The first page has Malaysia, 01 Oct 2003 arriving, 06 Oct 2003 departing. World Memory Championship, I came third and took a lot of people by surprise with how much I'd improved since the previous year (that was the year I debuted the "Ben system"... ahhh, happy memories). Next page has the USA, 26 Feb 2007 - Las Vegas, during my unemployed-waster phase, justifying it to myself by saying that it'd help me write my book if I had a change of scene. The page after that has the USA again, 01 Jul 2009, my recent jaunt to Pittsburgh, and Bahrain in 22 Oct 2008 where I triumphed in the World Championship last year. Blank page, then Japan, 24 Oct 2009 - I never realised it was exactly a year after the WMC - to have my brain scanned and sing karaoke. Six more blanks, then we come to the middle pages, which a lot of passport-stampers seem to favour. USA, July 02 2002, was a trip to Chicago to hang out with Jimi and the gang, wow, seven and a half years ago, and Brazil 09 07 06, for that brilliant TV-star holiday in Rio. The other half of the middle-page spread has two more American stamps - Jan 17 2002 was Las Vegas for the first time, Nov 16 2002 was back to Vegas for the second time because I'd liked the first time so much. Six more blanks, then again with the USA, Mar 05 2009 - New York this spring. Next page is a mostly faded black stamp of some kind, I don't know what, and USA for Feb 21 2005, which was another Vegas trip. I do love Las Vegas, although on that trip I caught the flu and spent the whole time ill in bed, so it wasn't the best holiday I've ever had. Four more blank pages, then we get Bahrain, 29 Aug 2007 to 03 Sep 2007, where I spectacularly failed to win the World Championship but still had a great time. And then on the last page, US Immigration on Oct 21 2000, my first ever trip abroad, visiting Washington DC just for the hell of it. There had been talk of having a housewarming party for CV when he moved over there, that didn't happen, but I eventually resolved to go to Washington anyway, because who says you need a good reason and I'd never been anywhere before. And I'm glad I did!
You don't need to get the renewal form and photos countersigned if you're still recognisable from your previous photo - I think I just about qualify, more or less:
Just look at that young stripling with the naive smile, the smooth chin and the last vestiges of a trendy hairstyle on top of his head. 23 years old, never left the country, never competitively memorised anything, never spontaneously quit his job for a life as a waster... and wearing a cool Zenith badge ("Never trust a hippy") that I wish I still had. I'd try to picture myself looking back on now, ten years in the future, but I really can't imagine getting any older than I am right now. 43? I'm never going to be 43.
What's your date of birth and how you celebrates your birthday.
ReplyDeleteHello Ben,
ReplyDeleteNice photo of yours. I am practicing for the speed words event and need some help. Some images are easy to associate and makes sense. But with some of them I am struggling.
Zoomy, I don't want to take your time and explain it to me in two or three paragraphs. I just want whenever I ask you for three images sequence and their possible combination, you answer me in one straight line.
Your way of thinking is totally different from mine and makes more sense to me. Today, my images are- A glass of water, next a book and then a globe.
I hope this will not be troubling you again..
Ben's Hat..
ReplyDeletehttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2420010569_74c804d7fd.jpg
Ben, from where are you originally from? You dont look like british...
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not sure whether I should take that as a compliment or an insult... what is it about me that looks non-British?
ReplyDeleteI think you misunderstood me. What I said is neither a compliment nor an insult. Anyway if you don’t want to answer that lets just forget what I have said. Probably it is one of my weird stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteBen 1 line answer..
ReplyDeleteAnonymouse: No, I think you've mistunderstood me. I wasn't being serious, and I certainly wasn't the slightest bit offended (nor the slightest bit flattered), I was just curious to know why you think I don't look British. Please tell me, or I won't be able to sleep tonight...
ReplyDeleteR Jayasimha: You, on the other hand, HAVE offended me. I've asked you before not to keep pestering me like this, but you've completely ignored me. If I don't answer your question immediately, DON'T just ask again and again and again until I do! It's EXTREMELY rude of you! I realise some of this is a language/culture problem, but I've run out of patience.
Also, you're not asking good questions. I can picture those three images interacting in my own mind, but explaining it in a way that is useful to you is just about impossible. And it's pointless - you'll never get good at associating words if you're trying to learn 'my' way of thinking.
And I think I need to point out that this is a blog, not a memory techniques forum. I like comments, if they're from other people who have a thought to share about the kind of thing I write about on my blog. I like questions about memory techniques if they're part of an interesting discussion. But constant interrogation about tiny little details about how I memorise things... it's not good. Please stop asking me this kind of question.
On the other hand, that hat is awesome... ^.^
ReplyDeleteI think you are not British for the following reasons:
ReplyDelete1.Your First name and Surname are not typical for someone from Britain.
2.You are much smarter than the average Englishman. Here I don’t mean memory and stuff.
3.Then, you are too modest. That is not typical for an Englishman as well.
4.You don’t get drunk and go outside to make some damage (at least I think so), which is common for some English guys.
5.When you wear the hat it reminds me of someone who has cultural backgrounds from southern countries.
That is what I think, and I did not mean to offend anyone.