It’s been a minute. I have missed you so much as I took a break from blogging for the whole week. I have always looked forward to engaging with you. You guys know how I love reading your thoughts and opinions.

I would like to take you through some of the things which I’m likely to remember.

Forgetfulness is when an individual is unable to remember most things. It could come from changes in the mind or simply a part of aging, lack of sleep, medication side effects, or alcohol abuse. We often find ourselves in situations where we usually forget unaware. And I have had quite a fair share of my forgetful moments, and somehow found some remedies to help me remember things.

There is nothing in our conscious daily living that does not require memory. Seeing that we solely rely on it, it seems like it sometimes or often lets us down.

By the time you finish reading this post, you may not remember everything written in it. Not to worry, you are not alone. In this blog, I will explore some of the instances where my memory fails me when I have a lot in my mind. And how I try to overcome some of them.

1. Birthdates

I am bad at remembering peoples’ birth dates. That is why I keep track of the dates on the calendar or a diary. It must be inappropriate to keep asking loved ones about their birth dates each year. I am so grateful for social media, for reminding us of our beloved friend’s and family’s birthdates on Facebook. I know of quite a lot of people who know all their family members’ birthdays. To them, it comes naturally because of their sharp memories. I can’t imagine myself remembering so many birth dates each year.

2. Passwords

Passwords are likely to be forgotten. My email, laptop, and phone passwords are all almost the same. I had a colleague who changed his laptop password every time he logged in because he used different passwords. The one he enters today, tomorrow he would have forgotten therefore he had to change it every day. I then suggested that he should write it down in his diary, he didn’t listen to me. I’m aware of the online theft and scams, but you can use more or less the same password for most of your logins. You might as well go old school and keep record of all your passwords manually.

3. Contact numbers

Have you ever thought about why we have phone Apps to keep a record of all contact numbers? I’m horrible at memorizing all the contact numbers. I rely on the phone app to keep safe all my contacts. My little sister knows the contact numbers of our family members, and I honestly find that safe in desperate times. Perhaps she gets stuck somewhere, and her phone battery dies. She will be able to dial one of the family’s numbers using someone else’s phone. I use a small contact book where I keep a record of contacts for emergencies.

4. Running errands

Errands have likely become a part of adulting, and I have developed a habit of keeping a journal of all my runarounds so that I would not forget them. When I was a little girl, my mother used to have a diary where she jotted down all her daily errands, including a list of groceries. The only items she bought from the shops would be that which she had written on the list, nothing more and nothing less. When I had the nerve to ask her to buy me something, she would refuse. For the longest time in my childhood, I got convinced that it was because she was poor hence she had a list. I thought people with money took anything they wanted from the shelves without even checking the prices. Boy? Was I wrong? I realized that my mother was the most clever person. She did not want to forget necessary items, hence she did things that way. She knew her pockets and only bought that which was within her means. I now use a planner as well and a calendar tool to plan all my errands. Thanks, mommy for setting a good example! Hahaha.

5. Returning calls and important texts

My friends and family complained a lot about how I took the time to respond to messages. By the time I responded they would have already made another plan. It came across as unreliable, and it was something I’ve been trying to work on. I always make sure that I return the call immediately after I see the missed call. I have a diary where I keep a record of all the texts and messages I needed to return. And it has made things easier for me. I got positive feedback from my family that there is a bit of an improvement in that regard.

6. Repeating stories I’ve already told.

As writers, this is the story of our lives! I’ve never written any story twice on my blog but I have sure repeated it in person. It usually happens if it’s something funny, and I want to re-live the laughter. I have a brother who repeats the same jokes over and over again. I always find his jokes funny because they sound like it’s for the first time he narrates the jokes. He’s just a natural comedian. However, no one ever complained about my repeated stories. Could this mean that I’m such a good narrator no matter how many times I tell it? I do not know.

7. Load shedding

One thing we struggle with in South Africa is load shedding. I usually forget that the electricity is gone, and I will put my phone and laptop on the charger. Only to realize that they were not charging all along because there’s no electric power. I am not used to staying for more than three hours without electricity hours, and hence I keep forgetting. The only solution I’ve come up with is to charge my phone and a laptop.
Sometimes I’ll walk into a room and forget what I’ve come to do. I usually go back to where I was, and I would remember what I was looking for. Hahaha.

8. Packing essentials for a trip

I’ve lost count of how many times I bought new toiletries like teeth brush, washing cloth or a face wash every time I go on a trip. When I pack for a trip, I usually forget to take all the essentials. Having realized that, I wrote down all the necessities and packed extras in case something happens. And I’ve far never had to spend unnecessarily on the way.

9. School assignments

If you are a student, you can relate too well to forgetting to submit assignments with just a few minutes to spare. However, I submitted my school work on time. I always panicked when my friends told me about an assignment they needed to finish because I would have long submitted it. If you want to avoid forgetting, write your schoolwork immediately when given the work and get it out of the way.

10. Pandemic pecks

When the first lockdown began, I got to a point where I forgot which day it was, and it was frustrating. I had to resort to television and the internet to keep track of days. When the lockdown got lifted, I always forgot to wear the mask whenever I left the house. For some time, I had to rush back home or buy a new one at the shops. Now I have a stack of musks everywhere.

11. Online shopping

I have never ordered anything online except food. So I heard stories from most of my friends who ordered items online and forgot. They got surprised when the items arrived. What I know is that I have bought a lot of things which I forgot that I already had.

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Forgetfulness is indeed when an individual is unable to remember things. I find it hard to remember returning important calls, running errands, and forgetting that I’m baking in the oven and it burned. I’ve had my fair share of hilarious moments caused by my forgetfulness. Find humor in your experiences, as long as it does not affect your life negatively. If it does, try to use some remedies to minimize your forgetfulness. Do not forget to love yourself and do not be too hard on yourself.

How forgetful are you? Are you forgetful like I am? What are some of the things you are likely to forget hence you keep record all the time to avoid forgetting them? I would like to have a good laugh with you in the comments section.

As usual, please do not forget to check out some of the posts I have written lately. Thank you.

• Happy Women’s Day
• The Madishas – Varsity Connects
• The Kamberes – Love at first sight
• Beauty has no limits
• Love Kinks

From my heart to yours
Cheers.