Gawd, I can't believe that it is Friday already. Where did the past few days go?Actually, I'm doing a incredibly convincing interpretation of a tired and cranky person tonight. I'm feeling quite bleh, although not really in an emotional sense. I think I'm just in need of an early night and a nice uninterrupted long sleep, not to mention a chill pill to break out of this pissy mood.
Wednesday saw my usual trip into the semi big smoke for my pdoc appointment. The appointment was truly a non-event. I would have been lucky to have been in the pdoc's office for half an hour, if that. Basically, nothing was discussed and in retrospect, I have to wonder if the pdoc hasn't perfected his pained thinking expression that he often displays over many, many years of practice. Is he actually in the process of deep thought when this expression takes over his face, or is it his way of pretending he is doing something when there is nothing happening during an appointment? Who the hell knows really!
The pdoc still seems keen for me to explore my memories in relation to any emotional attachment that may pop up out of them. Emotional attachment! Mmmm! Does anyone really have emotional attachment to any of their childhood memories? I was chatting to a mate on the telephone the other night and we reached the conclusion that it is probably not that we actually remember feeling a particular emotion or feeling in relation to a childhood memory. Rather, it is more that we associate an appropriate emotional response to a past event. For example, if we, as an adult recall a childhood birthday party then we think to ourselves, "Gee, I guess I enjoyed the party because parties are meant to be fun." We don't actually remember whether we felt joy at the time or not. I don't know if our little theory holds any water when it comes to psychological memory research or not, but it certainly makes sense to how we both personally experience memory.
Having said all of the above, over the next couple of days I will have a go at dredging up more memories of my past, although I don't think I will specifically limit it to childhood stuff this time around. I think I will have a go at the young adulthood stuff too.
love that picture at the top. you're taking such good pictures. I'm so enjoying your photoblog as well. hope u had a good rest, happy saturday:)
ReplyDeleteYou have SUCH a gorgeous blog! I love it. :)
ReplyDeleteLol. Oi Disso... your friend and you are so smart, hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about this issue a bit more today too. I think we MUST have experienced some sort of strong emotion to even commit that memory to your memory... if you know what I mean. But as for actually "recalling" the emotion... I don't think you can do it and get a "real" memory of feeling an emotion. I just don't think its possible.
Hmm... maybe not IMpossible... I mean, perhaps if the childhood memory you're recalling had EXTREME emotions attached to it, like extreme fear or something, maybe then you would remember the physical sensations (like sweating etc) and perhaps even the thoughts in your head. You know, like an extremely traumatic event.
Am I making sense here lol? Cos I'm actually lying down on my bed half asleep, arms um at the keyboard in an inhuman manner... blah blah blah.
Memories, sheesh.
Emotions, an even bigger sheesh!!
*waves*
*rereads what I just wrote*
ReplyDeleteI'm lost.
lol.
Um... I think my point was that surely we would have actually experienced emotion, and the chances are that when we recreate the memory we might attach the "correct" emotion to that memory... but its not an actual memory of feeling an emotion, just the thought that you "must have" felt it.
The only exception being a moment of extreme trauma. Perhaps (and I only say perhaps) then you might actually recall some of the feelings/thoughts you had at the time.
*sigh*
Nite. I need sleep...