That weird thing you do...

I promise you that I'm not OCD, but I'm "in it to win it" for this thread.
I dare you to try to beat this list! Time to let my freak-flag fly.... <deep breath>

• I often stand while eating in the kitchen because I often clean at the same time
• As per previous bullet point, I sometimes eat finger foods with utenils (e.g. banana with spoon, pizza with fork) to keep hands clean
• I try to minimize cranking finger nuckles but still crack (more like pop) wrists, shoulders, knees, ankles, elbows, neck, toes, etc. randomly through the day
• I often (not always) set TV volume to multiple of 5 even when that's a little too loud/quiet
• I rarely chew gum but when I do I tuck it in my cheek and rechew later. Via same technique a mint can last me 3-4 hours
• I stopped wearing jewelry, watches, long-sleeved shirts, neckties and tucked-in shirts (except where required), turtlenecks over a decade ago because I'd unconsciously futz and fidget with them endlessly. My best guess is that my subconscious associates the sensation with bondage. And no, I don't have any stories (funny or otherwise) to associate with that! :happy:
• I always have multiple thoughts (no, not voices) going on in my head simultaneously. For example, as I type this I've had the chorus of a Ne-Yo song playing as well as a bullet list for my 4pm meeting today, and pre-planning menu for lunch/dinner. Makes planning ahead easy but focusing on 1 thing difficult. When I have to study/memorize something, I have a dedicated playlist of instrumental music to play to keep other thoughts at bay... and the music cannot be anything that I know the words to.
• Ever so often I'll move my lips while focusing my thoughts on something, sometimes I'll whisper-speak my thoughts. I sometimes gently bite my lower lip to prevent this.
• I'm a "hot box" so I fold the comforter from my side of the bed to the middle and sleep with at least one leg out of the covers and a ceiling fan directly above the bed and on 95% of the year. I start by sleeping at the extreme edge of the bed so if I wake up in the middle of the night after night sweats, I can move to a dryer portion towards the middle of the bed
• While on the "hot box" topic, I pop/flip my shirt (tug middle and push back repeatedly) to cool off. Became a habit and I used to do it all the time even during the winter when I not hot. Rarely done now, but at least it understandble when I'm on a treadmill popping my shirt every minute or so...
• Pumped gas must end with '0' or '5'.
• Add sugar (now Splenda) to marinara sauces
• Every hiccup is immediately followed by a burp

I will NEVER be accused of being a neat freak and can be messy at times. but some things I'm very particular about how I do. But I'm NOT a Nazi about and will not get upset because someone else does it different (I know people like that).
• Picked this up from Dad: money in my wallet is organized by denomination, smallest on inside, all facing the same way and upside down. I now use an AlumiWallet so the bills are now folded the same way. I used to keep different types of coins in different pocket but don't anymore.
• I use a dishwasher religiously, forks and spoons must alternate in slots. One the rare occassions that it's not working and I have to wash dishes by hand, the order is fixed: silverware, cooking utensils, cups, plates, bowls, pans, then pots. In any group, smallest to largest.
• I'm a regimented grocery shopper. List and coupons grouped by non-foods, non-perishable foods, produce, refrigerated, frozen. I have my own hugh freezer bags for the latter two and I have folding containers (trunk organizers) to carry many bags at once. I travel the store in the order of my list. When loading the conveyor, I load in the same order but heaviest items first for each group (I'm a bagger's dream). I can shop with 2 baskets simulatenously and things are loaded neat and compact. I have been stopped by shoppers or several occassions and told I should teach a class or shop professionally for others! In my WalMart, certain cashiers know me by sight and wave me TOWARDS their aisle because I make their jobs so easy. When unloading at home, perishables and cold items go inside first and are put away before anything else comes in. That way if it's a storm or I'm too tired, I can leave everything else in the car overnight.
• Picked up from Mom: I wrap presents like a pro. I measure items, do the math in my head, and measure and cut the paper to just the right size. I minimize the amount of exposed tape and my corners are sharp, even on rounded objects. I've been told that I should wrap presents professionally, but I don't do the extra foo-foo stuff like hand-tied ribbons, etc. When I unwrap presents, I do that neatly IF the paper looks like it can be neatly reused. I ALWAYS reuse boxes unless they're too damaged. I'll even reuse name tags when possible. Suffice it to say, I don't have to buy many supplies each year (except tape).
• I used to be a die-hard Black Friday shopper, with spreadsheet list, Google maps, schedule, fist full of flyers, etc. I was the guy to show up 2 hours after opening because I don't do the "camp out for 3 days for a doorbuster", while everybody's scrambling for them, I focus on the "until 11am" deals. Last year was the first year that I did the "day before T-day" shopping plus Cyber Monday. Was such a joy having things show up on porch every couple of days, tracking shipments via spreadsheet, etc. I think I'm a convert, but time will tell...

Here's hoping I don't get "un-friended" by everybody now <maniacal laughter) :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Pop my knees..Drink milk and Pepsi..have to have labels facing out in a pantry/cupboard..ummmmm lol dunk fries in my milkshake (all of one time per year), have to put my groceries up on the belt in order of cold, canned and boxed...I'm sure there's more..

You drink milk and Pepsi together? That is weird haha!

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Forgot...

Food on my plate can't touch. If it does I eat that part first to make sure the separation is restored.

I will take a bite from everything on my plate to rank them from favorite to least favorite. Then I will eat them in order from worst to best. (always save the best for last).

I group my food by color to eat it. (like skittles or M&M's). It bothers me if there are not even numbers of each color.

I have a form of OCD called dermatophagia--I bite the skin on my fingers compulsively and often don't know that I'm doing it. When I'm not biting it, if there are spots that can be peeled, I will pick at them with my nails, and I often do this when I'm nervous without realizing that I'm doing it until I'm bleeding. People like to point it out to me and give me suggestions to help me stop, as if in my 30 years I've never had it pointed out to me that it's not normal, and no one has EVER suggested coating my fingers with Elmer's glue and peeling that instead of my skin.

I have to have all the closet doors in my room shut so that if anything were in there and going to come out, I'd hear the door open. I am also a very light sleeper and I can't stand light in my room, so I cover the stereo with two bandanas and then prop a book in front of it, turn the clock around to face the wall, and flip over the laptop battery so the light shines into the floor. I can't sleep with the radio or television on either because of the noise.

I put pepper on my pizza and salads. And I put dill in everything!

Thats a form of OCD? I always pick the skin around my nails until they bleed. Even when I dont know Im doing it. My husband says stop Picking! so Ill stop...then just start again with inn 10 seconds,

I actually chew the skin mostly on the pads of my fingers (most of the time you can't see my fingerprints because the skin has been chewed and peeled away), but I will pick at "hang nails" as well. A few years ago I peeled the skin on one thumb down to the inside of the knuckle, and then went across the knuckle to the other side, and that was so satisfying that I do it all the time now. Since I stopped biting my fingernails and grew them out, when the skin on the top gets peeled back to the point that I can't get anymore because the nail is in the way, it drives me crazy because I can still see it there, all peelable, so I'll use my other nails or nail clippers to try and peel it out.

Maybe it's not that weird, but I really enjoy silence. I prefer not to have music on at all when I'm working on the computer, studying, running, climbing... anything. If at all, I'll turn on NPR and listen to talk. This drives my fiance nuts sometimes, as he listens to music all the time, including in the shower. I think it makes me more aware of what's going on around me.

I cannot sleep on my back.

I can't sleep on my back either. I toss and turn for a very long time, but I almost always end up lying on my stomach with my arms straight down, hands under my thighs.

I smell my upper lip. Well, actually, it's how I plug my nose when I'm going underwater. It makes the *ugliest* face. But hey cool, whatever, not many people can do this rare and strangely creepy looking thing I do. *shrugs*

I just did it as I was reading this lmao

lol! I did, too

I CANNOT spit out my gum. I get this huge urge to swallow it with in ten mins of chewing it. Then I eat another peice.

I do this too!

i sniff my deodorant and perfume first before i put it on...every...single.. time. lol.
dont know why, its just automatic for me, lol.

Always, always sniff a marker before I write with it lol

I sniff my deodorant after I put it on. Especially if it smells good. Soft n Dri's Whisper scent smells amazing. I made all my friends smell my pits once at a party and they all agreed! :bigsmile:

I love the smell of my dishwasher tabs, and I'll stand next to the dishwasher while it's on in order to inhale the steam. I also love the smell of OxyClean. I went through a phase a few years ago where I was so obsessed with the smells of them that I eventually really wanted to taste them, and I couldn't get it out of my head until I did, so cracked open a dishwasher tab and tasted the powder portion, tasted my OxyClean both dry and mixed with water, and tasted hand sanitizer. I also once tried bleach on a dare and really like it. It's super salty. Bleach is one of my favorite scents and if they made bleach scented candles and air fresheners, I would fill my house with them. Chlorine bleach that is. Probably because the pool I worked at primarily as a teen had such a strong chlorine scent that it's like a nostalgia thing for me.

Did you like the taste of the other stuff? I do kinda like the smell of bleach, but I've never wanted to taste it. I love standing in the coffee aisle at the grocery store, but at some point you need to leave before people start looking at you funny.

I smell my upper lip. Well, actually, it's how I plug my nose when I'm going underwater. It makes the *ugliest* face. But hey cool, whatever, not many people can do this rare and strangely creepy looking thing I do. *shrugs*

I just did it as I was reading this lmao

Yes, but can you effectively PLUG your NOSE with your lip?!? heh That's the rare part. haha

totally did it while reading as well... lol...

I totally do that, when swimming, for nose plugging purposes. i had no idea that it was unusual though. :drinker:

I have to have the volume on the tv/radio/stereo/....etc on an EVEN number.

ME TOO!

I click my right heel against my left as I step off the curb to cross a street.

i sniff my deodorant and perfume first before i put it on...every...single.. time. lol.
dont know why, its just automatic for me, lol.

Always, always sniff a marker before I write with it lol

I sniff my deodorant after I put it on. Especially if it smells good. Soft n Dri's Whisper scent smells amazing. I made all my friends smell my pits once at a party and they all agreed! :bigsmile:

I love the smell of my dishwasher tabs, and I'll stand next to the dishwasher while it's on in order to inhale the steam. I also love the smell of OxyClean. I went through a phase a few years ago where I was so obsessed with the smells of them that I eventually really wanted to taste them, and I couldn't get it out of my head until I did, so cracked open a dishwasher tab and tasted the powder portion, tasted my OxyClean both dry and mixed with water, and tasted hand sanitizer. I also once tried bleach on a dare and really like it. It's super salty. Bleach is one of my favorite scents and if they made bleach scented candles and air fresheners, I would fill my house with them. Chlorine bleach that is. Probably because the pool I worked at primarily as a teen had such a strong chlorine scent that it's like a nostalgia thing for me.

Did you like the taste of the other stuff? I do kinda like the smell of bleach, but I've never wanted to taste it. I love standing in the coffee aisle at the grocery store, but at some point you need to leave before people start looking at you funny.

Hand sanitizer is gross, but the OxyClean and the dish powder were alright. One time was enough for me, though. I just needed to satisfy that curiosity, I guess. I do still like to stand by the dishwasher while it's cleaning sometimes, and I pull my various blankets up to my nose so I can smell the OxyClean scent on them while I'm watching tv.

One thing that I haven't gotten over: I love to eat snow. I'll step outside, brush off the top layer, and then grab a handful off the railing and squeeze it into my hand to compact it and then take a bite and suck on it. This morning when we went out to the car, I was putting something in the passenger side and I saw my son was licking snow built up on his window--that's my boy!

I pick at, dissect, and or mutilate my food before I eat it.

Example:

I'll have a slice of pizza. First I'll pick off any toppings and eat them individually. Then I'll remove all the cheese and eat the main bread of the pizza. Then when only the crust is left, I split it open and stuff the discarded cheese from before inside the crust, and then finish it off.