Things you would never admit to IRL because they'd think you were weird!

[HiddenBooks]

This is a topic that's been going round in my head lately as a thought popped into my mind a few weeks back and is becoming the itch that can't be scratched!

As I was driving home one day, I saw a random lorry with a place name on the side that I didn't recognise, and I thought "I wonder where I'd end up if I just followed that lorry?"

This has now become a regular topic of thought, wondering how long I'd drive for before I gave up following someone and just went home. Or wondering if they might see me driving behind them and realise I'm following them (that would be an awkward convo with the police - "why are you following that vehicle", "Well, officer, I was a bit bored and just wondered where they were going and thought I'd tag along"!)

In my head I've even gone so far as to thinking that if I were single it could be a nice day out! Pack an overnight bag, hop on the motorway and choose a vehicle to follow to see where I end up. Eventually give up and find a hotel for the night (or give myself enough time to drive home again if I couldn't find anything).

So... I realise I am weird for thinking this, but MN is a "safe space" where we can all admit our oddities without being outed, so what are yours?!

I found out on TikTok the other day that there’s definitely a crab who has seen a squirrel up close. I find it much more likely that a zebra has nicked someone’s sandwich.

I forgot I used to do this alot when I was younger until I read your post. You should do this super recogniser test. I fell into this rabbit hole a little while a go. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/superrecogniser

When I travel on the Underground, I try to imagine the streets above my head. The problem is, to me, the Underground doesn't feel like it's deep underground, because it's so brightly lit. I've seen videos of the driver's view - between the stations, the tunnels are narrow and dark, and that really does feel like being under the ground!

Related to the above: as a child, I used to think a lot about "if I can't see something, does it still exist?" Such as the city over my head, when underground. Also, my own toes. Once they're tucked up in socks and shoes, I can't really feel them: are they still there? I used to love wearing shoes without socks, because then I could feel my toes more, and wiggle them, to reassure myself they are still there. I used to get told off at primary school for always playing with the velcro on my shoes. When I go sockless now, I'm reminded of these childish thoughts.

When I'm on a plane or see pictures of Earth from space, I look down and think everyone's lives are happening underneath us and you can't even see it, death, birth, crime. So many different situations and I also think of how many people are having sex below as I fly over countries 😅

I'm another who will have the intrusive thoughts of what if I just step in front of that lorry , or being scared of heights I'll force myself to peer over the edge or I'll
Die if I don't sort of thing.
Also whenever someone is speaking to me I seem to think of a song with a line relating to what they're talking about all the time , weird I know
I talk to my dogs as if they are my housemates too

And when it's dark and you're driving past houses and all the lights are on I keep thinking about how many people may reside there and each one has their own life with their own things going on and then try and calculate how many houses , how many people with all their different life scenarios , even worse in tower blocks as they're sooo full of people

I often think about how amazing 'society' is. It's hard to put into words but we all, for the most part, do what we're supposed to, drive on the roads, walk on the pavements etc without anyone constantly telling us what to do. I'm not articulating this very well, but I suppose it's called being civilised!

I often speculate about how far I could get before somebody would miss me. Prompted by getting on the wrong train on the way to work and ending up at the airport and nobody even realising I was late.

On days I'm working I reckon I could get as far as the Middle East or the USA.

I role play the TV programme 'The Hunted' in my head constantly and try to work out, if I was a contestant, how would I evade capture.

Ahhh me too! I thought I was the only one! I’m convinced I’m going to be the star witness in a dramatic investigation one day because of my excellent description of everyone in the vicinity at the exact time of 12:09 (because I also check my watch for when the police ask what time I saw the bald man in the red shirt, blue jeans and walking the beagle)

I spend a LOT of time wondering what I would do if I found myself in a time slip. I would have a huge urge to go and explore but what happens if i snap back to reality and I find I’m suddenly in the middle of a dual carriage way? This bothers me quite the a bit and I have decided o would have to stay perfectly still just in case…

I wonder what it would be like just to pick a random house and move into someone's life instead of mine.

Not like get rid of that person or whatever, just have their life.

I quite like looking in windows when I pass and seeing the inside of someone's house and imagining their life... not looking at the person but the stuff!

I have an ‘internal life’ with my first ‘proper’ boyfriend who I cruelly dumped for someone ‘more exciting’. He was a kind, intelligent, loving boy - not a great looker but ‘unconventionally attractive’.
As I’ve always chosen ‘exciting’ men my life has been somewhat tumultuous - and I do like a bit of drama if I’m honest 😒 - but I’ve always had this ‘calm and loving’ place in my head where I just have regular, normal conversations with him and do normal things.

I’ve been doing this for over 50 years! I know it’s weird but it’s also very comforting!

My husband thinks this is mean when I explained it to him. But I used to look at strangers and try and imagine would crime they would have committed if I saw them in prison or if they were going to court.

His is a lot nicer and had a nicer private game, he's really good at looking at people's facial structures and can guess their ethnicity. So when we watch a film I'll ask, he guesses then I check on Wikipedia, 9/10 times he's right. But now we do it with strangers or people we meet and he has to whisper to me afterwards what he thinks "english forehead but a longer nose so half English and some Irish" or "rounder head, blue eyes, lighter hair - eastern polish". And now I love looking at people and trying to guess where their ancestors are from and I always wonder what languages people speak or imagine what their ancestors did.

I've always worried that when I'm on the toilet I'm having some kind of 'moment' and am actually in a public place in view of everyone. I.e. a chair in my office.
I've had this fear since primary school, no idea why, but I still have to sometimes pinch myself to check I'm fully awake when in a public toilet.

don't know if anyone has mentioned this bit I am phobic about buttons. Just saying or typing the word makes me gag. I am not afraid if them but just find them repulsive. I have kids so have had to get on with it at times but I have to scrub my hands several times if I touch them. They make me shudder. I have been the same my whole life
My husband and kids know but I never told my parents or siblings and thought I was just a bit of a nutter but I have discovered recently that I am far from alone and there is even a name for it but I can't Google it because of the resulting photos.
So there we go my secret is out !

I get that too, a sudden flash of fear and uncertainty- worrying that I'm not actually on the loo 😂

I try to figure out where minor 'influencers' live from small clues and bits of evidence in their posts and YouTube videos. I'm occassionally successful.
I do nothing with the information, I'm just playing detective for fun. Creepy as hell though, granted.

For some reason last week, while walking round my local city, I became fixated on where I’d hide if a mass shooter appeared. Normally I just wander round town doing whatever I’m there for so I don’t know why this randomly popped in to my head.

Ive also imagined in my head where we’d go if a tsunami happened (very very unlikely), I think I’ve found a safe place for that.

Me too @Mistralli ! Unfortunately with mine, it sometimes highlights how I just settled for too many things and should have found some courage to take an alternative path but hey ho!

I also do this. I revel in how helpful the police find my witness statement! They describe me (in my head) as a reliable witness and the level of detail that I provide, with exact timings, is invaluable to the investigation!!

I have this burning desire every time I’m in a shop/supermarket and walk past a display of glasses or plates to smash every single one onto the floor and just walk on by.

Do any of you remember the BBC series in the late 70s/early 80s called The Tripods? Can't remember the details but It was about some alien invasion and these giant three legged things suddenly started walking and taking over the world. Well, for my early teen brain it was way to scary and I couldn't pass an electricity pylon without being genuinely terrified it would suddenly start moving!! In those days I used to ride a horse out on my own, and suddenly coming upon one of those pylons in the early morning mist when it's all crackly and looming........................ We did lots of cantering past them!! It seems so silly now but I still remember the genuine fear

@flapjackfairy - re: your button phobia; can you describe why you hate buttons? In what ever way you like.

It's a fear i do see pop up on threads about unusual fears and this one fascinates me!

I have a fear of clusters of things. Sometimes holes, but more .... little things which have grown together and stick up in clusters. Like butterfly eggs, or little mould spores or something. I once mowed over a cluster of black mushrooms growing in the lawn (mushrooms don't bother me) BUT - their chopped off rubbery stumps all close together down in the lawn caused me to heave every single time i walked past them!

It was over a year ago and they're long gone, but i still side eye that bit of lawn when i go past it 😂

Yes to all this.