Sunday, September 21, 2008

Deja Vu All Over Again

I was looking at a computer page about bat facts. Specifically the fact that "blind as a bat" is a misnomer. And I was listening to Sam talk on the phone about big numbers. Business type stuff. And then I was struck. Lost my breath, on the verge of something amazing for a split second. And then it was gone.

Deja Vu. I just had one right this minute. A big one. Because they do vary in size. Or is it depth? Or is it strength? Or is it some combination measurement of place and time? And I thought maybe if I blogged very quickly I could retain a tiny shred of that feeling that washes over you the moment it occurs. That feeling of significance, strangeness, being close to the discovery of something heretofore unknown in our normal tiny sphere of thought. But the meaning of the moment and that unique brand of disorientation quickly dissolves. Not unlike a dream only remembered for moments after waking. That is not a coincidence I'm sure.

Deja Vu. What the hell is it really? I remember from a college course on learning and memory that Deja Vu is possibly a new neural pathway trying to form but getting sidetracked into the memory area of your brain. A new piece of information accidentally processed as a memory.

Very neat and tidy. Makes sense. But what about that feeling? And why am I so sure that I dreamed it. Dreamed it and remembered it? About a month ago I think. And I'm almost sure I tried to tell Sam as we were waking up. Because it was so comical. A bat fact. Why were you looking at a bat fact? I have no idea, but I was and you were having a serious discussion with someone right next to me.

That's the trick, see. If only you could tell someone or write it down. Then you would know for sure. Not a sidetracked neural pathway. Something far more interesting. But that would change everything wouldn't it? So it couldn't possibly be true.

After 3 minutes of blogging I have returned to my baseline level of orientation. In nursing we don't say "normal", we say "baseline". It's all relative to how oriented one was to begin with .
Psychic revelation safely averted. Time to return to my bat fact. Due in kindergarten class at 9am tomorrow.

Did you know that the common brown bat can live for over 30 years? It's true.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"A new piece of information accidentally processed as a memory."

I once knew a guy who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Every time he experienced deja vu, it was as if he was forgetting something all over again...

Personally, I think it's a subtle realization that we are all somehow trapped in the final episode of "The Bob Newhart Show."

;)

I'm Nauseous!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and...

FIRST!!!

:)

Eva said...

I love having little deja vu moments, but they can be unsettling. It seems women have them more than men - what does that mean?

Of course, now that I know I'm just part of the Bob Newhart show maybe it won't be so scary for me. (I love that by the way!)

Wait...so why were you looking up stuff on bats on the internet?

Cynthia said...

I regret that I am in fact old enough to get that Bob Newhart reference. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we were all trapped in an outdated sitcom. In fact it would explain a lot.

I'll ignore the FIRST! comment as it seems to be a very sarcastic font.

My son recieved a special assignment to present one bat fact each day to his class. He's 5. That really means I have recieved a special assignment to prepare a bat fact and a visual aid every night.

If you need any info on bats, I'm totally your go-to person.

Anonymous said...

That wasn't sarcasm... I was just being an idiot.

Sorry.


It's great that you go to bat for your son like that!

:)

Cynthia said...

In that case...goofiness is always encouraged :)

Anonymous said...

Wait...I could swear that I read a post from you about this before. Maybe it was a dream. Deja Vu. (Just kidding.)

I went to school with Bob Newhart's daughter and he used to speak at our school all the time! She was really nice, by the way.

Cherise

Cynthia said...

Awwww. Look at you coming by my little monkey blog. Tanks.

Wow I really wish I'd written something funny since you're here n' all. Oh well.

I would have loved to have Bob Newhart speak at my school! I was at the ghetto school. They wouldn't let famous people come there.

jack said...

So this old guy goes to the doctor. The doctor says " I am sorry to tell you this but you have cancer and you have Alzheimer's disease." The old guy replies " Alzheimer's ? Well at least I don't have cancer."