This summer I'll have to put together a big project on mnemonics. Hope I remember how to do so.

More to the point, from what I've been reading about mnemonics, often the more ridiculous the association, the more holding power the memorized material will have.

Thirty days, hath September...and all that jazz.

What I'm wondering is: What mnemonic devices do you use that you call upon from time to time? I'll read with great interest here, and will hope to come across some that will stimulate my thinking in this area.

I'll give you a very ridiculous one off the top of my head that will permanently cement the position of one of the US presidents in your mind, if he's not already there firmly ensconced:

Hold out your three centermost fingers on your left hand in front of you; and do the same with your right hand. You should see three next to three.

Think of those two sets of three as "33." Now look at each set as the teeth of a 3-toothed comb. Comb back your hair on each side of your head with each of your combs.

Now think of the hairiest president in US history. Right!! The hairiest president in US history was Harry S. Truman...and he was the 33rd president (33, your fingers; combs to comb the hair of Hairy, or Harry).

That's a ridiculous mnemonic device, but it works, if I've given you halfway decent instructions.

Anyway, I hope that you'll share some mnemonics here with the forum and me. This is kind of a passion of mine, and I'd love to mine some new ones...simple, humorous, meandering. I may quote you in my paper!! (Most likely read only by my prof, but what the heck!)

Best regards,
DubDub (with two three-toothed combs in her hair)