Sunday, February 10, 2008

Absentminded? Overextended? Aging? Or Sheer Dementia?

Here's an aspect of my personality that drives me nuts: I'm often absent-minded. I have arrived to work with my dress on backwards and my sweaters inside out more than I can count. I once dropped my keys in the pantry while putting groceries away, and didn't find them for weeks.

Clint will ask me where something is, and while I set my attention to seeking it out, I will lose whatever it is that was in my hand when he asked. The knife I was cutting onions with. My cup of hot tea. The mail. I recently misplaced the remote control to the television in my bedroom, after throwing it into my gym bag, along with other items that were to go there.

So, 3 weeks ago I sat flipping through my (compact) camera, and giggling at pictures of a Girls' Night. I removed the memory card and put it next to the computer, along with card reader.
All gone.

I have not seen the camera since. I have turned my house upside down, looking for the freakin' camera, and it is not to be found. I've looked on every surface that it could merely be "upon." I've looked in drawers, and in cushions of every chair, and in Brian's room and in bathrooms. I have gone absolutely, batshit CRAZY, looking for the camera. I swear to God, it's made me so crazy that I even know this, for a fact: It's not in the freezer.

I've gone so crazy looking for the thing that I'm ready to purchase another camera. This will, we all know, ensure a miraculous reappearance of my beloved pocket Sony.

Anybody out there have any love to share? Have you ever gotten busy and distracted and absent-minded, and lost something for ages?

And more importantly....where did it turn up? I've got nothing to lose; if you have any idea where my camera is, I'd love to hear it.

21 comments:

  1. I've lost my car on numerous occasions. Fortunately it's one of things that you can usually find eventually.

    Of course one day it got so bad... wondering around the various parking lots at parkland... unable to remember where the hell I left it. I had to take the bus home and back to continue the search the next day... fortunately with success after another hour or so of searching.

    Little things get lost with me all the time. I have a nice supply of redundant items because I'll never be able to find it when I need it, whatever it may be. Then it shows up days, weeks, or even a year later. I lost a computer once... turned out I put in the trunk of my car for some reason, can't remember why... and I rarely use my trunk. But it was a relief to find out where it was a few months later. I searched my whole house repeatedly for it... to no avail.

    But I have an excuse... I do seem to get hit in the head a lot. :-P

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  2. Try in the closet under your shoes. It can't hurt.

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  3. It's happened to me several times, but the more interesting story comes from my mother -- God rest her soul.

    We moved from Tulsa to Southern Illinois (Salem) back in the early-60s. In the midst of the cross-country move, she lost a favorite ring. For the 8 years we lived in Salem (and in two rental houses and one owned house), it never showed up.

    In 1973, my father was transferred to Houston. When Mother started unpacking in Houston, there was her ring in one of the boxes...and she didn't even remember packing it!

    In the late-80s, after my father died, Mother sold the Houston house and moved back to Arkansas to take care of her own mother. The very same ring was not there to unpack in Arkansas.

    But YES...when Mother moved back to Houston in 1995, THERE IT WAS, in one of the boxes she'd packed in Arkansas!

    I have the ring now, and I keep a CLOSE eye on it. Haven't lost it yet..not even during my transatlantic move in 2002!

    Janet

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  4. You're not the only one, gng. I've gotten better at losing things as I've become more disorganized and acquired more things to lose. My favorite story belongs to my Grandma Goldy. One night she lost her purse. In her small, small house. Her small, uncluttered house. She looked and looked. Under beds, on closet shelves, in the garage. The next night, when she went into her bedroom, her purse was sitting in the middle of her bed. Goldy always said her house was haunted... and I'm beginning to believe it.

    Don't worry. Your camera will turn up.

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  5. Have you checked your car, purse, closets, shoes, cat's bed, etc.? So, sorry I won't be up your way soon. I have a knack for finding things. It's a gift. I found my stepmom's camera after months of it being lost. I walked in her house and looked, declared it not in the house, walked out to the garage and went right to where it was. It's a gift! I may be up in March. If you haven't found it by then let me know.

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  6. Anonymous8:26 AM

    Is it right there on your computer desk? Under the desk? Thats what happens to me a lot, its right there under my freaking nose.
    Stephanie

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  7. I tend to lose cigarette lighters for days and then they magically reappear.

    Did you take the card out while sat at the computer? If so, then try there.

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  8. Anonymous11:39 AM

    I've seen pictures of your house, you're very neat and tidy, so my best guess is that you had a guest coming over so you grabbed everything off your computer workstation and shoved it in a cabinet or drawer, but not a drawer close to the desk, you were probably running to put on makeup, comb out your hair, or slip on some shoes. Do you change purses often? Do you shove stuff in coat pockets as you run out the door? Do you have a sewing basket near the computer where you might hide stuff in a hurry? Oh, have you frisked the cat lately, my cats used to take car keys, watches, rings, and put them in my significant other's cowboy boots in the closet.

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  9. Did the camera get scooped up with some dirty laundry and won't be found until you sort the basket out?

    Humor me, go look.

    I am more of a "place it somewhere for safe keeping so I don't lose it" person .... then forget where the safe place is.

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  10. Glock: I remember searching Parkland's parking lot for hours back in the early 80s. I've always found the windy sidewalks there that tag up to multiple lots annoying...both for remember where in the heck ya car is, and for the wonderful trek they create in winter and rainy weather. The designers there never heard of the "shortest distance between two points" theorem...

    At least you have an excuse...lucky! ;-)

    BP: I've looked under my shoes! I've looked IN my shoes! I have so many pairs that I wear that I'm always shuffling shoes, so it seemed a good starting point. No camera.

    Janet: Great story, albeit frustrating. Keep that thing under glass!

    SSmiley: Waiting for it to turn up is the hard part. I know that it will suddenly just appear, like Goldy's purse.

    Mim: Come on over, and use your findy powers!

    Stephanie: I don't see it right here on my computer desk! I'd take a picture and show you, but the camera is gone.

    DBA Dude: I've gone so crazy looking for it that I honestly cannot remember where I was when I removed the card, nor where I was when I was scrolling through the photos.

    AZ: You've seen pictures of my house BEFORE Toys for Troops. I don't often take photos of my house these days, stacked as it is with mailing labels and receipts and stuffed toys! heh.

    Nancy: I looked in the laundry basket, and even the spare sock basket.

    My biggest concern now is that I've mailed the thing to Iraq in a box of beanies!

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  11. Anonymous9:54 PM

    I got a good chuckle out of this blog Lori.. I thought I was the queen for forgetting and losing things...ha.. you've got me beat.. SWEET!! di

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  12. It's not in the freezer - how about the oven?

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  13. I think it may be in my freezer. I'll check for you. :)

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  14. Welcome to my world!!!!

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  15. I had some fun with the tombstone generator at my place.

    I have a knack for putting things down in strange places myself so I'm no help. Good luck! Be sure and tell us where it turns up.

    I'd search the computer area again.

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  16. I lose the remote that I am sitting on everyday! I still am missing like three remotes! But in a house full of children some may not just be me! Oh and my keys! I can never find my keys! Ok I have admit I have lost one of the kids ever so often, but once they started talking that cleared up!

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  17. Look behind the printer. You would not believe what's behind mine!

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  18. Anonymous4:58 AM

    Did you find it?
    I just loved ur blog, and u look soo like Meg Ryan!

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  19. Anonymous8:39 PM

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  20. LoL reading this post and your last one reminds me of when I was in college and was in the midst of moving apartments.
    I was up late watching tv one night and turned it off and went to bed. When I got up in the morning the remote was gone.
    I searched absolutely everything before it left my apartment and again before it went in my new one and it ws nowhere. I searched all over my big comfy chair I'd been sitting. Took the cushions off, stuck my hands down the sides and everything.
    Absolutely nothing.
    Did I mention my tv doesn't work without the remote? yeah...

    I found it a year later when I moved back home. It fell out of the chair when the people I sold it too were taking it up the basement stairs.

    *sigh*

    It was stuck right inside of it.

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  21. Oh!
    and once I was stuck at my parents house for a weekend because I was sure I'd lost my keys and they had the spare and were in Hawaii.
    They were in the washer.

    I was pregnant and absentminded *shrugs*

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