To not be able to remember the alphabet?

[lincolnshirelassy]

Was putting my contacts in order on database at work this morning. Absolutely could not remember what letter came after P. Was convinced it was U for some time. I actually had to look it up and check!!!

So, has anyone else done anything quite as bonkers as this? Children are 15, 12 and 8 so pregnancy fog/baby brain can no longer be used as an excuse. Have I got early onset dementia?

[Leelu6]

Absolutely could not remember what letter came after P

First letter that came into my mind was 'O'

I blame P&O Ferries

YANBU

[megletthesecond]

It's not just you. My personal best was forgetting the name for a spoon. I called it a round shape with a long handle .

[CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt]

U rhymes with Q - maybe once you'd fixated on U, you couldn't get past that iyswim.

I can't just say instantly what comes after some letters - particularly at the end. I often have to say a chunk in my head to work it out.

[DropYourSword]

I do things like this sometimes. The worst was when I was given a lift home by a colleague and I couldn't remember my address. I mean, I knew where I lived, but I just couldn't remember the street name. I often struggle to find the correct word.

[SaucyJack]

Ella mella P Q.

Simples.

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

As long as your job doesn't depend on it, it's fine!

I wouldn't be impressed if a teacher of learner readers couldn't remember, but I think the rest of us are fine.

Same with algebra, trig and the French word for Thursday.

I don't use them every day, so they get shoved to the back of my brain.

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

And q and u go together in most English words...

[Cheesymonster]

I have to sing the song every time.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

I've always been like that to be honest.

I am reasonably clever and do a professional job but I always struggle with the alphabet (and times tables) I have to start at A and go from there, I struggle if I have guess in the middle.

[liz70]

How old are you? Are you or could you be coming close to perimenopause? I ask because I have recently finished going through menopause (last period November 2014) - I am 45 - and in the run up to it I would frequently say a sentence but come out with a completely different word in it, to the one I meant to say. I think it must have been hormones addling my brain. I don't seem to be doing that so much now, touch wood. Perhaps something similar in your case?

[squoosh]

I can say the alphabet backwards in five seconds.

[Ludoole]

Sometimes i write my first name and it doesnt look right
Its the same name ive had for almost 40 years and consists of just 4 letters!!

[MetalMidget]

"I have to sing the song every time"

Same here, I'm incapable of reciting the alphabet without it breaking into the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...

[wasonthelist]

I often have to go back several letters to get the order right. I've never been able to place each and every letter reliably.

I am and always have been the same with times tables - I often have to go back to the previous one I can remember.

I am otherwise quite bright - always had a decent job etc - I think this just something to do with how some people's brains work.

[steakpunararemediumwelldone]

I never do it with letters but I still have to pick up a pen to remember which is left and which is right.

[WhataRacquet]

Thanks to watching Sesame Street everyday as a child I never have this problem!

I also know all the people in my neighbourhood

[BeverlyGoldberg]

A recent low point was asking DH if Tanqueray was a different sort of Manteray. Reply came back, "no isn't that a sort of gin"... "Oh yes, what an excellent idea".

[lincolnshirelassy]

Hilarious responses thanks...

As for singing the song every time....well yes I always do that and I did it this time 'm,n,o,p....u,'I was convinced u came after p until I went a bit further...'r,s,t,u' and realised u couldn't be in the alphabet twice.

Peri-menopause...dunno, I'm 38 so quite young yet. I wouldn't mind tbh, had my kids and sick of PMT!!!!

[CaptainMerryWeather]

I have to go through sections of the alphabet and think about left & right.

So YANBU - normal in fact, in my company!

[squoosh]

I have to take a second to remember which is left and which is right. Have always been like that though.

[Breadandwine]

I used to do an odd hour or so at my wife's playgroup - mainly so I could unwind after a nightshift.

I made up a proper phonetic alphabet, song. Which went 'a buh cuh', instead of 'ay bee see'.

Like this:

a buh cuh duh e fuh guh
huh i juh kuh luh muh nuh
o puh kwu ruh suh tuh uh
vuh wuh kss yuh zuh, that's all.

Now I know my a buh cuh
Won't you sing along with muh

Collapse in fits of giggles - because of the silly rhyme.

The kids got this - much more relevant, don't you think?

(You'll need to practice this a bit before unleashing it on your LOs!)

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Breadandwine I probably owe you some royalties then, I've been singing it like that since DC1 (almost 6) started nursery at 3.5

OP I'd have been ok if it was written down but if you just asked me in passing I'd have been stumped & had to sing the song.

[CakeNinja]

I'm the same with the rhyme see saw Marjorie door, I always used to sing "chickedy chickedy chicken" after it because I couldn't remember the real words and now I've really forgotten the real words

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

CakeNinja

See Saw
Marjorie Daw (or Door)
Johnny will have a new master
For he will earn
But a penny a day
Because he can't work
Any faster

[Birdsgottafly]

My DD gave me a DVD list that she wanted for Christmas.

It was excruciating trying to work out were they would be in the Alphabetical layout of HMV.

I forget words all the time as well.

It isn't a memory issue, as such, because when I watch Quiz Shows, I do ok.