I remember growing up we had to memorize our family’s telephone numbers. I knew by heart the numbers of my grandparents, aunts and uncles, trusted neighbors, church members and school friends. It was important for us to learn them in case of an emergency.
I don’t know about you but as a child I didn’t walk around with a mini phonebook or pocketbook full of important numbers. If we needed to use a pay phone it was apparent we knew the number of the person we were trying to reach.
I didn’t realize this then but having to remember so many phone numbers was such a good brain exercise. I can recall knowing at least 30 phone numbers right off the top of my head and could dial them within a second.
Now, with the emergence and advancement of technology we have Siri on our side to do the work for us. On top of that we no longer need to keep up with physical phone books with the ability to add contacts and their addresses right into our phone’s memory. It’s been made pretty simple and easy for us today.
Did your household have important phone numbers magnetized to the refrigerator or some type of bulletin board?
I remember my mother had her cursive handwriting on all kinds of little pieces of paper and notecards stuck to our refrigerator. They were numbers for us to remember and also numbers she needed to remember. Trust me, if she put those numbers in her purse they would end up lost and sucked into the black hole that seemed to be at the bottom 🤣.
Another way I kept phone numbers stored was through keeping letters from my friends inside a shoebox. A lot of times we put our phone numbers in our letters to make sure we wouldn’t forget them. I literally kept my box of middle school and high school letters up until I was in my mid 20’s.
I don’t know too many people other than my parents that still have landlines in their home.
Do you know any? Or do you still have one?
It seems the Gen Xers and any generation before them would appreciate and possibly still use house phones. It took a long while for us to convince my parents they needed a cell phone. I still remember the sleepless nights of teaching and helping them surf through and understand their new handheld technology 😅.
I’m not even sure how much landlines cost today. You’d think they would be dirt cheap since they are somewhat extinct now. Then again, when looking up the price of rotary and old school telephones they cost a pretty penny since they are now vintage and considered collectibles.
Quick confession of a HIVE addict lover: I purchased this retro push button phone just for this post. Don’t worry, it only cost me 7 bucks on Amazon lol. Yes, expect me to use it again to get my money’s worth 😁.
I have decided to start exercising my now 40 year old brain and start memorizing phone numbers like I used to.
I’ve become so dependent on technology that without Google maps and our car navigation I wouldn’t be able to find my own home. Literally, when I’m visiting a new location it’s like my brain has stopped working and I can’t remember how to read the Highway signs to find my way back. I am really uncomfortable with this dependency I have now.
I have to admit that lately I’ve been more forgetful than usual. I tend to forget the littlest things like
Why the heck did I just walk into this room? What was I’m coming to do? 🤦🏽♀️
Sadly as of today I only know about 7-10 numbers by heart.
My 11 year old daughter has a cell phone she only uses when she is away from us so we can reach her and in case of emergencies.
Do you think I know my own daughter’s phone number?
Sure I do, when I look it up through contacts. I do not know her number by heart. The other day I needed to reach her but it took a minute for me to pull up her number instead of just dialing it on my own. That’s ridunculous!
Since I already know most of my immediate family’s phone numbers my goal is to memorize the numbers of my in-laws and some of my newest friend’s.
I think it’s helpful to keep our memories strong by working and challenging them. I want to have a sharp mind for the rest of my life and not allow myself to become lazy and complacent by fully depending on SMART technology.
Who’s With Me? 🖐🏽
Are you up for the challenge to intentionally memorize at least 10 phone numbers of your family or close acquaintances?
Let’s Give Our Brains This Needed Workout!
This post also serves as a Stock Images contribution for those needing or looking for retro telephone images.
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Here are a few more phone images available for use…
I still know my old one that I had for like a decade a few years ago, other than that not really.
That's all Acid? Only your old number?
Okay, you have to take on this challenge then. Are there 10 or at least 5 phone numbers of people you care to memorize? I hope you take this on…I dare you lol! 😂
Firstly you made good use of the phone you bought for these cool shots.
Thinking about it I dont think I know of anyone who has a landline these days, we had one up until last June when we moved, never used it but the internet and TV provider we had deal was it was cheaper to have one, we would have had to pay more to take it off the plan.
but that said we only ever got junk calls on it, so probably two years before that I had disconnected it from the wall, so we sort of did have a landline but didn't if that makes sense.
And yes growing up we had a white board or similar besides the fridge with important numbers on it,
I am terrible with names but amazing with numbers I meet people and I can remember there phone number but not their name LOL
and still to today I can remember family and friends phone numbers from 20 or 30 years ago, I just jotted down 10 of them as your post got me thinking about it and I wondered if I still remember them
Yay thanks @tattoodjay! Compliments of my photos mean a lot coming from you...the photo pro!😃😄
Haha yes that does make sense. You got the line for the deal and didn't really need it for any other purpose. I totally get that.
LOL love it! That's pretty cool that you are that great with numbers.
Oh Sweeeeet! So no need for you to take on the challenge since you already know 10...unless you want to up it to 20?! 😁
Always enjoy your visits, thanks ~
No thanks needed and I just say it as I see it
As for twenty numbers I am sure I could come up with them
Have a great day
I’m sure you can!
Thanks, enjoy your weekend ~
You to have a great weekend
Yes. No. Yes. No. Of course you do, don't be redunculous. Me!
💖
So you do still have a landline and you're up for the challenge?!! 😃
I hope I got the yes, no’s in the right places. 😂
I counted the cover image as the first one, was that a mistake? Did you count the cover image? Are cover images easier than opening sentences you think? Did you plan on a return questionnaire?
Haha hilarious! I forgot about the cover image question. No, it was no mistake…you did well I messed that all up.
No, I did not expect a return questionnaire from just anyone but from you surely so. 😜
For me yes, cover images are easier than opening sentences because I have more fun with photos. I base my entire post off of the images I am able to produce. If I don’t have images I’m pleased with, I can’t go on…I cannot bring myself to write anything. Photos are my motivation!
Once my cover image is set it may take me a minute to figure out how to start the post with an interesting/engaging opening sentence.
How about you?
:wink:
How interesting. I'm glad you asked.
I'm exact opposite. I take several pictures, most random, unless I'm documenting something specific but I write the words first and work the images in like instead of saying "trip out" I might attach shrooms.
I mean fungi.
Wouldn't wanna get those two mixed up. 🥶
That is interesting. Definitely exact opposite.
I like to ask questions (as if you already hadn’t figured that out) and most times I’ll see an image that triggers my next question. Or vice versa an idea of my next post will pop into my head and I immediately envision the photos I need to go with it. Until that vision is accomplished I simply won’t write lol.
Thanks for sharing how your brain works when it comes to writing and photos 😁. I think it’s neat how we develop a certain order of how we like to accomplish things.
Honestly speaking....I have all my relative number on my lip...especially those of close contact.....rather than searching their name in phone book...I prefer dialing them...and as i put up the count...it comes to 9 who are frequently in touch....
That's great @steemflow!
👆🏽 That is awesome! I think it’s great you have those memorized that are frequently in touch.
Thanks so much for responding ~
Very good challenge, I congratulate you for taking this initiative to exercise your memory.
I remember my little phone book was Mickey Mouse, it looked like an accordion and was stuck with a magnet. One of the numbers I remember that was always at hand was the number of the domestic gas service.
I really liked your post, I hope you manage to memorize the numbers. A hug 😚
Thank you @chacald.dcymt! ☺️
I've gotta keep this brain in gear lol.
I imagined the phonebook as you were describing it, so cool. It seems there is always at least one or two numbers that stick with us throughout the years.
Thanks so much for the visit and encouragement ~ 😘
This is a list of the phones currently in my memory:
-mine (obvious)
-from my mom
-old landline phone of my house (the new one I don't know)
-my aunt's landline
-landline phone of my other aunt
-of my friend
-landline phone at the house of the same friend above (we used to talk a lot on the phone when there was still no WhatsApp).
-of my ex-boyfriend (ok, I would like to forget this but it seems that my something refuses, thanks for that dear brain).
That's not bad Laura, almost 10 numbers memorized including the one you'd rather not have memorized lol 😆. Just 2 more numbers to memorize now haha!
So looks like you know quite a few people that still have landlines.
Thanks for sharing the numbers you still have embedded in your brain ~
I still remember the phone number of my mom's office from 3 decades ago. I used to call her from home everytime.
Then there's my very first mobile number...
We have a landline now as it comes with the internet bundle. I have my kids memorize my husband's and my numbers too.
Oh wow. Makes sense that the number you called often would be embedded in your brain.
As I was writing I was thinking about the internet bundles and wondering who has one because of that. 😄
Yes very smart! My kids are currently memorizing ours (my husband and I), their grandparents and close aunts and uncle.
Wow, what great ideas shared by you. I just learnt something from this write-up despite I was not opportune as a child to live with people who own phones not to talk having their phone numbers offhand. With this information you just shared, I believed that i can now teach my children with the knowledge of having their family, friends and others phone numbers in case of emergency as quoted
@crosheille
Thank you! I'm glad you liked what I shared :)
That’s awesome! I am currently working on teaching my children the same thing.
Thanks for the feedback @apunawu ~
I prob remember about 5-6 phone numbers still by heart. I used to know over a dozen easy, maybe close to 20 total, maybe more? I can't remember lolol
That's great, so all you need to remember is 4 more now. 😄
I bet you knew more than 20 back then!!
I probably did honestly. Also knew a ton of addresses by heart too
Guao increíble ese post, sabes lo que es memorizar diez números de teléfono de cada uno de tu familia muy bueno de verdad, eso es un reto a mi esposo le encantan los reto. A mi no mucho pero cuando era niña recuerdo que me gustaba memorizar todo las publicidades que pasaban en la televisión me encantaba hacer eso, Buenísimo tu post.
Hi @carmary, thanks for adding your input. There is something fascinating about the ability to memorize things. I think it's a good thing to continually practice ;)
Wow! Yes, I remembered I had some number by heart then. I haven't been able to update the contact list up there. 😅 This challenge 🤔
Well now’s the time to update that list. Go ahead, you can memorize 10! Your brain will thank you. 😅
I've got tons of other things to memorize. The only phone numbers I have in my head are mine and that of my wife. Not like I can't memorize more, I just can't be bothered. There are other priorities.
I am always curious to see what types of responses to my questions I'll receive.
That’s totally understandable and I fully get it.
It all depends on where a person is at and what matters to them. This will definitely be a challenge for me as I too have so much to remember already. I just miss when my brain was my phonebook. I actually enjoyed having all of those numbers mentally stored back then.
Thanks for adding your thoughts ~
I used to know almost all phone numbers by heart. Now, I know my number and a couple of others in my family :D
I'm the same way. I actually miss knowing so many at the top of my head which is why I am challenging myself ;D
Thanks for chiming in ~
Memorizing numbers were somewhat difficult because I didn't focus on that but to the little I did, it was marvelous. Even now, I still remember some of my old digits
I think it makes a difference how interested you are or if one even cares to memorize numbers. It was easy for me to remember so many because I actually enjoyed doing it :)
That's great. It's only when I want to that I remember then. Good morning
😂 😂 @crosheille i didn’t really know my number ooo 😂 I could remember that Day, I was coming back from work wearing one of my favorite outfit I made by myself and a man drove passed me with his car and then stopped at the front and ask to know me cause of the cloth I wore and he demanded for the fashion designer that made the cloth I was wearing so I told him it was me that made it and he was very happy and asked for my number and since I didn’t have my number off hearth I had to start going through my phone to check the number and call it for him and suddenly my phone that was at the point of shutting down Dow to low battery I was actually running to go charge it when the man stopped me 😂 while I was going through my phone to remove the number for him my phone just went off and I was like oh God 🥺 so the man had to write his down for me on a paper I was so embarrassed 😞 since then I try my best to memorize any number of mind 😂