I know this has been done, but I hope not too recently. Besides, quirks are fun.
Mine is purses (handbags for the UK types) on the table. Can’t stand it. I don’t know why. It isn’t a germ thing, it is just wrong somehow. Two people I know seem to always plop their purses on the table, and I have learned that unless I ask them to move them, it will irk the crap out of me for the whole meal. I know it is irrational, but there you are. That’s what makies it a quirk.
Cupboards being left open drives me nuts. I will subconsciously find myself shutting other peoples cupboards and turning off other people lights (in empty rooms), though I’m pretty sure I only do this with family. Oh, I have mostly gained control over this one, but when going to restaurants I would impulsively organize the sugar packets by color and make sure they were all facing the same way. I don’t do it anymore, but if I’m at an office and there are stacks of paper that are sloppy, I will straighten them.
I’m sure there are others, but that’s all I can think of at the moment.
I must step on every dried leaf I see on the sidewalk in fall. Well, not OCD “must,”, but I really, really enjoy crunching leaves. That’s it - other than that, I’m completely normal.
It’s not germs - I’m probably less concerned about them than I should be. It’s just the concept of people getting close and – touching me. AARRGGHH!!! Don’t do that!
People know this. And they get so …close… just to torture me.
ME TOO! Oh, I just cant stand them. As soon as I sit down at my desk at work my shoes have to come off. I’m a born and raised San Diegan and wear flip flops most of the year… so that probably has something to do with it.
Brynda - You know me well enough to know the myriad of OCD quirks, like not letting you eat dinner until your turn your plate the right way.
I’m extremely time oriented. I don’t wear a watch, but can usually tell the time within about 10 minutes. Because of the OCD, I know exactly how long it should take for me to get to every landmark (exits, mile markers, etc.) to every place I go regularly. So from my house to Wal-mart where I turn is 11 minutes. To the light at Church Street is 17 minutes. To exit 80 is 20 minutes, etc.
In the last three years I haven’t slept in a bed, but on my couch, after a year of sleeping on my bed in my apartment. Before I moved into my apartment, I slept on my bedroom floor for about 12 years.
I have difficulty making plans on a work night. Doesn’t matter if I can get to bed for a good night’s sleep.
I put on four pairs of gloves at work, most where one.
I can’t use the same word (and I’m not talking about little stuff like or, the, and, etc.) twice in one sentence. Honestly, it bothers me if it’s done over within a paragraph. OCD kicks in.
I’m also big on opposites. I have a wall of crosses in my house and a similar size can’t be next to one another. By the same token, I wear a lot of cloth bracelets. They must be on different arms if they share a color. And on and on…
I have also hardly sleep in my bed. I sleep on the couch and insist on it even when staying at other people’s houses. I have 5 very nice beds and two couches and the couches always get picked. I have one new bed that has been slept in once by a family member. I like to sleep on couches.
I have two true almost phobias if not full-blown. One is someone staring at me over my shoulder. That has been a big problem in the training with my new consulting job and I warned my trainer about that but he still does it. I lose my ability to type or write on paper very quickly if that happens.
The other is standing in place. I cannot stand in formation with other people or even by myself without having a full-blown panic attack. I avoid awards ceremonies like the plague. I will come close to collapsing in place and it has nearly happened a few times before. I just avoid it at all costs now by not showing up or refusing to participate. I think this one and the one above could be summarized by having a fear of someone or a large group of people staring at me. Me knees give out and my heart and breathing get really rapid.
I am not an especially fearful person though. I will jump out of a plane or volunteer to go into combat faster than anyone if you promise that I won’t have to stand in one spot at attention for more than a few seconds.
I used to do that. And then make a big fuss about the key grip and how I loved his work in Titantic (or some such.) I thought I was very clever. (OK, it still makes me grin.)
