Personal Hang-ups

The older I get the more I have- I'll be insane at 50

Published on February 24, 2004 By KarmaGirl In Personal Relationships

This morning on my way to work, I was thinking of all the odd little hang-ups that I have. I am sure that they end up effecting my social life in some ways. My husband thinks that they are funny. I find them annoying. These are the ones that I have identified:

1) I hate people eating with their mouth open, especially if it is crunching something
2) I hate people cracking their knuckles (this comes from having arthritis)
3) Having something obscure my line of sight. (people who eat lunch with me know this, and I am the only person I know who freaks outs about it.) So, don't stand your lunch bag up in front of you and think that I will still be able to talk to you.
4) Details drive me insane. My husband has broken small things in the house (like a door casing, removed a couple screws from a side light) and it drives me insane. Big things don't typically bother me too much, but small things do. (Desk is a mess and I'm OK..... lose my favorite pen and all hell breaks loose)
5) Feet. I don't like them. I have come to terms with my own. However, the only time that they see the light of day is if they have had a pedicure. Men wearing sandals with long toenails just creeps me out. Luckily, my husband hates sandals and wears socks when he doesn't have shoes on. Otherwise, it's dark when his feet are free.
6) I can't eat meat if it's still on the bone. I really don't eat much meat, anyway, but having it on the bone bothers me. I typically can pick most of the chicken off the bone and be alright, but watching people pull meat off the bone with their teeth makes me ill.
7) I can't walk through a dark room. I have to turn the lights on. Not being able to see drives me nuts.

Then, there is my obsessive compulsive side:
1) I check a curling iron 3 times to make sure that it is off. Not once or twice, but three times. (No reason why)
2) I do the same with the coffee maker
3) My Mom watches my daughter while I work. Since I typically leave early, she sleeps in the spare bedroom until my daughter wakes up. One morning she wasn't there. We didn't realize it until we were pulling out of the garage. I now check for her coat and car 3 times before leaving. I have pulled back into the drive to check again in the past.
4) My fingernails are a big issue. I pick at them. I don't even know that I do it. The only way I can stop is my having fake nails applied.
5) Before I leave the house, I have to make two trips around to make sure that all lights are off and all doors are locked.

OK, so I think that I am working on insanity here (I'm a psychologists dream, I'm sure). Anyone else have any hang-ups like that?

Comments (Page 1)

crimson

on Feb 24, 2004

I have time issues. I make my best effort to arrive at a place on time, whenever i agree to meet up with people. It is very stressful to meet these time arrangements, as I like to sleep in, leave things until the last minute, etc. But I do show up, ON TIME, to then face waiting for fifteen minutes for a friend or worker to saunter in. Bastards.

I have commitment issues. I prefer to be single, because I simply don't want to waste anyone's time waiting around for me to grow up and address my issues. Fine, you say? Tell that to a whole slew of people who advocate me going out there to find a mate. Loudly. Constantly. Even wanting to set me up. Thanks, but like I said, I'll be ready when I think I'm ready.

I hate that my daughter refuses to flush the toilet. No matter how many threats I issue, privileges I take away, or just good old temper tantrums that I throw, the toilet remains unflushed.

There are a million things that I could list, but those are my top three.

Obsessive-compulsive? Not really. Maybe about locking the door, and checking for potential fire hazards daily... (seriously), that's about it.

new-age nomad

on Feb 24, 2004

Pet Peeve of mine: I hate it when chick push their hair behind their ears, but leave one little piece on purpose. Do they think that's attractive or something?

Trinitie

Suspeckted

on Feb 24, 2004

Wow, you've got a lot of issues. I guess I have hang-ups on people who have a lot of hang-ups. This is not to say that there aren't things that bother me, but things like feet and walking through dark rooms I mean, come on, just get over it. One of my good friends has a huge list of things she hates, I really only "hate" (which is not a word I use regularly) things like really bratty spoiled people, or just plain inconsiderate jerks...these aren't hang-ups....just common sense.

KarmaGirl

on Feb 24, 2004

come on, just get over it

Excuse me, but...DUH! Don't you think that I would if I could? Obviously, if I know what they are, I have tried to "get over it" but my brain doesn't cooperate. That's why they are "hang-ups" and not just things that annoy me. Have you ever read about obsessive compulsive disorders? People know that they have things that they do (like wash their hands 90 times a day) but they still can't control them.

Of course, I am a control freak who can't stand to "fail" at anything, so I think that is why my brain is short circuiting. The other theory is that I am an artist, and most artists are mentally ill to a degree. A photographer that I worked for once told me: "To be a great photographer, you must be a bit mentally ill." I should be a really great photographer really soon

JillUser

on Feb 24, 2004

My pet peeve is people who say "just get over it"

I think everyone has their own form of mental illness. Some people just don't recognize it or won't admit it.

I am not a big fan of feet either (except baby ones...love em!) I feel like screaming whenever someone says, "I don't mean to be rude but" and then they go ahead and are rude!

One problem I fight every night is my mind starts imagining horrible things that could happen to the people I love. I have to actively imagine things that I would like to dream about in order to go to sleep without having nightmares. I am a big worry wart.

mittens

on Feb 24, 2004

"I am not a big fan of feet either (except baby ones...love em!) I feel like screaming whenever someone says, "I don't mean to be rude but" and then they go ahead and are rude!"
Hahaha; definately!

"One problem I fight every night is my mind starts imagining horrible things that could happen to the people I love. I have to actively imagine things that I would like to dream about in order to go to sleep without having nightmares. I am a big worry wart."
I tend to have that happen to me while I try to fall asleep too. It used to be really bad when I was younger, I would lay in bed for hours on end, unable to fall asleep.

As for KarmaGirl's comments, I can greatly sympathize. I have quite a handful of obsessive-compulsive tendencies that get really annoying. I thought they went away once I got to college, but as my dorm become more and more familiar (and more like home), they started re-appearing. I have to check locks numerous times to make sure its actually locked, though I'm not doing it for security reasons, it just has to be that way. I have to ensure that the water faucet in the bathroom is turned off after I wash my hands about 3-4 times. Back when I was home, before college, when I actually drove everywhere (I just use public transportation now), I had to follow the exact same route to school every day, or else I'd break into a sweat and worry something bad was going to happen... It's just kind of annoying, but I've definately learned to deal with it. Don't consider it one of your downfalls, just consider your "annoying" tendencies part of who you are.

imajinit

on Feb 24, 2004

hate that my daughter refuses to flush the toilet. No matter how many threats I issue, privileges I take away, or just good old temper tantrums that I throw, the toilet remains unflushed.

have you thought about a reward system? try rewarding her with something extra when she flushes...
and let us know how it turns out...

Confucious say... "man catch more flies with honey than vinegar"

KarmaGirl

on Feb 24, 2004

Trent, I can relate to you.

I have a very odd one that I didn't mention- when I get stressed, I sleep walk at night and turn lights on (try and "get over" that one!) I have nightmares of walking into a room and trying to turn the light on and the light won't turn on and then something bad happens. (I'm obviously a very visual person) Turning lights on in my sleep started when I was about 17. My Dad would walk by and turn them off in my room (my room was on the way to the bathroom). I never realized that I even did it until he asked me why I kept leaving my lamp on. Unplug the lamp, right? Nope, will just find another light. I have done that a few times since I have been married, too. It's just weird.

AR-15

on Feb 24, 2004

I obsess over my car, Issues arise when I speculate what that little noise is coming from under my hood, I question if all my fluids leveled off, are the tires at the proper inflation, what type of maintenance is due that I am neglecting, should I change parts preemptively because I suspect them of being on the verge of failing, even though they are still working?

CariElf

on Feb 24, 2004

I also can't stand people chewing with their mouths open or cracking their knuckles. It's rude. And I hate it when people forget to flush, or leave a mess around the toilet.

And I have been halfway home from work after being the last one, turned around, and gone back to make sure that I really did lock the door.

Nakor

on Feb 24, 2004

7) I can't walk through a dark room. I have to turn the lights on. Not being able to see drives me nuts

Well... that explains why it was so fruitless of me to keep turning off the lights in the conference room during the day.

InfoGeek

on Feb 24, 2004

Mine. Car lights. Headlights. I can see they're off, the switch says they're off, but I still have to turn them on and then off 2-3 times just to "make sure". Same thing with the dome light. It will go off when I close the door. It's night out, but I still look through the window to make sure its off.

Jalbert

Sherye Hanson

on Feb 24, 2004

If you went to a psychiatrist, he or she would give you medication. You have a mild case of obsessive compulsive disorder. If it bothers you then you can get rid of it, otherwise, you can figure out strategies to deal with it.

dharmagrl

on Feb 24, 2004

Toilet paper hanging the 'wrong' was (as opposed to my 'right' way). Doesn't matter where I am (unless it's one of those big industrial sized TP holders that you need a key and password to get into) I'll take the roll off and turn it the 'right' way. In case you're wondering, the 'right' way is with the paper hanging off the back, down the wall...not off the front.

An unmade bed. I can't stand sleeping in an unmade bed. Even if I'm dog tired, I still have to make the bed before I can get in it and get any rest.

I'm totally with you on the feet thing.

KarmaGirl

on Feb 24, 2004

dharmagrl, you are just the opposite of one of our former employees- he couldn't stand it if the TP touched the wall. Of course, he also couldn't make a sandwich without a paper towel under it.

I'm just happy if there *is* TP

If you went to a psychiatrist, he or she would give you medication.

That's not entirely true. I've been there. They don't typically medicate you for obsessive compulsive because there really isn't a medicine for it (unless you are totally whacked). Scrubs had Michael J Fox on there for a couple episodes and he was OC. Was pretty funny to watch, but unfortunately I could relate to some of it.

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