PARIS
IN
THE THE
SPRING
HAVE you looked at the phrase in
the box on top of this page? If you have, read it again to make sure that you
know what it says. Now turn your head away from the book and repeat the phrase.
Check it again to see if you have it
right! Some of you will probably think it’s a bit silly for me to ask
you to keep making sure of a simple phrase like that, but it’s important for
you to be absolutely aware of what it says.
Now-if you’ve looked at it closely
at least three times; what does it say!? Does it say, “Paris in the spring”? I
guess that most of you are nodding, “You, of course, that’s what it says,”
Well, as the risk of being repetitious, check it again, will you?
Have you looked at it again? If
you still think it reads, “Paris in the spring,” your observation is not as
keen as it should be. If you will check it once more, and this time point to
each word as you read the phrase, you will be amazed to discover that it reads,
“Paris in the spring”! There is one
“the” too many in the phrase!
Now you see why I asked you to look at it
repeatedly. I wanted to prove that you could look at it any number of times and
still not notice the extra “the.” If you did not know whether this little stunt
would be as when used by itself. You
see, I’ve tested hundreds of people with this, and only one or two spotted
it quickly. Prove it to yourself by printing it just
exactly as I have it, on a 3x5 index card, or on a piece of paper of similar
size. The little x under or on the word, “spring” is just misdirection. It
tends to draw the readers’ eyes down to it, and the phrase itself, because it
is such a familiar one make one and try it with your friends. I’ve had people
look at it as many as ten or fifteen times, and they were willing to bet
anything that they knew just what it said. You can ask them to read out loud
directly from the card and they still say, “Paris in the spring”!
I am discussing this only to show
that the sense of observation could stand a little sharpening, for most of us .
as I said earlier in the book, although my systems actually force you to
observation can be strengthened with a little practice. If you’re interested in helping your memory, don’t sell
observation short. You just can’t remember anything that you do not observe to begin with. Educator Eustace H.
Miles said about the same thing, “What one has never properly realized, one
cannot properly be said to remember either.” If you haven’t observed, then you
haven’t realized, and what you haven’t observed, then you haven’t realized, and
what you haven’t realized you can’t
forget, since you never really remembered it in the first place.
If you want to take the time, it
is a simple matter to strengthen your sense of observation. You can start right
now! You’re probably reading this at home, sitting in a room that should be
thoroughly familiar to you. Take a piece of paper, and without looking around
you, list everything in the room. Don’t leave out anything you can think of, and try to describe the entire room
in detail. List every ashtray, every piece of furniture, pictures, doodads,
etc. Now, look around the room and check you have seen them countless times.
Observe them now! Step out of the rooms and test yourself once more. Your list
should be longer in your home. If you keep at this, your observation will be
keener no matter where you happen to be.
You’ve all heard, I’m sure, of the
little experiment that a college professor tried with his students. He had a violent murder science enacted in fount
of them, without letting them know that
it was just an act. All of the students were told that they must act as
witnesses, and were told to describe, in
detail, what they saw. Of course, all the descriptions varied, even down to what the murderer looked
like. All the students in the class had seen the same thing, but their
observation and their memories were faulty.
This was also proven by Steve
Allen, when he hosted the “Tonight” TV show. Some members of his cast suddenly
burst in front of the cameras, enacting
a wild, violent scene. Some shots were fired (blanks, of course), clothes
were torn, and so on. The whole thing lasted perhaps a minute. Then Mr.
Allen had three members of the audience
come up to attempt to answer some pertinent
questions about the scene. He asked how many shots were fired, who was shootings at whom, color of clothing, etc. All the answers varied and nobody seemed
quite sure of anything. As a matter of
fact, when Steve asked Sketch Henderson (who had fired the shots) how many
shots he bad fired-Sketch wasn’t too
sure himself.
Of course, you can’t go around
looking for violent scenes to observe-but you can practice in this way:- Think
of someone whom you know very well. Try to picture his or her face; now see if
you can describe the face on paper. List everything you can possibly remember.
Go into detail-list color of hair and eyes, complexion, any or all outstanding
features, whether or not he or she wears
glasses, what type of glasses, type of nose, ears, eyes, mouth,
forehead, approximate height and weight, hairline, on which side is the hair parted is it parted at all, etc., etc. The next
time you see this person, check yourself. Note the things you didn’t observe
and those you observed incorrectly. Then try it again! You will improve
rapidly.
A good way to practice this
is in a subway or bus, or any public
conveyance. Look at one person for a moment, close your eyes and try to
mentally describe every detail of this person’s face. Pretend that you are a
witness a criminal investigation, and
your description is of utmost
importance. Then look at the person again (don’t stare, or you will be in a
criminal investigation ) and check yourself. You’ll find your observation getting finer each time
you try it.
One last suggestion as to a form
of practice. Look at any shop-window display. Try to observe everything in
it (without using the peg or Link
systems). Then list all the items without looking at the display. You can wait
until you’re home to do this; then go back to check, when you can. Note the
items you left out and try it again. When you think you’re become proficient at
it, try remembering the prices of the items also.
Before reading any further, I
would suggest that you memorize the peg Words from 51to75. I might also suggest that for the time being, you use the words that I give you. You could, of
course, make up your own words, as long
as they stay in the phonetic alphabet system. These would probably serve
you just as well, but you might pick
some words that would conflict with some
of the words that you will eventually learn for other purposes. So,
wait until you’ve finished the book, and
then change words to your heart’s content.
51. lot 57. Log 63. Chum 69. Ship
52. lion 5 8. Lava 64. cherry 70.
Case
53. loom 59. Lip 65. jail 71. Cot
54. lure 60. Cheese 66. Choo choo 72.
Coin
55. lily 61.
Sheet 67.
Chalk 73. Comb
56. leech 62. Chain 68. Chef 74. Car
75. coal
For “lot,” picture an
empty lot, For “loom,” you might find it easier to picture a spinning wheel.
“Lure” is bait for fishing; you might picture a worm. For “chum, “ you can
picture a particularly close friend; if
you do, use the same friend each time. “Choo choo” is a train,
of course For “chef,” picture a chef’s hat. For “case,” see a large
wooden packing crate, or a suitcase.
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