I have to remind myself sometimes that the crappy memory holes are often due to ACDCADHD

Oh, yes. My memory is very much like a random highlights reel. I'm in awe of people who have detailed memories of long stretches of childhood. For me, all but maybe about 3 hours of a year lived in Kansas City when I was 8/9 are just gone.

Rats! I was afraid I got the RAM thing wrong!

Steph, I don't understand it either. He says he just goes "I no longer need this information," and somehow just lets go of it, pushes it away or aside to make room for new information. He's always done it, since I first knew him. On one hand I sort of admire the ability, on the other hand, it kind of freaks me out.

It fascinates me, but I also can't figure out how to rid oneself of memory through a deliberate act of will.

It is like the opposite side of the coin where you deliberately tell yourself that something must be remembered. You tell your brain that this is something you don't need or want to remember. It is such an old habit it happens pretty fluidly. Of course, my memory is so bad that lots probably is gone that I specifically wanted to remember, but for sure the stuff I wanted gone is gone.

You tell your brain that this is something you don't need or want to remember.

Wow, really? I think my brain would decide to remember extra-hard out of spite.

I am so cranky right now. Long hot day. Helper came to work, thanks heavens. I have to finish my business plan by tomorrow, but screw it - I'm taking a shower and going to bed. With drugs to make sure I sleep. I'll finish it tomorrow.

He says he just goes "I no longer need this information," and somehow just lets go of it, pushes it away or aside to make room for new information.

If I could consciously get rid of things from my memory, like oh, commercial jingles from my childhood? YES, I WOULD LIKE THAT ABILITY.

Rats! I was afraid I got the RAM thing wrong!

Not really. RAM is fast storage that programs and data get loaded into so the CPU can process it quickly. Unlike much slower permanent storage, RAM has to be powered to operate so when you turn the power off it effectively gets wiped. So the analogy still holds for a brain. You lose everything when the power gets turned off.

Gud is, of course, correct on the higher-level definition. I'm too used to dealing with people who say "I've got 16 gigawhatizts of RAM, that's what Best Buy told me to get, how can my hard drive not have enough room to install the program?"

smonster, I hope you got a good solid night's sleep. Good luck with the business plan prep today. I am not even remotely an expert in these things, but I'll be happy to help if I can in any way.

Speaking of brain function I am trying to learn Spanish this summer. Up to a whopping 5 days in a row of doing the Rosetta lessons. My niece a half mile away is a Spanish teacher, and son's GF's mom is a Spanish teacher, so pro help is close at hand. So far my feeling is I could be pretty proficient and reading it, but understanding the spoken language is tough. We'll see how it goes. After a couple weeks or so more of lessons I'll try watching some Spanish language programs and see how much I can pick up.

I have to remind myself sometimes that the crappy memory holes are often due to ADHD.

This I did not know and yet, it makes sense as I'm learning more about ADHD. My memory is swiss cheese and I've always blamed it on being a high school stoner - which, I'm sure, didn't help. My brain holds on to some of the strangest details and then lets other things just go poof.

I have somehow hosed the muscles in my right hip. Kelly kindly came over last night to dig her elbow into my tush to get the muscles to chill out and it felt better for a while. This morning, thought, it is back to hurting like hell.