Idiosyncrasies & Quirks
We all have them. Seinfeld made a number of hilarious shows about them. One of my favorites: George removing his shirt before going to the bathroom (see youtube video above). Along similar lines, anyone remember John Cage from Ally McBeal? He liked a "fresh bowl" when he went to the bathroom. I can get on board with that!
One of my oddities: I like to be the first person to read the paper. My husband has constant fun with what he (probably rightly) thinks is ridiculous--he'll purposefully mess it up before I get to it. Yes, we're still in High School. Don't get me started on the postman I used to catch reading my magazines on his lunch break outside my house.
I must admit, as I get older, I do like things a certain way. I find myself walking by things that are out of place and fixing them. I've even been known to move a few towels around in my day (I like them straight!), but my little quirks don't usually rise to "Sleeping with the Enemy" levels--at least not yet. :)
The other day I was printing off my manuscript and realized I've developed a couple of them with writing as well. I like writing in Times New Roman--other fonts really bug me. I've heard other authors mention this one as well. I also like to print off every morning and edit by hand in a colored pen. By contrast, when I'm starting a new book and writing out ideas, I do it with pencil. Not sure why, since I never erase anyway.
So what about you? Do you have any funny quirks? Are you over or under on the TP, LOL?
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18 comments:
I am cut from the same cloth as you. I have to fluff my pillow every night in a certain way before I can go to bed and that includes making sure the sheets are all straight. Cabinet doors cannot be allowed to remain open for any noticeable amount of time. I do not bend, fold or crinkle my books in away way. I think my nook has helped me with that OCD issue. I prefer calibri myself! :) Thanks for the flashback memory of Seinfeld!
I'm with Frances on the no bending, folding or crinkling books - which is why I don't lend books out (and I trained my daughter to never tamper with my books or she won't be allowed to read them anymore). If I think a friend should read a book, I give it to them and tell them I don't want it back.
Also, I edit / rewrite on paper in red pen. I tried rewriting a scene with a black pen the other day and I just couldn't get in the groove until I got a red one.
I am with you on the not bending the books. I like to keep them almost new looking. I had when I borrow a book from the library and pages are falling out. or the spine is bent back. I want people to have a little bit more respect with the way they treat books.
My other little thing is glasses, drinking a glass that is. For me, they have to washed in really, really hot water, and rinsed the same. And they should be air dried. No towel, especially one that gives off lint. If you do dry my glasses they must be wiped with a linen towel.. I know you what you are thinking.. Real anal. It used to drive my mother crazy...
My favorite TV one is Robert Barone's chin quirk. There's an episode in season 8 when the family and in-laws want to know why he does it.
My current quirk is with running. I have a few running headbands called Sweaty Bands to keep my flyaways out of my eyes, and even though I have 4 different patterns and want more, there's only one I wear religiously. It's their design on the US Flag, and I always pick that one over the rest.
When I was writing papers in college, I was like you and I'd print them out and edit them with a red pen. I always felt like I could catch errors more easily than re-reading it on the computer.
Frances, so glad I'm not alone. My husband read the blog and said he was tempted to comment with a bunch more of my "quirks" (he calls them OCD tendencies). Nice guy, huh? :)
Funny you guys mention books, I almost put in something about broken spines and dog-eared pages! I don't lend books out much anymore, either, BE--mostly because I tend to never see them again. The exception is with my CP Jami-we exchange books all the time.
I'm the same way with not using a colored pen. It feels really weird for me. For me, I think it harkens back to those days when my dad used to use the "red pen" all over my papers. I don't feel like I've revised if I can't see it! I think the dedication in my first book actually mentions my dad's red pen. :)
Hey Kathleen, I'm right there with you on "anal." I'm the same way. It also drives my mother crazy. I think you've given me something new to think about--I read your glasses comment and thought to myself: I totally see that. I hate the lint on glasses!
Lesley,
Too funny about the running hair bands. There are tons of professional athletes that have similar things. (same socks, same batting helmet, etc.). I agree about the catch more errors. I see them much more clearly on paper than I do on the computer screen. I really think it engages different parts of the brain to revise on computers and on paper. I can add my kindle to the mix, too. I catch different errors reading my manuscripts on the kindle than I do on computer or print off. crazy, huh?
Im with you regarding the towels. I also compulsively arrange pillows and blankets. Well, I do that to almost everything, LOL.
I can not stand it when one of my family mambers does not push in thier set after dinner it drives me crazy.
I agree with frances about not bending books one i get a new book and after i read it still lookes like i just got it.
Hey Natalie,
Glad I'm not alone with my towels. Believe me, that scene with the horrible husband in Sleeping with the Enemy comes back every time I do it. But does it stop me? Nah.
I guess I have another one--I do that, too, Tara. I go around and shove the chairs back in every night.
Besides the book bending that others have mentioned, my biggest quirk is not necessarily environmentally friendly. I have to take 3 full paper towels after I wash my hands in public restrooms. It is only public restrooms that I do this. If one breaks or rips, I have to grab another full paper towel. I also do not throw away my paper towels in the restroom I use them to open the door just in case anyone that left before me didn't wash their hands.
I also have to have closed closet doors. It doesn't matter that I get into my closet or son's closet all the time. They have to remain closed. My son has also picked up this habit, but I think it has to do more with Monsters Inc. than anything else. :)
Off topic - Lachlan's book is coming out sooooooon. YAY! :)
Oh boy, this is getting bad--I guess I have more of these quirks than I realized. I do that with the towels in public restrooms, too! I'm not as consistent about it, but I shut my kids closet doors, too. LOL on monsters, Inc. I don't blame him. I didn't like my closet doors open either when I was young. :)
Lachlan will be here in less than 5 weeks now!
I hate it when the blinds get crooked, or artwork gets a little skewed on the wall. But like your husband I can appreciate being the messer upper also, I have a friend who is fanatic about being the first one to the crossword puzzle, when I visit I've been known to start it first...
Lisa,
Okay, now you've found one that actually gets my husband. He HATES the pictures getting crooked. And LOL on the crossword puzzle. You and my hubby would get along great :)
I know this is off topic, but I just read a review for The Viper and I cannot wait until the 18th! The reviewer said it was great. =D
I love off topic, Tina, especially when I hear something like that! So glad you're looking forward to the book and read a good review. Those are my favorite. :) The others, I do my best to ignore, LOL.
First off ..TP is under. Over Labor Day weekend when my guy was here I found it "over"..not allowed. :(
I cannot, I repeat, cannot stand a picture that is crooked.
I'm finding that things don't bother me too much anymore...a bit of clutter...college textbooks/papers laying around while I'm working on several things.
Hey Julie, I'm trying to be more zen about everything, but I must admit it doesn't work too well. I *hate* clutter. I'm definitely a "tosser." Actually just did a bunch of it today.
I'm pretty bad. I go out of my way to avoid people in the bathroom. They can't see who I am. If someone comes in I wait until they leave, or if I hear a pad being opened I rush out of there. And if someone is walking in when I'm just coming out of a stall, I walk back and mumble something like "Ooh almost forgot my phone," and when they're in the stall I come back out. And if someone does see me, I am beant out of shape for like half the day. I know, I have issues.
Stormy as you can see from the comments, you are not alone in issues, LOL. I think bathrooms are where so many of them come out. My kids used to walk in saying "Don't touch anything" really loud because I'd drummed it into them so often.
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