So, this is the key point in going with major. If you make your actions and objects follow the system, you can read the number sounds in the mindset of reading for people, actions, or objects in context. Kind of like if someone says the word sound “mail” to you. You create a mental image based on the context. Is it “mail” (object) like a bunch of letters in envelopes? Is it “mail” (action) like I packed up a box and shipped it to my friend? Is it a “male” (person)? You’ll be surprised at how easily you can connect those different contexts to the same word sounds. If you have a system where you don’t follow phonetics rules, aka Dominic plus traditional PAO, that’s ok, but you sacrifice readability and the fallback of being able to decode the number sounds straight to the image/word.
Fred’s point here is key:
With enough practice, whatever system you choose can get to a point of automatic one-step association. The important thing is that you practice INDEPENDENT associations. If you choose Albert Einstein, writing on blackboard, and chalk for one numbers PAO elements, you should be wary of visualizing that complete image. If you always see those elements connected to each other, it can be difficult to disconnect them in the context of an actual memorizing situation.
LEARNING the system and building the instant associations is different than practicing memorizing by USING the system, if that makes sense?
More elaboration here: Tip for practicing PAO