Does memory only *store* what REALLY matters?

I hope not, or I'd worry for meself.
I don't know how your memory works, but mine is playing tricks, too often.

See..
I'm unable to give details of a book I've read 2 weeks ago;
yet I remember most details of a movie I've seen 10 years ago.
I don't forget faces but I'm not good with names.
I remember the birthday of e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y around, but tend to forget to wish them!
I use my credit card 10 times a day with the same ol' code (which was created at the beginning of life on earth)... yet I still forget it regularly!

And when I see the kind of details my memory "stores"...

..like...

the metallic taste of the kisses with a boyfriend when I was a teen
the specific smell in the bathroom of my grand-parents in Normandy
the very unique and weird colour of a ceiling in this London hotel
the shape of the front door of all the places where I've lived
the smell of the awful hair lotion from a british boyfriend
the glompphhglommph feeling I got when putting my spoon in the only rice pudding I'll ever had (17 years ago!)
the way my English History teacher looked above his spectacles
the so thin ankles from another English teacher
the shape of the glass when I tried Lagavulin (a hundred years ago!) for the very first time, and the burst of sensations following the first sip (drooling!)

Why do I remember so many details of my life while I'm unable to remember most important stuff, I wonder.

I think my memory needs exercise... good, my grand-ma has zillions of books and games for that (yawn) ;-)

....

"One elderly couple is visiting another for supper. The two women go into the kitchen for a moment, leaving the men to talk.
One of the men says to the other, "The Mrs. and I went to the nicest restaurant last night."
"Is that right?" the other inquires, "What was it called?"
"That's just it," he replies "I can't recall. "Say, what's the name of that red flower that has thorns all over it?"
"A rose?" he responds.
"YEAH, THAT'S IT!" he says energetically.
He then whirls around and yells into the kitchen:
"Hey, Rose! What was the name of that restaurant we went to last night!?"

huhu