It's funny what sticks

[mamajoan]

I mentioned here recently that Isaac has gotten interested in US geography, and grandma got him a placemat with a US map. Tonight he started quizzing me on the state capitals. I thought I did pretty well, considering that it has been about 25 years since I last needed to know most of that stuff. ;) Just like when I was a kid, I got tripped up on North/South Dakota and North/South Carolina. I completely blanked on Richmond, Virginia, and a few more took some serious cogitation and the occasional hint from Isaac ;) but overall I think I performed decently. ;)

Isaac was interested in my mentioning which state capitals I've visited. He seemed especially surprised that I've been to Austin, Texas. What? A girl can't go to Texas to visit her evil twin (xochiquetzl)? :)

I found it interesting that even after all these years, I still remember Frankfurt, Kentucky with the mnemonic of Kentucky Fried Chicken/hot dogs. And I remember getting mixed up with Columbia, South Carolina and Columbus, Ohio. And, I still remember Jenny (don't remember her last name though) who in 4th or 5th grade was a classmate who had moved here from Baltimore, and always answered Baltimore when she was asked the capital of Maryland, even though she knew it wasn't right. And Concord, New Hampshire still makes me think of my cousin Max, whom I haven't seen in ages (though he did accept my Facebook friend request) because he was born there and I remember it so clearly.

Montgomery, Alabama was another one that gave me trouble, and after Isaac prompted me to it, Ruthie took a liking to the sound of "Montgomery" and marched around chanting it to herself for a few minutes. :)

Comments

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Ilana's curriculum this year is heavy on the geography, and I've been helping her memorize her state capitals. Here are some mnemonics we worked out:

Santa Fe, New Mexico - Santa goes on vacation in New Mexico.
Boise, Idaho - Who are those boys? I don't know.
Sacramento, California - You take a sack when you run away to California.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Harry Potter (okay, that's more mine).
Cheyenne, Wyoming - Native Americans say, "Why me?" (This works better for me than Ilana because she'd never heard of the Cheyenne tribe.)
Helena, Montana - Hannah Montana (of course!)
Augusta, Maine - We go to Maine in August (which we don't, but people do)

[tehomet.livejournal.com]

To be honest, being Irish, I haven't heard of most of these places. I wouldn't have heard of Richmond if it wasn't for Scarpetta novels, of Alabama if it wasn't for a song, or of Austin, Texas if it wasn't for Steve Earle. :D