Anal Retentive Qualities Sure to Annoy

[amyzzz]

I HAVE to put my left sock on first, then my right, then my left shoe on before my right. I don't know why, I just can't do it any other way.

I also wash myself in the shower the exact same way every time, in the same order, otherwise it throws me off.

I have to flick the ash off my cigarette or cigar after I take a draw every time.

I have to put in my left contact lense in before my right.

I have to put my money in my wallet securely before I walk away from the register, even if that means making people behind me wait until I'm done.

I won't send a text to anyone if I'm too drunk to be grammatically correct.

I think this goes in the boring stuff thread. This is all normal stuff.

[mountmccabe]

I think this goes in the boring stuff thread. This is all normal stuff.

In my mind the parts I emphasized make it qualify for this thread.

I HAVE to put my left sock on first, then my right, then my left shoe on before my right. I don't know why, I just can't do it any other way.

I also wash myself in the shower the exact same way every time, in the same order, otherwise it throws me off.

I have to flick the ash off my cigarette or cigar after I take a draw every time.

I have to put in my left contact lense in before my right.

I have to put my money in my wallet securely before I walk away from the register, even if that means making people behind me wait until I'm done.

I won't send a text to anyone if I'm too drunk to be grammatically correct.

[TomAz]

Those last two seem like perfectly rational behavior to me.

[captncrzy]

Seriously? It's one of the most over-referenced lines in all of "comedy." Maybe they're just looking at you with what appears to be a blank stare when really they're thinking, "Holy shit, did that guy just quote the one line people ALWAYS quote from that overrated piece of shit and expect us to chuckle like we appreciate his contribution?"

Also, I really don't think Tom gives a flying fuck that someone (other than myself) has him marked as their new favorite person.

[marooko]

I think it makes him smile.

[gazercmh]

Pretty sure it is because I am fairly young and people my age have not seen it.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt, that's what I had assumed.

[santasutt]

I get inappropriately gloomy when I am folding laundry and discover that a sock has gone missing. I keep a special laundry basket we call "the island of lost socks." I feel like celebrating when a long lost sock has been reunited with its mate.

I know, I need help.

[TomAz]

I am fairly young

edit: wait. I just read your profile. You list Arizona athletics as an interest, you live in San Diego, and apparently go to college there. And you know Spinal Tap. Are you my daughter?

[PlayaDelWes]

Tall is hot, Tom.

[BROKENDOLL]

THIS is bringing on feelings of agitation right now because I want sooo badly to be able to take that lone pencil to the right, and place it between the last two pencils in that lineup. Then, if I could do that, we could move on to realigning either the first two paperclips, or the last five paperclips. I mean, how the fuck can you expect those paperclips to keep your papers uniform if they can't even keep themselves uniform?

[ENluv12]

edit: wait. I just read your profile. You list Arizona athletics as an interest, you live in San Diego, and apparently go to college there. And you know Spinal Tap. Are you my daughter?

Haha I played volleyball at U of A but I live in San Diego now.

[amyzzz]

Those last two seem like perfectly rational behavior to me.

They all seem rational to me. It's just his routine. If I break out of certain routines, it can mess up my day too. Isn't that normal?

[BROKENDOLL]

I think that my anal retentive behaviors have declined over the years and I chalk it up to being able to allow the little rebel in me to run free. 20 years ago,I was in a position where I was pretty much told what, when, and where shit should be. I believe it was called being "programmed." I can remember having all my bills facing the same direction in my wallet, as well as having all my towels not only folded a certain way, but also stacked according to color. Darks go on the bottom and get lighter in color as the stack grows because, things with color VS without would be heavier. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? (A beige towel for instance...less dye involved in achieving the shade of beige than say, for example, a black towel. The beige towel would seem airier and lighter on it's threads. Hence being nearer the top of the stack.) Can't say it actually annoyed anyone though. I probably notice more annoyance now, due to the fact that by not giving a fuck anymore, what's more annoying is going to grab a towel and having the domino effect take place because my towels are basically shoved wherever they'll fit.

I also used to be a little nutty about housecleaning to the point of dusting every single week. And, I'm not talking about a swifter-like dusting...I'm talking about taking every fucking knick-knack off of whatever shelf I'm dusting, and then uniformly wiping in the same direction before utilizing proper placement of said knick-knacks according to height, width, and balance. Nowadays, I'm not so dedicated to that unless it concerns books on a shelf. I don't give a shit about subject matter, or the author. What's important is how the books look as they're set on the bookshelf... Start from the left with the tallest book and work your way down to including paperbacks. Once my reading material is aligned, I then balance out the shelf by placing a knick-knack, or bookend object that is equal in size with the original starting book in the lineup.

I'll be honest though, my bookshelf is probably the only anal thing I have left, and I attribute this to having a 2 year old around here with us for almost 6 months last year. It taught me how to accept imperfection instead of pulling my hair out one strand at a time. Or, I learned that it's okay if something's not in it's right place because with a 2 year old around,it's gonna get moved upwards anyway, or it's going to end up broken or lost. What's really, really interesting though, is that the 2 year old is now back with her mother, but came and spent a weekend with us awhile back. And due to the decline in my anal tendencies, I had no problem with her getting into things... What I did become concerned about was this...






After watching her complete her lineup, I offered her a different basket for her chalks, and then proceeded to witness her gather all the chalks up and start completely from the beginning in size formation. Once she got them all in "her" place, I thought I'd reach down and move one of the shorter chalks to another spot... I thought the fucking kid was gonna go ape-shit with her screaming and kicking of her feet!

You don't suppose that the reason I've lightened up on my strange quirks is because I've passed them onto someone else, do you?

[locachica73]

THIS is bringing on feelings of agitation right now because I want sooo badly to be able to take that lone pencil to the right, and place it between the last two pencils in that lineup. Then, if I could do that, we could move on to realigning either the first two paperclips, or the last five paperclips. I mean, how the fuck can you expect those paperclips to keep your papers uniform if they can't even keep themselves uniform?

I was more bothered by the fact that the last crooked pencil appears to have been wittled to a point with a knife and the other sharpened ones look like those cheap plastic pencils instead of the real wood ones. I use to hate those motherfuckers.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

They all seem rational to me. It's just his routine. If I break out of certain routines, it can mess up my day too. Isn't that normal?

Dogmatically employing a routine to every bit of minutia in your life, and then having it "mess up your day" if not followed strictly is not normal. Having a comfortable order of operations is fine, but having a strict, illogical way in which every part of every task involved in each operation is performed is semi-obsessive compulsive.

It's not "bad," but it's not "normal" either.

[amyzzz]

It all depends upon how much it messes up his day.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Ugh.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Stop assuming your completely irrational behavior is in anyway considered completely normal, Amy.

[amyzzz]

Yes I am completely irrational because I put my left shoe on first.

[amyzzz]

I am completely irrational because I always wash my hair first, put my conditioner on, then wash my face, then wash my body. COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME???

[TomAz]

No amy. The irrationality is based on the stress level you feel if you do it in a different order.

[amyzzz]

Sorry I was spazzing. I was hungry and my ear really hurts.


But I do want to know what specifically happens when he does it out of order and how often does that happen anyway?

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

The reason it's an anal retentive thing is that everything I wrote I HAVE to do, otherwise I start over (like with my shoes or contacts). It's not really out of habit. It just... feels wrong if I do it out of order. If by that standard, my list is only considered being boring and normal, then having to have your towels folded a certain way should fall into that same category.

But I do want to know what specifically happens when he does it out of order and how often does that happen anyway?

If I wash myself in any order other than shampoo hair, rinse, wash left armpit, left shoulder/arm, wash right armpit, right shoulder/arm, wash chest, wash face, wash dick and balls, brush teeth, I tend to forget to wash a body part altogether. I'm not OCD in that if I don't do it out of order I have to start over and do it again, I just tend to forget to wash a part of myself. I go out of order maybe only about 4-5 times a year, unless I'm showering with a lady, in which the routine is out the window.

[stinkbutt]

"I'm not like other girls"