Memory book

One of my coworkers mentioned to me that her grandfather carried around with him in his shirt pocket a little book to write stuff down in. I think she said he called it his "Memory Book".  I think this is such a fantastic idea. I feel as though my own memory is sometimes a quart shy of a gallon or possibly like a leaky bucket; the ideas are there one minute, but the next they are gone and forgotten.

I was reading yesterday that humans suffer from what psychologists refer to as "post-completion" error. The idea is that when you have finished your main task, you tend to forget things relating to previous steps. Like leaving your ATM card in the machine after getting your cash or leaving your document in the copy-machine after making copies.  Wow, is this ever true with me: leaving the stove or oven on after I take whatever I'm cooking off of it, leaving my crock pot on all night after taking the crock out to wash it, I've even left the faucet running after washing a dish and drying it!

What I get most frustrated about forgetting are the ideas that pop into my head. Wait a minute. If I've forgotten an idea, how can I remember that I've forgotten it? Well, usually it hasn't completely popped out of my head. I think it just takes a wrong turn and wanders around in the labyrinths of my mind for while. Sometimes it pokes it's head back in just to say, "remember me"? Usually this happens when I am trying to complete some other task and then derails my current thoughts causing post-completion errors.

So, I'm wondering how to fully utilize this great idea of a memory book. It seems, though, I'd have to be constantly writing in it to carry out every menial task I do. Maybe I should wear it around my neck like librarian glasses, or maybe someone should invent something like a bluetooth earpiece that I could constantly click to speak notes into. I could click it again for playback. Or maybe it could be more like a Star Trek communication device. You know, like the kind they wore on the front of their shirt to say stuff like "Beam me up, Scotty".  Click, "copying a paper." Click, "taking the teapot off the stove." Click, "putting my car keys down on top of this bookshelf." Click, "I should pick up some dental floss next time I'm at the store." Click, "don't forget that million dollar idea!"

This is such a great idea, I'd better write it down in my memory book....