>>826 I asked my father about his memory and visualization skills and it was sobering.
He definitely has some parallel processing abilities as he is able to hold a sophisticated conversation while solving complex problems in his mind. He also jumps between different topics in his monologues which makes them extremely exhausting to follow. If he can't remember a certain name, he continues another conversation strand until the name snaps into his mind and he resumes from there. He doesn't understand that's not normal and gets angry if people can't remember what he was talking about half an hour ago as he seamlessly continues from there.
But his visualization skills are on another level. He told me he is able to 'rewind' things he has recently seen and replay them again in his mind so when he sees an interesting person passing by on the street but is too busy thinking about something else he can look them up later or put them side by side for comparison. I put this to the test snapping candid pics of people we came across while he constantly was rambling his usual politics stuff intermixed with vivid life anecdotes from 70 years ago. Though he wasn't paying attention he could indeed describe most people in detail if I gave him some clues like 'the lady with the blue dress'. Unbelievable, it exceeded my expectations by far. Worst thing, he constantly complains how his memory is degrading with age while he remembers mundane things I said months ago I had long forgotten.
Just what have I been practicing in the past 8 years? I am an insect against this 90+ year old man. Pic related.