Finding Direction in Detours

This morning, a friend of mine texted me, she was annoyed that she had finally gotten to the office early for once, but somehow, she forgot to bring her laptop…TGIF!!!

Coincidentally, during my drive into work this morning, I was listening to the Elvis Duran show, and they were talking about those classic “Wait, what was I doing?” moments. Lately there are so many times that I head somewhere with a purpose – maybe to grab my phone, feed the dog, or start laundry – but halfway there, I completely blank. So, I do what any seasoned multitasker does: I backtrack like a confused squirrel until the memory pops back in.

How many times have I been on a call on my cell, while searching frantically for my cell because I am running late leaving the house… And the keys. Oh, those keys love to play hide and seek with me!

And yet, if you cue up any song from the 90s – “No Scrubs,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Wonderwall,” “Vogue”-I can sing every word like I’m headlining a nostalgia tour. So how is it that I can remember lyrics from decades ago, but forget what I was doing five minutes ago?

Turns out, memory is an interesting beast. Elvis and the crew were talking about the different types of memory, and I had to laugh at how perfectly they explain my daily chaos. Here’s a breakdown:

Episodic Memory – Your personal highlight reel.
Example: I vividly remember slow dancing to “I’ll Make Love to You” at a high school dance and the exact outfit I wore, but ask me to recall the details of a disagreement with my husband? Poof! Gone. Selective memory, or self-preservation?

Semantic Memory – Facts and general knowledge.
Example: I know that Destiny’s Child came before Beyoncé’s solo career, that “Waterfalls” is a cautionary tale, and that minivans are banned from my driveway. Forever!!!!

Procedural Memory – How to do things, like making coffee half-asleep.
Example: I can still do the Macarena without thinking, and I can fold laundry while singing “Ironic” in perfect harmony.

Working Memory – Short-term, in-the-moment memory.
Example: Why I walked into the kitchen. What I was just saying. Where I put my keys. This is the one that likes to ghost me mid-task.

Emotional Memory – Feelings tied to experiences.
Example: The ache of losing Guillermo. The joy of watching my daughter fly a plane. The rush of hearing “I Want It That Way” and instantly flashing back to belting it out with your best friends.

So yes, memory loss at “this age” is real – but it’s also selective, layered, and sometimes hilarious. Our brains prioritize what’s emotionally charged, repeated often, or tied to music (especially the kind we screamed into hairbrushes). And the rest? Well, it might need a little backtracking.

If you’ve ever walked into a room and forgotten why, just hum a little TLC or Spice Girls. Your brain might not remember your to-do list, but it’ll never forget the rhythm of your youth.