--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My memory is strange that way. I often…" description: "\"“My memory is strange that way. I often remember people I've never met and events and places I've never seen. I don't think I'm some mystical bastard. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png" --- # My memory is strange that way. I often remember people… ![“My memory is strange that way. I often remember people I've never met and events and places I've never seen. I don't think I'm some mystical bastard. I just think I pay attention to the details.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png) > ““My memory is strange that way. I often remember people I've never met and events and places I've never seen. I don't think I'm some mystical bastard. I just think I pay attention to the details.”” [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker suggests that vivid recollections of unknown people and places stem from acute observation rather than supernatural ability. **In simple terms:** Paying close attention creates vivid memories of strangers and places. Key Takeaway Observe details to improve memory. Themes observation memory perception identity attention Mood curious reflective Type insightful philosophical When to use this quote - travel experiences - meeting new people - learning new skills - creative writing - research Key Concepts cognitive psychology mindfulness detail orientation Questions to Reflect On - How does attention shape what we remember? - Can we train this skill? A Different Perspective Memories may still be distorted or biased despite careful observation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Detail-orientation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detail-orientation-45940/) [Details](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/details/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-strange-595386/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Remember People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-people/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Think Mystical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-mystical-2785907/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think the mystical experience can be verbalized. When the ego disappears, so does power over language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/i-don-t-think-the-mystical-experience-can-be-verbalized-when-the-ego/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [What you find I think in the mystical strain of Catholicism is that you're put in relationship with God, and you have many opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/what-you-find-i-think-in-the-mystical-strain-of-catholicism-is-that/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [Think of the mystical three days between the crucifixion and the resurrection as the time it takes for a situation to change once spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/think-of-the-mystical-three-days-between-the-crucifixion-and-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [(memory is) A strange echo, which stores its replicas according to some other acoustic than consciousness or expectation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/memory-is-a-strange-echo-which-stores-its-replicas-according-to-some/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [“Time moves in one direction, memory another. We are that strange species that constructs artifacts intended to counter the natural flow of forgetting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/time-moves-in-one-direction-memory-another-we-are-that-strange/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [Memory is strange. Scientifically, it is not a mechanical means of repeating something. I can think a thousand times about when I broke my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/memory-is-strange-scientifically-it-is-not-a-mechanical-means-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It's clear that the largest things are contained in the smallest. There can be no doubt about it. At this very moment, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/it-s-clear-that-the-largest-things-are-contained-in-the-smallest/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) > [“A leader must be an excellent finisher in everything he does, down to the smallest detail. A leader should be detail-oriented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-suulola/a-leader-must-be-an-excellent-finisher-in-everything-he-does-down-to/) [Benjamin Suulola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-suulola/) > [“At work, they knew me to be capable but fragile. Quiet, clouded up with daydreams. Usually diligent, though sometimes inconsistent, moody. But also something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ling-ma/at-work-they-knew-me-to-be-capable-but-fragile-quiet-clouded-up-with/) [Ling Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ling-ma/) > [Memory is a strange Bell—Jubilee, and Knell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/memory-is-a-strange-bell-jubilee-and-knell/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Memory is such a strange thing ... when you try to forget a thing your whole life, you can't forget it ... and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj/memory-is-such-a-strange-thing-when-you-try-to-forget-a-thing-your/) [AJ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj/) > [“Oh, it is good to be home," he declared. And Sally agreed with him. There was so much she loved about Christmas Town. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mari-mancusi/oh-it-is-good-to-be-home-he-declared-and-sally-agreed-with-him-there/) [Mari Mancusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mari-mancusi/) > [“Most people don't have the patience to absorb their minds in the fine points and minutiae that are intrinsically part of their work. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/most-people-don-t-have-the-patience-to-absorb-their-minds-in-the-fine/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“I draw because words are too unpredictable. I draw because words are too limited. If you speak and write in English or Spanish or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-draw-because-words-are-too-unpredictable-i-draw-because-words-are/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I think in any writing you're paying attention to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/i-think-in-any-writing-you-re-paying-attention-to-detail/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) ## More by Sherman Alexie > [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) [Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## More Detail-orientation quotes > [“Most people don't have the patience to absorb their minds in the fine points and minutiae that are intrinsically part of their work. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/most-people-don-t-have-the-patience-to-absorb-their-minds-in-the-fine/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“Oh, it is good to be home," he declared. And Sally agreed with him. There was so much she loved about Christmas Town. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mari-mancusi/oh-it-is-good-to-be-home-he-declared-and-sally-agreed-with-him-there/) [Mari Mancusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mari-mancusi/) > [“At work, they knew me to be capable but fragile. Quiet, clouded up with daydreams. Usually diligent, though sometimes inconsistent, moody. But also something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ling-ma/at-work-they-knew-me-to-be-capable-but-fragile-quiet-clouded-up-with/) [Ling Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ling-ma/) > [“A leader must be an excellent finisher in everything he does, down to the smallest detail. A leader should be detail-oriented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-suulola/a-leader-must-be-an-excellent-finisher-in-everything-he-does-down-to/) [Benjamin Suulola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-suulola/) > [“It's clear that the largest things are contained in the smallest. There can be no doubt about it. At this very moment, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/it-s-clear-that-the-largest-things-are-contained-in-the-smallest/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) [Browse all 6 Detail-orientation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detail-orientation-45940/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My memory is strange that way. I often remember people I've never met and events and places I've never seen. I don't think I'm some mystical bastard. I just think I pay attention to the details.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sherman Alexie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-remember-people-i-ve-never-met/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Detail-orientation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-remember-people-i-ve-never-met/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/sherman-alexie-444_detail-orientation_my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-re_2142978.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My memory is strange that way. I often remember people I've never met and events and places I've never seen…” — Sherman Alexie", "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": "Sherman Alexie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“My memory is strange that way....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-remember-people-i-ve-never-met/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-memory-is-strange-that-way-i-often-remember-people-i-ve-never-met/#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 } } ] } ```