Derren Brown
I read Derren Brown's Trick of the Mind book and his technique for mind palaces or mind labyrinths (can't remember the terminology) has transformed my ability to remember a shopping list of literally up to seven items.

How it works in essence is this: plot a route in your mind that you can remember easily. This is a linear route with special landmarks or markers. You can use a walk through the rooms of your house for example, or if you want to be flash, a huge building like a palace. You associate each 'marker' on your journey with something you need to remember by constructing a mental image of the thing you need to remember interacting with the marker. Maybe your front door could be covered in sticky jam that gets all over your hands, if you need to remember to get, erm, jam.

Unfortunately, being a woman of the female persuasion I have a limited capacity to plot and remember journeys, so my 'mind palace' is my journey from the bus stop at work to my desk, a route with precisely seven landmarks. Bus stop, wall, security gate, crossing, steps, messageboard and drinks machine. Whereas the famed 'mentalist' talks about remembering the Shakespeare plays in order using this technique, I merely use it to remember to get apples then milk then bay leaves.

So, a revolution for me, but I think you'll agree a pretty shit one. You should read the book though, it's quite good.
(Kazza , loathing myself so you don't have to, Thu 15 May 2008, 20:57, 5 replies)

Just saying but.
Wouldn't it be easier to just write a shopping list.
( girlinthehole, Thu 15 May 2008, 21:22, closed)

Damn you!
You know how it is with shopping lists, trying to cross of items leaning the paper on the curved trolley handle and your pen goes through the paper...I hardly need to describe the horror!

It's a revolution, I tells ya.
(Kazza , loathing myself so you don't have to, Thu 15 May 2008, 21:26, closed)

Shopping Lists
My method for remembering shopping lists is to keep Half Man Half Biscuits "Nove on the Sly" in My head:

Eggs, Bread, Cigs, Milk
Eggs, Bread, Cigs, Milk
Eggs, Bread, Cigs, Milk

Works every time
(GoodLord doesn't have time for sigs., Fri 16 May 2008, 11:29, closed)

Hmmm
I sort of do that when i'm drunk, to avoid waking up the next morning and wondering what the hell i got up to. Like i'll go to the toilet in a pub or something and think "right, tomorrow morning, remember that scrawl on the wall".

Never works though, absolute bollocks.
(Alaning, Sat 17 May 2008, 9:50, closed)

pffft
I'd give that a click from me. I like all Derren's work. your not wrong about wanting to spend money on his books.

although I doubt his subtle mind control techniques work..only time will tell

(pm me for my account number)
(The Goat www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com, Tue 20 May 2008, 16:49, closed)