# When geeks mate **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 14, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213 "2003-08-14T19:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/1 "2003-08-14T19:40:32Z")
While at CarMax attempting yet again to get **UncleBill** ’s car fixed (long, painful story), I realized that taking the car keys off my keyring would give me an opportunity to correct an improper placement of one of the keys. This led to a discussion of how the keys are arranged on our respective keyrings and the system we both use. See, it’s most frequently used keys on the outside, working inward to less used ones, and since his car has the two-key system, the door key needs to be on the left so that it can be moved into and out of position with the right thumb. His keyring coincidentally ends up with the keys in order by size, which is a super extra bonus. I love that we even had a conversation like this. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/2 "2003-08-14T19:54:43Z")
Between that and the short discussion of Young Frankenstein (“Puttin’ on the Ritz” was on the muzak), that poor guy helping us was so confused. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/3 "2003-08-14T20:01:15Z")
See, this is the same problem og had when he was designing our hands. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/4 "2003-08-14T20:09:56Z")
_Won’t someone think of the children???_ ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/5 "2003-08-14T20:18:03Z")
Yep we have those too - deep long discussions comparing the differnent navigational systems of Star Trek to the proper slicing methods to use when slicing sausage to the breeding cycle of doves. We’re so weird. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/6 "2003-08-14T20:20:03Z")
We also have trouble with spelling. “Honey, how do you spell “different”?” “i-l-l-i-t-e-r-a-t-e” ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/7 "2003-08-14T20:20:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lainaf \* > \*\*_Won’t someone think of the children???_ \*\* Hmm…let me think about it for a minute. Nah, I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![freetobeme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@freetobeme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freetobeme)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/8 "2003-08-14T20:31:25Z")
Wow, I just totally rearranged my keys. Much better. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/9 "2003-08-14T20:33:03Z")
Does talking about poo count? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/10 "2003-08-14T20:37:23Z")
Hey, cool… so I’m not the only person to arrange my keys according to their size. Do you also arrange them so that they all face the same direction? ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/11 "2003-08-14T20:49:05Z")
Keys HAVE to be arranged by size – is there another way? And they must all face the same direction, of course! ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/12 "2003-08-14T20:55:27Z")
Well, you could arrange them according to the order in which you get them, or the order of use (i.e. most used go outside, etc). ---
**Author:** ![Stage\_Manager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stage_manager/32/7267_2.png) [@Stage\_Manager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stage_Manager)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/13 "2003-08-14T21:05:45Z")
This isn’t geekiness; it’s OCD. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/14 "2003-08-14T21:14:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mikie \* > \*\*This isn’t geekiness; it’s OCD. \*\* No, it’s just practical. I don’t like to have to fumble around to find the key I want, so they’re arranged in a logical fashion. It’s having a conversation about it and discussing different systems that’s geeky. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/15 "2003-08-14T21:19:59Z")
**UncleBeer** and I have also had a conversation about how we arrange keys on our keychains. We’re (also) pitiful geeks. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/16 "2003-08-14T21:46:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mikie \* > \*\*This isn’t geekiness; it’s OCD. \*\* If you want OCD, you should see me eat a bag of Skittles. And while I’ve never had a discussion about how to arrange my keys, I have been known to arrange them _just so_, in order of use. Not so much of an issue anymore though, since I am now down to aonly two keys: car and house. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/17 "2003-08-14T22:02:35Z")
Well, since this is the thread for geeky conversations, how _do_ you eat a bag of skittles? Depending on my mood, I might just empty as many into my mouth as I can or I might pick and choose the flavors (discarding the icky grape ones) while sometimes mixing and matching the flavors… two orange, one lemon, and three lime is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Kakofonous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9a140/32.png) [@Kakofonous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakofonous)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/18 "2003-08-14T22:10:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mikie \* > \*\*This isn’t geekiness; it’s OCD. \*\* No. What’s OCD is my reaction to my work issued keys. All of them have the standard ’ University of \_\_\_ Do Not Duplicate’ on one side with the key ID on the other - but 1 of the 5 has the sides switched. I arrange it such that the jiggy edge of the keys are all the samed … but gah! Why is the one different? And does ‘jiggy edge of the key’ have it’s own word. It seems like it should. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/19 "2003-08-14T22:32:59Z")
What’s inside and outside on a key ring? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213/20 "2003-08-14T22:46:12Z")
If you have five keys, the one in the middle in inside, the two on the edges are outside. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-geeks-mate/195213.md?page=2)