Anyone here have Synesthesia?

[Tab]

Just curious.

If you don't know what it is, it's a sort of brain cross-over (linkage-wise) such that other senses get multiplied on. I know that's hard to describe, but let's say that if you can see, and you try to visualize the letter 'A', it might show up in green. It's different for every person (and every element). In addition, food sensations seem to have a textile quality, like a particular food preparation, in one's imagination, might appear spiny, or smooth, or whatever. Cooks with this quality would have an above-average "creative" talent, but supposedly most are mystified by their uniqueness and mention it to no one, or have learned to keep quiet about it because others think they're "weird".

I find it extremely interesting, and for years now I've wanted to know more. Curious if anyone here has it.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. I have a touch of it

When I was in undergraduate school, I took part in some trials that were being done by a local medical school. I experience sounds as colors, which never seemed odd to me. A door slamming is a dark brown. A scream is a vivid green. Laughter is pale blue. As for tastes, I don't do anything differently from anyone else except that I can tell how something is going to taste by reading a recipe, and I can spot where it's going to fail. That's very subjective, though, although the scientists liked that I could do it. My brain waves also went into a REM state - while I was wide awake - when I was shown gorgeous color slides of food.

A friend of mine tastes music. She'll tell me that a piece of warm buttered bread is a single piano, legato, playing a scale in plain old C.

We're fun in restaurants.

[elleng]

12. Sounds wonderfully interesting,

and I'd LOVE to join you in restaurants!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

17. Oh,

you just want to be there because I can sing all of "Band On The Run."

:toast:

[elleng]

19. IN COLOR!!!

.

[Mind_your_head]

20. self-delete

[eridani]

21. Laura Nyro used to drive her instrumentalists nutz with that

Hey people, I need you to do more of a clear blue, not so much turquoise or blue-green please.

[Warpy]

2. Yep

but it's just another mental oddity.

No two people with it can agree on it, either. If I describe a flavor as being a certain color or musical tone, another person with synesthesia is going to think I'm nuts, because it's definitely another color or tone to him.

Back in the 60s, I used to listen to music and paint what I saw. I was doing a lot of drugs back then, though, and that might have had a lot to do with the overall interpretation.

:evilgrin:

[wildflower]

3. I think I have this sort of in reverse of what you described

For example, when trying to describe the shade of red I want a pillow to be, it must be a "juicy" shade...I have a lot of difficulty explaining this to my SO.

[Tesha]

4. oh, yes...

I do the same thing, Someone here asked about why you use parsley, and I never responded because I though no one would understand "Bright" as a taste.

and when Mr Tesha yawns he "tastes things" Oh, he'll say, that was roast pork!

[NMDemDist2]

16. actually "bright" was used as a metaphor in that thread several times

:hi:

[Tesha]

22. it must be common then...

especially for those who like cooking!

[flamin lib]

5. Only once, 'bout 1972. I found this really fat doobie in my car and

smoked it all by myself.

The Beatles "Jets" was on my stereo and I could see the notes coming out of the speakers and bouncing off the walls.


As for food, well in that state . . .

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. Jet - a song by

Paul McCartney and Wings.

Not the Beatles, heaven forfend.

See what drugs have done to your brain????????????

SEE???????

[elleng]

13. I love this conversation!

Here's Jet!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFjTN11CnNY

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. Me, too.........

We are so all over the place, aren't we?

I loved that video, thank you, but it stunned me to realize it's now THIRTY-THREE YEARS OLD!!!!!! Can you imagine?

I read today that Paul is supposed to be on The Colbert Report in the near future. THAT will be earthshattering, I suspect.

"Band On The Run" was a work of genius, as good or better than anything the Beatles ever did, I believe.

[Tab]

10. As Tangerine has noted

your drugs haven't quite worn off yet, or you were to high to note that they broke up in 1970, and "Jet" was released in 1974.

But don't let that stop you from enjoying your memories, fractured as they might be. A good doobie can do a lot of things.

[DUgosh]

7. I smell colors

I have as long as I can remember. For instance the smell of the exhaust of a 1964 VW is a deep turquoise color. The colors I smell are usually in the same color spectrum, blue, green, purple, turquoise, emerald, etc. I always thought that everyone saw the colors and just never considered that I was different. Now that I know that others don't see the colors I never mention it to anyone.

I have experienced the textile properties of food on a very mild level. I have refered to them as shapes in the past but I do keep it to myself these days.

[Tab]

18. I had a '72 VW

in college, rusted through the floorboards.. Since the heat was channelled off of the exhaust, and the exhaust was rusted, it had no heat and the exhaust went through the cabin. I recall a memorable beer run to Canada with no heat and the windows rolled down (so we could breathe) on the coldest day of the year. I'm not convinced it was memorable in a positive way.

That said, it seems like you do have it; wish I could experience it too.

[wildeyed]

8. Not really, although I have some intense tactile reactions to words.

But I think that most people who really like language are like that.

I have read a bit about synesthesia, it is really interesting. Also, One of Stephen Carter's recent books has a character in it who has synesthesia, so that might be a fun read for you.

[Tab]

9. I'm glad I asked

I find this a really curious sensation.

There have been people who always felt the alphabet blocks were "wrong" because they were in the wrong color, but also people who have said they can read recipes and visualize them in terms of sensations or tactileness. It's interesting (probably not surprising, just that no one asked) that a number of people here have it; but as I said, most are quiet because they think no one understands. I'd love to know more, so if anyone wants to elaborate on how things appear to them, it'd be great.

[Blues Heron]

11. Had it when I was a kid

I used to perceive the taste of almonds as an image of the shape of a cap. Not kidding. every time I had an almond I'd see/think/perceive an image of a plain beige baseball/engineers cap. Weird.

[hobbit709]

15. Not since I stopped ingesting large amounts of LSD and psilocybin

[kestrel91316]

23. I don't have the smell/taste/color crossover thing, but something akin

to it where I can recall events in a sort of visual timeline of shapes and locations and orientations. It's weird. I don't know how else to describe it. But I think it functions as a memory aid.

[Mrs. Overall]

24. I lose my sense of taste if there are loud sounds--for instance if the TV is too loud

or someone is vacuuming, I can't taste what I'm eating. I need it to be fairly quiet in order to really enjoy my food. I've always thought that was quite odd.

[elleng]

25. Its very interesting!

It kind of 'feels' right to me, so I guess I'll have to test it. While I have been able to do many things under busy, loud conditions, maybe I just PREFER peace and quiet!

[GoneOffShore]

26. I don't have it, but there is an interesting fictional account in a book by Alfred Bester

"The Stars My Destination"

I don't know anyone who has it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger,_Tiger

[kentauros]

27. I have one of their earlier CDs

Embody

I can't say I have such a talent, though I do feel I'm creative in the kitchen nonetheless :)

[Tsiyu]

28. I got a book about it to understand it better

(Late on this thread - sorry) called The Man Who Tasted Shapes by Richard Cytowic MD. Yeah I have it.

Going to go read the rest of this thread but wanted to mention that book for further reading.