One can only have the fullest respect for people who can remember stuff.
Stuff like the name of a person you have just been introduced to (was it Scott or Steven?), or what it was you were meant to do today, or any of the 50 passwords you have for bank accounts and whatnot on the computer.
Then there are the times you ask someone a fact, like what time something is happening, and you immediately forget the answer because you were distracted by something shiny.
Anyway, that the contestants on Mastermind can remember any of the obscure facts about periodic tables and obscure moments in New Zealand's history or any of the other subjects I have seen on the show but have now forgotten is remarkable.
There was this one last week for a lady whose speciality appeared to be the Monkees, considering all the questions were Monkees-related: "What is the name of the episode of the Monkees in which Peter sells his soul for the ability to play the harp?'' the regular-featured and very authentic and dependable-looking host Peter Williams asked.
"The Devil and Peter Tork,'' the lady correctly replied.
Not all questions, sadly, are from contestant's specialist subjects, and each has to suffer trial by general knowledge question for a full and terrible 90 seconds.
Grant Shimmin, of Timaru, recognised the American politician born in an obscure Austrian town as Arnold Schwarzenegger, but even for him, knowledge of the European country whose colonial empire controlled Goa before it was annexed by Indian troops in 1961 was just outside the boundaries of his memory, and his guesswork.
"Great Britain?'' he asked hopefully.
"No Portugal,'' Williams responded firmly.
"What did you do on Saturday?'' Peter might have asked me if I was in the chair.
"I don't know,'' I would have told him.
I don't know.
Fortunately for Mastermind those who face up to the challenge in the big black chair do a better job than I would, and the best of those have entered what should be the terrifically exciting semifinals of the venerable show on Sunday evenings on TV One.
That includes Dunedin's David Barnes, a man with an excellent memory for matters relating to British Antarctic expeditions to the Ross Sea, who is through to the sharp end of the show.
Go, Dunedin.
Meanwhile, The Aroha Project, which delves into the world of New Zealand's youth, and looks at the realities of acceptance, bullying and suicide, is available on TVNZ OnDemand from this Friday.
Created by Mika Haka and directed by Ramon Te Wake, The Aroha Project is a six-part series profiling Maori and Pacific youth and their journeys.
A worthy matter, and worth a look.
