Counter here. I count the steps I take when walking alone. I always count stairs, I count while I’m waiting for the water to warm up before stepping into the shower. I count tiles on a ceiling. I have no idea why I do it. It’s kind of a compulsion. But yeah if someone wants to say it signifies genius, well then, who am I to argue?
Hi, I’m An Arky, and I’m a counter. Even worse, it tends to be in eights…
I’ve done this measuring flour. When I measure it by weight, I catch myself counting how many scoops it takes to get to that weight. The scoops aren’t the same size or anything.
I used to know this girl who counted how many times she chewed when she was eating.
First job was a paperboy. Had to collect from each house. Gave them 20 seconds to answer first knock, then knocked harder, 20 seconds later, knocked harder yet.
People get all bent if I knocked hard to start with. Got irritated if I knocked again while they were on the way to answer.
30+ years later I still start counting when I knock on a door, or ring the bell.
I was just going to come in and mention that with mixed drinks, I’ll often count my pours (a good G&T is about two seconds of tonic and one second of gin), but that’s not fair because it actually has a purpose.
Two things that don’t have a purpose:
- Whenever doing something repetitive, I start putting it to a meter. 4/4, and then when I realize I’m doing it, I switch to 3/4, just for something new.
- Sometimes I just count meaninglessly when doing something like filling a kettle, but it’s not always.
I count too! Ah, I thought I was a little bit crazy for this. Walking, exercising, sometimes just sitting there in a quiet moment.
So I have questions for you fellow counters:
Do you do it outloud or as an inner monologue, or does it depend?
Do you count up or count down?
Do you always start/end on the same number?
Ever count by groups? (3, 6, 9, …)
For me, its always in my head, never out loud, though sometimes I will feel myself mouth the numbers without actually opening my mouth (jaw and tongue will move, but no mouth open. I hope it just looks like I’m chewing gum when this happens). I always count up, not down. Often times the counting just continues in my head without me really keeping track of it- I’ll start out 1, 2, 3, … then before I know it I’ve spaced out a little bit and I’m now at 20, 21, 22… not really knowing if I skipped any numbers in between. Sometimes I dont even realize I’m doing it until I get up into the 60s or 70s, and then I try to just make myself stop. I count by 3s or 7s sometimes, but I think this may just be a hold over from having to memorize those multiplication tables as a kid.
I count when I’m doing physical things that don’t have much of a mental component, like walking or watering the lawn or peeing. I usually count to 100, then start over. It keeps me from being screamingly bored. Also, I’m afraid that if I ever let my mind empty out completely, it might stay there.
There is a program on U.K. T.V. at the moment called “The Boy With The Incredible Brain” about a real-life rainman character who can do immense calculations in his head and memorized and recited Pi to 22,500 decimal places. He said that when he was young he used to count everything he saw from pebbles on the floor to leaves on a branch etc etc. So you may be onto something with the genius aspect of the obsessive counting 
I do that by just listening, the pitch of the sound changes as the water nears the top of the container. Listening is a better method because it can be applied to any container rather than just ones you have experience using, so ner ner 
I count sometimes. I count steps on stairs. I also count when I have to pee but can’t get to the bathroom right away. It helps me hold it. I also count when I’m trying to remember something and I rarely get to ten when I do this. For whatever reason it helps me remember.
Also, when I’m trying to get my mind off of something I sometimes count that series, I forget the name, it goes 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc.
Fibonacci?
I count when I’m doing something boring like waiting for my water bottle to fill at the tap.
When I was rowing in college (yawn, I just have to work the rowing in somewhere, don’t I?), we used to have weekly tests on the erg (the rowing machine). The tests were horrible, flat out as hard as you could go for around 8 minutes. Puking wasn’t uncommon. I always counted my strokes as a way to get through them.
The tests stressed me out so much that everytime I counted for something innocuous my heart rate would actually start to rise and I’d start feeling stressed. I’d started associating counting with pain. Even now, I still get a touch of anxiety when I count…
Another counter. Not of time pass (like when filling a kettle), but I count how many ice cubes I put into tall glasses, and how many (whatevers) as I fold the laundry.
I also find myself counting steps. It used to disconcert me, but I turned it into a game at guessing distances: how many steps until I reach that mailbox with the rooster painted on it? I guess, and then count my steps.
I’m pretty good at estimating, of course, I’ve been doing that for years.
Definitely OCD tendency/‘shadow’ OCD. I’m convinced there is a spectrum from us ‘nearly normals’ who function well despite the odd counting rituals all the way to the poor souls who have to wash their hands 40 times each hour.
Yes, it’s true. I too am a counter. I am, however, less purposeful than some here. I do not know how many or how far a thing is for the next time. I just find myself counting: as I fill the sink for dishes, water jugs to water the plants, sweeping the driveway, that kinda thing. I don’t store the info as a timing or measure of repeated tasks. Perhaps I should pay more attention.
I usually stop myself once I’ve noticed it due to reading once that is not a sign of a healthy thought process. Don’t recall the tag given… OCD or schizophrenia or something like that. Glad to hear it seems so common among the deep thinkers this MB is known for. Leastwise, I think I’m glad.
There seem to be three types of counters.
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Those like me who count possibly because I’m rather impatient when I’m filling a kettle (1-2-3-4-5-6-7 etc, but with no attempt to simulate seconds - my counting is much faster than counting seconds). This type of counting has the purpose of making the time go quicker, and I compare it to the action of people who bounce their heel up and down when sitting (marking impatience).
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Those who count for a purpose (to measure). Not me.
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Those who count such things as stairs and steps. Definitely the loonies.
Now that that’s sorted, which are you?
Should this be moved to GD or GQ since it’s getting so darned scientific?
I count for a slightly different reason.
When I am engaged in a task that requires a high level of concentration and speed at the same time I count. I count everything around me and do it in a a manner that keeps a metered time. I may never get past the number twenty. I do occasionally count by threes or twos, and never backwards.
Well at least I know I’m not alone anymore! I’ve tried talking about tihs with a couple of my friends about and I’ve so far been meet with raised eyebrows and ‘sure budy’ stares.
I count most things. Steps, hair pins as they go in, how many strokes of eyeshdow I have on each eyelid, cushion fluffing, container filling time. And everything has to be in groups of 5 or end in an even number eg. 2,4,6,5,10.
I seroiusly thought I had issue. Now I realise I’m just a genius with OCD
I count dashed lines on the road, especially on my way to work in the morning before I’ve had my coffee. I know it’s dangeous to focus on the lines disappearing under my hood, but I can’t help it. It’s a stupid annoying habit I hate, but the lines JUST KEEP COMING!!! It’s kinda like Tetris, especially at high speed with short lines. Man, I’m such a wierdo, but I am good at counting things rapidly.
I count to eight when filling my kettle with hot water for a cup of tea. It’s not OCD; I just don’t want to waste energy (and my time).
Guilty (lessee, that has 6 letters…) - I don’t count everything but I usually count steps - even when running up and down stairs in my own house. So far the total hasn’t changed 
And steps when walking on the treadmill. And pieces of candy in a bag/box, as I’m eating them - have largely outgrown this but as a kid it really freaked me out to lose count. And when I’m on a plane and it’s going through turbulence, I set myself a goal (say, 500) and won’t open my eyes until we’ve landed, or I’ve hit 500, or the plane has crashed. So far I’ve never tried out that third choice, phew!
Boy, if I had a nickel every time this question came up, I’d have… five, ten, fifteen… wait a sec…