A rant about memories

3 min readOct 10, 2022

I’ve always found it hard/unrewarding to make a habit out of journaling. Then, at the same time, I’m disproportionately upset when I can’t seem to remember something — more than just where I last left my keys, or that really important thing I just remembered before I got reoccupied with remembering something else. My entire life feels like a frog in my throat when I can’t seem to recall a memory itself.

People journal so that they have memories to look back at. My problem with journaling is that I never know what’s memorable to start with. So, what if I started to journal my memories?

The Project

Creating an “app” that “stores” information you “log” so that if can be “reaccessed”.

— a goal of every app, ever

Components of the app so far:

[1] Memory log: when you remember memories

How/what do you log?

[A] a voice input of your thoughts,

[B] an environmental indicator, as why you remembered it, ie. a picture, the temperature, the weather, the location, the time/day → environmental indicators are supplied by the technology

[2] a widget showing a memory, that was captured under a similar environmental indicator

because remembering memories is like a game of telephone.

[3] a map of cataloged items

More than a calendar app:

it’s actually not really a calendar. it’s a time machine. jk it’s more of a message recorder. this will be conveyed as the app lets the phone be “transformed” into a tangible user interface (message recorder inspired)

More than a nudging system:

it’s kind of intelligent (and not random). It evokes memories based on how memories actually work: environmental reminders, and senses. the smell of fresh rain, a certain song, etc.

More than a CUI

voice modality (vs. typing) with the hope that getting you talking gets you to remember more
live feedback while interacting nurtures a better interaction

More than this 👇