I’m also an “eat the sides first, then the main course” person.
-I’m afraid of the dark. Shut up.
-I never use hand lotion, or any lotion on my hands. I can’t stand the greasy feeling it leaves. Ick.
I know I have more, but this is all I can think of for now…
I have used the same for to eat home-cooked meal for the last twenty years; it is a NAAFI issue stainless steel fork, nice long slender prongs, good balance with an attractive ‘N’ logo impressed on the handle.
…same fork to eat every home-cooked…
I clap my hands when I get excited. I purr to myself when I’m happy, and growl when I’m angry. And I talk to myself in my own language when I’m working, or thinking about something.
I have to count or I’ll freak out in crowded public places, so I’m always counting in my head. Normally by about 1400 I feel more comfortable and can stop counting. But until then I quite often miss bits of the conversation, or walk straight past whatever it is I’m going to.
I can’t get up at a “stoopid time”. It has to be x.00, x.15, x.30, x.45. I cannot get out of bed if the clock says x.23 or something!
Likewise if I see the clock before I try to go to sleep, I can’t close my eyes or stop staring at it before it gets to a “sensible time”.
I now wear a blindfold at night!
I have to sniff books or notepads or any papery things before I buy them, if they don’t smell right I can’t buy them.
And the winner is…Tir Tinuviel! Woohoo!
I used to alphabetize my CDs - grouped by genre - until I got married. It’s too hard to keep up with Mr. cowgirl’s de-alphabetization.
I really, really hate when something/someone is sitting on paper. You know, you leave the daily paper on the couch, someone sits on it … crinkle … ARRRGH! drives me nuts. This extends to putting items on paper (e.g. putting your purse on top of the mail you’ve just put on the table) or leaving paper on the floor to get stepped on …
If you scratch the bridge of your nose in the presence of a friend of mine, she will scratch the bridge of her nose too. Very amusing for the rest of us. We used to get into ugly battles where I would scratch my nose at her and she would throw a napkin on the floor and step on it … ugly indeed.
And oh, I smile when angry. The angrier I am, the wider I smile.
I tend to leave a room, then remember something, and return. The minimum amount of returns is obviously 0, with the maximum begin approximately 11. My roommate in college studied this habit for his statistical analysis class. Apparently, my average returns per initial departure is 3.27, with a standard deviation of 1.02.
I have to kick my shoes off - all the time, even in the office.
I get really really embarassed when anyone compliments me. I jsut don’t know how to accept it graciously. I end up smiling in an embarassed way, mumbling “thank you” and looking at the floor. Or I just laugh and think that the person complimenting me is taking the mick.
I can’t stop moving. I don’t have to be running around in circles or anything, but if I can’t at least wiggle my feet, I will go insane. So whenever I’m at work, or at home, or at a movie, I’m always jittering. I usually have to get up at least once during a movie (I always SAY I have to go to the bathroom), but it’s just because I can’t stand to sit in one place for that long.
I’ve noticed that this tends to drive other people crazy, especially if I’m sitting in a sqeaky chair.
My sock drawer looks like a filing cabinet inside. The whole drawer is filled with socks , neatly filed away. Short ankle socks on the left all the way up to crew socks and heavy duty winter socks on the right. I could go a month at least with my supply without doing wash.
This is because we had to fight over socks when I was a kid.
I must compulsively close cabinets and doors. Especially cabinets.
I can hardly stand to sit behind a desk or table and have my chair flat on the floor. 90% of the time, I’m bracing against the table with my hands and leaning the chair up on two legs. Not far enough to make it close to tipping over, mind you - I stopped actually leaning back years ago. But the seat must inclined. If I’m typing or writing or not sitting behind a desk or table, I’m good, but if I am, just gotta tilt that chair. If it’s too heavy to do this easily, it’s very frustrating.
I also can’t stand chewing gum. The smell, the flavor, the texture - ick. I haven’t had gum in years. It amazes me that I STILL have to explain this to my friends when they offer me a piece of gum. I just can’t stand the stuff.
I don’t like to walk around barefoot in the house.
Working on two different campuses and having odd schedules, I keep a meticulous list of the outfits I wear on each class meeting day/campus/time so that I don’t “repeat an outfit” too soon.
All my mp3 file names have each word capitalized. I change any deviating file names before listening. Strangely enough my brother’s collection has all lower case file names.
I almost always count out seven ice cubes whenever I fill my glass. I am not particular when filling anyone elses glass. I used to use three cubes, but now I have an automatic icemaker and I am spoiled.
I always use one snooze cycle in the morning. I have been setting my alarm to accomidate the one snooze cycle for ten years now. I am beginning to think that this is pretty common.
I am a “wanderer” while brushing my teeth (which means I need to marry someone who stays put).
If I’m in a chair and excited/engrossed in something, sometimes I’ll have a tendency to ‘perch’ on the chair. This involves having my feet on the chair and being in somewhat of a squatting position. I only do this when at home, since I am mortified someone might see me perching :eek:
When I have to stand up for a long time (both my jobs require this, its the only thing I hate) I will often cross my legs while standing. While nobody has brought this up, it is something I’m extremely self-concious about it, so while its more comfortable for me to be standing around when my legs crossed, if PEOPLE are watching me/around me I’ll suffer standing upright normally like the rest of the hominids 
I count the peices when I’m chopping up vegies. When I finish one vegetable I start again from “one” on the next.
I can’t not count them!!!
I have an open zip phobia, before I go out I have to check my zip at least three times to make sure its closed. If I forget, or forget I remembered, I get really paranoid about people looking at me until I have a chance to check.
Wow! I was just looking for a few oddities, but you guys are all freaks! 
Just kidding! Stop Kicking me!
Thanks for the responses, I’m enjoying them.
Recently I’ve had that phobia as well After a string of rather embarrassing circumstances where I had to inconspicuously zip myself up in public places. (I’m presuming that mean ‘zip phobia’ on pants 
)
sigh "…I’m presuming that ** you ** mean…
Before leaving any place (home, work, mall, store), I will use the bathroom and have my keys in my hand. It just saves a lot of time.
Another “eat one thing first” person. I know there has been a thread on this.
I hate shoes. I buy only black Hush Puppies for work, and wear them till they fall off my feet.