I’m hornswoggled if I know which forum to put this in. It’s pretty mundane, yet it’s TV-related, and it’s possibly a poll, all at the same time.
Mr. Pug and I are both big fans of the TV show Monk. Since I first started watching this show, I wondered if Mr. Pug would see something of himself in Adrian Monk, since Mr. Pug has some OCD tendencies. He’s nothing like full-blown obsessive-compulsive, like Monk or the Melvin character in As Good As It Gets, but he certainly can drive me bonkers with his irrational nitpickiness.
As we watched the latest episode, Mr. Pug said, “You know, I never realized what a crazy fuck I was until I watched Tony Shalhoub play up some of my tendencies.” Yess! What all my hints and dark mutterings failed to accomplish, Mr. Shalhoub did in a few episodes. I’ve seen a distinct scaling back of Mr. Pug’s aggravating uber-perfectionist tendencies since then. Thank you, Mr. Shalhoub.
What about you? Anybody feel the shock of recognition when they watch Monk?
I don’t see anything in myself, but I see bits of my ex brother in law. Peter definitely had OCD tendencies - he combed the fringe on the rug, picked lint out of the carpet, and would remake the bed if there was even a wrinkle in it. The thing that got me the most was the fact that he could keep his hands clean all the time and he was a mechanic.
I have noticed a few things. But only on occasion. I have been known to spend an inordinate amount of time sorting a deck of cards before using it in a game. Yes, I sort them in order then shuffle them for the game. Somehow sorting them assures me that they are all there. Mostly, however, I see things I would like to see in myself. I would like to catch parts of this disorder if that were possible.
I see little things. It’s not full-blown like Monk’s is, but yeah, I have a few quirks.
In this thread, I mentioned how I always start off walking with my right foot, and never step on cracks. When I come to a change in pavement or a change from tile to carpet, I always step on the new surface with my right foot. I always start up stairways with my right foot.
There’s a bit in the opening credits where you see him walking and stepping on a stone pathway. I forget exactly why it bothered him, but not being able to put my whole foot on a stone would bother me. I wouldn’t freak out, but it would nag at me.
I like things straight and at right angles. I’ve unconsciously straightened up things on people’s desks or at checkouts before, if it’s sloppy and out of order. Things like a container of pens or a business card holder, or magazines in the rack at the grocery store - if it’s tipped over and a mess, I’ll straighen it up.
If I’m looking for CDs or a DVD in the music store or a book in the bookstore, and find one out of place, I’ll go put it back where it belongs.
When I do the laundry, shirts on hangers must have the front of the shirt facing the left.
My volume controls for my car stereo and the stereo receiver at home (the one for the stereo and TV/DVD player) must be set to an even number. I prefer 10 or 12 or 14. If someone else adjusts it, and leaves it at 11 or 13 or 15, I surreptiously move it one more notch so it’s on an even number.
I think the reason Adrian Monk has so much appeal is that there are so many of us that can see a tiny piece of ourselves in his actions and thoughts. (At least that’s the reason I gave my husband when he thought I was being cruel and thoughtless by laughing hysterically at Monk’s mannerisms. )
It’s either that, or I’m a heartless bitch.
Yes. But this is no surprise as I have fullblown OCD and take medication for it. Initially I watched the show to see if the depiction of OCD was accurate. It is. Most OCD folks don’t have it that severe or varied, but it’s pretty realistic.
I use more time, energy, water and detergent to wash one bowl or fork than most people do to wash a whole sinkful.
I will not use sponges for this. You put water, bits of food, and skin flakes from your hands on the soap and then you use it thinking it will make things clean? It’s a bacteria farm.
I use my hands. I can wash them before hand, and be sure to have removed nearly all bacteria.
No dishtowel. Same rules as the sponge. I either let them drip dry, or use paper towels. I have given some thought to using a hair dryer to blow them dry.
Leaving the house involves repeated checks that all the lights are off. Of course, I could turn on all the lights and leave for a few days and expect no more trouble than a slightly higher electric bill. This doesn’t stop me from checking.
As you can see, my OCD does not extend to previewing my posts. That should be “on the sponge” not “on the soap”.
After each dish is dry, I hold it up and examine it in minute detail. Then I turn it ever so slightly and do it again. And so forth, until I have rotated it a full circle. Any speck, or sign of food residue (peanut butter leaves oil that’s very tough to get out) means the dish needs to be washed again. I finally switched to plastic utensils and plates because it made things so much easier.
I will not sleep in a hotel bed. Every time some show does an investigation of hotel beds, they find drool, blood, urine, and semen on the blankets, sheets, pillowcases, pillows, and matresses. It always turns out that the motel carpet is actually cleaner. So, when I stay in a motel, I sleep on the floor.
Well that’s about it for me, as a kid I’d do the ‘touching every pole’ thing and noticed it was gonna trap me and decided to stop. Really posting here so I can stalk all the Monkalikes. And yes I like the show
