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Posted 3/24/2006 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
My grown son says I should tell my p doc about all of my "idiosyncrasies." A germ phobia (won't let anyone come from outside and wash hands in my kitchen sink, etc. Son used to do that just to aggravate me, then dry hands on my dish towel. I'd immediately throw it in dirty clothes.), a clean phobia, washing hands phobia (my hands stay dry all the time since I'm constantly washing them), I like things done a certain way. I'm also very conservative with money, obsessed with saving, saving, saving (when I buy anythingm even a bottle of ketchup, I want it to be the lowest price around) and I know most all the prices of the things I buy and which of the two stores I shop at has the lowest price on each item. He also says I obsess about recycling things (from newspapers to small pieces of paper that I cut to size for notes). OK, is he right? Am I too obsessed? What's wrong? 
Posted 3/25/2006 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi paper!

I couldnt help but laugh a little when I read your post as I sort of nag at my mom about her "idiosyncrasies" too.  She is a nurse and works at the hospital in our town.  She is always dragging home old magazines from work, from doctor offices and just about anywhere you can think of.  She was getting better about not doing this as she had talked to her therapist about it and was resisting the temptation of it.  But today I had pre-op at the hospital for surgery on monday and she went with me, she stuck 2 magazines in her purse as we were walking out.  She also buys a lot of magazines and takes them to work too so maybe it balances out.  I dont know.  I told her once it was stealing and she was really upset and I felt really bad for saying that to her.  She saves zip lock bags after they have been used already unless they are really bad then she will throw them out.  There is a drawer designated in the kitchen just for the used ones.  However, they never get reused!  I just shake my head and keep my mouth shut, lol!!

Anyway, I am sure that we all have our little special ways of doing things.  I know that I do.  It is just when it becomes disruptive to your whole life or others that you should really have to worry.

Posted 3/25/2006 4:44 AM (GMT 0)
Elisha, your mom and I are twins!!!!! I save Zip Lock bags, too. I wash them, rinse them, let them air dry and put them in a drawer. If I am wrapping meat that I've divided, I'll wrap it in wax paper and put it in one of the bags that is still good. Yep, if they are disgusting or have had meat in them before, I throw them out. What do you think about the sink thing?
Posted 3/25/2006 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
paper,

It may be obsessive-compulsive disorder, and if it is, you'll eventually know because it will cause problems with your day-to-day functioning and productivity; it will also, eventually, effect your relationships. It sounds like other people just think it's strange, so if it's not hindering your ability to function or maintain your relationships, I wouldn't worry about it.

We all have our little "ticks" in varying degrees. As long as they are not problematic, I wouldn't worry about it. These may just, in fact, be things that are important to you; and there's nothing wrong with that.

Sounds like, overall, you're very conservative, and cost-effectiveness is important to you. I wouldn't necessarily call that a problem; but you would know better than any of us here.
Posted 3/25/2006 1:22 PM (GMT 0)

Hi paper,  I thought my mom was the only one!! lol... I wonder how many other people do this too?  Interesting.

Anyway, I dont think your sink thing is unreasonable at all.  When you really think of all the germs that we all pick up on our hands, and come on its your kitchen sink where you prepare food for your family.  Let them go to the bathroom to wash their hands.  When I was in nursing school at U of MO before I changed my major to Psychology I took this class that had us wash our hands for one minute then dry them and hold our hands under a black light and you would be amazed at the germs that still were on our hands.  After that I became more vigilant with the hand washing; as they say wash for 2 minutes and dry with paper towel not dish cloth or bath towels as they hold germs.  :-)

Posted 3/29/2006 3:51 AM (GMT 0)

My ex-husband was completely OCD...drove me nuts.  He totally scrubbed the lining or whatever it is that you call the enamel off of our bathtub by scrubbing it everyday.  He vacuums in straight lines everyday and after he would vacuum he and I would have to pick up the dogs (we had 2 shih-tzu's) and carry them around the house so as not to get paw prints on "off limit areas".  The dogs even learned to jump from the couch to the recliner and then wait for one of us to carry them the rest of the way.....He had a whole list of chores that had to be done everyday.  It was nerve wracking to say the least.

I collect fingernail polish probably have 300 bottles at least.  Oh and I cant spend pennies, I have to save them for some reason.  I have big jars full of pennies.

Posted 3/30/2006 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
I haven't seen anything really out there yet.....Well, except for my ex..does he count?  

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