Many thanks. My memory issue certainly isn't any sort of disorder, and indeed the sort of success I'd like to have with it are of a high level. There has been a decline in the last few years of my (formerly exceptional) abilities here, and I need to find ways to increase my attention to it as a graspable and controllable challenge/problem.

Generally my ability to deal with attention, focus, and memory issues correlates to my day-to-day mood and self-confidence. I've found a coach through the community here to help me find ways to combat these slightly more fundamental issues. It is good, though, to see the wide variety of talk here about improving focus, overcoming "Ugh fields," and the like.

Fundamentally, my issue is one of keeping a particular skill in practice, and so I appreciate your practical suggestions. University offers an environment that more constantly practices skills such as learning, remembering, and new-paradigm thinking. My work environment offered similar challenges for a year or so, but I've since gained an expertise that is more valuable to use than to grow.

Today I gave a presentation to a group of 50 software developers in my company, and I was pleasantly surprised at my abilities. Apparently all of my on-the-fly speaking skills (which I had presumed dead since school) were just latent, if out of practice until the adrenaline kicked it back online. This was in no small part due, I suppose, than some mental tricks I've learned here into convincing myself of my future success, based on previous successes.

Just typing for my own benefit now. Thank you very much for your advice!