some random bits of Madison, and the vicissitudes of memory

Here's the central staircase in my hotel - a very definitely dated 1947 style, but perfectly so.

Followed, of course, by a Badger; the sunset from my room; and the State Capitol at night.  I remember visiting that in around 1989, and remember its magnificent interior well.  At least, I think I do.  The last time I was in Madison was later September in 2012, for an excellent NAVSA conference, and I stayed in a B&B on the other lake, walking over to this side for the conference itself.

Or so I thought - until someone told me that NAVSA was held, indeed, on that other lake.  So where over here, I wondered, did I stay?  This is where both keeping this blog, and not deleting personal emails, comes in handy.  Ummmmm: I stayed in this very same hotel.  I have absolutely zero memory of this.  I don't know what to do with this fact.  I even wrote a friend that it was weirdly dated in style ... I know the actual room I'm staying in is somewhat generic, apart from the view - but you'd think that I'd have had, perhaps, a very small frisson of recognition, at some point?