Just gonna break the hundred mark for ya’ here, now.
Oooh another habit.
I do the “I’m not eating” thing when I’m angry at my mother also. Even if I’m starving, I refuse to eat, especially if she made me something for dinner. I wonder if getting into regular fights with her is what’s been making me lose weight lately…
And the man-pickle dilemma is making me laugh my ass off. I mean, it’s something I’d do [maybe] if I was really tired or feeling a bit nutty that day.
I also look for shapes in ceiling tiles. It weirds me out when all I can find are faces in the ceiling tiles in the room. [semi-related note:] Sometimes if I’m really bored, I’ll space cadet syndrome during class. I think one of my teachers must think I’m mystified with his ass. I seem to always space out with my focus on it. [It’s not even a nice one either. It’s really flat and too wide for his legs.]
Which teacher would that be?
I have lots of odd little habits, one of which, which is annoying me now is blowing little things out of proportion and flipping out over them.
I’m not telling!
- I to am a bubble maker when I piss-
- I also have Carabiners that I can’t stand not wearing, I have them (2 chains of 2) that I put on my pants. 1 pair hooked onto my left to from belt loops, and the other on the right 2 belt loops.
- I sleep in a sleeping bag on my bed. I sleep in the bag, 4. with the blankets on top of me.
- all of my keys face the same way.
only 2 dramatic ones… but nothing like some of you guys, I tell ya
j/k
Does having to go post on the SDMB once I get home from work count?
Also, I just realized that I seem to have this thing about washing dishes… I have to get started as soon as possible after I eat. Sometimes I start washing dishes before I eat (pots, pans & such). Does anyone else do that?
Maybe I AM obsessive-compulsive.
First off, though, I gather most of us guys “aim” at stuff while peeing, whether it be cig butts or the holes in the urinal, it’s kinda fun in a lame sort of way.
My “things”:
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I always have to have my money (bills I mean) facing the the same way, and cannot have corners folded over.
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I need to have all of my devices with clocks ie vcr, tv, computer, watch, etc be within seconds of each other. I will sit and set times for all of this crap.
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I distribute icons on my windows desktop according to categories, like network stuff, apps, system tools, etc, and will spend time making sure the icons are lined up properly.
(when windows occasionally lines up my icons itself, i get irritated) -
I time, by my watch, red lights, and compare them with others in town.
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When sitting on a couch making out with a lady, I feel more comfortable when she is on my right side.
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I also have to have closet doors closed when I go to bed.
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I MUST check the SDMB every day.
I have many more, but the thing is, I don’t think about these these things every day, (except the SDMB) but when they enter my mind, i have to do them.
Now that I have read this thread though, I will spend hours fixing all of my obsessive-compulsive crap, and will feel better in the morning 
Ad Noctum: I used to sleep in a sleeping bag on top of my bed for years. I didn’t put it under the covers, though. It just seemed more cuddly to be in a bag.
I must be hugging something when I sleep or I feel like my lungs are collapsing. I have a stuffed dolphin that my husband gave me that usually serves the purpose. If I’m at someone else’s house or a hotel, though, I use an extra pillow. I’m 28 years old. It just wouldn’t work to bring a stuffed animal on a business trip.
I have lots of little obsessive compulsive habits.
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When I’m going downstairs I always have to start with my left foot. If I start with my right foot I always end up tripping and falling down the stairs… it never fails.
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I also have a routine in the morning when I get to work that I must do the same each morning. If I do one thing out of order the rest of my day is f*cked.
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I dry off completely before getting out of the shower and I always dry my feet last. I also put my hair up in a turban and have to keep it on for at least 10 minutes to soak up all the water out of my hair.
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I always have to walk on the left side of people. It just feel wrong to be on the right side of people. I always try to sit on the left of people when I eat so we don’t bump elbows. (I’m left-handed… that’s why)
I do lots of quirky stuff but I’ll have to think about the rest of them for awhile.
I count the number of times I chop veggies into slices and there must always be an even number of slices. Don’t ask me why…I just do it and that is that.
Before I do anything requiring eye-hand coordination (throw a ball, a dart, hit a golf ball, even using a combination lock) I jangle my right arm. Always.
I have read every word in this thread. This type of information, is a pleasure to read.
When my mic is open, (when I talk on the radio) I HAVE to be holding a pen in my left hand. If I’m not holding one, I’ll look for one. There has been dead air because I’m looking for a pen to hold.
My vegatables can never touch each other. I’m not so bad about it now, but a few years ago, I would leave the contaminated veggies on my plate. My grandfather was so nuts about it, he was served ALL of his food in an Army food tray…each food had it own little compartment.
I’m trying to think of other bizarre behavior of mine, but I don’t think I’m all that bizarre.
Things don’t have to be lined up, I don’t have to count things…oh yeah how could I forget?
I set my bedroom clock 1 hour ahead. I set the alarm at 4:01am…it’s actually 3:01am. I see that it’s 4:01, and jump out of bed in a flyper, thinking I’m going to be rushed when I get to work.
I walk down the hall and check the time in the kitchen. Phew…its only 3:01…what a relief.
I do this every morning I work. I’m surprised and pleased everytime I see that I have lots of time. EVERYTIME
I’m trying to picture all of us in a house somewhere together, all carrying out our odd little habits without thinking about it … heh heh heh.
OK, here’s a couple of mine.
Another food separatist. I eat the foods/flavors I don’t like as much before I eat my favorites.
I tap fingers, pens, etc. When I’m talking to someone at work I always need to be doing something with my hands (playing with slinky, twirling pen, etc).
I make up silly little songs and sing them at home.
If I wake up in the middle of the night, I need to be able to see what time it is. I do this to a lesser extent during the day, but if I’m somewhere where I can’t see a clock, I will be constantly asking the people near me what time it is, or craning my neck to try to peek at their watches. I should probably get a watch of my own.
Amen to that!
Me too. Because the most interesting stuff is usually toward the back.
If the food is made to be together, I separate it. If it’s supposed to be separate, I eat it mixed together.
Oreos: Wafer, then skudge, then wafer
Lasagne: 1st layer, 2nd layer etc.
Payday candy bars: all the peanuts, then the middle
Mashed potatoes and veggies: just meant to be mixed together!
The best way to eat ice cream: have it very cold and rock hard, then pour some liquid onto it (milk, soda, seltzer…) Scrape off the resulting fast-frozen treat.
…and I have 3 brains. They don’t get along either.
I’m talking to someone and something totally off the wall will come out of my mouth:
Brain 1 states something really dumb with a straight face
Brain 2: Did you just say that out loud?
Brain 1: Uh…No?
Brain 2: You did too!!
Brain 3: Will you two shut up?!
Here’s my list of little obsessive compulsive habits. I’m sure there are more, but I just can’t think with all that incesent finger-tapping.
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When I sit in a room, I must be facing the majority of open space in the room. In other words, I can’t be facing the wall.
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I like doors that are shut. I’m not bad about people sized doors, but I have to close open cabinet doors. Partially closed doors drive me nuts. It’s all or nothing.
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I tend to walk in step with others. I think this comes from all those years in marching band.
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Dog-eared paper or bills must not be.
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If I fold a paper in half, it must be <B>in half</B>. If the edges do not line up, I must fold it again.
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I can not stand to stack dirty dishes together.
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Anything done to my leftover food is the same to me as if the action had been preformed on food I was <I>about</I> to eat. I.e. putting it in the trash grosses me out.
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My key must go in the ignition with the Ram symbol facing me and the Chrysler symbol facing the dash.
. . .But at least I don’t sit down in the shower.
When I concentrate very hard, I tap the eraser of my pencil on my bottom lip.
When brushing my teeth, I count the strokes I make on each side. They must be even.
When driving in the rain, for some reason I force my breaths to coincide with the windshield-wiper cycle. Makes it tough when it’s pouring, it’s like I’m hyperventilating.
When I wear my glasses (for driving and seeing the chalkboard clearly in school), the frames must be TOTALLY even. I can’t stand to have them tilted not one bit.
When I read in bed, I always read on my back. When I turn the light off to sleep, I always turn my body so I’m sleeping on my left side.
In school, if I’m bored, I’ll twirl a pen around my fingers for hours on end without even thinking about it.
When I urinate, I like to pee on the inside of the bowl yet not in the water, so as to make as little noise as possible. This originated two summers ago, when I would be online until 5 AM every morning because I was on vacation, and I had to make sure that my dad didn’t hear that I was still up and punish me for life. I guess I didn’t realize how loud flushing the toilet was compared to my urination.
Putting on two socks that don’t match nearly makes me physically ill.
I never stop moving. Tapping my foot, moving my knees toward and away from each other, it doesn’t matter. I never stop.
This is a great thread. 
I must give my cats equal petting, otherwise their feelings get hurt. One, especially, must be the last one petted. She’s very sensitive.
I watch the cracks in the sidewalk and avoid stepping on them, because I’m afraid I’ll trip.
I have mental images of words that may have nothing to do with the word. Examples: “Phil” is an opened jar of Jif peanut butter, viewed from above. I can’t see the word “Jif”; I only know it’s Jif because I can see the red and green top of the label. “Melvin” is a little boy in lederhosen and a propeller cap. “Those Melvins” is alternating rows of paper doll cut-outs, boy/girl, black/white. “Paul” is either a scallop shell, standing on edge, interior facing me; or a cross-section slice of papaya, stem end down. I have many more.
I must carry hand lotion with me at all times. It doesn’t matter if I don’t need it or don’t plan on using it; if I don’t have it my stomach feels queasy.
I also read magazines from back to front.
OH boy… let’s see…
I hate the white layer between the pulp and the peel of oranges. And that skin on the wedges too. I have to use a knife to split the clear skin, and pull out the pulp and eat it. I throw the rest out.
I chew on the inside of my mouth.
I have bad knees, and if someone hits me in the back of the knee, I am in trouble. So sometimes I look behind me to make sure no one is there, waiting to hit me, even though I am completely alone.
I believe if I imagine in a positive light the way an upcoming event will happen, it will never happen that way. So I try not to think about it at all.
I cannot stand for my feet to be bare.
I sit in the shower, but on a bath bench. The thought of sitting on a shower floor makes me want to bathe in bleach.
I cannot stand to touch raw meat, especially chicken. I will only handle chicken with tongs. Hamburger patties do not get made at my house.
I prefer the cookie part of chocolate chip cookies. I love chocolate, but I will eat around the chips and sometimes throw them away.
I hate the cream in oreos, and will scrape it off and just eat the cookie part.
I hate soggy cereal – I get my bowl of milk, and only put in a few flakes. I eat those, and then add a few more, and on and on, until the milk is gone.
I have gone through periods where I have a constant narrative going on in my head about what I am doing and saying and feeling.
I hang up all of my clothes to dry because I am afraid they will all come out of the dryer 3 or 4 sizes smaller.
I cannot spell the word surprise. Or is it suprise? Or surprize? Or suprize? I missed once on a 10th grade spelling test and haven’t been able to spell it since.
I always cover my finished plate with my napkin. Everything looks so nasty after you have been poking at it with your utensils. But I do not eat one thing at a time!! What do you food separators do with casseroles?
When I hear the ding-ding of a car-door-open signal or a turn signal, I use it as a metronome and sing a song around it. ‘The tide is high’ and ‘I’ve been working on the railroad’ are popular.
I have to stop myself from correcting people who use incorrect grammar when they are speaking. Double negatives and subject-verb agreement errors are the worst. Also when people use words that don’t exist, such as ‘theirselves’.
I wonder if there are any therapists on the SDMB that would care to comment on all of us and all of this?