Thread: Tell me.. what are you "anal" about?

I do that gum thing too :p

I always have to crush my pop cans a bit when I'm finished drinking them.

I always have to sort my money that way too.

I almost always have to tear or ball-up paper before I throw it away.

I always break a bill, even when I have sufficient change in my pocket.

I'm sure there's plenty more. I'll have to get back to you.

Originally Posted by Oneironaught

I almost always have to tear or ball-up paper before I throw it away.

LOL.. I forgot about the tearing paper in half thing before throwing it away. I always have to do that (especially at work)! :p
.

Originally Posted by Clairity

LOL.. I forgot about the tearing paper in half thing before throwing it away. I always have to do that (especially at work)! :p
.

But when I tear, I tear into little pieces :p

i do the ball up paper thing too, i always sigh when i wake up in bed, or roll over in bed, i always put the lid of my laptop down when i get up, i mean ALWAYS

I do the sorting money thing.
Other things:
* Asking people how they spell certain names/words that I'm not familiar with. I always visualize the words as people say them, so if I don't know how it's spelled, it bothers me immensely. Of course, it bothers people immensely when I ask.
* My computer must be perfectly organized. It doesn't matter that the rest of my space is disorganized and everything is everywhere, my computer MUST be organized and everything in proper folders.
* I hate video game sounds. They must be off when I am in the vicinity or I will go insane after two and a half minutes.
* I try to never ever break bills. It helps with saving money.
* I name almost everything. It's almost unconsciously done.

I think I'm going to have a long list...

• My computer. Like Dallian, I absolutely MUST have it perfectly organized. In fact I spent 30 minutes doing just that before I got online tonight, and a good hour last night eliminating every singly desktop icon from my desktop, because I like to be able to see my wallpaper. I put all my shortcuts on a drop-down dock at the top of the screen. I love RocketDock.
• I like my computer to look good, and clean. As such, I have a tendency to...customize...my sister's computer for her. Whether she wants it done or not.
• Things must be symmetrical. From my desktop icons on my computer (when I have any) to the contents of my pockets laid out or a picture I'm drawing. That's part of why I can't draw animals well, I think. Nature isn't symmetrical.
• I too fold up chewing gum wrappers before I discard them, usually into a pocket so I can put the gum into it later. Though I always forget it's there, because I fold it up so tiny.
• I can't stand a dull knife. If my knife won't shave arm hair anymore, it's time to hone it. Of course, this is actually a good habit.
• I like to carry certain essentials with me. A sharp knife -- preferably two, one a Swiss Army knife so I have a saw and screwdriver -- an ink pen, a watch, my I.D., and a lighter. I don't smoke, but I am never without my Zippo, and I keep it filled.
• I refuse to use 'chat words' such as 'lol', 'rofl', 'u' instead of 'you', 'ur' instead of 'your', and all the other silly crap kids come up with these days. 'XD' is the extent of my 'text talk'.
• I'm downright anal about my spelling and grammar. I actually spend minutes going over my posts looking for things that need editing. If I'm not sure of the correct spelling of a word, I find it out before I type it. I critique whether I should put that word before this one or that, and whether I should use a comma, semi-colon or colon to best and most clearly get my point across.
• I rinse glasses out before I drink out of them, and dishes before I eat out of them. Doesn't matter if they were just washed five minutes ago.
• My TV has to be positioned just so, I can't stand the viewing angle being off one degree.

That's all for now, as the list is making me realize just how nuts I really am. I'm sure I'll add more later, though.

Man, how could I forget my spelling/grammar obsessions? Heck! Just look at my avatar!!

Also, I agree with the chat words. The only time I'll use anything like that is for parody's sake.

editing my posts.

I don't know why, but I'm pretty sure I do it more than any healthy person should. It's always something, if its not the misspelled words or grammactial errors, its constantly rewording my post until it gets the right "feel". And its never something I can seem to prevent, even with the preview option. I just can't seem to notice these things until I actually post it.

I do the exact same thing, Ethen. You just worded it better.

Ethen, I'm glad you edited it. I was just going to suggest that you edit it a bit more, but good save.

Oh dear, was fearing a thread like this! I too am a freak and have many...

Ok the list...

• Socks - FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, I cannot wear odd socks, this just freaks me out, and if other people are wearing odd socks, I get freaked out, it just *shudders* even thinking about it is getting me worked up!
• Grammar - Ok I know I am not perfect, but it really irritates me when people use little or no grammar, and incorrect grammar too! And using the wrong words like your rather than you're.
• TXT speak - It does my pickle when people use text speak. Its ok when texting, I guess. But when emailing or on a forum and you have to decipher some text speak, I would rather just ban/block that person to never have to read a post again.
• Organisation - Whether it be my desk, my PC, my home cinema system, it has to be organised, and my way. I like things to be symmetrical where possible, and I like right angles lol - I am weird I know.
• Clothing - Ok, almost on the same level as socks, but my clothes have to fit right and feel comfortable, this is where my sock obsession comes from I think. I have to feel right, I can't have one sock up and the other down, I can't feel like my shirt is not fitting right. I don't think I am explaining too well, but I like to feel like I am fitting lol.
• Clean hands - I HATE my hands being dirty or sticky or anything other than clean. It's just not a nice feeling to have grubby hands.
• Walking - I really need to see a shrink or something lol - If I tread on a crack with my left foot, I have to do it with my right, I don't know why, I just feel I have too. And similar things like this.

I think I am going to stop now lol.

Those of you who sort your bills like that - I'll bet you've had jobs handling cash in some manner at some time in your life. That's when I picked up that habit.

I am anal about having my feet absolutely clean when I go to sleep. I cannot bear dirty or sticky feet when I'm trying to sleep.

Originally Posted by pj

I am anal about having my feet absolutely clean when I go to sleep. I cannot bear dirty or sticky feet when I'm trying to sleep.

Oh yes, another for me, and wearing socks to bed, I dont know how...

There is nothing better then getting out the shower and straight into a nice clean warm bed

pockets
or more specifically, position of things in pockets

Trouser left - keys, fags, lighter
Trouser right - wallet & loose change
Trouser back - phone

If I have a coat, the order's different though....


*edit*
and I always take the racing line when walking in a supermarket
that seems to annoy a lot of people

Originally Posted by Ynot

pockets
or more specifically, position of things in pockets

Trouser left - keys, fags, lighter
Trouser right - wallet & loose change
Trouser back - phone

If I have a coat, the order's different though....

Same as me almost

Left for Phone, right for wallet.

I would never leave my phone in my back pocket though, too easy for people to take, and sitting down could become uncomfortable...

Originally Posted by Dallian

* I try to never ever break bills. It helps with saving money.

Oddly enough, that's the very reason I do always break a new bill.

Originally Posted by Man of Steel

I think I'm going to have a long list...

• I can't stand a dull knife. If my knife won't shave arm hair anymore, it's time to hone it. Of course, this is actually a good habit.
• ...
• I'm downright anal about my spelling and grammar. I actually spend minutes going over my posts looking for things that need editing. If I'm not sure of the correct spelling of a word, I find it out before I type it. I critique whether I should put that word before this one or that, and whether I should use a comma, semi-colon or colon to best and most I clearly get my point across.

I always keep my knives razor sharp. And same here about the spelling and grammar. I know I still make mistakes but that's why I am always performing edits. Like ethen, it's always something that I don't see until later.

Originally Posted by AdamA

• TXT speak - It does my pickle when people use text speak. Its ok when texting, I guess. But when emailing or on a forum and you have to decipher some text speak, I would rather just ban/block that person to never have to read a post again.

Hmmm, this from a guy who uses "lol" at least once in every single post! But yeah, I hate all that "rotfl", "lmao", "brb", and so forth, crap. I like things spelled out.

And I agree with the clean hands thing. I wash mine plenty of times a day, especially while at work or when carving. I hate dirty hands.

Originally Posted by Ynot

...fags...

That's cigarettes for us Americans

The one thing that has stuck with me forever is the need for symmetry. It's a horrible obsession to have especially when living with someone who continually moves or puts things where they don't belong.

Grocery shopping, I almost always take the same route though the store. Heaven forbid if I should have to shop at a different store, it probably takes an extra hour to shop at an unfamiliar store even though the layouts are very basically the same.

This is a weird one:
When playing monopoly, I am convinced I will have bad luck unless, when my stacks of notes are all lined up, none of them are next to the next value of notes... that wasn't very well said. Like this: My £1 stack can not be next to my £5 stack, because that is the next one up. Likewise, my £5 stack cannot be next to my £1 stack or my £10 stack, my £10 stack cannot be next to my £5 or £20 stack, and so on. This would be a good stack arrangement:
£1, £10, £50, £500, £20, £100, £5. If I do not achieve this or it is impossible (for instance I might only have £50, £100, and £500 stacks left), then I will have bad luck and probably lose.

I don't think I'll tell you about my more disturbing ones

Originally Posted by Clairity

Is there something that you always say or do without thinking about it and because you just always have?

I always sort my dollar bills smaller to larger and they all must be facing the same way (face forward).

I have always done that too Clairity.

My restroom protocol for hand washing:

After I use the urinal
a. I first use the censor or role out the paper towels.
b. Then I wash my hands. Then using the towel to dry my hands. The towel is then used to get more towels to shut the faucet off. After that is done I open the door with the towel. Hopefully if they have a garbage in reachable distance I will throw it away. Other wise --oops the floor.
Sounds a bit anal retentive. But all you really have to do is think EVERY place that the person before you touched. uuuug.
Even if they wash there hands. They touched the faucet first.

I never use a spoon to eat with. Using a spoon sort of creeps me out on some weird level. Only on extremely rare occasions will I use a spoon.

I refuse to eat Chinese food with any utensil other than chopsticks. It almost seems disrespectful to use a fork.

I will always choose plastic forks over metal, when available.

I'd much rather use a straw than put my lips on a restaurant cup.

Originally Posted by Oneironaught

Hmmm, this from a guy who uses "lol" at least once in every single post! But yeah, I hate all that "rotfl", "lmao", "brb", and so forth, crap. I like things spelled out.

There is a difference between acronyms and text speak. I would find it perfectly acceptable to use, for example, AFAIK (as far as I know) when typing on a forum. And with that lol is also an acronym of laugh out loud.

Text speak however is different and is often just dropping the vowels, replacing letters with numbers and such, example:

hi m8 u k? sry 4gt 2 cal lst nyt. Y dnt we go c flm 2moz?

Translated: Hi mate. Are you okay? I am sorry that I forgot to call you last night. Why don't we go and see a film tomorrow?

Haha Adam; nice impression. I couldn't even understand it without reading it over and over!

Unfortunately, my mother insists on texting instead of phoning, and she speaks like that. The worst though, is in emails. It's rather sad, now that I think about it.

Text-speak is odd. It's faster for me to type out "wait" than type a "w" and then reach for the "8". >.<