Column: Memory full; please delete content

Talk about it

I got this message on my cell phone over the weekend: Memory full. Please delete content.

It came from my text message inbox. It seems I’d gotten so many messages my phone simply ran out of memory.

I know how it feels. I’m feeling that way myself these days.

I’m not sure how my brain is running out of room for memory, but I know I’ve had a case of the forgetfuls lately. A bad case. A horrible, embarrassing case of the forgetfuls.

Case in point: I’ve been thinking about this column topic for five days. Since I forgot to return a phone call Wednesday, then Thursday (I finally returned it on Saturday). I remember to do some things, but lately, I seem to be spacing out on little engagements here and there.

Like Monday morning. I had talked to a friend of mine from the Minnesota Newspaper Museum last week. Roger lives in Northome, but was going to be in the area briefly Monday. He was heading to Caledonia to go turkey hunting, and thought he would take a detour off of Highway 52 and come into Farmintgton for lunch.

When I ran into someone else I know from the museum Friday night, I told him I was going to go out for lunch with Roger on Monday. Over the weekend, The Beau even asked me what time I was going to meet Roger on Monday. These are conversations I remembered later on Monday.

Later, that is, after Roger had tried to reach me twice. I got up Monday morning, I decided that I wanted to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and write a story from the comfort of my living room. I turned off my cell phone. I enjoyed that coffee and I wrote that story.

And I forgot all about Roger coming down Highway 52 and coming into Farmington for lunch. That’s unfortunate, because I work with the guy for 12 days a year and he won’t let this one go.

On my way to Farmington Monday, I started to think about all of the little things I’d forgotten lately. I completely missed calling my brother’s twins Sunday to wish them happy fourth birthday. In my defense, though, I did see both of them and give them birthday spankings on Saturday, and their birthday party is in a week.

But that’s not the point. I also missed calling my sister’s middle child to wish her a happy fourth birthday in April. I didn’t just miss it. I completely forgot.

So I’m trying to figure out what the problem is here. Certainly, it has nothing to do with age. Right?

No, I’m thinking of better excuses. Like, I need more sleep. Since the Beau works second shift, he doesn’t get home until around midnight, which cuts into my normal eight-hours-of-sleep pattern. Not that I have ever really been on an eight-hours-of-sleep pattern, but maybe it’s time to try?

Or, it could be my hypothyroidism. That seems to be my most common solution for things that seem amiss in my health. Leg cramps? Hypothyroidism. Weight gain? Hypothyroidism. You get the picture. I’m supposed to have my hormone levels checked every four months or so, but apparently, I’m well over a year since the last time I had that done. The reason? I forgot when the last time was I’d had a blood draw. I finally had that taken care of Monday afternoon (after forgetting lunch with Roger).

Maybe my brain is bored now. For so many years, I’ve worked two jobs and juggled a whole bunch of civic obligations. I still have my role in the American Legion Auxiliary, but I’ve stepped back from a lot of the other things I’d done in the past just so I could have a more “normal” life. The only problem is, I didn’t seem to forget things then the way I seem to be forgetting things lately. So maybe my brain just needs a few new challenges?

Or, it could be as simple as the message on my cell phone: Memory full. Please delete content.

In other words, I need a vacation!

Tags: opinion, farmington, commentaries