While this won’t help the OP’s situation, we attach Tiles to purses, backpacks, and keys. You can use your phone to make the Tile ring so you can find your item; you can also press a button on the Tile to make your phone ring when you can’t find your phone. Funny that looking for the phone option gets the most use. https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/products/sport
When at home, unless I am sitting next to where I have laid my phone, I don’t hear the “ping” when I get a text. If it rings, however, the dog howls so even if I don’t hear it ring, I definitely hear the dog howling. One day the phone rings, the dog howls, I run from the other side of the house to answer it.
Son (who has been texting me): Don’t you ever read your texts?
Me (looking around frantically for my phone): Uh, I don’t even know where my phone is.
Son: It’s in your hand, Mom.
There are all sorts of scientific explanations as to why you don’t see something in front of you, but mental block is probably as good a phrase as any. I think it has to do with filtering or screening based on habit and expectations. So if you are thinking, “Where’s my phone” or “Where’s my glasses”, your expectation is that you have to find them, not that you already have them. It also could be related to that sense of touch that involves knowing what’s going on with your extremities (one reason for falls is not being cognizant of where feet are). If you are not thinking of what’s happening with your head or hands because you’re concentrating on searching, you won’t realize you are actually touching the hunted object.
That, or gremlins.
Did I mention that I was hunting for my hear aid once in front of a client on my hand and knees?
He tried to help when I realized it was in my ear. Recently thought I had lost it and, yep, it was in my ear.
Just as I was returning to the search and feeling upset I received a letter from a BMF from high school and college years. His wife has been extremely ill, his brother and entire family was in a serious car accident with brother being in coma, neighbor of 36 years at age 69 died of cancer and favorite aunt died. All in the past 8 weeks. Friend spent most nights in one hospital waiting room or another sleeping at night for weeks.
Time to get over myself. Deep down I am utterly annoyed but this will pass. Friends brother is not the same and may never be and wife has new chronic issues. The research I read is 1) Most lost objects are found within 18 inches of where we last saw it 2) When you look for something to not go through the organized piles but look at the messiest part of the room and look there.
I loved all of these stories! I am not happy that I have not found it but need to just make the phone call and let the letter go.
There was a whole book written about Rosanne Cash’s misplacing a list of important songs that her dad made for her. Johnny Cash hand wrote a list of 100 essential country songs that she should know and gave it to her when she was 18. She went on to make an album called The List with some songs she thought were on the list, but years ago she put the list in a special place in her apartment and never found it again, despite even hiring a psychic to help.
What is a BMF? Best male friend??
yes
Good thing - as the other acronyms I looked up had me wondering …
Now I’m afraid to go look up other acronyms…
A friend said she lost a bracelet in her dining room and never could find it. When they changed the carpet out several years later, there it was underneath the carpet when they pulled it back. She has NO idea how that was even possible.
@oregon101 you mentioned upthread you thought to yourself that you should make a copy. So have you checked the printer as perhaps you placed in there to scan and print but never got around to it? Or perhaps H placed it in printer?
For the past few years, I’d used a nice handbag that you carry by the handles… and then I received a really nice crossbody-type bag as a gift. When I started using it, I was shopping at a big mall with my D, and as we were walking into Starbucks after shopping, I flew into a panic when I put my bags down and realized my purse was missing. “We have to retrace my steps… I left my new bag with my wallet in one of the stores!” She looked at me as only a teenage daughter could and said “You mean the bag that’s hanging on your body?” Yes, I felt like an idiot in that moment… but it really did feel odd to not be carrying a purse by the handles… took some getting used to.
I really want OP to find that missing paper. The suspense is killing me!
I’ve actually left my purse behind several times and so far, each time have gotten it back totally intact. I sure hope OP finds her missing paper and is none the worse for the suspense. It can really be aggravating to look for something that you’re SURE is in a safe place. ARGH! I think we’ve all done that.
I do love small crossbody bags–forces me to be more selective and not carry everything that H or anyone else around me MIGHT (but probably won’t) need. Just the other day, I told him that nope, I didn’t happy to have a pen on hand for his use, nor did I have the supplements he MAY want to take.
Sweet tea, that is such a good idea! I once lost my drivers license because I had put it in the scanner to scan and forgot about it.
Not in printer. Another search and nothing >:P .
I have had some time as to how I want to respond to this letter if that is any consolation.
Slightly different than I would have initially so guessing that is the silver lining.
I lost my precious as gold mouthguard today. H and I searched everywhere. I suddenly
remembered I put two pair of glasses and my iPad in my purse before leaving the room this
morning. I literally dumped my bag on the counter and did not see it. Went back to put things
away and there it was a few inches from the pile. 
.
I rarely lose things forever but seems that I “misplace” frequently if the recent past is to weigh in.
H found the horseradish that I swore was in the fridge with the vinegars recently…
Not doing anything else crazy in my life–that I know of anyway.
I love this thread. My self esteem is improving as I realize it is not just me…I have 3 sets of keys to make sure I will always have what I need. And a land line partially to find my cell phone.
My favorite and most recent find is a guest finding my long missing set of keys under a bed. I used that room last winter and they must have fallen under the bed into the assortment of instrument cases stored underneath. I had other sets but the loss of that one was troubling.
Re leaving things in a photocopier - when I got my CA drivers license, it all went fine and i continued on to my next errand. Suddenly I realized I didn’t have my proof of residency documents. Nowhere in my car or purse. Back to the DMV and sure enough, they were still in the copier there.
Found my bracelet. Whew. In a tiny makeup bag under the car seat. Haven’t used that bag in months, so beats me how the bracelet got there.