Everyone's Got One

I think we all have these.  You know, these little idiosyncrasies that could make us look obsessive compulsive if they went too far?  

I have noticed my own.  If the volume on a stereo is digital, it must be an even number.  There should be a natural break in the song, tv show or conversation on talk radio in order for me to turn it off.  I tell the time to the minute, I just can’t bring myself to round it to the nearest 5-minute interval.

My mom simply CAN NOT walk past a pen on the ground without stopping to pick it up.  It might not be any good, but she can use it for parts.  She collects pens.  Pens from all over.  Not necessarily different styles, but also for the logos and designs on the pens.  She has hundreds of pens, so, she needs the parts to rebuild a pen if needed.

My daughter laughed at me when I told her about my radio and volume issues, but then said she can’t get out of bed in the morning before she fixes her pony tail.  Her toaster setting must be set to a number, can’t be in the middle and she presses “OFF” on the phone twice after every call.

A friend of mine, Peter, has to back his car into a parking spot.  He won’t bring himself to simply pull in.

Facebook friend Barry says that he has to have the coffee table lined up with the couch and any picture has to be straight.  Rob also has to straighten things out.  They just can’t leave things out of place or crooked.

Danielle, another friend says “improper spelling and grammar, especially when there is a spell check feature. It drives me crazy! I am always correcting spelling and grammar!”

Kari posted to me, “pictures and furniture definitely have to be straight for me, too, and if I'm by myself walking I often find myself counting my steps, I'm also obsessed with making sure things are spelled right.”  She read her posting five times to ensure correct spelling.

Pennies on the ground?  I gotta have ‘em.  It’s free money!

This morning on 103.1 Fresh FM, Natalie, D and Gord talked about theirs:

Gord has to check that the stove is off at least once before leaving the house. 

Natalie checks that her front door five times

Darrin can't leave his car without locking the doors with two honks on the remote.

They posted on their Facebook page, “ Do you have any obsessive compulsive tendencies that you'd like to admit to

C'mon! Get it off your chest once and for all” and received many replies.

“ Hitting clear on the calculator many times just to make sure its really clear”

“Cannot eat off anything other than a white, circle/oval plate. If you serve me a steak on a blue plate, it tastes different!”

I think we all have something.  From a clinical perspective, there is likely a diagnosis.  The leading authority for clinical diagnosis is the DSM IV - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4.

The first edition (DSM-I) was published in 1952, and had about 60 different disorders.  Today there are over 200 so I am sure that there is something that would fit.

Until we are all diagnosed, let’s embrace our uniqueness and our quirks.  We are all in this world together.  I heard it said this winter that every snowflake is unique but they all stick together.  Another lesson to be learned.

Everyone has a story.