When did this happen?

[iamlost]

It's been over a year now since I became not only merely a Senior, but really most sincerely a Senior citizen, however I still keep discovering new government programs offering this that and the other. None of which, apparently by design, can access the PII already submitted to other programs...

So I print out the required form and zip through questions (sadly none have yet requested the serial number of my rifle in basic training all these many decades ago, and which was so deeply imprinted (engraved?) by the instructors during that 12 week adventure that I can still snap it out while not having a clue as to the phone number I've had for a decade...): height, weight, eye colour, hair colour, distinguishing marks... I stop, get up, go to mirror, come back, cross out the check by brown and re-check by grey hair...

[lucy24]

the serial number of my rifle in basic training

Been there. Done that. To this day I can rattle off my state ID number from the late ’70’s when I routinely had to write it on checks. But if I need the number of my current active ID--issued when I moved back to the same state after just enough elapsed time that the former number was no longer in the database--I have to go look it up.

[piatkow]

We all have our versions of this, I can still remember the registration number of my parent's first car but often get that of my own wrong.

Most people of a certain age in the UK can still quite their parent's cop-op membership number.

[tangor]

I stop, get up, go to mirror, come back,

Doesn't work for me. That reflection in the mirror is my dad. No way it can be me.

Not at all.

Not buying it.

Until I nick myself with the razor and have to do first aid.

(sigh)

[Jonesy]

I am an Army Brat. I can still remember most of our
home phone numbers from countless army postings.
Somewhat helpful for creating passwords...

[not2easy]

I am an Army Brat. I can still remember most of our home phone numbers from countless army postings.

You're right, my first phone number as a kid, early 50's - the entire number was 8352. Pretty sure that off-base phone numbers had prefixes by that time so it was a local thing.

[Jonesy]

heh... Also there was the HUxley 6275 format.

[coothead]

I am so old that I ate and loved…

Pure Dried Whole EGGS [aws1.discourse-cdn.com]

...in he late 40's / early 50's. ;)

For those who may be mildly interested in this culinary delight…

Further reading:-

Imperial War Museum - Souvenirs and ephemera [iwm.org.uk]

birdbrain