Ever Lose Something and go Crazy trying to find it?

[PA PATRIOT]

Day two and still MIA.

Maybe its time to interrogate the kids.

After that the cat.

And maybe the in-laws.

It has to be someone Else's fault.

I never lose anything!

[warpigM-4]

I am still looking for my sanity

[K.L. Davis]

I wrote a piece on this for a sniper publication once... I wish I could find the original, I spoke with several medical types and discovered the world of perceptual psychology -- here is the quick rundown on the difference between looking and seeing:

We have all had this happen, I like to use the pair of scissors in the junk drawer in your kitchen... you know the ones? So you go into the kitchen to get them, open that drawer, but they are not there -- they should be, but they are not.

So you close the drawer and look elsewhere: pile of clothes, reloading table, gear bag and if you are like me... you sort of lose focus and end up outside looking under the seat of your truck, where you find that Skynard CD you lost and listen to a couple of songs... a couple of times each.

Then, back to the hunt... which picks up back in the kitchen, at the junk drawer... still no joy. About the third time you check that drawer, you close it rather... let's say, enthusiastically, to which the spousal unit responds "what are you looking for"

Much to your dismay, when you tell her the scissors... she opens the drawer and picks them up, sets them on the counter and says "you look so good" -- which leaves you thinking two things: Where the hell where those scissors? And, burn the witch.

I can't help you with the second... but the first is not that hard really; you see, you did not see... you looked, but did not see.

We have been taught in numerous sci-if movies that some animals can only see things if the object moves... but that is not what is happening, regardless of how much we are starting to look and act like dinosaurs.

We, clever top-of-the-food-chain types see by using object and pattern recognition, so when you looked in that drawer, you most likely formed an image of the scissors (orange handles, blades closed, small ring to the top, points to the left) and looked for that image... if you did not see that image, you did not see the scissors -- which were laying tips pointing away, small ring to the right.

The good news is that you can teach yourself to overcome this... to some extent anyway; the bad news is that your wife will still find things you miss.

That, and for some strange reason, you put the Skynard CD back under the seat and will not remember where it is tomorrow.

[Pilgrim]

We have a new Lab puppy in the family. Put something down around her, and it will disappear for a few days, when you find it, it will be with mixed emotions, as it will be all chewed up.

As an aside, I hate it when I lose magazines... set a PMAG down in the house somewhere for a second... then spend an hour looking for it!

[bkb0000]

We, clever top-of-the-food-chain types see by using object and pattern recognition, so when you looked in that drawer, you most likely formed an image of the scissors (orange handles, blades closed, small ring to the top, points to the left) and looked for that image... if you did not see that image, you did not see the scissors -- which were laying tips pointing away, small ring to the right.

"inattentional blindness," i believe is the psychology term. causes traffic crashes, billions in lost profits in corporations, and makes you late to work at least once a month.

so you said we can work to correct it- but you DIDNT SAY HOW!

i realize simply being aware of the phenomenon makes it easier.. but if you have some expertise, do share!

[MSP "Sarge"]

A few years ago I couldn't find the key to my tool box. Looked all over. A few days later I went to fill up the car and there it was. Inside the gas cap door. The little one said he put it there for safe keeping. So he would know where it was.

[K.L. Davis]

"inattentional blindness," i believe is the psychology term. causes traffic crashes, billions in lost profits in corporations, and makes you late to work at least once a month.

so you said we can work to correct it- but you DIDNT SAY HOW!

i realize simply being aware of the phenomenon makes it easier.. but if you have some expertise, do share!

Actually, just being aware of it helps a lot... but when we teach how to look for or observe something, we work on having the person not concentrate on the whole, think about parts of what you are looking for... colors... patterns... distinct shapes that do not change.

Here is an interesting thing to try next time you look in that drawer and the scissors (or whatever) are not there - close the drawer and then shake it back and forth, pulling it in and out a little a few times to "shake" up what is in it... then look inside and see what you find, when you mind knows that the contents are mixed up and it will be looking for them at random.

[Dunderway]

We have a new Lab puppy in the family. Put something down around her, and it will disappear for a few days, when you find it, it will be with mixed emotions, as it will be all chewed up.

As an aside, I hate it when I lose magazines... set a PMAG down in the house somewhere for a second... then spend an hour looking for it!

My old neighbor had two ferrets for many years. When they fiinally moved they noticed a small hole in the wall where the couch had been. They proceded to tear into the sheetrock and found an entire stash full of rings, pens, watches, you name it. At least they got all of their stuff and had someone to blame it on.

[obucina]

some days i think i need to low-jack my brain!

[jaholder]

BTDT this week.

I misplaced a thumb drive, 1 Gig half full of files I needed. One file was a master database I'd been working on for a year!

I finally found it in a company vehicle I borrowed last week when mine was in the shop. It was the boss's and she mentioned that he though she saw it in the console. There it was!

I was so happy I kissed her on the forehead when I came back in!