Memories are made of cheese...

[miss_squiddy]

Some random thoughts about memories and how they work...

I just made a salad and the cheese I used reminded me of Aeon Flux. Because the first time I tried it, that's what I was watching. I also have a top that always makes me think of Gremlins 2 because that's what was on TV when I made it.

I know that certain smells have certain associations (did you know that vanilla pods have the least disliked smell because they have the same aroma as breast milk? Freudian, eh?), but does everyone get the same kind of connection between such everyday things? (Neither cheese nor Aeon Flux have played any special or significant part in my life!)

Or am I just obsessed with TV?

Comments

[lee-chaos.livejournal.com]

Nope, it's a provable fact - sense of smell is the one most closely associated to memory. There are a lot of smells (nothing specific) that remind me of my time at secondary school or have being a hopelessly drunk teenager, and they're not necessarily directly connected (like, for instance, Martini...)

[ahura-mazda.livejournal.com]

Interesting post. Yup, I've got a cushion cover that reminds me of Sharp's Rifles (or one of them) because that was on tv when I made it.
Music usually reminds me of people rather than places.
But certain smells can take me right back to places I'd forotten about.*

* I really don't like the smell of vanilla, but then i don't like my mother very much either so it's all good :)

[tails-redux.livejournal.com]

Vanilla is something that I don't particularly rate. Perhaps it's something to do with my fear of custard.

[miss_squiddy]

Vanilla pods, not vanilla essence :)

But it's more to do with a lack of negative reactions (for example, a lot of people really hate the smell of tarmac), rather than an abundance of positive reactions. Apparently fewer people actively hate the smell of vanilla pods than anything else.

[tails-redux.livejournal.com]

Essence or pods ... I just find the smell a bit too cloying, and too much makes me want to retch.

[uv-lue.livejournal.com]

interestingly, this is relevant to what i'm studying at the moment. I'm studying developmental psychology - especially the thoughts of Piaget who came up with the idea of schemata or 'units of thought'. This mind maps reactions and known abilities (kinda like a giant spider diagram) and can add bits on as you go along. i suppose if you're enjoying or learning about something then you will also pick up peripheral things that will somehow attach themselves to your schemata for that thought.

the smell of paint always make me think of my dad. he's a painter and decorator and he always smells like paint. i get all nostalgic when i smell gloss. it's very weird.

so there you go

yours, the swot.

Reminderages

[lilkerdude.livejournal.com]

I have some connections of this sort, like if I'm doing a jigsaw whilst watching something on telly, or listening to a particular CD, or whatever, but these connections tend to dissipate after a few days. Though whilst doing jigsaws to telly or music, I do find myself thinking about whether the band/actors would like whatever the jigsaw is about, or even if they would possibly enjoy jigsaws. And then my mind wanders off.

Re: Reminderages

[miss_squiddy]

Haha! Sounds just like you!

[shellbun.livejournal.com]

I have loads of conections of that sort and yes memory is just a series of connections. Also I can concur with Mr Chaos when he says that smell is the sense most closely linked with memory. I think it has more neural connections with the CA1 region of the hippocampus or something. Interesting innit?

[lucien-dark.livejournal.com]

I just watched Aeon Flux yesterday. Another connection!