My Bloggerville neighbor Karl writes

If you can't remember where you left your keys, what page numbers you needed to read for tomorrow's class, or whether you left the stove on....just go do your prayer rule.

I guarantee you'll remember it all and much more besides. Worrying about tomorrow's schedule while trying to pray yields even more spectacular memory recovery results.

-- from "Hidden Benefits of an Orthodox Neophyte Prayer Life' by Karl Thienes and quoted on his blogsite St. Stephen's Musings.

Other important things remembered while trying to pray:

The turning point of the next scene.
The letter I should have written months ago.
The phone call I should have made yesterday.
The perfect bit of dialogue for the story I'm working on.
The next item for The Onion Dome.
Something I needed to tell the parishioner who just arrived (this is during church).

And because they're so important, I have to keep them in memory for the rest of the time, so that I won't forget them when it's over.

Of course, I do forget them, as soon as it's over.

I'm glad Karl has the same experience. Well, no, let me rephrase that. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that. I wish Karl well in overcoming it.