What is something ‘weird’ that you do that other people don’t?

[weirdthings]

I take a blanket to the cinema 🤷‍♀️😂

Serve my Yorkshire puddings as a starter (which is, for my very Yorkshire family at least, the traditional way...)

When I'm looking at something, especially reading something, I picture something else in my mind. Not books, books I imagine the characters, setting etc. This is specific to Internet threads, articles, work notes and so on.

So for example I was reading a thread earlier about a shitty MIL and I pictured my great aunt's hallway.

Another thread I was imagining being in my childhood garden on a sunny day looking at the washing line (one of the whirly ones. It was empty but out). I've also pictured the same garden the other way, with me at the back facing the house.

Sometimes I might picture a corridor in my primary school. Or the ambulance doors at the hospital I worked in years ago. Lots of different imagery, but never anything at all to do with what I'm reading about. It doesn't distract me from what I'm reading and it usually takes me a while to notice the picture in my head.

Just to say, I don't think it's weird, but loads of others seemingly do!

I do a similar thing (with the counting and also the tracing / imagining drawing I mentioned before or imagining fingers thing)

I always put it down to an OCD numbers issue (I described the behaviour to the Psychiatrist who diagnosed me with autism with OCD tendancies) but I've never equated it to stress before. Thinking about it, it's a familiarity / soothing thing though so would help if stressed ornot feeling in control.

It's all quite fascinating.

Edited to add: I guess most OCD behaviour is actually stress / control related.

Blanket in the cinema is the best 💖

I cannot fall asleep unless I rub my feet together like a cricket. I assumed everyone did it until I shared a bed with my DP and he pointed it out. I’ve done it as long as I can remember and sometimes do it when I’m stressed so I guess it’s a self soothing thing.

I "touch type" what someone is saying with my hands in my pockets when I am talking with someone.

I do this too! It's a self soothing thing.

So where is your tv? Is this because the living room should be for socialising / relaxing?

I'm an ocd freak and clean the toilet sink after someone's used it. I have too. It makes me queasy seeing water everywhere. Also when I get excited I tensed my jaw and fits. It's weird.

Oops - I tense my jaw and fists!

Can't wear socks without shoes or shoes without socks 😂

So I'm barefooted or socked and shoed.

I don't put bags on the ground at train stations or bus stops, or on the floor of public transport which usually results in me having neck and backache forever. Also I clean my shoes before I allow them to be put on the shoe rack. The pavements are covered with goodness knows what and it gives me the proper ick.

Apologise to my dog's toys if I stand on them

yes control related - it's part of the "power addiction" family (aka the type of addiction that isn't substance or activity related)

Work 40 hours a week for pittance 😂

That is unusual!

Can I ask why?

I have a daily routine where everything has to be done in a certain order. I think it’s about control

I do similar,

If I'm reading a book and a scene takes place in a kitchen, it's very often the kitchen of a childhood friend that I see in my head.

No idea why. There was nothing particularly special about this kitchen. It was quite long and rectangular, as opposed to square. And it had a table / low down breakfast bar thing at one end. It was attached to the wall at one end, and at this end there was a small tv (this was in the 90s, so not flat screened). At the other end, there were 3 little stools, one at each side, one at the end. When I was there I would sit there with my friend and her brother to have tea.

And that's it. We were friends for a few years around the ages of 7-10. I visited lots of other friends houses too.

No idea why this one has stuck in my mind, but it's the "kitchen setting" in 100s of books I've read for some reason.

I also have a relatives house which I imagine for my "hallway" setting. Again, a very normal setting and no idea why I revert to this one so consistently.

I think you must be my long lost twin. Although its the cat i chat to in our house 😂

If I ever get a packet of sweets I always count how many of each colour I get and eat the odd ones first.

I am bigly intoxicated by people with large amounts of money, and I will do all sorts of bizarre things to get their attention, like putting them in charge of things that they have absolutely no ability to deal with. 😂I just can't help myself. 😕

I eat multiple ice poles during the course of the day everyday even in winter
When I have the house to myself I put the TV on mute with music/radio over the top
I say bye bye germs before I put bleach down the loo
I sleep in a position where I'm hugging myself with my arms crossed with my hands on my shoulders

I thank the self services checkouts at the supermarket

I have name changed for this as I have never encountered anyone who does.

I dip freshly baked bread in Coca-Cola sometimes. I don’t know how I came to the recipe but it’s something I have done from childhood. My parents and siblings just can’t understand it 😂