whatsoever. All I can recall is that I was in the same school, that's about it.

I think its repressed because Kindergarten and 1st grade I clearly remember what we did and my best friend, but in 3rd grade my best friend is gone. I think he moved when I was in second grade and I was probably so heart-broken I've completely forgotten that grade.

That's the only real gap in my memory.

Oddly, I remember many things that happened very early in my life and according to my mother I was so young she doesn't know how I could possibly remember that.

I do remember short tidbits of random things from when I was three.

[Grave_n_idle]

Anything before I was about two and a half, and between then and about four is patchy.

[GetBert]

There is a hazy gap for me for most of the 1980s, for similar reasons to Neo Art's.

[Tiesabre]

Anything in my life that happened before the age of about six, I only remember because my parents told me about it and showed me pictures -- I think. Now, when I remember something that happened early in my life, I have no idea whether I'm genuinely remembering it, or only know about it because someone told me.

One memory I have is reinforced thanks to my mom.

It was a memory of me hearing the sound of birds chirping. it was early in the mourning, the skies were clear blue and I remember seeing birds flying past my window in the distance. I also remember leaning against something, I was really happy too.

I thought it was something she told me I was remembering. I told my mom about this memory back when I was like 8 and she was shocked I remembered that. She told me back when I was 18 months old, she came into my room early one mourning and I was staring out he window at the birds flying past. I was standing up in my crib/bed leaning against it. After that she told me how I after that day I used to do that a lot when I was a toddler.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I think we all have periods of our lives that feel fuzzy or that we can't remember that well. I think it's normal. I mean, if we could remember all the things we have done since being little kids... our brains probably wouldn't be able to take it. Or not the brain, but our general mental health could be in jeopardy. I don't know.

That being said, I don't remember most of my Senior year. It was such a bad time, I just blocked it and I don't remember anything, not even graduation and prom. Nothing.

[No Names Left Damn It]

Actually, I can remember something from every year 1986 onwards. There are a couple of gaps here and there (I can't tell you what I was doing on November the 12th, 1992, for example) but I can pretty much remember everything major that's happened to me.

[Grays Harbor]

I vaguely remember 1976, when I was 20. I've been told there was a bicentennial going on.


lets just say I had some "help" in the not remembering department.

[Mad hatters in jeans]

I have a sort of timeline of events in my head when i can be bothered to think about it. But most of my memories have gone from about 0-17 is patchy at best, i can remember events but actual normal boring everyday stuff just gets thrown into my recycle bin.

[Yootopia]

Do you all have periods of your life you can't remember, but you feel you should?

Most of the evening of my 18th birthday.