Ever been asked that question? If you drink, or bellow, or plow through life it is an inconsequential question - you just cannot afford embarrassment. I think I did all three, and embarrassing moments were allowed to slip by and disintegrate into that alcoholic amnesia governed by the statute of limitations of sobering up. It wasn't until I was nearly 35 years old until I gained my defining moment - an unequivocally embarrassing incident that would eclipse all other indiscretions. Now, when asked that question, there is no doubt as to my answer. It is nice not to have to think about a question.
I had been doing some consulting while I worked at the University of Akron, and I eventually got involved with memory training. I could literally look at or listen to a list of 250 items and remember them forward, backward, or by number. The first time I employed the technique in college (in a graduate course), I was accused of cheating. The professor had given us six potential test questions, three of which would show up on the actual test the next day. At that point my peers became probability experts: "If we prepare four, what are the odds at least two will be right?" I outlined all six, stored the information, and didn't care what three were asked. Afterwards, I didn't know why I was called into her office, and she beat around the bush for quite awhile. Finally she said "Michael, no one could remember all these things in one day!" It dawned on me what she was saying, so I told her I had utilized a memory strategy, and I explained it to her. She apologized a dozen times and then begged me to teach it to the class the next day. I did, and no, this is not the embarrassing moment.
A short time later, I was scheduled to do a memory workshop for students in my department. I was excited as this would be he first time I would teach the strategy to developmental students, and I was really curious to see how they handled it. A few hours before the presentation, I was called to the Dean's office to look over some candidate files that had some irregularities. I read them and started to rectify the information the best I could. After a bit of time, I started making progress. I must of gotten lost in the work, because I was there far longer than I wanted to be. I left the office and headed back to my department. I walked by a classroom and a colleague summoned me inside. I came in and saw a group of students and several other colleagues all turned around looking at me. In hindsight, I guess they were doing a great job stifling their laughter. One friend spoke to me saying "Michael, where were you supposed to be?" Now I usually think I am pretty quick, but I was slow on the uptake that day. My bewildered face only fueled the impending explosion of laughter seconds away. At the moment they finally lost control, it hit me between the eyes - I had forgotten to attend my own memory workshop!
I suppose it was about six years before I wasn't reminded of this faux pas on a weekly basis. I prefer to think of the whole issue differently though: I didn't forget to go to the workshop, I just failed to remember. Small semantics I know, but it helps.
