--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have terrible short-term memory loss…" description: "\"I have terrible short-term memory loss, which I like to think of as Presidential eligibility.\" — Paula Poundstone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg" --- # I have terrible short-term memory loss, which I like to… ![“I have terrible short-term memory loss, which I like to think of as Presidential eligibility.” quote by Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg) > “I have terrible short-term memory loss, which I like to think of as Presidential eligibility.” [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She jokes that her memory loss makes her unfit for office, highlighting absurdity. **In simple terms:** Memory loss as a funny excuse for ineligibility. Key Takeaway Use humor to reframe personal challenges. Themes humor politics self‑deprecation Mood lighthearted ironic Type comedic satirical When to use this quote - political debates - job interviews - daily conversations - memory training apps Key Concepts cognitive bias public perception Questions to Reflect On - What does humor reveal about self‑image? - When is joking inappropriate? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious health issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eligibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eligibility/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-loss/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Short term memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term-memory/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I have short-term memory loss, though I'd like to think of it as Persidential eligibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-have-short-term-memory-loss-though-i-d-like-to-think-of-it-as/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I don't know anyone who's going to see Grind 22 times in the theater. My mom. Some kid who has short-term memory loss and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-brody/i-don-t-know-anyone-who-s-going-to-see-grind-22-times-in-the-theater/) [Adam Brody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-brody/) > [Fifteen years ago tomorrow I had open heart surgery, a quintuple bypass surgery. Thanks to all of my doctors. Because of them, in 15…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/fifteen-years-ago-tomorrow-i-had-open-heart-surgery-a-quintuple/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [To improve short-term memory significantly, reduce the stress in your life. And choose your parents wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/to-improve-short-term-memory-significantly-reduce-the-stress-in-your/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [Short term memory makes no difference if you've lost your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellis/short-term-memory-makes-no-difference-if-you-ve-lost-your-mind/) [Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellis/) > [Movie acting, I later realized, reminds me of contract bridge. Each requires the same concentration, intense short-term memory, and obliviousness to everything else until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/movie-acting-i-later-realized-reminds-me-of-contract-bridge-each/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [You have to have short-term memory. You have to be able to move on to the next practice, the next game, turn the page…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-carlyle/you-have-to-have-short-term-memory-you-have-to-be-able-to-move-on-to/) [Randy Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-carlyle/) > [Your short-term memory really is shot! It must drive you nuts!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-madeley/your-short-term-memory-really-is-shot-it-must-drive-you-nuts/) [Richard Madeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-madeley/) > [The best pitchers have a short term memory and a bullet proof confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-maddux/the-best-pitchers-have-a-short-term-memory-and-a-bullet-proof/) [Greg Maddux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-maddux/) > [The sole virtue of losing your short-term memory is that it does free you to be your own editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/the-sole-virtue-of-losing-your-short-term-memory-is-that-it-does-free/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [As we get older it is our short term memory that fades rather than our long term memory. Perhaps we have evolved like this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-perry/as-we-get-older-it-is-our-short-term-memory-that-fades-rather-than/) [Philippa Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-perry/) > [The average person's short-term memory can hold only five to seven bits of data at any one moment. If you put more items in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/the-average-person-s-short-term-memory-can-hold-only-five-to-seven/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [Whether youre a quarterback and you just threw a pick, or youre a corner and you just got beat for a touchdown, youve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mariucci/whether-youre-a-quarterback-and-you-just-threw-a-pick-or-youre-a/) [Steve Mariucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mariucci/) > [One of the leading theories of why electroconvulsive therapy is effective for most severe depressions is that it causes a loss of short-term memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/one-of-the-leading-theories-of-why-electroconvulsive-therapy-is/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [I’m fortunate to have found out early, in 1990, just two years after I retired, that I have neurological damage. I try to manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-carson/i-m-fortunate-to-have-found-out-early-in-1990-just-two-years-after-i/) Harry Carson ## More by Paula Poundstone > [You know, in politics when you come in third, it's a win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/you-know-in-politics-when-you-come-in-third-it-s-a-win/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [The problem with cats is that they get the same exact look whether they see a moth or an ax-murderer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/the-problem-with-cats-is-that-they-get-the-same-exact-look-whether/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I don't need a holiday or a feast to feel grateful for my children, the sun, the moon, the roof over my head, music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-don-t-need-a-holiday-or-a-feast-to-feel-grateful-for-my-children/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [There are really only so many foods and so many ways you can prepare them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/there-are-really-only-so-many-foods-and-so-many-ways-you-can-prepare/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I like to work on New Year's Eve. It has a nice spirit; a nice feel about it. If you are all about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-like-to-work-on-new-year-s-eve-it-has-a-nice-spirit-a-nice-feel/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I hate it when my hair is engaged in unauthorized activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-hate-it-when-my-hair-is-engaged-in-unauthorized-activities/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [“Deep-rooted happiness may require a sense of purpose. If I don't feel that I am in some small way contributing to the greater good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/deep-rooted-happiness-may-require-a-sense-of-purpose-if-i-don-t-feel/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/the-wages-of-sin-are-death-but-by-the-time-taxes-are-taken-out-it-s/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I did auditions at a club called the Comedy Connection. They wanted nothing to do with me. But one night they were doing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-did-auditions-at-a-club-called-the-comedy-connection-they-wanted/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I can make things, but I don't cook them, exactly. Like salmon, I can stick that in a pan. Or the other day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-can-make-things-but-i-don-t-cook-them-exactly-like-salmon-i-can/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I've always thought that if my death was imminent, I would read. When I can't focus on a book, I tend to keep reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-ve-always-thought-that-if-my-death-was-imminent-i-would-read-when-i/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I know a little bit about handicapping. If the horse has an IV, you want to stay - away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-know-a-little-bit-about-handicapping-if-the-horse-has-an-iv-you/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I only do two things in my life, and that's take care of my kids and work. Fortunately, these are my favorite things to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-only-do-two-things-in-my-life-and-that-s-take-care-of-my-kids-and/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I was born in Alabama, but I only lived there for a month before I'd done everything there was to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-was-born-in-alabama-but-i-only-lived-there-for-a-month-before-i-d/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [The definition of adulthood is that you want to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/the-definition-of-adulthood-is-that-you-want-to-sleep/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) [Explore all 88 Paula Poundstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) ## More Eligibility quotes > [We stiffened the penalties for fraud, we extended nationwide efforts to make sure that payments are accurate and they closed a loophole in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/we-stiffened-the-penalties-for-fraud-we-extended-nationwide-efforts/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [I only had one year of eligibility and I wasn't getting many offers from other schools. I jumped on it to make a mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-starks/i-only-had-one-year-of-eligibility-and-i-wasn-t-getting-many-offers/) [John Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-starks/) > [This is what class warfare looks like: The Business Roundtable - representing Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and others - has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/this-is-what-class-warfare-looks-like-the-business-roundtable/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I recently spoke with Barbara Jordan of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, and I increasingly believe we need a system to verify employment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-recently-spoke-with-barbara-jordan-of-the-u-s-commission-on/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I just cannot fathom the criteria and the eligibility for awards as there is an ocean of difference between the state and national awards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmapriya-janakiraman/i-just-cannot-fathom-the-criteria-and-the-eligibility-for-awards-as/) [Padmapriya Janakiraman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmapriya-janakiraman/) > [We ought to make sure that the eligibility for entitlements meets the demographics of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/we-ought-to-make-sure-that-the-eligibility-for-entitlements-meets-the/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [One line I'd draw would be on raising the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare. It sounds fair, since people are living longer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/one-line-i-d-draw-would-be-on-raising-the-eligibility-age-for-social/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [We changed the names of our technical schools to colleges, we expanded the eligibility for HOPE scholarships for technical training, and we added some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-changed-the-names-of-our-technical-schools-to-colleges-we-expanded/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [That was always a dream of mine to play division one basketball. Not knowing that I wasn't going to get the opportunity because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-starks/that-was-always-a-dream-of-mine-to-play-division-one-basketball-not/) [John Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-starks/) > [The 1935 Social Security Act established 65 as the age of eligibility for payouts. But welfare state politics quickly becomes a bidding war, enriching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-1935-social-security-act-established-65-as-the-age-of-eligibility/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Most Tea Party activists consider Obama a big-spending liberal. Some even question his eligibility to be president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/most-tea-party-activists-consider-obama-a-big-spending-liberal-some/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [All an agent is going to do is buy things for a player, damage his eligibility, and make the player dependent on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/all-an-agent-is-going-to-do-is-buy-things-for-a-player-damage-his/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [This legislation provides Medicaid eligibility to evacuees and residents in (Federal Emergency Management Agency) designated disaster counties, .. It also helps pay private health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thad-cochran/this-legislation-provides-medicaid-eligibility-to-evacuees-and/) [Thad Cochran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thad-cochran/) > [Work needs to be the single biggest requirements. No more waivers as this administration has done. There should be real work eligibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/work-needs-to-be-the-single-biggest-requirements-no-more-waivers-as/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [The APR provides a real-time snapshot of what is happening with our individual student-athletes today. However, it does not address some of the realities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deloss-dodds/the-apr-provides-a-real-time-snapshot-of-what-is-happening-with-our/) DeLoss Dodds [Browse all 20 Eligibility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eligibility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have terrible short-term memory loss, which I like to think of as Presidential eligibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paula Poundstone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-which-i-like-to-think-of-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eligibility" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-which-i-like-to-think-of-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/paula-poundstone-7706_eligibility_i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-w_2123620.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have terrible short-term memory loss, which I like to think of as Presidential eligibility.” — Paula Poundstone", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paula Poundstone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have terrible short-term memory loss,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-which-i-like-to-think-of-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-have-terrible-short-term-memory-loss-which-i-like-to-think-of-as/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```