Trouble recognizing people?

[Klompy]

I'm starting to wonder how much I suck at observing things in general, especialy recognizing people. Today two things happend to me that showed me I'm horrible with faces. At the bank, a girl about my age came up to me and asked how I was doing, and that it's been a long time. I had no idea who she was and tried to play it off like I did. Then tonight I'm watching TV and see This comercial come on TV again. I've made fun of this commercial several times in the past to friends, but today I figured out that the soldier in question actualy went to my high school (small school so everyone knew everybody). In my defense he looks a lot different now then he used to, but both of the parents were involved in a wedding I stood up in about 6 months ago. How the hell can I watch something like this so many times and not see this?

Is anybody else horrible at recognizing people? I find it causes tons of awkward spots in my life, and I'm curious if this is normal.

[doubLe a tom]

Do you smoke a lot of weed?

[Narcileptico]

Yea, this happens to me all the time. I used to smoke a lot of weed and I think that's the culprit.

[Autocratic]

I smoke tons of weed and am great with faces. Consider yourself lucky - some people can't ID people visually at all:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/blind.html

[doubLe a tom]

[ QUOTE ]
I smoke tons of weed and am great with faces. Consider yourself lucky - some people can't ID people visually at all:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/blind.html

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I have face blindness w/ asians lol

[mrkilla]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you smoke a lot of weed?

[/ QUOTE ]

this has nothing to do with anything.

I smoke daily and have been stoned meeting people for the first time. Names and Faces I remember usually first or 2nd try.

[JuntMonkey]

I am horrible with faces. I've gone up to people who I thought were people I knew (not well) - this one time the guy got all excited and hung up his cell phone because he thought he knew me too.

I even used to do this with girls I had crushes on. "Oh look there's that girl I like" "Um that's not the girl you pointed out yesterday".

Also when sitting at a live poker table, after about 20 minutes I start thinking I've known these people for a long time. "Didn't he go to my high school?" "Didn't he play in a tournament here a year ago?"

So my quirk is that I recognize/pseudo-recognize people too much, not the other way around.

[Quanah Parker]

I'm not good at remembering faces, either.

But I've got an amazing memory for a nice rack.

[JasonK]

I'm one step above Memento when it comes to remembering people. When I meet somebody I'll usually forget their name before the convo is even over.

[NajdorfDefense]

This is my biggest weakness, and I don't smoke. I can see someone occasionally for 6 months and still forget them 3 weeks later if we don't have a major interaction. Girls, guys, doesn't matter.