Re-collecting, recollect: the long and short of it. 

Intro-ject/spect-tion: "It was his idea, not mine...he hit me first...Well, she called me a name a few weeks, at least months ago, of that I can be sure...No, I don't think so...well, I just don't remember to be honest..."

Timely, time-less: As there will be a lot of recalling of the past, past events, in the coming few days, in advance of the new year, within the context of reflecting on the one(s) passed (as well people, especially within the current year..."who we lost this year") and probably in shared company...whereas you may find yourself, in the very near future, when prepping, gathering lots of receipts in advance to filing your annual tax re-turn, discover that someone "owes you", as in an "uncollected debt". Good luck with that. Words that contain the same letters, but depending on the emphasis (short/long vowel) and punctuation, take on a whole different meaning...

Something auld, new: Honoring the old(sters) and ways of doing things ("old school!") and embracing change, other-wise what's being touted by those "ushering them in" as "progress!" Sorting through what we have gathered and old collections to re-evaluate what/how much to keep, what to simply toss, other stuff designated for what's being called these days as "re-purposing" And even looking back, recollecting, on experiences as all having a degree of purpose...("For every season...") even though not everything we have done, up to this point, was done purposely, at which time we may have said "well, I don't see the purpose but perhaps some day..." 

If my memory serves me right: "As far as I can remember....I seem to recall...whereas I have vivid memories of..." Quotes most of us can relate to, associate with, illustrating another short/long version(s) of this thing we call, attempt to call up, especially on such occasions as this, this time of year, the annual rotation of purging what's bad, "decluttering" (a favorite resolution, but usually more about "stuff" than our own hard-drives)...Why is it, you ask (more times than I can remember, recollect, in my office, over the years..."in my vast experience...") that you can readily recall various, sometimes "random" earlier memories of early times, but have a difficult time, when asked, in a moment of spontaneity, "what did you have for breakfast...?" Good question. The full, complete answer(s) has to do with how our LT/ST memories work, both separately and in tandem, how out brains are "hard-wired" and how, as we proceed through life, experiences and engagements get processed, registered, and eventually "called back up" as strong associations (can be either highly pleasurable or traumatic), for instance, which can, on occasion, actually interfere with those situations where we are trying to focus on what's "smack dab in front of me..." as in trying to answer "So, where were you, Mr. Smith, on Tuesday, July 3rd at 11:38 PM...do you need me to remind you that you are under oath...?" A more scholarly explanation can be found in text books, as well as in all your collective, previous texts, but for the present purpose, tense, let's just say your memory can either "serve you" -- even in the form of "repressed memories" and also "play tricks on you", depending on so many variables at play, in motion, which add up to your own personal "psychological dynamics" which include your own personal "defense!" system that could, if you have sufficient time, resources, and patience, be thoroughly explored via the most in depth, far reaching in breadth approach  to un-covering your "inner-self" as in what's traditionally known in my field as a more "psychoanalytic approach", which, depending on which "school" one attends (some of which at least used to require you as the student go through your own -- analysis, that is***see below) may utilize tools such as "stream of consciousness" and/or "free association" to tie all your thoughts and memories together...Speaking of...

"Last I knew": A seamless transition from one to the other, one "Prime" example is when you attempt to actually collect an old debt, contact "last known address", "next of kin" you may get someone who, whether deliberately obfuscating, re-directs you to what's likely to be a "dead end". Whereas you, while so freely clicking on, aka "collecting" a bunch of new products, will experience a "rude awakening" when you finally get the Amazon Prime accounting...Or even you yourself feign a lack of "total re-call" when being pressed, on the matter at hand...

"Lest we forget" A time-less quote which is a reminder of the things, people, and events that we have dedicated ourselves to "never, ever" forget. Some of which may actually come in the form of "resolutions"...And here, this very day, once again, to bring back both some short and long term recollections, memories, resonance, reverence, on what we just experienced as well as in "days of old" we have, at least intermittently, as opposed to the "24 hour Christmas station" a few old favorites, as in Christmas carols (remember?) and some other "Top 40" to signal the old and the new. Speaking of, once again...bringing it all back up, tying it all together, "putting a nice bow on it" (a newer version of an old saying)...

"...perhaps you'd like a few more minutes to re-gather your thoughts, try to recollect all the details, prior to giving us your final answer..." "Children, it's time to gather, re-collect everything you brought here, what we, I mean Santa, bought you, as it's almost time to go..." "Time, once again (since it's almost Christmas in July)...to take down the lights, put all this stuff away, gather what's left-over from the wrapping paper, a few extra presents we over-bought, complete with tags as an ever-present reminder..." Speaking of...A commercial overheard this very morning, in between two "bumpers"...

"The IRS is the most powerful collection agency in the world, long on memory as well as details..."

Happy New Year and thanks once again for coming. Best I could do, under the circumstances...as it's both early (AM) and late in the year, almost out of material...as in "writing with a dull pencil; there's just not point to it..." Much more to come, if you're up for it..."The best of yuk!"

***(see above): one more, last(ing) thought for 2022, and one to take me/us into 2023: "it's always timely to get our own head examined, clean out our own house, before trying to get into someone else's stuff..."