[Saqwnht]

This is an interesting idea.

Not to change the subject, but I've wondered that same thing about psychopathy as well. A detachment from one's conscience. Dissociation brought on by a lessening of need for bonding with others in modern society. A dehumanization process that is an unfortunate consequence of technological advancement.

Buzzkillington! Take that kinda talk somewhere else. This is a cool thread, don't you go foul it up with psychopaths. That's what the entire rest of GSUS is for.

I am only half kidding. You could be onto something with your idea. It seems possible, but it is depressing to think about it.

[fluistulkn]

I see days of the week clockwise and like you, months are counter-clockwise. When I think about a timeframe, a specific date, I visualize the exact spot on the oval.

I see life events by my age and it's a ribbon pattern that curves beginning at age 29 (before age 29, it's a straight line), then it curves by decade. So strange! So when I think of something in the past or future, I picture that location on the ribbon with a visual memory of whatever I'm remembering.

Yes this is exactly how I see the decades of my life like a big ribbon. so cool

[Saqwnht]

Yes this is exactly how I see the decades of my life like a big ribbon. so cool

What is going on here? I feel so left out. You guys are all evolved and I just have this monkey brain, with no cool special effects.

I wonder what the odds are that with our small group of regulars here, that we'd have a collection of you 'synesthetes'?

I am so intrigued. I wish I could see dates as ribbons, smell sounds, or hear scents and whatever else combo there is. Very cool.

[socialkiiii]

I wish I could see dates as ribbons I don't know. Ribbons? I think I'd rather see a date as a pretty woman.

[indahouweres]

I see days of the week clockwise and like you, months are counter-clockwise. When I think about a timeframe, a specific date, I visualize the exact spot on the oval.

I see life events by my age and it's a ribbon pattern that curves beginning at age 29 (before age 29, it's a straight line), then it curves by decade. So strange! So when I think of something in the past or future, I picture that location on the ribbon with a visual memory of whatever I'm remembering.

I had never thought about it before, but I also see the days of the week clockwise. I also see a date on my year circle as a definite spot. BUT, the spot is not correct. Summer takes up a lot more of the circle than any of the other seasons.

I'm going to have to contact family members to see if anyone else sees things like I do. There is supposed to be a hereditary component. I read that more women than men have this and even more left handed women (I am).

My father and I both "see" a book in color as we are reading. If an author adds a detail later in a book that conflicts with what our minds had been seeing, we both get a little confused and annoyed.

But the way I found out about this synesthesia is a friend noticed her daughter was talking about colors of numbers while doing a math assignment. So when I searched for info on it, I found the spatial form of it and couldn't believe it. I never knew anyone studied this or that there was a name for it.

\

My two year old son is learning his letters and numbers with those foam, colored pieces. When I ask him "what letter is this?", he will often respond with the color and letter. It could be that people with color synesthesia are subconciously remembering the foam letters or wooden blocks that they learned with. In fact, that could be true for all kinds. I'm pretty sure my parents used a book to help teach me seasons and months. It could be that that book used a counter clockwise illustration with the summer bigger than it should be. I don't remember, but maybe my subconsious does.

[Vezazvqw]

I read that it could be as many as 1 in 23 people who have this. And to me, it's not a big deal because it's just always the way I've seen things. I don't think I even discussed it with anyone until I was in my 30's and not in much depth and I think I only discussed it with my husband.

If you're thinking about a past memory, you visually see it, right? I see it and also have a location for it. But if something else happened on the same date in another year, it would have the same location in my mind. It would just be further away.

If I'm thinking about an event coming up in early October, it would be to the right of where we are now but if I think about Halloween, it's much further to the right and there is a bend at the end of October leading into November. I see that location when I think about the date.

Then there's November, December and January and mid-January another bend.

Only here could I discuss this. Thank you for letting me!

[indahouweres]

I am completely fascinated by all of this!

I also think it's interestingly coincidental that you and horseshoe3 both have numbers in your usernames. In fact, I am pretty sure I have nearly mistaken you two before . . . way back when.

I don't know about sunshine05, but my username is not a coincidence. It was determined over 100 years ago.

[rikdpola]

...
I should draw it sometime, what it looks like to me.
...

I would love to see you try to draw this. Have you seen any drawings from others online? Are they similar to what you see?

[rikdpola]

I don't know about sunshine05, but my username is not a coincidence. It was determined over 100 years ago.

GIM1 wasn't that long ago.

[Vezazvqw]

I had never thought about it before, but I also see the days of the week clockwise. I also see a date on my year circle as a definite spot. BUT, the spot is not correct. Summer takes up a lot more of the circle than any of the other seasons.



My father and I both "see" a book in color as we are reading. If an author adds a detail later in a book that conflicts with what our minds had been seeing, we both get a little confused and annoyed.

\

My two year old son is learning his letters and numbers with those foam, colored pieces. When I ask him "what letter is this?", he will often respond with the color and letter. It could be that people with color synesthesia are subconciously remembering the foam letters or wooden blocks that they learned with. In fact, that could be true for all kinds. I'm pretty sure my parents used a book to help teach me seasons and months. It could be that that book used a counter clockwise illustration with the summer bigger than it should be. I don't remember, but maybe my subconsious does.

I always thought that too - that maybe I learned the calendar and days that way in Kindergarten or something and it just stuck. I suppose that is possible.

[Vezazvqw]

I would love to see you try to draw this. Have you seen any drawings from others online? Are they similar to what you see?

This is similar to what I see, only mine is shifted a little and I don't see colors associated with the months.

synesthesia1.png

[Geetiill]

I.... I am speechless ! This is all so beautiful, I have NEVER heard of these things in my life ! The ribbon thing is over the top FASCINATING !! WOW !!

I think this goes back to the beginning--when the brain is being formed in the womb.

Sunshine05, Thank You so much for this thread & letting us learn about this awesome subject !



"Every minute roughly a quarter of a million new neurons is being produced in an unborn baby. By the time the baby is born they will then have over 100 billion neurons in the brain.
The brain is not just developing in order for the child to use it once its born, but the child is already storing data and memories and much much more before the mother even goes in labor. "

http://angela-michelle.hubpages.com/...w-About-Itself

[Geetiill]

Also, is the ribbon seen in color, too ? And do you know if your mother ate alot of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds when she was pregnant wth you ?

Any idea ? Or could you find out ? Sorry to be so nosey, I'm just in awe.

[Vezazvqw]

Also, Is the ribbon seen in color, too, and do you know if your mother ate ALOT of fresh fruits & vegetables, nuts, seeds during her pregnancy with you ?
Any idea, Or are you able to find that out ? Sorry to be so nosey. I'm just in awe.

The time ribbon is not any color. The only thing I know my mom ate a lot of during her pg with me was cherry pie. I think it's probably mostly hereditary and maybe related to visual spatial learning styles. I always loved math, even up to and including Calc III in college. It was easy for me and I could do it all day long. Loved it!

[Vezazvqw]

Horseshoe3 - you said Summer takes up more space. For me, months all have equal space but days do not. Saturday and Sunday have the same amount of space as Monday through Friday and we know that 2 does not equal 5.

This is what my days look like, only there is a distinct oval.

Weekdays.jpg

[rikdpola]

Just wow. Can you only see it when you need/want to?

[Geetiill]

What about emotions ? How are your emotions connected to all of this ?

When you think about a traumatic life event or a happy life-changing event, how does it affect or does it affect any of these unique memory qualities ?

For example, the birth of child--how do you remember this ? I mean does the ribbon change during that time etc, etc ?

[Vezazvqw]

Just wow. Can you only see it when you need/want to?

I pretty much see it all the time. Like I'm thinking about tomorrow...Saturday, and I see where Saturday is but I don't consciously think about it. I'm not obsessed with it or anything.

When I wake up in the morning and have to think about what day it is, I visually see where I am in time and then know the day.

[Vezazvqw]

What about emotions ? How are your emotions connected to all of this ?

When you think about a traumatic life event or a happy life-changing event, how does it affect or does it affect any of these unique memory qualities ?

For example, the birth of child--how do you remember this ? I mean does the ribbon change during that time etc, etc ?

No, I don't have any differences based on emotions. The ribbon never changes, it's just there. And the month and day ovals never change or are highlighted or anything. I just go right to the location when I think about a date and almost put a bookmark there if I have something scheduled.

[Geetiill]

What about this....I can remember every persons birthday that I've ever met in my life. ( if I was told their birthday when I knew them ) so my mind has a different persons birthday in my head continually. It's permanently bookmarked in my brain. Does your head do this ? UGH. Not only that , i see it coming ahead of time and remember that person in my head for days until their birthday has passed and then somebody else's is always coming up around the corner.
Even if I haven't seen or heard from the person in several decades or since I was a kid.
?