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?

bite my nails. I don't even realise that I am doing it.

I wiggle my fork or spoon when I am eating. I never even knew I did it until it was pointed out to me as an Adult. I’ve tried not to do it but I’ll be half way through my meal and catch myself wiggling my fork.

When making tea and coffee together the spoon cannot stir the tea after having stirred the coffee, I can detect the slightest hint of coffee contaminating my tea so I can always tell if someone has done this.

I am deaf in my left ear so everything must always be on my right. So at a table I must always sit on the left and the same if walking. I hate driving for this reason as I always miss half of what and passenger says to me.

I have to check the gas hob to make sure it’s not accidentally on or leaking every night before I go to bed to sleep.

Anything that chicken has touched raw or cooked has to be decontaminated. I must be the only one to wash it so I know it’s done properly.

I can’t go to sleep unless there is something I want to watch or listen to is playing. I won’t watch it but will happily close my eyes and listen, but if it’s something I don’t want to watch it will piss me off and keep me awake. It’s so annoying trying to find something I want to watch/listen to when I know I’m actually not going to watch/listen to it.

I see hazards and possible accidents everywhere, I’d be a great health and safety officer. It’s horrible though anytime I walk down certain stairs like the huge wide ones at shopping centres and such I can always see myself falling and landing horribly at the bottom. It’s the same with balconies and other high places and I hate hate my kids being near the edge of anything stairs, kerbs, water....it makes me all panicked.

I can't get out of bed if the numbers of the time add up to 13 - so no 6.43, 6.16 or 6.25!!

I have to finish my teeth cleaning in the lower right sector - electric toothbrush!

When filling the car up with petrol I have to make sure the amount in money is an even number.

No offence intended, @BlackPrism. I don't have OCD myself and can only imagine how it impacts on those who do.

I have to leave the eggs in the egg box in a symmetrical arrangement. Also when getting on a bus, I usually sit on the side of the bus with fewer people on to "even up" the bus.

In the morning I always use the same mug for my first cup of tea. The rest of the day it doesn't matter which one I use.

I don't feel as if these things are bad luck if I don't do them, I just find them satisfying. Also tearing perforations, I've always loved doing that since I was a child.

I remember all important life events by what I was wearing, first day at school, what girl who sat next to me wore, what my mum wore when she came in with me on the bus. Same for all exams, weddings, any event where something important happened, interviews, visiting people in hospital. I'm not unusually into clothes, but that's how I remember.

I like to park my car in the same place every time I shop. If it's taken by another I just say, 'how dare they' and park nearby. I won't have too much trouble finding it then.

@SoMuchToBits it's me! Nobdy Bella! I love your "even out the bus" quirk.

@ChampionKillerThread and @katseyes7

Worse than that, my pegs must match the item being pegged out.
Consequently, I have a huge bags of pegs in every colour possible.
The only exception is black. What wouldn’t I give to own a quantity of black clothes pegs!

Bursts into song, but I think I am not the only one

Hi @ShahOfSplosh ! Ds and I went on the bus this evening. We evened out the bus, but people kept getting on and off and upsetting the pattern! But never mind, my eggs are symmetrical!

Norm says hi. x

I can’t watch animals on TV while I eat. A snack/full meal/biscuit - nothing can pass my lips if there is any animl on TV.
In real life it’s no problem, i eat infront of my dogs and I’m a Veterinary Nurse and have definitely physically ate in worse situations.
Guessing something much more deep seated going on in my noggin!

I often walk as though I’m driving, mentally changing gear as I “accelerate”.

I have absolutely no energy, drive or ambition so I have to sit down dozens of times a day and convince myself that x, y and z ARE worth doing, and how I’ll feel when I accomplish them. X, y and z could be anything from going to work to putting the kettle on.

I feel peculiar if I walk on people’s right but when it comes to bed, I must be on the right. Like pp mugs must be white inside. I must smash my empty boiled egg shells with my spoon to stop witches going to sea in them

I sometimes scramble up the stairs on All fours, a bit like a monkey. Only at my parent's house though. My washing has to be pegged out with matching pegs. I can't sleep with wardrobe doors or drawers open.

I never finish a drink. Drives my DH mad but I hate the thought of the 'dregs'. Some (non offensive) smells totally overwhelm me- I feel like they're smothering me.

My hot food has to be scalding hot- can't face things that are just warm and I have to eat my food in a specific order

Feel utterly filthy if I don't shower after waking up, even though I showered before I got in bed.

Used to have that body balance thing as a child (turning clockwise meant I had to turn anticlockwise to even things up etc). That disappeared.

Don't like stained mugs, they have to be clean.

Oh yes, I never finish my coffee either!

If I need to use the toilets in a supermarket I need the end cubicle where one wall is solid and not partitioned wood. If it's in use when it's my turn I'll let people in front of me in the queue

walking I have black pegs! Sorry but I can't remember where I bought them but they're small and cheap and I bought them years ago. My quirks are a mix of what has already been said but prob my worst is the one where I can't buy the first thing in a rack in the shops- be it a shirt or rubber gloves. Sometimes food depending on what it is. My bestie noticed but didn't say anything until I mentioned. Hopefully she finds it amusing rather than annoying

I also eat left handed and wear my watch left handed but I'm right handed. This one is weird though- if I see photos where a person eyes look different to eachother in a photo ( one closed and one open) then I have to place my finger down the centre and look at both sides of their face one at a time. This is mostly in mags or newpapers.

very hot food.

hoarding newspapers and magazines for interesting articles

have to ask DH and DS if they washed their hands before cooking/after trip to public loo. Drives them mad but I know the stats.

Think I am mildly OCD. Intrusive thoughts but no rituals to ward off.

Do have to check door/hob on cooker/candle/plugs exiting house even if I am running late. Do this at least once maybe twice, even physically putting hand to the switch as if I don't believe eyes (I limit to 2 and say out loud 'its off you daft bugger'')

bite/pick nails

Read Passing for Normal by Amy Wilensky and was ticking off things I do!

I keep a watch on myself and would get help if it got worse.

DS picks his nails. Hope he doesn't follow suit!

I make up new lyrics to songs based on our pets.

If the cat comes and sits on me I sing
Oh Susannah
Don't you cry for me
I'm going to Alabama
With a kitty on my knee

Some of our pet rats have their own songs.

Jim jiminy jim jiminy jim jim jaree
A Jim is as ratty as ratty can be
Jim jiminy jim jiminy jim jim jaroo
If Jimbo is happy then we're happy too

Ra-ra-ratsputin, Jilly is the ratty queen
She took a nosedive into my wine
Ra-ra-ratsputin, Jilly is the ratty queen
She licked her whiskers and said "I feel fine"

@ernjas I do that too