numbering loci

I am thinking about adding to my loci that I have already created using the cube system. One advantage of the cube system seems to be speed in that it is immediately apparent where a locus is since corners are odd and walls are even. Well I have run out of houses but now have about 200 loci using the cube system. I would like more loci. Have considered journey system, but these loci are not as easy to think of without going through the entire trip. That is there is more of a recall lag. Has anyone considered making the 5th or some other locus stick out in some particular aspect to provide a quick reference in recalling? Obviously, outside the sky (ceiling) is changable, but the floor (terrain) is not, and I suppose could be coded. But I think outside I really need to dispense with the floor and ceiling concept. For example I have a journey that I take in my neighborhood where objects in the middle of the journey are really made to stand out. This is a common two mile walk I take. Since some landmarks are directly across from each other, I prefer to leave my house and start walking on the street and numbering the objects on the left side of the street only, then I come back to my house in my mind and number ten objects on the other side of the street as I come back home. I was afraid that if I had a big lake that was directly across from another big landmark, say log cabins, then in the process of recall I could get confused about which side of the street I was on. I guess if I could have alternated the different sides of the street as odd and even, it would be a little more like the cube system, but like I say, some prominent landmarks are right across from each other and I was afraid I would forget one. I am just thinking out loud here and would appreciate any comments, or suggestions.

Oh I have a suggestion: On journey system I draw a map of the route and number the landmarks. Then if it is a journey I do not frequent much in real life, I just make a scan of the drawing and store it in a yellow folder, in case I forget all the landmarks due to infrequent use of all of them.

I would like to have at least a 1000 loci. I already have 1000 pegs in major system, but occasionally I lapse on a dozen or so of these, mainly because there is not time to review the 1000 pegs very often, though I do have 3 digit peg list in Anki that I review daily. It only reviews of course a portion of the 900 three digit images I have each day. I was thinking too that on the ones I forget at times, I could place them at a particular locus to help recall them if I had a lot more loci than I have now.

To keep track of where I am, I try to remember where every fifth locus is. I posted an example here:

The author of Ad Herennium recommends marking the fifth locus of a journey with a golden hand and the 10th with an acquaintance named Decimus:

And that we may by no chance err in the number of backgrounds, each fifth background should be marked. For example, if in the fifth we should set a golden hand, and in the tenth some acquaintance whose first name is Decimus, it will then be easy to station like marks in each successive fifth background.

Here is an example of how I record the journeys in my notes:

Would it be possible to incorporate a loci system in which a particular TYPE of loci was the trigger for every fifth/tenth spot? For instance, making every fifth locus a restaurant? Or something blue?

You could do that, but it seems more complicated, because journeys based on real places are probably easier to remember than constructed journeys.

Another idea would be to take a standard marker (maybe a gargoyle or an object that isn’t part of your regular mnemonic system) and place that marker at every fifth locus. That might be simpler than restricting your journeys by requiring something like a restaurant to appear in places where one might not naturally appear.

Everyone’s brain works differently though, so test it out and see what works for you. :slight_smile:

Like Dominic, I use stairs for every 10th point on my journey.

Dominic O’Brien? Do you know which book he talks about that in? I don’t remember that, but I’m interested in finding out more about it…

Hey Josh, he talks about this in his first book but he doesn’t use every 10th steps but other numbers.

Thanks… I still need to read that one… :slight_smile: