What quirks do you have?

[MalcolmsBrokenWalrusMoneybox]

I recently came across thinker Alain de Boton, and was very taken with his statement that each of us is "deeply crazy".
With that in mind, what quirks do you have?

A family member once mentioned that he was always up by 6 and since then, I used to set my alarm for 5:58 so I would "win" obviously I never told him that!
Likewise when working from home, if I was still in my pajamas at say 7, and I'd hear a neighbour going off to work I'd get almost a feeling of jealousy - they'd got dressed before me!
I've mellowed a little.

What secret or not so secret quirks do you have?

My quirk is remembering numbers.
All I have to do is say a number aloud about 10 times and I remember it.
I know my bank debit card number, expiry date and 3 numbers on the back. I also have telephone banking and I remember the phone number to call, my 10 digit banking number and passcode. Also all the numbers of the payees. My NI number and NHS number.
The strange thing is I'm useless at maths,

I "link" people's lifetime overlaps in my head.
For example my grandfather was born in the 1890s, so that's a link to queen Victoria. He died before I was born, but he was (obviously) alive at the same time as my grandmother (who was not alive at the same time as Victoria).
So that link is Queen Victoria - my grandfather - my grandmother (or their children) - me

I always smell the milk before using it. Too many bad experiences, mostly at university, courtesy of housemates who'd gone home without cleaning out their shelf in the fridge. I was generally the first to arrive at the start of term, so I'd discover the vile state of the kitchen, & occasionally a leaking, fizzing item in the fridge.

I hate mugs. I have to have my coffee in my red cup and saucer.
My roll on deodorant has to be rolled 6 times exactly in each armpit.

I can't sleep if a clothes hanger or a belt has been left on the bedroom floor. I always fear that an intruder will come in and use to it kill me.
I always leave the last mouthful of coffee in a cup
I hold my fork in my right hand and my knife in the left - which is "wrong" apparently.
I avoid waking over 3 drains.

I say Amber before the word rude... almost always, if I don't DP will say Amber rude when I'm done speaking.

I have a deep seated hatred of shepherds pie. It is my nemesis, though I like all of its individual ingredients separately

OMG I love this! There are sooo many people out there who are just as weird as me! Thank you for normalising my idiosyncrasies!

I can't bear to see scissors lying open. Nothing to do with any potential danger, just something about their untidy state leaves me deeply uncomfortable and I need to stop what I'm doing at once and close them.

@KeepServingTheDrinks the iron checking is a symptom of OCD btw, very common in those of us with it

I cycle to work early and park in the basement. I then look around town for 30 mins. Then, i walk back up the hill through the basement and take the lift to my floor.
It would be quicker to walk to the main entrance and get the lift from floor 1. But that would involve interacting with people at too close quarters.
So I always access via the basement - no people makes me feel comfortable and secure.

If I ever put my jacket/coat on the back of my chair anywhere, before putting it back on I automatically check it for spit.
This is because some of the more idiotic male teens at secondary school would spit a little glob onto jackets/blazers for a laugh when sat behind you. Its over 20 years later and the habit to check does not cease.

I cant deal with balloons or polystyrene ( i have a phobia about touching either of them -especially polysterene [shudder]). I used to work with someone who got really arsey with me when I asked him to take the replacement printer cartridge out of the polystyrene as 'it was my job as I'm admin' so I could install it (He was an arsehole, he used to put plastic bottles in the paper recycling because he couldn't be bothered to get off his fat ass and walk 20 metres ). In the end I had to get my colleague to do it as I just couldn't. He complained to my boss who ripped him a new one as she heard the conversation when I politely explained to him that I have a polystyrene phobia and would install the cartridge if he took it out of the packaging for me.

I love free magazines. Whenever I pop down to Sainsbury’s I have to take a couple of free magazines home with me. When I am at the gym I take a free newspaper at the end of the workout session. Same goes for restaurants and other shops in town. I also love collecting leaflets from my local library and church.

İf I'm out walking with someone, they have to be on my right side. İf they are on the left, it just feels wrong.

All the clothes in our wardrobe have to face to the left The hangers have to have the top of the hook facing to the back of the wardrobe. If an item is taken from a hanger the empty hanger needs to be moved to the end of the rail

My windowsills/desks/tables & hearth need to be wiped clean...a lot.

I have undiagnosed OCD. Its extreme

When I put petrol in my car the cost must end in .00 or at a push .05.
No other amounts acceptable.

I also salute magpies

I compete with the sat nav. When I try to find faster routes and then get immense satisfaction when a few minutes are cut off the ETA and I've beat the sat nav. I always try to beat the ETA by a minute even if I can't find a faster route.

Only ever sleep on right side of bed and drink out of white cups.

Can't stand doorbells or phones. My doorbell is disconnected, my mobile is kept on silent and home phone is on the lowest volume. I can't stand conversations on speakerphone - it drives me nuts when people do that at work.

When I walk, I have conversations in my head. I'm usually smiling or laughing when I'm walking along. People often talk to me because they think I'm smiling at them when I'm really smiling at something that was said in an imaginary conversation.

And lots that has already been mentioned.

I have to say the word "locked" out loud when I check the front door is locked (otherwise I have to go back and check it).

I sneeze when I get really horny.

Ha! I say 'locked, locked, locked' and push the door handle hard when I've locked it Vanellope!!

I also hold my hand under each tap to check it's off even though I can see it is!!

My quirkiest quirk is that my alarm clock is set 16 mins fast. I don't know why it's 16. I think so I can wake up and think 'OOh, I have 16 more mins to snooze.'

Drives DH spare

I like sleeping with the duvet up over my head with a breathing hole and half my leg out ... No matter how hot it is .
Also I can't help but look at people out the corner of my eye , I always get asked why are you looking at me

I can't leave scissors open, and also I cant leave scissors or knives pointing in the 'wrong' direction. They cant be left on the side where they are pointing at people.

I always lock my front door, walk down to my neighbours house and then go back to check I’ve locked the door.

I often wonder what any watching neighbours might think of me (but I also sometimes think that any burglars who are watching (my incredibly dull and boring life) will be put off by thinking if she’s checked that then her house must be secure )

I can't eat round things, peas give me the creeps even without thinking about eating them just the way they roll about makes me feel funny, sweetcorn, edamame beans, anything round and smooth or with a little skin on I can't bear.
I'm very sensitive to loud and or repetitive sounds.
I hate people looking for things near me.

I can't sneeze unless I'm looking at a bright light. Sometimes at night I've been known to get the urge, switch on the light, sneeze then put it out. Back to sleep. Lovely. DH meanwhile is sitting bold upright in bed with dinnerplate eyes.

bolt