Routines & Quirks

I have always had routines and quirks. For some reason it is part of my thinking process and doing things out of order are upsetting. An eccentricity, I know for sure. Gonna give you some idea of what I mean. I am not OCD. I do not turn the light switch on and off certain number of times before stopping, nor do I have other repetitive actions.

OCPD is a personality disorder marked by perfectionism and a need for control.

OCD is a mental health disorder characterized by excessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors.

Soooooooo, here are some examples of my routines. Each night before going to bed, I turn down the thermostat from 74° to 69°. I make sure doors are locked and interior night lights are functioning. I set out clean clothes for morning. I prepare the coffee pot so all I have to do is plug it in the next morning. At noon, I take the phone off the hook and unplug it so the message function won't work. I like quiet for lunch and then my nap. At around 3-3:30 I plug it back in and reset the message time. I then walk about 7-10 laps with the rolling walker back and forth the length of the cabin. The times between meals are dedicated to: my chore of the day, computer correspondence, research and reading, cleaning. There aren't dishes left in the sink to be washed and put away very often. Things in my environment have to be "just so" and to my preference. Example: salt shaker always on right of pepper shaker. Sugar spoon handle back of bowl. Refrigerator organized a particular way. Cupboard dishes stacked to my preference and in order. Left sock and shoe go on before right. Got it? 

Now, I truly do not care how others keep their offices, homes, yards, closets, etc. Other's ways and methods can be exactly opposite of mine and it matters not one blink to me. BUT! if you put something one bit crooked or back in the wrong place in my space I'm compelled to "fix" it immediately. 

Order and perfection are my middle name. It cannot be helped. It's not harmful nor serious. You can chalk it up to my idiosyncrasies! We all have them, do we not?

Tongue Lashing

I am NOT easy to live with. I’ve a very contrary personality. I’m critical but not confrontational.  No one knows me as well as I know myself! I need to bite my tongue more but never learned how to do that well. Yesterday I blew my stack when the Mister made a mistake when he was only trying to help. Actually he has taken over some of the actions that I have done for years and it is hard for me to accept his help. I realize that he has undertaken chores willingly but it is very difficult for me to give them up. Does this make sense? 

What he did was to fill the old red pump container on the kitchen sink that I use to hold dishwashing liquid, Dawn. I guess that he had never done that routine before. The problem was that he refilled it when it got low, with Tide. When I saw him putting the Tide container away I asked him what he was washing. His reply was, “Nothing, I’m only refilling the red pump container.” WHAT??????  I went into scolding and ranting about how stupid that was and didn’t he know the difference between them? His reply, “They’re both blue.” WHAT????? On and on I went. Shame on me.  Apology made today.

Could YOU live with me? I don’t think so. I have OCPD - not true OCD. It is a personality disorder. I don’t flick switches on and off a dozen times before leaving the room and have no special rituals or procedures. What I do, if I can, is keep everything in my surroundings square, level, or in the position that I deem it must be kept. Every thing in my surroundings must be balanced. Everything is placed logically - to me. Everything must be put away after use; a neat freak. The organization of placement is important. Well I can’t help it. It is my nature. Don’t even think of hanging or folding my laundry or putting it away, please.

I try very hard, believe it or not, to stay quiet when I see the salt shaker being refilled over the counter and not over the sink. It is hard to overlook the way the dishes are stacked in the drainer when washed. I like it that he washes dishes and don’t want him to quit that duty. 

There is so much more that is important than being so critical. We still always say “thank-you” and “you’re welcome,” “please” and  “excuse me” and are usually polite, but then I go on a dress down and forget to be considerate. It doesn’t matter to me one little bit how others keep their indoor environments, I can visit a friend and see their “messes” but am completely comfortable there. It’s my own that has me trapped into my customs. 

My dad once told the Mister that when my mom criticized him for something, he learned how to let it go in one ear and out the other. The Mister almost has this perfected - almost.