Processing the Litter from the Day

I met someone recently who told me she sees colors when she closes her eyes to go to sleep at night. I hadn't heard this before and it sounded like some sort of synesthesia, so I decided to ask Meredith if she experienced the same thing. She told me that she doesn't see colors, but she does do something else when she goes to bed that amazes me and highlights beautifully how she processes information visually.

Meredith said that when she goes to sleep at night, she will review her day from beginning to end and then backwards again, sometimes three or four times in a row. When she is doing that, she files away things that she didn't get a chance to file away earlier in the day. She explained that if things don't get filed away, it is very unnerving and gives her a lot of anxiety. In fact, she explained that her little mental assistant, Merebith, goes around Brainsburg (the city in which she lives) like a janitor picking up all the litter from the day. The "litter" is the bits and pieces of information that she needs to file. Once Merebith collects all the litter, she files it away in the Treasure of Files.

After hearing this, I asked another very visual thinker I know whether she did the same thing at night. She said that she reviews her day starting from the beginning and, like Meredith, files information away that she didn't get to earlier. She agreed that unless everything is filed away, she gets very anxious. For her, she calls this process "clearing the mechanism."

"And, We're Renovating!"

One evening Meredith asked me to help her study for a test she was having the next day. As often happens, I could see the stress building and building as we started. Meredith kept complaining of a headache. Finally after it was clear we were getting little to no return for our efforts, I told Meredith (in all seriousness) that she probably had a headache because Merebith was running all over her brain trying to get the files she needed. Without skipping a beat, Meredith responded with gusto, "Yeah, and we're renovating."


Renovating? I wasn't expecting that. "What do you mean you're renovating?" I asked. "Mom, whenever I get smarter I have to make more room for my files," she said as if this was basic information I should already know. She explained that everything was a mess, that all the files were on the floor, and that a new area was being constructed. "That's a lot of work for Merebith...does she do that all by herself?" I asked.  She responded with new information: "Mom...all the characters that I've ever drawn make up the construction crew. Even that first person I ever drew in preschool--the one with the head and the legs coming straight off of it with no body."

Wow...Meredith must have drawn thousands of characters over the years. She's always adopting new ways to draw hairstyles, clothes, shoes... That's pretty amazing. Once again I had to digest this new information. I asked where Merebith slept while all this was going on. "Oh, she goes to her house. The Treasure of Files is just where she works." I followed up with, "What's Merebith's house like?" imagining the treasure trove that must be. Meredith explained that it is a really big house. "And Mom...all the artwork that I've ever made is hanging on the walls," she added with enthusiasm. Once again, I get the little shock from this new information. Like the characters, Meredith has made an abundance of artworks over the years.

Speaking of being a visual thinker, it's fun to imagine myself what Merebith's house looks like. I wonder how far my vision of Merebith's house differs from Meredith's vision. Do you make pictures in your mind of things that people describe to you?   I was talking to my hairstylist and the owner of the hair salon--imagining that they must both be very visual thinkers. The owner told me that he always has this experience of making a mental picture of what a client looks like when he is on the phone with her taking the appointment. Then he is often surprised when the client walks in the salon for the first time because she doesn't look like the picture he constructed. I would assume most people have this experience to some degree (or not?), but the people I've spoken with who are extremely visual seem to take it to a new level!

Oh, I just remembered that Meredith also said somewhere in that conversation that while Merebith is away, a security force of ants guards the Treasure of Files. She added that in emergency situations when the ants need to get the people out of the area, they yell, "Move it, move it, move it," gesturing with their hands (or legs, I suppose) to get moving on the double. I wonder where in the world the idea for army ants came from! I'll have to ask her and report back to you.

The Treasure of Files

Merebith holds the key to the "Treasure of Files"

The "Treasure of Files" is where Merebith works. It is where Meredith stores all of her mental images and Merebith helps her to retrieve the files. From what she has described, Meredith has lots and lots of files and Merebith is VERY busy at her job. Meredith told me that sometimes Merebith works so hard, she has to pause, huffing and puffing away! I have heard Meredith describe files for each grade, files for vacation memories, files on people that contain words that describe that person in a font and color that she associates with that person--I'm white with orange heart polka dots, for example.

The day she told me this (the BIG discovery day), I was testing her with questions (because c'mon...how could she possibly do this?).  I asked her to tell me what was in the "A" file, and she started listing off her friends and classmates whose names started with the letter A. She looked up when she was telling me what she saw...I remember learning that you look up when you are accessing your memory. I asked her if she had a file on her principal, Ms. Hohmann, and she looked up, not responding right away. She kept looking and looking and then said, "Oh, there it is! It was misfiled under letter G." Whoa, I did not see that coming. I have come to understand that if Meredith doesn't have a file for something, she won't be able to remember it. That is why it is important to give visual learners the big picture, or some sort of context before teaching them something. They need to attach it to something. Dr. Florance taught me that the engine of the visual thinking pathway is the "Associator." Visual thinking works by association. It is not sequential or time-based...time is not the strong suit for visual thinkers!!! Anyone who lives with a strong visual thinker is keenly aware of this!

Merry Christmas to Merebith!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Just a news flash to tell you that Merebith has passed out due to the excitement of receiving a deluxe pink new video camera for Christmas.  (Santa Claus brought Meredith a new video camera for Christmas...Merebith pretty much experiences everything that Meredith does, but usually in a much exaggerated way.  For instance, Meredith has told me that if she is cold, it is snowing for Merebith.)  "Brainta Claus" must have paid a visit to "Brainsburg."  Brainsburg is the town where Merebith lives in Meredith's mind.  There is a lot to explore in Brainsburg, like where Merebith goes to work everyday at the Treasure of Files, the Braines & Noble bookstore, Merebith's house, and much more.  Oh, the Treasure of Files...I have so much to tell you about!!!  More to come...