I can do it, so why can’t he?

My lovely husband has a fantastic auditory memory so he easily remembers what he hears.

That explains the continual stream of Shakespeare quotes, Edward Lear poetry, the lyrics of any song he’s ever heard and the entire repertoire of Monty Python.

Maybe you know someone like that?

Me, on the other hand – I don’t even listen to lyrics! I’m also an auditory person but I listen to the base line and harmonic structure. Having done this for as long as I can remember, I can reproduce all but the most complicated music on the piano after one or two listenings.

Neat trick if I say so myself! 

But I have no idea of, nor any interest in the lyrics. This also explains why, though I’m good at writing music, I’m rubbish at the words! Unless you consider, “Yeah, yeah, baby, yeah” inspired! (Anyway -that’s how most pop songs go, isn’t it?)

Isn’t it interesting how each of us has different talents according to the different ways we process information?

So, back to Nige - and I must point out – he’s an intelligent bloke. Sometimes I have to remind myself! Because - while he’s great at remembering what he’s heard, he can’t follow auditory instructions for a toffee!

You can send him off to get something from the kitchen and he’s halfway up the stairs to the bedroom before you realise he’s done it again!

And it seems so weird - I can do it, so why can’t he?

Isn’t it true, that we expect other people to be the same as us? And isn’t it true that we can be short-tempered with other people when they don’t seem to ‘get’ something that’s easy for us to understand?

Who do you know who struggles with something that you could do as easily as falling off a log?

I'd been cast in one of the lead roles and I was terrified of letting the others down - I was okay with the singing but what did I know about acting? Dodo don't just that I thought were to is

And there she was - the director – giving me instructions - attempting to direct me: “Walk on stage, stop in your tracks, point at the clock and deliver your lines.”

So, in front of all the other actors, I had a go at what she asked.

“No, not like that. Walk on stage, stop in your tracks, point at the clock and deliver your lines.”

Mortified, I tried again.

“No, no, nooo. Walk on stage, stop in your tracks, point at the clock and deliver your lines.”

And in that moment - I learnt something!

If someone doesn't understand what you mean, it's no good repeating yourself. You have to convey information in a different way for them.

We all process, store and retrieve information differently. No two people handle information in exactly the same way.

My director knew exactly what she wanted. And she used exactly the words that she would need if I were directing her!

After several more failed attempts, exasperated, she stomped onto the stage, stopped abruptly, pointed towards the curtain rail on the back wall of the Green Room and delivered my lines.

Bingo !

Now I could see exactly how she moved, exactly how she wanted me to be.

That's all I needed!

I imitated her to the best of my ability and was relieved when she said, “Exactly! That's what I asked you to do in the first place!”