This happens to me, at least once or twice a month. I can’t imagine that with age it will get any better or easier.
There’s something I need to get that’s mildly important to my life but not essential to my day-to-day.
Here are some examples:
- 9-volt batteries for my smoke detector
- Salt and/or pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Dish soap (I haven’t yet run out)
- Toilet paper/Paper towels (Again, I haven’t yet run out)
- Laundry detergent
You get the point. All of these things I know I’ll eventually need, but it’s easy as hell to make excuses in your mind that lower the priority of actually remembering.
- Come on, who can’t smell or feel a fire coming?
- First off, there has to be more pepper in that can. Second, I could stand to have less salt in my diet.
- I have olive oil, who gives a shit?
- I haven’t run out, and even when I do, I have hand soap.
- I haven’t run out of both yet, but even when I do, I have the one I didn’t yet run out of.
- I can just buy more clothing.
See? That wasn’t so hard. You can forget anything you put your mind to.
Now, it should be noted that as a single man, I tend to grocery shop based on need and not with a regular frequency. Some times I’ll go and pick up three items, other times I’ll spend over $100. It really varies.
When I’m in one of those ruts where I keep forgetting about that thing, I typically remember when I’m somewhere between half and three-quarters of the way home from the supermarket. I then vow to totally, definitely, no-questions-asked remember it for next time.
And then I forget again next time. And the time after that.
But suddenly, I’m walking through a random aisle and–boom!–it hits me. I need 9-volt batteries!
That ah-ha! moment is what I’m talking about here.
Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Remembering to get whatever it is, but the place you’re at not having it.
scott spinelli 