I have wanted to know the answer to what I am going to ask for a long time.I am sure you all have tried to think of the name of a person or a word and it just won't come to you.Maybe an hour later, sooner sometimes, when you have forgotten all about it, the word will pop into your head. Where does the answer come from? Is your brain like a computer with an Internet running in the background searching for the word ? I hope you don't think this is a stupid question. I am new on here and there are so many smart people that I thought maybe someone on here would know. I guess I just like to know how things work.

I know exactly what you're talking about--happens to me all the time. I know I've heard an explanation, but I don't remember what it is--maybe it will come to me later!!!

A little trick I was taught years ago is to mentally run through the alphabet- more often that not mentioning the initial letter 'jars' the memory.

The times when this does not work, the answer usually pops into my head at 3am

How do you know it's there ozzz if you are asleep?

Hee hee, perhaps it taps him on the shoulder, waking him up, in order to remind him.

I usually get yelled at when I ring up the person who asked the question..

I like the alphabet trick, too, and it works often enough to keep me happy. The only flaw with that is that I often fixate on a letter that is within the word rather than beginning the word. However, I if I write something down that I know I'll need to remember, I always have better success remembering it. The flaw there, of course, is remembering to write it down. Basically, I've found that just pleading ignorance gets me more sympathy than when I spontaneously blurt out a wrong answer.

This is the 'let it go' system, designed into human beings but not always discovered. I was told about it long ago, and it shows our minds can retrieve information in the background while consciously busy doing other things. It works for every problem, if you go to bed with an unsolved question, let it go, and frequently you'll wake up with the right answer. Once we realise much of our minds can work without direction from us, we will have a lot more time free and just let the answers we need come to us on their own.
Hypnosis also exploits this method if conducted carefully.

I have always been a list maker, due to having a lousy short - term memory. But as I have more and more things to remember these days...I find myself making lists of my lists. this combined with questionable hearing drives my children over the edge.

Now. What was this thread about again?

Thanks for all your comments. satguru I think your "let it go" system is good. Don't know what I would do with all the spare time.:)Just lately I was trying to think of an old lady's name from years ago.She had cats and when I was small used to go into her yard and she would call me in for cake.There were cats on the table, stove , everywhere you looked. Of course I didn't eat the cake ! It's a favorite memory and I just couldn't think of her name. A week went by and I had forgotten about it and it popped into my head. Now that really made me wonder....are my resources getting low??? ktstew I make lists and notes and when I want one of them for some reason I can't find the one I want.The only list I don't lose is my grocery list...a person has to eat.:) Oh by the way, this thread was about the brain.LOL

I use the 'rat thru the alphabet' trick and 90% of the time it works, I also write things down, like my shopping list (never take it with me tho) find once I've written something down I remember it . . . and if all else fails, I ring my Mum, she's more of a mine of trivial info than I am!

Beautiful, mind. Solutions to complex problems. Ask your question to find your answer. Tonight.

Well going through the alphabet is a good suggestion. But what about those times when you know the first letter and still can't remember the word? Or sometimes you are positive it's the first letter, but it turns out to be a middle letter. Grr, it's frustrating.

But when you finally remember (if you do), it's very refreshing. I guess that makes up for all the frustration!