I originally started the number memorization because I figured I could use it as a 'training tool' if you will to get my brain practiced at learning the journey method. I assumed going over numerous number combinations over and over would be quite easy and I would be able to practice a lot and get my times down on numbers quite easily. However, there was one big problem with this - IT'S SOOO BORING. I know practice is the tedious part of learning something new that everyone hates, but I knew there had to be a better, easier way to practice.
Introducing cards, a revolutionary breakthrough in speed and training...that is fortunately based on Dominic's number system...so the only thing I had to do was to memorize 12 new people and actions and acquaint card and suit to celebrities I had already memorized. Here is how it works:
Take the 2 of clubs. The number/letter of the card (2) is the same as the numbering system (1-a, 2-b, 3-c etc.) and the suit is the first letter. So, the 2 of clubs is BC, which is also 23 in the number system. It just so happens that Ace-10 of each suit already has an association to a person, the only thing you have to memorize is Jack, Queen and Ace of each of the four suits. So simple! Then, flip over three cards and make one image using person action person and place that in a single loci location (17 total images + 1...I just incorporate three people and one action in the final image) It took me about an hour get 12 new people and actions and become 'semi-acquainted' with the cards and their corresponding characters. I went ahead and did a trial run of cards Ace-10 and it took about 11 minutes with two mistakes. He says it takes 20-30 minutes the first couple of times..and anything sub 3 minutes you should consider joining a memory championship! My goal - sub 3 minutes
I've also noticed how difficult it is going to be to practice cards because I have a few random journeys here and there, but I had nothing mapped out, organized, characterized. Therefore, I stopped doing cards the rest of the day and wrote down about 15 buildings on my college campus that I am pretty familiar with and designed one huge journey from building to building and in the buildings. The entire journey is going to have roughly 400 loci locations, but its going to be separated into 19 different sections...so 19 different sets of numbers, 19 decks of cards, 19 lists etc that I could use it for...or use it to memorize a list of 400ish things.
Ed Cooke told Joshua Foer when he was training for the world memory championship that to begin he would need about 12 journeys to keep up with his pace...so I feel like 19 will do me just fine.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Remember, Remember
Almost six months after I last posted. This past semester (I now have my BS!) was very trying and didn't give me time to do any memory training, let alone blogging. I just started again now that I have much more free time...and the results are exciting!
I began reading a book called Remember, Remember written by Ed Cooke, Joshua Foer's memory trainer, about easy ways to remember the US presidents, British Monarchs, and countries of Europe. A fascinating book - I have finish the first half and I can say I have successfully memorized all of the Monarchs and presidents. What is cool about the book is that there is a 'first over' and 'second over'. The first over consists simply of the list of items to memorize and the second is where details are added to the image like dates and specific important facts. This is nice because at the same time you add more information to the images...you are also reviewing the order of the images as well and reinforcing them so you can remember them longer.
As for my numbers memorization...I unfortunately don't remember most of the people I used for numbers, so I have to re-memorize all of them. I've also created a list of things that I think would be very cool to memorize:
all countries/capitals
all states/capitals
famous celebrities
authors
sports teams - hockey, baseball, football, soccer
species of mamals/reptiles/birds/fish
roman/greek gods
all fruit and vegetables
spices
cuts of meat
disney/pixar movies and dates
and the list goes on and on. I think knowing a lot of this stuff would help make conversations flow and allow me not to have a dead stare when someone says "Oh you watch Game of Thrones? You must love the actor Peter Dinklage." (He plays the midget Tyrion btw)
I began reading a book called Remember, Remember written by Ed Cooke, Joshua Foer's memory trainer, about easy ways to remember the US presidents, British Monarchs, and countries of Europe. A fascinating book - I have finish the first half and I can say I have successfully memorized all of the Monarchs and presidents. What is cool about the book is that there is a 'first over' and 'second over'. The first over consists simply of the list of items to memorize and the second is where details are added to the image like dates and specific important facts. This is nice because at the same time you add more information to the images...you are also reviewing the order of the images as well and reinforcing them so you can remember them longer.
As for my numbers memorization...I unfortunately don't remember most of the people I used for numbers, so I have to re-memorize all of them. I've also created a list of things that I think would be very cool to memorize:
all countries/capitals
all states/capitals
famous celebrities
authors
sports teams - hockey, baseball, football, soccer
species of mamals/reptiles/birds/fish
roman/greek gods
all fruit and vegetables
spices
cuts of meat
disney/pixar movies and dates
and the list goes on and on. I think knowing a lot of this stuff would help make conversations flow and allow me not to have a dead stare when someone says "Oh you watch Game of Thrones? You must love the actor Peter Dinklage." (He plays the midget Tyrion btw)
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