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Am I the only one who......?

(75 Posts)
shysal Thu 25-Apr-13 20:57:09

Only sets the car radio volume or air temperature on an even number.

Always eats the best bit on the plate first.

Lays out the next day's clothes the night before despite having all the time in the world in the mornings now I am retired.

Counts the bathroom tiles each time I have a bath.

The list goes on....... What odd little things do you find yourself doing?

Tegan Sat 27-Apr-13 10:36:30

I hate other people doing any washing up in my kitchen an not using 'my system'.

Zengran Sat 27-Apr-13 11:20:32

I was worse when I was younger, when out walking had to read car number plates forward then backwards and kept repeating to self. I would also count steps taken to anywhere. There was a lot going on in my young life and I suppose, as someone has said previously, it was a way of coping or gaining control.
I still have little foibles. The worst is counting the stitches in EVERY row whilst I am knitting. I try not to, but find I am still doing it subconsciously, even when watching TV at the same time! And I do a LOT of knitting! grin

absent Sat 27-Apr-13 11:26:14

I think children invent rituals to give themselves some sort of stability and security, even when they come from a stable and secure family. A friend's daughter, for example, used to chant "This is the end of it" 100 times every night before settling down to sleep. If someone interrupted and and she lost count – with three older brothers this probably happened a lot – she started all over again. I doubt if she does it now that she's grown up but I can see that a major event or huge change in childhood could well leave the hangover of this sort of ritual.

soop Sat 27-Apr-13 11:30:04

Zengran...when on a long walk, I start counting the steps until I reach my destination. If it's a hilly walk, I make a point of looking well ahead and giving myself a bronze medal when I reach said point...a silver at the next post...a gold at the furthest point...and, should I manage beyond that, I get a rainbow coloured ribbon bearing a wee diamond. I also have a "thing" about going through the letters of the alphabet, and in record time, coming up with a male and female name. I always have to end with Zena and Zeb [don't know whether or not there is such a name for a male. Daft as a brush, mewink

Zengran Sat 27-Apr-13 11:31:46

smile

annodomini Sat 27-Apr-13 11:40:43

Short for Zebedee, soop? As in the Magic Roundabout?

Bez Sat 27-Apr-13 11:41:44

I do the counting stitches too when I am knitting - at times I am not aware I am doing it till something happens.
I think baubles may well be right about the genetic thing - I am sure the need to have things matching comes from my mother. She often cooked carrots with our meals to have a 'nice bit of balanced colour on the plates'. - I find myself doing that too!! grin

soop Sat 27-Apr-13 11:47:27

Oh, anno that's super. You are clever. grin

Greatnan Sat 27-Apr-13 11:48:02

There is a Zebediah in the Old Testament.
I don't have a genetic excuse - except that my mother was so disorganised that I might have just embraced tidiness as a reaction
My poor father was quite neat, and when he died we finally opened his private drawer, expecting some money. In it, were his fountain pen, nail scissors and comb - all things that our mother would have mislaid if he had lent them to her. No money though.

soop Sat 27-Apr-13 11:57:50

Like it, Greatnan

Off to restart a portrait of Lucy, a pretty cat. What's the betting I shall have names on the brain, as I paint. hmm
...or songs beginning with A -Z...or animals...or fruit/veg/flowers/trees/birds/towns/famous people/films
Yep, I confess that I'm very peculiar [but harmless with it.] grin

Charleygirl Sat 27-Apr-13 11:58:01

The vast majority of you would fly out of my house within the first 5 minutes of arrival as I am not at all organised, never had OCD, although a little would be helpful as I am so laid back. I am glad that I will not be around when the time comes to sort out my house and contents, although I will be able to enjoy watching it from above.

My mother was the opposite. Whenever I stayed a few days, I had to make sure that I did not leave any clothes etc by accident when I left as they would not be there when I returned in a few weeks or months.

shysal Sat 27-Apr-13 12:03:44

soop, I do the letters of the alphabet thing for various other categories too, like countries, towns and singers. I use it to help me get to sleep on the occasions when I can't shut down my brain. I rarely get to Z.
I use a pedometer to record the number of steps when walking, but often count in my head too and see if they match.
Greatnan, I stayed last night at DDs looking after the GCs, and found her cutlery drawer in the same order as mine and yours - knives, forks, spoons. It surprised me as I thought I was illogical not storing them as a table would be laid. I think my system dates back to a previous drawer where the first slot was longer.

soop Sat 27-Apr-13 12:07:02

shysal I have just this minute posted a thread very much like yours, on Good Morning Saturday post. grin

MiceElf Sat 27-Apr-13 12:43:35

Zechariah Zoroaster Zorba
Zoë Zenobia Zipporah

Just to keep puss contented.

soop Sat 27-Apr-13 12:55:58

grin

Greatnan Sat 27-Apr-13 13:04:48

I have a grand-daughter called Zara. Xavier - good Catholic name!

Sook Sat 27-Apr-13 13:21:01

I favour the knives, forks, spoons, teaspoons line up grin

MiceElf Sat 27-Apr-13 13:35:36

How could I have missed that one? Shame on me.

absent Sat 27-Apr-13 13:41:25

MiceElf maybe because it doesn't begin with a Z? hmm

Enviousamerican Sat 27-Apr-13 13:46:24

We have a recent addition to my husbands family named Zander.

MiceElf Sat 27-Apr-13 13:48:51

Absent, too much wine last evening.

Greatnan Sat 27-Apr-13 14:16:27

I offered Xavier for the X! And I know how to pronounce it - We had a St. Xavier's Boys' Grammar School.

MiceElf Sat 27-Apr-13 14:25:49

Unless you're in Span. In which case H

Sook Sat 27-Apr-13 14:42:20

Ea we have a Xander.