The things we remember

I have the WORST memory. It is absolutely terrible. My brain immediately erases every bit of information it decides it won’t need in the future.

Sometimes it makes a mistake and ditches stuff I do need, like when I run into someone who appears to know me really well and I have no frigging clue who they are.

Or when people will wax lyrical about significant life moments we’ve shared and I draw a total blank.

It’s like that passage in Bill Bryson’s Walk in The Woods when Bill asks Katz what happened to all the food he was supposed to be carrying on their hike and he replies that each item was “flung” because it was too heavy.

Maybe my memories were too heavy?

I dunno, but there are huge memory gaps.

Before you start suggesting I see a neurologist – it’s been happening since long before I had kids.

On the other hand, my brain retains some really useless stuff.

For example, every time I hear “Boys Light Up” on the radio I’m suddenly and very vividly transported to my grandparents’ double fibro garage in Hawks Nest during the 1981 school holidays.

I’m listening to 2KO as I peddle on an exercise bike and Boys Light Up starts playing. I suddenly realise the lyrics are about something naughty and that “mother’s little helper” isn’t Serepax or vodka.

My mouth drops open in shock.

End of memory.

Oddly enough, I have no recollection of being startled by the lyrics of Chrissie Amphlett’s “I touch myself”. You’d have thought that would stand out far more clearly in a teenager’s mind. I’m also not sure what I thought about Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax”, other than regarding it as an awesome song, I kinda think I must have known that one was rude, how could you not?

How on earth do both of them continue to get widespread radio airplay? I listen to them now and think ermagerd!

And isn’t it funny that those two songs are fine to air with their overt sexual concepts, but there must be radio edits of ones with swear words?

Humans have weird definitions of acceptable. Kinda like how I thought it was hilarious to watch Zombieland with the kids last Saturday night, which was horrifyingly violent; but I found the scene in Breath where the chick wants to have sex with a pink plastic bag over her head extremely disturbing viewing with my 13 year old.

Anyways, DD and I are thinking of going to see James Reyne on the Red Hot Summer tour … just to clarify why I’m waffling on about Australian Crawl.

I wonder if he’ll sing Boys Light Up?

I was never much of a fan of Oz rock, other than Hunters & Collectors (who are also playing at Red Hot Summer, and who also have a secretly very rude song called The Slab) in my youth, but I’ve grown to appreciate Cold Chisel and AC/DC and the rest in my middle years.

My sister saw Boom Crash Opera last year – also playing at Red Hot Summer – and reckons they were still awesome.

Very tempting ….

Speaking of memories – the person who stars in my second earliest one – my preschool friend Megz – is having heart surgery this morning. Sending heaps of best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.

Song of the day: Australian Crawl “Boys light up”