Physical reminders ...

There are many devices and schems people use to remind them of things to be remembered, done, despatched etc.

When thinking about reminders, I am reminded of some particular sort them that I often use, and I think most people do in one form or another, which I call 'physical reminders' ...

Now what in the very milky way is a physical reminder? Let me explain with an example ...

Sunday morning, I have washed clothes in the washing machine and have put them in the clothesline on the terrace. Now they have to be taken back in the evening or else they might get wet again in a chance rain in the night or from the certain dew of the next morning. Now I could certainly set an alarm in my mobile phone at say like 5.30 in the evening or so to ring me and remind me to tackle the clothes. Instead, I do something else; I keep the washing machine lid open.

Now, an open washing machine lid is an abnormal thing, an anomaly in The Matrix. Whenever I see the open lid, I am reminded that the clothes are on top, and to decide whether I want to take them in now! I, then think, how was the amount of sun today, was it cloudy etc. etc. and whenever I feel that the clothes would be dry enough, I go up and take them back and close the lid.

That's what I mean by a physical reminder; a physical unusualness, abnormality, or anomaly, to remind you of something. Since its an anomaly, you are certain to remember what its supposed to remind you of.

Another one; When am in bed in the night, about to doze off, I remember that tomorrow I have to take two passport size photos of me to office. Now, I dont want to get up and put the photos in the backpack then, instead I throw my purse which is sitting on the bed side stand to the center of the floor. That's certainly an anomaly! When I get up in the morning, the first thing I see is the purse lying on the center of the floor and am immediately reminded to put the photos in the backpack. Purpose achieved!

And I have a bunch of such contrivances in my repertoire.

One antagonist anecdote here; in the film 'The Day I Became a Woman' by Marzieh Makhmalbaf, the third part, a rich elderly widow who inherited a lot of money decides to buy and get everything that was denied to her in her youth and her childhood by the rules of the society and religion. She ties many colored ribbons to every one of her fingers to remind her of the multiple things she wanted. She hires many boys to help her, take her to the market, carry the things for her etc. She goes about buying and getting everything, ribbon by ribbon ...

till one last ribbon remains ... but for the life of her, she can't remember what it was supposed to remind her of.

:-)