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A PLANETARY JINGLE
Along a walking trail that we enjoy in downtown McAllen, Texas, an
artist has created unique and informative art. Along our walk, there are
nine attractive, brightly-colored sculptures, one for each planet in our
solar system. The sculptures are placed along the way at distances which
are proportionate to their places among the heavenly bodies, and each
includes brief information about the planet’s size, distance from the
sun, and rotational cycle.
So, our walk along that trail serves a double purpose: it improves our
body’s circulation and our mind’s knowledge of the solar system. We’ve
walked that route many times, beginning at the Sun, passing by Mercury,
Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. I have
tried – without success – to learn the names and order of the nine
planets. By the time we get home, however, I will have forgotten at least
one of them!
In one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s mysteries, he has Dr. Watson
painstakingly explaining the solar system to Sherlock Holmes. He tells the
great sleuth the names of each of the planets, their position in relation
to each other, and their comparative size. Holmes thanks Watson for
enlightening him and then adds, "And now I shall do my best to forget
it all."
"But why would you want to forget it?" inquires Watson.
"Because," replies Holmes, "I have no intention of
burdening my mind with information I will never use!"
Unlike Sherlock Holmes, however, I would like to know – and be able
to remember – the names of the nine planets of the solar system. I think
I’ve discovered the key!
It is often easier to remember a list of obscure names by creating a
phrase in which each word begins with the same letter as the names to be
memorized. For example, "Roy G. Biv" stands for the colors of
the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Or the
catchy little jingle every medical or nursing student learns to memorize
the metacarpal bones of the wrist: "Never lower Tillie’s pants;
Grandmother might come home." This nonsense reminds the diligent
learner of the navicular, lunate, triangular, pisiform, greater
multiangular, (lesser) multiangular, capate, hamate.
I wondered if the same technique would work for the names of the
planets. Now, let’s see, what memorable phrase would tattoo the letters
M,V, E, M, J, S, U, N, P into my memory forever? I think I’ve got it!
MY (Mercury) VAPOROUS (Venus) EGGS (Earth) MAY (Mars)
JUST (Jupiter) SEND (Saturn) UP (Uranus) NASTY (Neptune) POLLUTION
(Pluto).
P.S. I realize that Pluto is no longer considered a planet, but I like the
little guy!
8 April 2009 - mshr
New memory phrases you've taught me::
"My Very Educated
Mother Just Served Us Nine Peas,"
"Many Vessels Entering May
Just Sink Narrow Piers,"
"My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us
Nine Pizzas,"
"My Very Easy Method Just Simplifies Us Naming
Planets."
"Mary's
Violet Eyes Make John Stay Up Nights Pacing.""
"Mother
Very Early Made a Jelly Sandwich Using No Peanutbutter."
20 April 2009 - mshr |