I keep a list of my
passwords in my wallet. I am concerned that if I lose my wallet I will likely lose access to 1/3 of
what I call my life. There is one for the
ATM, one for the school computer site, one for my home pc, one for
E-Bay, one for the register at
work. I try and keep them separate and sometimes I change them. The changes mean that I often confuse them or forget them all together. If my car required a password I guess I would do a lot of walking.
Long term memory is a whole other deal. I have excellent long term memory. I can remember the names of several of my elementary school teachers and have terrific recall for trivial sports history. Ask me who pitched the last World series game won by the Tigers? See if I remember the last 200 yard rushing game by Barry Sanders? I can't tell you directions, but in broad daylight I can find several places I played flag football as a kid and the exact block where I spent my first meaningful night in a backseat of a car. I can find my way, if you know what I mean.
This contradiction struck me the other day as I sat at a terminal in the campus library trying, without success, to enter the registration site for my school. There I was, completely unable to remember my access code (Yes, I had forgotten to add it to the list) when a girl walked by wearing a dark green State sweatshirt, smelling of Anais Anais. Devastating.
March of 1998, spring break with Theresa. It was her brother's sweatshirt, and at the time, her favorite sleeping apparel.
This I remember. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something other than that scent and the way her eyes matched the color of that sweatshirt. No dice.
If my relationship memory doesn't worsen I'm gonna need a bigger list.