I used to be really good at remembering people’s names. As soon as they told me what it was, I’d find a random thing in my head to associate it with (often another person with the same name), then practice that association. For example, our neighbor’s name is Sharon. When she told me that, I thought “Eric’s mom’s name is Sharon.” Now whenever I run by her house I think “there’s Sharon’s house!” And think about Eric’s mom. Ha.
I had to use a similar technique at work when I kept forgetting names. One guy’s last name was a color, so I just started associating that color with him. Another guy’s last name was a profession, so I imagined him in that profession.
When the association technique doesn’t work, I rely on notes. I put contacts on google. When people tell me the names of their family, I put that information in their google contact. I made a spreadsheet listing all my neighbors. I look up people’s names on Facebook before I’ll see them. I reference their website (like our vet) if they have one.
Those techniques usually work.
Except for yesterday. For some reason, I had it in my head that the main receptionist’s name at the nail salon was Brooke. I even called her Brooke the last time I was there.
It didn’t feel right, so I asked her her name yesterday. It’s SAMANTHA.
What the eff, Kim?!
She laughed and said “when you called me Brooke, I thought ‘that’s a new one!’ ”
She wasn’t upset but I felt dumb. I immediately put her name in my google contact for the Salon and decided to associate her with the first Samantha I knew – Samantha Parkington from the American Dolls books (I had the books as a kid, and LOVED them).
I hope this mani lasts a while, because if I get furloughed next week (my agency had limited funding to continue operations during the shutdown) I need to curtail my frivolous spending. I’ll know today whether I am exempted or furloughed, then they’ll send further instructions on Sunday.
My nails are done in (the lighter blue color) “Susi-San Climbs Fuji-San” from the new OPI Tokyo collection. Jen got “Less is Norse.”
Speaking of work, sigh, I got so mad yesterday when I was trying to log off for the day and all of a sudden had a couple of people contacting me telling me these things they needed me to do urgently for my project management role that I had no idea I needed to do (submit some information to a system at work). I know now, and won’t forget that in the future, if heaven forbid, they make me do that role again. And I know I am not supposed to say “I don’t know how to do that,” but golly, it would be nice to be trained on something, and understand it, rather than learning by omission. I’ll be proactive and try to learn more about this, but this whole instance makes me wonder what else I am missing/not doing.
I read “Fluent Forever” awhile ago, which is a system for learning a new language, and adding an association like you do for names is really key to the technique. I do something similar when people are learning my name. At my last position, we used to have an interview candidate in for lunch, and when we would go around the table introducing ourselves, I’d say “I’m Mica, like the mineral.” I’ve also heard that a rhyme works too; a woman in the running club I was in used this and introduced herself as “Erica, I wasn’t born in America,” which…well, she’s, like, one of the only people whose name I remember several years later.
And I’ve misremembered names before; I thought my now-friend Sebastian’s name was “Cyrus” (??) the first few times I met him.
Also, one time, my mom and I were walking our dogs (her two + Bodger), and we came across a woman with a really small white dog, like a bichon frisé. Bodger kept trying to lunge playfully, and one of my mom’s dogs was barking, so we were trying to keep them back. For some reason, one or both of us heard that the little white dog’s name was “Hank,” so we kept yelling things like, “No, don’t eat Hank!” and “Leave Hank alone!” Eventually, we got the situation under control, and we heard the owner of the little white dog call her “BIBI.” I still wonder how we heard “Hank.”
I can’t tell which hand is yours, and the names don’t seem to point to one color or the other. I like both, but especially the turquoise! (You know me.) Which one is which?
Oh! I remember you telling me about that book. I think. Ha. That is very helpful to have a method like that when you introduce yourself. That totally helps and I’d remember Erica as well!
Ha! You know if you both heard Hank then there was something about the way that woman said Bibi when there was commotion going on. LOL. I have no idea where you came up with Cyrus (or where I came up with Brooke, though!).
Thanks! Mine is the turquoise!
I’m awful with names. I really do try to remember too but meeting someone for the first time I have to make a point of telling people that I probably won’t remember their name but will remember them.
Since I’m good with faces I usually try to associate their name with a physical feature (weird I know), like right now you’d be Kim pretty nails ha ha.
Aww, thanks! 😉
Why do you think you’re so awful with names? I know some people who struggle with it too.
I’m pretty sure the blame for my obsession Victorian houses rests firmly on Samantha Parkington’s shoulders, haha. I LOVED Samantha growing up. I thought she was the prettiest American Girl doll. I had one of the ones that “look” like you (mine looked nothing like me, but that’s beside the point), and her name was either Samantha or Molly depending on how I felt (Molly for that American Girl doll, of course. She had glasses, which I really liked since I had glasses, too). Kit was my favorite by the time I started to outgrow American Girl dolls, though – but I obviously couldn’t very well name a doll with brown hair Kit!
I really hope you don’t get furloughed :/ I also really hope the government could just get its act together and reopen so no one has to deal with this anymore!
Oh I totally believe it!!! I loved her too! And Molly and Kirsten and Felicity! I will never forget Molly not eating her brussels sprouts (I think that is what they were)!
Addie and Kit were being added as I outgrew them! I bet their stories were amazing too. Ahh, I have such fond memories of those books, and how they felt, and the pictures. <3 <3 <3 And how cool you had one of the dolls! Do your parents still have it?
Thank you, I hope so too. I feel like federal employees are not exactly being considered. And I could rant some more but I won't 😉
Names slip right through me, although when I was in NC last summer helping our son move, I met plenty of his new neighbors and would immediately text him their name/what house they lived in, so he’d have the info. So apparently I’m good for other people, LOL. I like your techniques and really should try them.
Love your nail polish! I might have to look for that next time I get a pedicure.
I hope you don’t get furloughed. I just read that the jackass threatened a years-long shutdown until he gets his wall. What a piece of work.
That is awesome that you did that for Sam! Has he connected with them since?
Thank you! It would match your car, right?
Months or years! And did you see he and several other high positions get 10K pay raises on Saturday? While we are not getting paid and he is fighting for us NOT to get a cost of living increase for 2019?! So lovely.
Samantha was my favorite, too! She was just so fancy. 🙂
Ugh, I hope you don’t get furloughed! That has to be stressful to think about and worry about. This government shutdown is such a nightmare for so many families.
She was! Ugh, I want to read those again.
I am furloughed until the government opens again (as far as I know). It is stressful. And it affects SO many people! 🙁
I will keep my fingers crossed that you don’t get furloughed! Damn all politicians all over the world who are too busy filling their own pockets to really care about what happens to the people they are supposed to be serving! GRRRR…
Very bad at remembering names, here, too…haven’t found a good way to handle it yet…
I am furloughed, ugh. And exactly. That is what it feels like!!!
Let me know if you come up with a way!
Oh, I am really sorry to hear that! 🙁
Thank you :-*