I realized something today. Ready for this? Okay, here it is: Maybe I’m not normal.
Please tell me if you do these things.
1. I sometimes pretend I’m in a movie, and whatever music happens to be playing is the soundtrack. For example, a couple of days ago I got in my car to go to the grocery store. When I started the engine, a driving drum beat led to Amy Lee’s menacing, “Now I will tell you what I’ve done for you . . .” Suddenly cameras were rolling. Casting covert glances down side streets in search of enemy spies, I hit the gas, shifting gears like a secret agent on assignment in her BMW (as opposed to what I was–a middle-aged mom on her way to Kroger in a Toyota Echo).
2. In boring situations I retreat into my imagination and sometimes laugh out loud at inappropriate times. This happened once at a formal dinner. I was seated at a table with people I mostly didn’t know well, and one of them was rambling on and on about something, so I replayed amusing scenes in my mind. I think it was Grace’s premature tossing of her cap at graduation that got me in trouble. As though I were there again I saw her hurl it like a red taffeta ninja star, narrowly missing the photographer’s head. A laugh exploded before I could contain it. The conversation at that moment in no way called for laughter, and everyone at the table stopped talking and stared at me. It was an awkward moment.
3. Along the lines of #2, I think I have a videographic memory. I can replay scenes in my head from years ago, complete with detailed conversation, the expressions on people’s faces, what everyone was wearing, the temperature in the room, etc.
4. I catch myself observing scenes or people and thinking of metaphors to describe them, even if I have no reason or intention of describing them to anyone. I just like doing it.
I’m guessing a lot of people are like this, but nobody’s telling, because we don’t want people to know our imaginations survived induction into adulthood. Can a person be a contributing member of society and still believe in fairies? (Don’t worry, Tinker Bell, I do believe in fairies; I do! I do!)
I want your opinion. Oh, and if I bust out laughing while you’re sharing it, that in no way indicates you’re boring. ;o)
#2
As far as your 4 discriptions go, I do it too. And maybe it’s not that we aren’t normal, it’s all the rest of them who don’t do it who aren’t. However, I think very few people have this great technique you call a videographic memory. I can picture moments from the past almost to the T, but I can’t pin point the exact temperature, or maybe I don’t even think about it.
Nonetheless, these “oddities” only seem to happen when greatly needed, so we should feel lucky to cause many awkward moments throughout our lifetime.
Try doing it in class, again, with a group of people you barely know. It causes me to laugh harder when people give me confused/angry gazes after my spontaneous outbursts.
Thanks for bringing this up.
#2
As far as your 4 discriptions go, I do it too. And maybe it’s not that we aren’t normal, it’s all the rest of them who don’t do it who aren’t. However, I think very few people have this great technique you call a videographic memory. I can picture moments from the past almost to the T, but I can’t pin point the exact temperature, or maybe I don’t even think about it.
Nonetheless, these “oddities” only seem to happen when greatly needed, so we should feel lucky to cause many awkward moments throughout our lifetime.
Try doing it in class, again, with a group of people you barely know. It causes me to laugh harder when people give me confused/angry gazes after my spontaneous outbursts.
Thanks for bringing this up.
Re: #2
I can’t pinpoint the exact temperature either . . . at least not like saying, “Oh, yes, it was 76.2 degrees in that room.” I just mean I can remember if I felt cold or hot or whatever. The interesting thing is how all the senses seem to join in on the memory. So I guess it’s not “videographic” (I made that word up, as far as I know), but even more than that. It’s sensographic. So, yeah. Whatever. I’m rambling, which is boring, which means you can think of something else and start laughing now.
Re: #2
I can’t pinpoint the exact temperature either . . . at least not like saying, “Oh, yes, it was 76.2 degrees in that room.” I just mean I can remember if I felt cold or hot or whatever. The interesting thing is how all the senses seem to join in on the memory. So I guess it’s not “videographic” (I made that word up, as far as I know), but even more than that. It’s sensographic. So, yeah. Whatever. I’m rambling, which is boring, which means you can think of something else and start laughing now.
Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!! If you keep spreading this around, EVERYBODY’S gonna want to be like us! You’ll blow our cover!
And I think normal isn’t as normal as everyone thinks it is. We’re normal, a handful of us, the rest are weirdos!
Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!! If you keep spreading this around, EVERYBODY’S gonna want to be like us! You’ll blow our cover!
And I think normal isn’t as normal as everyone thinks it is. We’re normal, a handful of us, the rest are weirdos!
C’mon, Al! Don’t you want to share the love? My imaginary party center has enough room for everyone.
C’mon, Al! Don’t you want to share the love? My imaginary party center has enough room for everyone.
Haha
I can relate to this entirely. But I do not share the sentiment that this is “normal” behavior. As the poet writes, “Abnormality breedeth Amusement.”
Jesse
Haha
I can relate to this entirely. But I do not share the sentiment that this is “normal” behavior. As the poet writes, “Abnormality breedeth Amusement.”
Jesse
Re: Haha
If abnormality breedeth amusement, then that settles it. I’m in the gifted and talented program when it comes to self-amusement. Like a few minutes ago, when George and Jacob returned from the grocery store, and I said, “You’re back.” Then, without any premeditation, I sang, “From outer space. I just walked in . . .” at which point I did my best 70’s stut into the kitchen and serenaded Jacob with “I Will Survive” (rewriting the words to make it about Jacob as I went), while George tried to put away groceries.
Jacob laughed, of course. He’s a great audience. George just said, “It’s okay, Jacob. Your mother is amusing herself.”
So there you have it. Abnormality hath been breeding again. Too bad you can’t sell it like puppies.
Re: Haha
If abnormality breedeth amusement, then that settles it. I’m in the gifted and talented program when it comes to self-amusement. Like a few minutes ago, when George and Jacob returned from the grocery store, and I said, “You’re back.” Then, without any premeditation, I sang, “From outer space. I just walked in . . .” at which point I did my best 70’s stut into the kitchen and serenaded Jacob with “I Will Survive” (rewriting the words to make it about Jacob as I went), while George tried to put away groceries.
Jacob laughed, of course. He’s a great audience. George just said, “It’s okay, Jacob. Your mother is amusing herself.”
So there you have it. Abnormality hath been breeding again. Too bad you can’t sell it like puppies.
Re: Haha
Heh… I’m just glad I wasn’t there.
I’m sure we can find a way to put abnormality (abnormalcy, abnormalness, abnormalnessness) in a can to sell… I’m sure of it. The way I see it, what good are we abnormal people if we can’t find abnormal, unconventional ways to do things, right? If you need me, I’ll be in my basement working with Mr. Yowder on his Lion Roar capsules and other canned oddities.
Jesse
Re: Haha
Heh… I’m just glad I wasn’t there.
I’m sure we can find a way to put abnormality (abnormalcy, abnormalness, abnormalnessness) in a can to sell… I’m sure of it. The way I see it, what good are we abnormal people if we can’t find abnormal, unconventional ways to do things, right? If you need me, I’ll be in my basement working with Mr. Yowder on his Lion Roar capsules and other canned oddities.
Jesse
I do things like that, espescially the making believe I’m in a movie thing.
Last week, I had to drive 2 1/2 hours to Loon Mtn, in NH in the middle of the night. I have no radio in my car and I was by myself, so I made believe I was in a musical, all about a girl, on her way to NH late at night. I sang in broadway-esque manner about everything I drove past, and random facts about my life and why I was on the road so late. Hmmmm…maybe that is way weirder than what you meant!
Anywho, I wish I could remember my songs, I think it would make a great one woman show!
I do things like that, espescially the making believe I’m in a movie thing.
Last week, I had to drive 2 1/2 hours to Loon Mtn, in NH in the middle of the night. I have no radio in my car and I was by myself, so I made believe I was in a musical, all about a girl, on her way to NH late at night. I sang in broadway-esque manner about everything I drove past, and random facts about my life and why I was on the road so late. Hmmmm…maybe that is way weirder than what you meant!
Anywho, I wish I could remember my songs, I think it would make a great one woman show!
That’s so awesome! I LOVE it! You rock, Crystal. :o)
I wish you could remember them ,too. I would come to your show.
♥ EZ
That’s so awesome! I LOVE it! You rock, Crystal. :o)
I wish you could remember them ,too. I would come to your show.
♥ EZ
Putting hand up
I do! I do! all of those things. Yikes I am normal after all. I always thought I was the exception to the rule, whatever that is meant to be, it seems a silly expression to me.
And I’m a middleaged mum (mom) driving a Toyota echo.
And wait there’s more. I often see people hovering around when Im in the car or on the bus and take details in case the media wants to interview me because I was on the scene of an amazing ‘case’.
Funny how men think they can read our minds, do they know that women can really do that?
Anyhow Im on a roll, (and I’ll have salad with a small portion of chips) while I post in my journal.
love Emma
Putting hand up
I do! I do! all of those things. Yikes I am normal after all. I always thought I was the exception to the rule, whatever that is meant to be, it seems a silly expression to me.
And I’m a middleaged mum (mom) driving a Toyota echo.
And wait there’s more. I often see people hovering around when Im in the car or on the bus and take details in case the media wants to interview me because I was on the scene of an amazing ‘case’.
Funny how men think they can read our minds, do they know that women can really do that?
Anyhow Im on a roll, (and I’ll have salad with a small portion of chips) while I post in my journal.
love Emma
You mean — ?!?
Life isn’t a movie?
Dang.
You mean — ?!?
Life isn’t a movie?
Dang.
Re: You mean — ?!?
Of course it’s a movie. Yours is even animated. You play blue-eyed agent Izzy who is driving her convertible Porsche past L’Arc du Triomphe with her trusty side-kick Yum Yum (too small to show in the frame) when she suddenly spies a terrorist disguised as a hot dog vendor. Even as her eyes dart to the right to take in the details of the scene (including what the vendor is wearing, the expression on his face, the conversation he’s having [i.e., “Would you like relish on that?”], and the temperature outside), she manages to maintain a calm demeanor as her mind plots the next course of action.
Yep. Definitely a movie.
Re: You mean — ?!?
Of course it’s a movie. Yours is even animated. You play blue-eyed agent Izzy who is driving her convertible Porsche past L’Arc du Triomphe with her trusty side-kick Yum Yum (too small to show in the frame) when she suddenly spies a terrorist disguised as a hot dog vendor. Even as her eyes dart to the right to take in the details of the scene (including what the vendor is wearing, the expression on his face, the conversation he’s having [i.e., “Would you like relish on that?”], and the temperature outside), she manages to maintain a calm demeanor as her mind plots the next course of action.
Yep. Definitely a movie.
Re: Putting hand up
Good for you! Keep taking notes. You will solve a great case some day, even if it’s only in your own imagination. :o)
Re: Putting hand up
Good for you! Keep taking notes. You will solve a great case some day, even if it’s only in your own imagination. :o)
Hehehe
I was quite the spectacle, thank the lord it was so late and there was no one else on the road. They would’ve thought I was NUTS!
Hehehe
I was quite the spectacle, thank the lord it was so late and there was no one else on the road. They would’ve thought I was NUTS!
Re: You mean — ?!?
Of course it is!!! And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. We know.
mb
Re: You mean — ?!?
Of course it is!!! And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. We know.
mb
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p.s — I’m back from vacay…
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p.s — I’m back from vacay…