Welcome!

One of the great tips in this week’s Brainwaves (Page 46) is something I was glad to be reminded of. Reader Fiona, from WA, suggests repeating the name of a person you’veteam there are people like Beth, who might struggle to remember the movie she watched at the weekend, but will know the name of the neighbour she met once six months ago. Beth is pretty much the opposite of Jude, who professes herself terrible at putting names to faces. ‘Once, I bumped into someone at a shop who obviously knew me, but I couldn’t place her at all,’ said Jude. ‘As we chatted, I was desperately trying to pick up cues that would help me remember who she was. That is, until she said, “You don’t know who I am, do you?” “No,” I had to admit. “I’m Bronwyn,” she said. I was so embarrassed, as we had worked together for years. My excuse that she was a teenager in those days, and now looked so grown up, didn’t quite cut it.’ Ouch. That really is one of my worst nightmares. Many’s the time I will know the name of someone’s dog, where they had their last holiday and the fact they hate brussels sprouts, but not their name. Amber is a bit like Beth with names, but she admits she works at it. ‘When I’m introduced to someone, I associate their name with that of a person I know who has the same or a similar name. Works every time,’ she says. I’d love to hear if you have a trick you use!