As I’ve been getting older and my late night studying sessions fade into distant memories, I’ve found it more difficult than ever to remember things. I can remember people’s birthdays without effort and without fail (that’s another post entirely), but numbers, addresses, and lists just can’t stick. Luckily, I realized that using mnemonic devices actually works. Crazy, right? Most of the facts I learned in school are long gone, either gathering dust somewhere in the deepest confines of my brain’s filing cabinet or lost entirely. However, any facts I associated with a mnemonic device I can spout off like it was five minutes before an important final.

So how do I go about finding mnemonic devices that stick? Just try and have a little R&R: make it rhyme and make it ridiculous. If you’re a fan of Modern Family, you might remember Phil Dunphy’s silly way of remembering people’s names.

“The other day I met this guy named Carl. Now, I might forget that name, but he was wearing a Grateful Dead t-shirt. What’s a band like the Grateful Dead? Phish. Where do fish live? The ocean. What else lives in the ocean? Coral. Hello, Co-arl.”

This quote is hilarious because it’s so ridiculous. But truthfully, the more ridiculous your mnemonic, the easier it can be to remember. And as Phil Dunphy demonstrates, use what works best for you. If the standard mnemonic device doesn’t help you remember, then create one that will. Even if it’s a four-step one like Phil’s, remembering a name after ten seconds of thinking is better than not remembering at all. So let’s start with a well-known mnemonic you might already employ.

ROY G. BIV: everyone’s favorite color remembering system. ROY G. BIV is the mnemonic device for the colors of the rainbow in order from top to bottom. While the simple name can help most remember the colors, it helps me to take it a step further. I imagine Roy G. Biv as an eccentric fine arts professor teaching his students about color theory. For class, he dresses in the colors of the rainbow from top to bottom: red hat, orange bow tie, yellow shirt, green belt, blue shorts, indigo socks, and violet shoes. Ridiculous, right? But I never forget. Now let’s look at one I used in 7th grade science class.

Ants Have No Fear Of Ice Cold Beer is the rhyming phrase I used to remember the eight elements of the periodic table that exist in diatomic states, meaning they form molecules consisting of only two atoms (e.g. Oxygen is written O2). While this is a list of items that serves me no real purpose in life, I’ll never forget it. Just picture the little ants enjoying a cold one during a hot summer picnic. The more rhymes you can fit in, the better. There’s a reason nursery rhymes are so easy to remember.

So what about common, everyday things like your ATM PIN? While four numbers isn’t particularly difficult to remember for some, I still prefer to have a mnemonic device in my back pocket just in case. Let’s say your PIN is 8279. You might conveniently have a previous association with these two numbers. Maybe you were born in ’82 and your brother in ’79. If not, come up with a little phrase to help you remember. For PINs, I recommend making it conversational, short, and to use loose rhyming. Hey isn’t an exact rhyme for eight, but no other number from 0-9 sounds as much like it. Clementine is an uncommon name where the Clemen sounds like seven and tine rhymes with nine. And to top it off, when you’re typing in your PIN, always think of a friend calling out to a tiny little orange.

So next time you find yourself cramming for a test, trying to remember your PIN, or memorizing the definition of a word, get ridiculous and come up with some mnemonic devices. And remember, don’t lay your tent over a latent volcano.

WARNING: This post contains spoilers.

When I saw the Chronicle trailer, I was pretty intrigued. In two short minutes, I gathered that three kids find some mysterious thing out in the woods, develop telekinetic powers, and one of them begins to use these powers for destruction. And truth be told, that’s exactly how the film progresses. However, weaved throughout the already revealed plot are witty dialogue, sweet flying scenes, and honest commentary on the human condition.

The film plays off everyone’s wish for super powers. How cool would it be to move things with your mind? The three main characters Andrew, Matt, and Steve find a strange hole in the middle of the woods. After crawling inside, they encounter something that can only be described as other-worldly. After some bloody noses and a blackout, they discover they have developed telekinetic powers. The first display of these powers is throwing a baseball around in the backyard. I was concerned at this point, because the graphics were pretty terrible. But don’t fret, the special effects get much better. Over several weeks, the boys grow their powers: moving cars and even themselves, effectively learning how to fly. They become best friends, sharing in their new abilities. Andrew, an abused and bullied loner, finally begins to blossom.

They soon discover, though, that superhero comics aren’t too far off. That with great power, comes great responsibility. Andrew, whose life is a prerequisite for deranged killings, begins to abuse his power. He shows no remorse for forcing a man’s truck off the road and finds artful pleasure in decimating a passing spider. The fun-loving Matt and Steve are no match for Andrew’s anger, unable to bring him back from the edge he stepped over. He identifies himself as an “apex killer”, justifying his merciless destruction of everyone around him. Matt is finally able to stop Andrew with some quick thinking and a conveniently placed warrior statue. This scene is so badass, it’s funny; we all found ourselves laughing.

The showcase of the boys’ telekinetic powers is worth seeing the film on its own. The simple pranks every teenage boy would love to pull are a jumping off point of innocence and fun. Watching Andrew slowly morph into a killing machine is both scary and mesmerizing. The most pivotal scene is his analysis of how he ripped three of his classmate’s teeth out. It’s so guiltless and sadistic, you can only assume what will happen next.

photo by my dad, Rolland Erickson

The last week has been a whirlwind of planning, designing, and coding. This year’s JSConf is in my hometown of Scottsdale, AZ. It’s a gathering of JavaScript enthusiasts, committed to the new and cutting-edge in JS and the web and, of course, some jovial celebration. Meltmedia jumped at the opportunity to sponsor and plan a pre-conference. After some brainstorming and silly name suggestions, NotConf was born.

NotConf is an all-day event on April 1st featuring speakers, intimate demos, live music, local Arizona brewed beers and food trucks, and plenty of time to socialize with other JS geeks. It will be held at the Arizona Historical Society at Papago Park, a venue perfect for showcasing the beautiful Phoenix landscape and weather. NotConf is calling for speakers, demos, and volunteers. Register to attend or just check out the responsive website created in a few short days by the meltmedia team.

“When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.”