Remembering and paying attention

Recently on our American WWII Orphans web we have been chatting about testing and VA benefits we received for college as a "gift" from the government to us war orphans. Most of the folks recall intensive VA testing and some were turned away as not qualified or not college material. I truly do not recall any separate VA testing for my benefits...I wonder if perhaps they accepted my school grades and tests for college to determine that I was college material. I know I'd have remembered an all day test and a trip to Pittsburgh at the time because that was the big city to me, a New Kensington girl. I do recall that at our senior awards when they mentioned scholarships, etc. that my VA $$ was mentioned. I know there was no one else in our high school class with a dead WWII father so someone must have known about the benefits and decided it was worth mentioning.

But this makes me think how it takes more than one's self to recall memories. It takes family and friends. I recognized this in November while we were in CA when Steve was in the hospital. He and Jerry both recalled my escapades in the white Toyota which I'd totally blanked out on. It took me a good week to remember that car but to both of them it was very clear. Funny who recalls what.

I've always been known to have a very good memory, especially remembering names of people, etc. People would ask me, how do you remember them? I don't know I just did. When I was giving details to the police about some unfortunate episodes, they questioned my clear memory but Jerry advised them, "best believe her she has nearly total recall." But these days I don't pay as much attention as I did in my career days to names although I've had to learn all in our move here to MN. I'd embarrass myself by not remembering some one's name. I decided I needed to just begin to pay attention, like I used to when I worked. After all these people are now around in my life, more so many than the career ones.

I was talking to one of my long time school/hood friends and she remembers different things than I do from our growing up years. But when we talk the memories return. It takes someone else to trigger those old memories. This is very different from my 92 year old MIL who remembers vividly the way back thens but doesn't know what she did an hour or day ago.

Memory is important to me. Maybe because my mother had Alzheimers and I listened as she forgot most things about life. I was so down hearted when she could not recall things from my childhood or even her trips to CA. That's an insidious thing to be robbed of memories and recall.

Maybe paying attention is the secret. I know for sure that when I don't pay attention to what I'm doing I often have troubles. Focus rather than meandering mind.

I just talked to Dorothy, who asked for my support as state Deputy party chair. I'll likely be attending our state party convention this year as I'm alternate delegate from this county and the delegate is not attending. Dorothy called me yesterday and I'd not yet returned her call. Well it was more important to her than to me. But when I said goodbye today I nearly called her Kathy. Where was my mind--well on a wander. As I said, it was her call not mine. I'd told her that I really hated these convention meetings--or most meetings which are a flash back to the bureaucracy. This is an all day meeting. I mean who meets for all day but politicians. You can bet my mind will be meandering then!

One of my mentors in my state career once commented that I have the attention span of a cocker spaniel. He knew that if I became bored in a meeting my mind would wander. Face it most meetings were boring and there were always those who had to say something ever so trite just to hear themselves talk. I often said, "I have nothing to add" to help a meeting close. Well wandering attention, served me well in the bureaucracy. Kind of like Senator Hiyakawa who used to sleep, giving the attention that the issue deserved. We'd be better off today if our congress slept--wait a minute they kind of do as they are brain dead anyway and do not read the legislation.

Back in that day, as a defense (entertainment) to meetings, I created my own cartoon--Delilahbert. I was a Dilbert fan, and decided there must be a female counter part. Wish I'd saved some of those sketches but I didn't. This was pre-cellphones where I could have been texting or web browsing. I will have the opportunity again to bring back Delilahbert and now that I've remembered her, I will have a way to amuse me in meetings. Aahhh remembering is a useful thing.