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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

OCD

This evening I returned to the running with 2.9 miles in 28:30. Why the odd distance, you ask? Well, my log has a pesky .1 in there for mileage, and you guys know I'm just a touch OCD with my recorded digits, and I want nice round numbers in there, so I cut my planned 3 miler a tenth of a mile short in order to accommodate such even numerals.

So, now we can all rest assured that my mileage for the month, and the year, will be without any kind of decimal.

Some may find such need for even numbers in my log a bit out of character for me, and some of you have expressed surprise that I'm like this, and I agree, some of my compulsions and desires for perfection do seem to contradict my general laisse-faire attitude. And while I like to give Jerry a lot of crap about his lock-checking (locks always need to be checked 3 times to ensure locked-ness), the fact of the matter is that I have a lot of weird compulsions of my own; here's a short list:
  • Our dishes are 3 separate, solid colors. I do not allow any two plates, bowls, or coffee mugs of the same color to be stacked on top of one another. The colors must alternate. One time, Jerry pissed me off by re-arranging our entire cabinet so that all the colors touched each other. I nearly ripped his eyes out for the work he had me re-do.
  • Despite being a voracious reader, and despite encouraging my friends to read selections I have enjoyed, I do not loan out books. Scratch that. I loan them reluctantly. And then I hover. My behavior is so reprehensible that friends choose not to borrow from me and simply purchase the book for themselves despite the fact that I have shelves of books. I'm sorry, I'm just very, very, very neurotic about my books.
  • I like household things to be in their designated spots, and nearly everything has its designated spot. For example, Scooter's leash hangs from a hook near the door. I like it folded over that hook. But frequently, Jerry returns from walking Scooter and just tosses the leash on the counter by the door. Unacceptable!

So, yeah, there's a small peak into my neuroses, but don't you judge. I know all of you are particular about something. What is it?

33 comments:

David said...

No partial squares are allowed on the toilet paper roll. It must be a clean tear.

There are more...

Turi Becker said...

Oh - the plates cracked me up. Mine are all white; don't have to worry about it.

I'm the same with books, but my wife lends them out behind my back and I never see them again. Have you seen Librarything.com?

It's a losing battle with everything else in my house...

teacherwoman said...

I think we all may have a little OCD in us! Don't even get me started on my list! LOL!

X-Country2 said...

Ha! I love your list. I have a ton of quirks too. For one, I refuse to use yellow highlighters. They stress me out. The first thing I do when I open a pack is THROW AWAY the yellow one. I don't even want others to have the option of using it either.

Kelly said...

Towels... I can't use a towel more than twice (and I keep track of which side I've already used).

Anonymous said...

Too funny. I think we all have a bit of OCD. I have my quirks too. I am sure Matt could easily ramble off a list on me,

Marcy said...

I get you with the round nembers bit. Currently I'm annoyed with my XXX.95 miles for the year. GAH! I will have to fix that next time I run. As for the other things? Yeaahhh don't share those with you LMAO!

I'm a FREAK about pushing the toothpaste from the bottom up.

ws said...

I am going to skip answering this question. It would take up too much comment space...

Laurel said...

When J cleans the bathroom counters (or any surface in our house) he puts all the nick-nacks back in random spots. Like, he had no sense of balance and what looks good where. It drives me nuts. I would almost rather him not clean so I don't have to go behind him and put everything back in it's correct place.

Unknown said...

I am with you on the books. I read a ton, so I have lots of books..some of which I never plan to read again, but it is so hard for me to loan them out. I recently loaned my Twilight set, all 4 books, and I think about it daily...wondering if I'll get them all back..yeah, we're wierd!

Anonymous said...

So many things. Mostly I need my kitchen clean all the time and everything must be in its place.

Anonymous said...

I'm similar about running distances, but mine's on a more micro level. Each run must be some sort of specific number - .25, .5., a full mile, or bring my total running to a full mile. It makes me cranky to end a run at a random distance LOL.

I'm sure I have other things, but, with two kids cluttering up my life, I've had to let go of a lot of things.

Shoe Running said...

I'm really bad about food and loaning...er...giving...or sharing :)

I measure out all my food from the time I buy it to the time I eat it, and my roommates are always asking me if they can borrow a tomato, or eat a banana, or whatever...I always say yes, but it drives me kinda nuts cause then it throws off all my measurements :) He he! I feel bad that I'm such a bad food sharer...but oh well.

Unknown said...

Too funny about your OCD tendencies. I think Jerry may do those things to intentionally mess with you.

MN Mom said...

Can't stand newspapers! If John isn't holding it--I pick it up and toss it. Because he gets pissed frequently about this I now give him a 24 hour allowance. Read it or weep! I shutter thinking how many newspapers he has laying around without me there!

Marci said...

I am OCD about clutter. I hate knick knacks of all types. Lawn gnomes mad me see red!! LOL.

Stuart said...

My OCD has tempered with kids, clutter, toys, general crap but yeah I still have my "this ways"

Erin said...

Everything has it's own particular spot in my house. Eagle eye Erin can spot the slightest change and will nonchalantly twist, tweak, or maneuver the misplaced item back into the original position. Just ask Ryan, he likes to move things ever so slightly to see if I will notice and return it to it's rightful position.

I have many idiosyncracies (which I can't spell) but in general, I don't think any are that weird...right!?!

Gerry said...

I've been a lurker but after laughing out loud, I felt this great need to leave a comment! I'm a bed protector, if people come to my place they know not to go near my bed. I can't wear clothes that I wear out and sit on my bed. Don't ask me why, I'm just anal like that. And don't even get me started on my books. I hate when I lend it out and there's a crease down the spine. And yes I do read books awkwardly simply because I hate the darn crease down the spine!

Anonymous said...

a lot of things but my husband and kid seem to ignore it which sends me into a hissy on a daily basis.

TNTcoach Ken said...

Sandy is the same with the cups and bowls and I love pissing her off by mixing things up. I'm sure Jerry has his fun with you.

Marlene said...

I am pathological about tidying up in the kitchen... I have been known to put things away before hubby is finished using it, such as an ingredient he needs for a recipe, or... his lunch bag. :S

Wes said...

ROFL... I don't mind people borrowing my stuff without asking, as long as I find it just like I left it! The dishes in the dish washer HAVE to go in their proper places!!! It's my way or the highway!!! ROFL!!!

Carolina John said...

Oh wow. that can become a huge list. The strangest one i've ever seen is from my wife. She has a thing about sponges used to wash dishes. One sponge for the kids dishes, another to wash our pots and pans and dishes with. and still a third used to clean the sink after all of the dishes are washed. it makes no sense to me. why she can use one sponge to push the food off of the plate and into the sink, and then has to use a different one to push the same debri into the disposal strainer. trippy man.

Jess said...

Haha the thing with the dishes cracked me up!

E said...

I love that thing about the dishes. For me, I hate leaving the lights on when I leave a room.

Sarah said...

Oh man, this was a good post. I loved reading everyone else's OCD stuff too!

I'm totally crazy about loaning stuff out, it's the control freak part of me.

Same with mileage, I always have to end on a rounded number.

sunshine said...

The question is, how do you eat your skittles???

I line mine up in verticle rows. There has to be the same amount of each color and I eat them in ROYGBV order. :)

Aron said...

ohhh i definitely have many of these OCD things and i don't even want to get started :)

J~Mom said...

Couch pillows...must be a certain way.

Coffee pot must be in a certain spot on the counter.

Lock checker...

I have a handful more. ;>)

Mendy said...

I've often wondered about you and your books. You MUST be a member of a book club (like Barnes N Noble or whatnot) for the amount of books you purchase. But, I've wondered what you do with all your books. I know you have shelves, but it seems you'd have way more than what they can accommodate.

BTW, I finally picked up Twilight. Enjoying it.

Agate Lake Girl said...

I have multi-colored Fiestaware and I hate when two of the same color are stacked on top of each other too... or if there is a repeating pattern - I need randomness!

Viv said...

LOL! I am the same way about everything. If i chilled out i am sure my life would somehow be longer but would I be happier...prolly not.