Knowledge. Memory. and a Bookshelf.

Sorry for the delay, I'm still wrapping up the next piece of my life puzzle, which involves: middle school and trips to Europe....

In the mean time, I have discovered a problem. A very serious problem. I never thought this day would come. But, it has.

I know too much.

You're probably thinking, "What's she talking about?"

Let me explain.

I have, what I would call, an average - to slightly above average- memory. I'm just sayin'.

I can remember specific details that serve absolutely no purpose.(I have memories of standing in my crib, I was probably under the age of 3, and watching my neighbor walk through our back yard). Useless.

However, I also have plenty of useful memories. Useful to me, anyways.

Prior to this semester, I never had a problem 'knowing too much'. I prided myself on it, actually. Or I used to pride myself on it. Until four weeks ago.

I have a certain professor this semester who really cares about citing sources in papers. I agree with him, one needs (and should) give credit where credit is due.

Insert my problem.

You see, I thought I agreed with him. That was until he returned a paper I had written on WWII. In one paragraph, I didn't cite a source. The truth was, that I didn't know the source. I was the source. I was docked a grade for not citing one paragraph in a 3 page paper. One Paragraph. I had three other sources. Seriously.

I didn't plagiarize.

It wasn't made up.

It was just facts that I knew.

Thanks, Memory!!

At first I was furious at the professor.Who did he think he was?!? It wasn't like the information was false! This was the truth!


After re-reading my paper and my prof's overly nice comments, reality set it. Okay. Maybe I was a little at fault. For all the memorizing I have done over the years, why had I not memorized where I had gathered the information that is subsequently seared into my brain? C'mon Jules! You know better!

Fact:I do not know when I first memorized that the Holocaust is defined as: The Systematic Mass Murder of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and Their Collaborators Between the years 1933 and 1945.

I just know.

This problem surfaced again while writing a different paper for the same class. It was a paper on The Battle of Britain. I thought I'd jazz up the paragraph where I wrote about the German Air Force. Herman Goring, specifically. I added tidbits about his life during and before WWI, his faithfulness to Hitler starting in the 1920's...historical facts. Memorized facts.

This time I knew better than to not cite a source. So, in all honesty, I cited myself. In Chicago format, nonetheless. (Julie R. Holocaust/WWII Information Gathered Over the Years. 2/2010)

I was sitting on my living room couch typing my paper when I looked up. This is what sits across from my couch.

Books.


Here's some close ups:


I assure you, I did not move or re-arrange anything on this shelf before snapping a few shots











These encyclopedias were my Christmas gift (2 years ago) from Susie Q and The Dutchmen. Yes, I asked for them.

Fact: if my apartment were to catch fire I would, first: make sure my dog was okay. Second, grab my cell phone. and Third, run back in, if for no other reason than to save these glorious gems.

Clothes? No. Laptop? Replaceable. Encyclopedia's of the Holocaust? Priceless.

Here's my point:
Tally up the ton of books I've read, add 16 college Holocaust/WWII courses and 6 religious studies courses. Don't forget to add the gazillion hours I have watched documentary footage, films, interviews,PBS,BBC WWII related stuff, etc.. Or my trips to Europe, or the survivor's I've interviewed, or my trips to DC, or ... you get it.

I don't do math. Sorry.

I can not be expected to know how I know.

Don't blame me. Blame my memory.