Let the mind games begin!

Since we married two and a half years ago (not before), Chris has been accusing me of refusing to admit that I'm getting older.  A. I've got about 20 years before I'll be "older" and B. I don't care that I'm getting older, I just hate hearing that I'm starting to do "old" things when I'm not. For example, according to Chris, I'm getting forgetful. I share with him that maybe he's starting to develop memories that never happened- like my grandmother who said she was a Prima Ballerina in the Russian Ballet and yet she'd never been to Europe. Chris responds by rolling his eyes and saying "you just keep telling yourself that" which is one of those denials that implies I'm going to see that he's right and when I do he's going to rub it in... I guess the sweet justice will be the fact that if he is right I won't remember that he said this in the first place.

Here's the real deal - Chris is the only one who notices that I'm forgetting these little details and, if memory serves me correctly, the things I keep forgetting all have to do with random tid bits that really had nothing to do with what we were doing at the time (what did I just type?). For example, I'll remember every flavor of a favorite meal in a Chilean cafe but I won't remember the color of the umbrella we were sitting under. Or I might remember the conversation we were having when we had to pull off the road with an iced over windshield but I won't remember the mile marker.  Repeatedly, this turns into a no-win situation that always results in me hearing that I need to get my head checked.

Well not any more. About two months ago I dropped my mental filter and shared one of those silly details I usually wouldn't share because, well, it's a silly detail. When I finished instead of hearing the expected "what's that got to do with anything?" Chris said, "how did you remember that?". This is when I realized a little mind game I like to call "beat him to the random punch". I've started making it a point to remember the most obscure details of every situation and the moment a conversation turns toward the past I mix my insignificant fact into a general statement and, BINGO, I've got the most clarity...now it is Chris who Chris thinks is forgetful (yes I did type that).

Another great way to keep him on his memory toes is to recall particular bottles of wine, something I could never do if I didn't take pictures of the bottle with my phone and store them until we're on the hunt for something we've enjoyed in the past.  If you use this trick on your own love, don't tell them you've used the camera phone to jog the my mind, simply go to the other side of the store, take a peek, and then come back with a simple "let's see, I seem to remember you liking the Blah Blah Blah... if my memory serves me correctly". 

HA!

S

Comments

[Jen]

Ok, I give up. What does John Gray's book in German have to do with beating Chris at his own mind game?