Some of my A’s and O’s don’t fit that well together, so sometimes I’ve created a P-A-P scenario instead. So far it worked very well for me, but I don’t know if it’s a bad habit. It’s something that i decide when I’m at the locus, and although it doesn’t take that much time to figure out, I’m wondering if it could be speed limiting when I get faster.
What do you think about that? The alternative is of course to make changes in my PAO…
Huggy,
Thanks for your respons! No I have not tried it yet. Is it for android also? I actually like the feeling of going through cards physically, but it could be very useful when traveling in bus and so!
I like the idea about “forging” the image and loci together, because this i exactly what I have not done good enough when I have a blank. I know that, because when I’m trying to recall this blank spot, and suddently see the person, I very often see what he/she is doing with the object, instantly
I managed to shave off a bit of my PR too, today. Now it’s 2:34 with a semi tough recall in 5 min! That was my second deck - the first was 2:37, but with 3 errors.
Rompie,
That inner voice you are talking about is very loud and dominating when I memorize. I haven’t actually thought of it as being a bad thing, but I follow your point that it can be speed limiting at a point. Maybe I should try to work on that!
Damn. I’m really struggling to explain myself in english! It’s good practice, I guess 
Hi Guys,
Rompie - Thank you for your advice. It is comforting to know that it gets easier by pushing! 
I have now kicked the habit and am not reviewing till the end, so that is good, although as you mention, I am putting myself out of my comfort zone and sacrificing easy recalls for faster times, but I am prepared to do this, to gain the rewards! I find that when I get to end of my journey, I am reviewing my last 4 or 5 loci first, as these seem to be the most rushed/forgetable, then I zoom to the beginning of my journey to review the others in normal order.
Vonde - I wouldn’t worry about doing PAP, I do this also! In fact, I find that I rarely struggle to recall these scenarios…ever!! Some of the actions I have are “cutting hair” “drilling in the mouth” (Dentist), “boxing”, etc, so it is much easier to envisage two people boxing or someone cutting someone else’s hair as opposed to cutting the hair of a chainsaw??? If it works, leave it alone! I think you will soon be able to work out which requires PAO and which requries PAP without even thinking about it.
Managed 2:38 today, but with about 5 errors, so much to my annoyance, I am still above the 3 minute mark (3:13) with perfect recall!! GGRRRRRR…
Vonde - I am not sure if the icue app is available on Andoid, you will have to have a look, but it is worth getting.
Also, for those interested in using their phones/ipads, etc to practice, I have just had an e-mail from Trevor Nell who designed the iphone memory app “The Memory Cards Game” to confirm that the app has been updated and its bugs now ironed out, so this might also be worth looking at.
The thing I liked about this app is that unlike icue, it actually tells you what cards you got incorrect at the end.
Huggy
I was wondering if you could be more specific (screenshot of the front page of the app perhaps ?) for memory cards. I just quickly checked here before work (6:18 here) and found 278 iPad matches for “Memory Cards Game”.
Thanks
Jim
WJW - When you search for the app, search under “TM Nell”. This will bring up just one app which contains a picture of the Ace of Spades.
Wessells,
I think of my attention as a limited amount of substance. Limited in the sense that there is only so much of it at a given point in time. When memorizing, I try to put as much attention into visualization as possible, since the more attention you use, the more vivid, detailed and thus more memorable the images become. Yet, there is always some attention left that is drawn to other things than visualizing. Bits and pieces of this remaining attention are drawn to background processes, such as a vague awareness of the place you’re at and any noises you might hear. Most of it however is taken up by following this inner voice, it is drawn towards it like a magnet. Simply stopping this inner chatter is very difficult and attempts to do so will probably be fruitless. There is some choice in how much attention you give it, though. When I notice this inner voice in my mind describing, commenting, complaining, etc, I try not to resist it, cause that would only cause more activity in the mind, but I simply try not to give it any attention. I try to keep my attention for myself, instead of letting it get drawn to those useless thoughts. So when you notice inner chatter, try not to give it your attention, let the thought drift away while you remain focused on visualizing.
It helps to really have the intention to minimize inner chatter when memorizing. Try a few decks with that intention in mind: to put as much attention as possible in seeing the cards rather seeing and describing. What helps me to stay quiet inside as well is to try and direct my remaining attention to something else than the inner voice. When memorizing, I often try to keep a physical sensation of part or my whole body. So when going through a deck or digits I try to visualize as vividly as possible while at the same time I try to feel my hands or face from the inside. I don’t mean thinking about my hands or face, but actually feeling the air, blood circulation, tingling of the skin, etc. The attention that is needed to keep this sensation cannot go to the inner voice, and thus its grip on your attention gets weaker. It doesn’t have to be your face or hands, it could also be the sensation of your butt pushing in the chair, your feet resting on the floor or the air flowing through your nose. So it’s a matter of dividing the attention between coding cards and visualizing them on the one hand and keeping a physical sensation of (part of) your body on the other. With a little practice there will be hardly any attention left that can go to the inner voice.
This is all of course a best case scenario and the (verbal) mind will constantly try to reclaim its place. When is does, try to simply not give it any attention and let it fade while you focus on seeing.
As to remembering the first and last loci, I have the same problem, especially with the first locus. I can think of two reasons why the first locus is especially hard to remember. First, I think that the further you get in the journey the deeper the level of concentration. I think that we need a few seconds to get to that state and we usually need at least one locus+image to get there. Another possible reason is that all the other loci are embedded in associations, they all have a preceding and a following locus+image (except the last). This means that there are more hooks and triggers that can help bring up the memory.
To tackle this, I try to get quiet before I start my session. I don’t just sit down bring out the deck and hit the clock. When I feel I’m ready to go, after deciding which journey to use and what to memorize, I sit quietly for a few seconds, collecting myself, and then I hit the clock and start memorizing. Another advice to tackle the second problem is this: at the first locus, try to pay extra attention to connecting the image to the locus. I don’t just mean integrating the locus into the scenario, but rather focus on the actual physical connection between the two. So when the first locus is a front yard and the image is Hulk Hogan pooping with a spear in his back, zoom in on his bare feet touching the dirt and the poop crushing the leaves. I find that creating such a physical connection often helps triggering the image. When the image doesn’t come immediately, looking around at the locus often does the job.
+1 on the posting of PAOs
I’ll take whatever I can get, even if it means figuratively “looking over the shoulder” of other people who share the same hobby. Tenuous link, but it kind of reminds me of when I was a teenager. For some unknown reason I wanted to learn how to juggle. I practiced diligently for a period of time but hit a wall. I finally got smart and went to the local library and searched for a book (mid 80’s ergo no Internet). The library brought in a book from another branch and after reading the “proper” way of doing it with pointers from the author on technique, repetition, etc I realized that if I were trying this on my own I would have been sunk. I will happily cut/copy/paste anything I can get that helps. J)
JW
Don’t know what Huggy’'s using or if I misunderstood, but the icue app I use has a pic of an elephant and cost 2.99. I timed myself once more at 1:35 this morning, but As you know I don’t like timing myself much. It really slows me down. However, I’m going to change it up today and memorize 100 decks timed. I nees to get over that anxiety. Sounds like a lot, but that should only take 2 hours…amazing…
I’m only going to bother with “official” recall every time I break a PB. Other than that, I’ll just do a mental review after each deck, and then I’ll know whether it was a)perfect, b)close enough to maybe recall if I had a second deck, or c)failed. I’ll probably set a badass time today out of the sheer luck of cards falling in an order that I like once or twice. (Some P’s or A’s or O’s are specifically harder/slower to recognize even within the same card.). Changed the 6 of spades to George Washington (distinct hair) getting dragged (by rope connected to his foot) by a horse. Love it, but slow to recognize it. I’ll post my best time per 20 decks. Also going to make a new journey so as a)not to wear these 5
That I use out too much and B) so I can stop using the 17 beginning loci of my 50 and 100 loci journeys so they can be “digit journeys” exclusively. My digit times by the way haven’t improved. Those 52 new PAO’s are taking time to adjust to. If three people request in this thread that I post those new 52 PAO’s (that work on major system, unlike my card PAO’s, I’ll post em. Otherwise I’ll use the time for cards. But if you want em, let me know cuz I really don’t mind. In fact, I rather enjoy the thought of visualizing the same people and actions as other people the world over. Kind of like when you look at the moon and wonder how many other people are doing it too. Ok, gonna walk down to the river and knock out the first 20.
Wow vondi, maybe that’s it. I have never once tried to visualize the characters doing their own actions while going through a deck. I’m going to practice this first. And the. A little every day.
Edit : I’m even slower at this than with PAO. Thanks for the tip
Jw: noted
This exercise of visualizing each card as their own PAO has Been the single most helpful exercise I have done, period. I have never improved so much in a single day. I don’t think any training will be better for me than to do this for a
Few days. When I try my 3card PAOs they slide so much faster than they did earlier today!! This is the first time I can read the deck faster than I can usefully (memorably) place the images into the loci.
DH,
I actually have a few apps, but I have mainly been using the “icue speed cards” one (which has a spade as the logo, not an elephant?).
The other one developed by Trevor Nell is one that I havn’t used as much due to the bugs, but he assures me that this has now been updated, so I will see.
There is also one called “MemoryCard”, which helps you assign your PAO and assists in training with them so you can memorise them more effectively.
I am taking great pride in beating the 3 minute barrier every single time I do a deck now…sometimes by up to 30 seconds, although my main frustration is that thus far, there is always one or two cards that I seem to get wrong!!, so technically, still havn’t broken the 3 mins with perfect recall!!..even though I have with minor errors! It will come shortly…I promise!
P.S. - DH, 100 Decks!! Wowsers…beware of the ghosts!!
Hey guys,
2:06 clean run this morning. A best for me by a little way.
Congrats Paul!!! Well done!!
I have a feeling that given the silly mistakes I keep making to beat the 3 min barrier, I will be closer to the 2 min mark when I finally beat it!!
Finally beat my 3:13 and the 3 min barrier…next the one minute!
New times:
2:45 - no errors
2:28 - 1 error
1:10 
It was the second deck of five.
The first one was 1:08 but I messed up the first four loci (10 errors) and the other 3 where a bit slower (not more then 6 seconds) and they all had 4 errors.
Nice!
Congrats to all with your new times!
@Wessells Have you changed anything to get beyond 1.20? Or was it a matter of mere perseverance?
Three weeks ago it was the same as Huggy’s results (2:45)
My new personal best is 2:33.
I am wondering what is the result of the Hungarian champion if there is any Hungarian person who has ever participated in a memory competition.
Well Huggy,
you have shown yourself that on a good day you can go under 2:30 even now.
Congrats.
Mr Wessell, how long before you crack 60 seconds?
New time - 2:28 (no errors)