I wonder if I should consult my husband Rick for this particular post. He would probably have a much better perspective on my Worst Habits than I would. Presently, he is napping in the recliner, having already been awake for a strenuous three and a half hours, most of which were occupied by watching the Sunday morning political chat shows. Apparently, they took a great deal out of him.
While he rests, let me take a shot at what I think might be
My Worst Habits
1. I Cannot Sit Normally: Most people sit on a chair or sofa with their feet on the floor. I fold one leg underneath me and then sit. Eventually, both feet end up under me or I sit cross-legged. It is a gargantuan struggle for me to sit with both feet on the floor like a normal adult, even at a dinner table.
2. I Sleep In The Fetal Position Always: Even in a king-size bed, I cling to the edge and never, ever stretch out my legs. I now have to wear night braces on my wrists to keep them straight and prevent daytime pain.
3. I Am A Leaner: My mother, St. Patsy, called me out on this constantly as a child and teen. If I sat next to her on the sofa, I leaned on her heavily. I lean to one side on the couch now, resting on an armrest. I do the same thing in my big chair. I even lean to one side in the car, both as driver and passenger. Even when I walk on the sidewalk, I tend to drift. I often wonder if my center of gravity is off or what.
4. I Need Symmetry And Order: I hate when the big rug in the dining room is askew and must straighten it. I have to have the light switches synced--if one is in the Off position, but is actually On because the other switch was used, I have to make it right. I immediately fix any crooked picture, mirror, or clock. I hate if the wrong pillow is in the wrong spot. I'm working on it.
5. I Can't Get Going In The Morning: After 30 years of exploding into my morning full-blast and in high heels with a room full of relentless teenagers, I looked forward in retirement to easing into my days. Now, I've taken it to the extreme. I might wake up at 7:00 or 7:30, but I will fritter away my time for three or four hours reading the newspaper, blogs, and other sites while I sip my two cups of coffee. I answer my Comments, make comments, answer emails, and do all sorts of procrastinating activities before I finally truly Get My Day Started. It's by far My Very Worst Habit.
By the way, Rick surfaced a moment ago and I asked him to weigh in. After several minutes of thought, he said, "I don't think you really have any bad habits." Bless his heart. I love him so much.
Your turn, if you feel like 'fessing up. What are your worst habits? Do we share any?
Frittering is good. And to do so in the blog world is even better. I don't understand why you consider that a bad habit. That's living the good life.
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--It really is; you're right. And I do enjoy it immensely. Maybe if Rick were retired, too, I wouldn't feel so bad about it.
Deleteoh, we'll, I have a few!
ReplyDeleteI AM A NIGHT eater. I am hungriest at bedtime which is awful for my reflux.
I can't really operate the remote. Who cares? I can call someone if my hubby isn't home. THey'll tell me HTML side buttons etc. I just don't do it very often.
I get sucked down the rabbit hole . . As in I bake while I clean. This leads to burnt cookies and a smokey house, so lose lose
I am a big know it all when it comes to health issues. 32 years as a nurse with constant daily continuing education will do that to you.
and finally, and this one my husband really puts up with: I rip open bags of food any old way. I just can't open a box correctly. Oh well.
kathy b--Oh, I am horrid with packaging too! Isn't most of it just confounding? Especially boxes. I just keep a pair of kitchen shears handy and use those for everything.
DeleteMy son has graciously paid for a family package for YouTubeTV and we have access. Every now and then, the bedroom TV simply resets everything, and I have to start over. I always forget how to sign back in. Eventually, I have to 'fess up and tell either Jared or Sam that I don't remember how to do it, and they sigh, smile, shake their head, and either come over, or walk me through it on the phone. Next time, I'm taking notes on my phone and saving it. Duh. LOL.
Awww what a smart man you are married to. LOL But I would agree with him that these are not bad habits, but rather just character tics or quirks. I share your number five.
ReplyDeleteJean--I appreciate you redefining my habits as quirks or tics of character. It's true that they're not like smoking or drinking or chasing around with strange men. Heavens, I feel practically Puritanical now!
DeleteI wonder if all of us bloggers share #5. That says a lot.
I also have to have the light switches correctly positioned, on if the light is on, and I will go up or downstairs to fix it. I also go in after my husband and daughter and fix the dishwasher loading job they have done. To be fair, they both suck at it and things will get broken if left alone, I am sure of it. Though actually when I’m out of town for business or something, it doesn’t seem like anything has actually gotten broken. But still.
ReplyDeleteJ--Our double switch is in the dining room, right where I can see it. It is the bane of my existence and does not affect Rick at all, so he flips carelessly and with reckless abandon.
DeleteHe, however, is the Master Loader. I don't even bother trying. During the day, I can load the odd bowl or glass or top rack Tupperware, but after dinner or during dinner prep, he takes over and is quite officious about it. When the boys are at the lake, they defer to him immediately.
Interesting to note: both boys have their own homes and dishwashers and have not asked for his help. Hmmm.
But still. LOL
I try to be subtle about the dishwasher, because I don’t want to become in charge of the dishes. I do the majority of the cooking around here, so dishes are not my chore, and as you know, there is a lot more to dishes than arranging the dishwasher. Rinsing and scraping and so on. So I prefer to sneak in after them. But of course they have seen me do it countless times, and likely it could be a discussion point after I die, about how annoying it was but now it’s suddenly gotten a little charming...
DeleteJ.--I love that you're planning your Legacy, and how your Eccentricities figure in. I'm now viewing my own in that light, and I'm seeing that they're actually Quite Endearing.
DeleteI'm such a wonderful person. And so are you.
I am totally with you on every one of them other than #3. I'm kind of a super freak as far as #4 goes, and #5 - I am now a master at frittering. The pandemic hasn't helped that a bit, I can easily fritter away the whole day these days!
ReplyDeleteMartha--I wish I could say that my need for order and symmetry is borne from being at home so much, but I was that way at work, too. I had to have a neat desk and classroom. Order and organization were my survival skills.
DeleteThere are some days I honestly wonder what I did all day. I felt like I did do Something, and there were things I did, but in the hours and hours I had, what the heck else did I do?
Glad to hear others can fritter away a whole day. It is my biggest problem that I am working on right now.
ReplyDeleteSandra--Nice to see you back here! Like you and others, there is comfort knowing we are fighting this battle together.
DeleteOr, are we really? I still like my easy, relaxed, Me Time mornings. If the Guilt would leave me alone, I'd actually have no problem with it.
Dee--I am so comforted by the number of my Commenters that also sit like toddlers. It's like a warm hug. And to find another leaner? SOMEDAY YOU AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET AND LEAN ON EACH OTHER.
ReplyDeleteI like that perspective that I'm actually working my new job when I just fritter away my morning. Really, though, what else must I do? I keep a clean and neat home, so the amount of time I have to spend to maintain it is negligible. I can do the bulk of my Necessaries in about 2 hours, tops. It's Guilt, I guess. Leftovers from Catholicism and Being Female in a Patriarchal Society.
I think O.C. Dee is a great name for a blog if you're discussing your journey with OCD. But I think your blog has a great name and tagline for what it is, and it's a destination blog for me.
#4 sounds more like obsessive compulsive disorder (and there's meds for it...jk)
ReplyDeleteWe have chairs, couches, sofas, love seats...you name it, but I always sit or LAY on the floor.
Let's see, bad habits....hmmm, picking my nose, popping my chewing gum to name two, but never at the same time. At least I'm well fed so the boogers aren't eaten! That's gross.
Anni--I don't think I'm truly OCD, just a Perfectionist. I'm able to leave those things alone without much consternation, and have done so. I just prefer that things be the way they should be. I ache for those who truly suffer with OCD, whose lives are an endless series of rituals that they cannot control.
DeleteGum popping used to drive me absolutely nuts when I was teaching! On the one hand, I was impressed with the volume some girls could get from their pops; on the other, I hated not only looking out and seeing them chewing like cows with their cud, but the randomness of those loud pops.
LOL - that picture is way too funny!
ReplyDeleteVera--I know! I had to use it.
DeleteYour husband is a gem!
ReplyDeleteI also love to meander in the mornings.
My worst habit? I can't stand for anyone to leave their crap on the countertops. BUT, I can leave mine there, that doesn't bother me at all. :)
BB Suz--Kind of a diamond in the rough, but I do my best every day to polish him up. LOL
DeleteOh, the Double Standard! I do try not to do that, but I'm sure I fall prey to it now and then.
I detest the Flat Surface Disease, which Rick has in spades. He has claimed part of the kitchen counter and drops his meds, his bluetooth headset, random papers, and the odd tool there. It drives me batty. In the living room, he drops mail, receipts, beer caps, and other detritus on the end table and coffee table. I refuse to enable him by putting a basket or bin by his chair. Horrors!
Definitely #5!! ...as I sit here at 10:30 am reading your blog! It is what I do every morning since I am retired. I spend a couple of hours reading and commenting on my favorite blogs and then I always feel guilty afterward about it. I have this nagging voice in my head reminding me that I should be more "productive" but I am getting better at ignoring it!! Have a happy Monday, Nance!
ReplyDeleteEllen D.--And it's 11:44 EST, so I'm not reforming any time soon. I just told myself that I'll answer this one comment, then get going on my day. LOL!
DeleteOH NO! Another comment just came in. I may never fulfill my purpose today. Perhaps noon will be my Go Time, then.
See how it's done?
Happy Monday to you, too.
Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words. My worst habit? Procrastination. In spades.
ReplyDeleteMary G--I could not resist that picture. For SO many reasons.
DeleteProcrastination is a toughie. My mother is a terrible procrastinator; always has been. Except for my Morning Habit, I've managed not to fall into that.
Of course you could not resist. Neither can I stop laughing.
DeleteWow – according to this list we are a lot alike! Except for the first one - I used to sit that way in chairs, but ever since my first hip situation I haven’t really been able to comfortably do that. I definitely sleep in the fetal position unless I’m hot & then I’m spread eagle on the bed trying to find a cool spot. I list “toward Schronce’s” when I’m walking (do not ask me where I got that saying). I do notice things that are out of order, but I don’t always muster the energy to fix them. And, even on days when I’m at work, it takes me a good while to actually get productive. The only thing that saves my bacon is that I am then VERY productive.
ReplyDeleteI think that my worst habit is to think “I’ll start that later.” Drives me crazy because even if I don’t have time to finish a task, there is no reason to not get started on it. I’m working on it.
Bug--Oh, I am absolutely asking. I googled Schronce's and got something about Dark Peanuts.
DeleteYou have a LOT of explaining to do.
Hahaha! I think that we had some people named Scronce (I added the "h" in error") that lived near us so my dad would talk about something leaning toward Scronce's. BUT I think that Mike had also heard this. Or he heard it from my family & appropriated it (we have been married almost 30 years).
DeleteOh my gosh - I just found this: "Leaning toward Schronce's - Very specific to the northern Catawba County NC dialect. Something is out of place or crooked. 'That thar telephone pole is leaning toward Schronce's. It looks like it done been hit by an 18 wheeler.'
DeleteI do, in fact, live in the northern part of Catawba County. I messed you up by saying "listing" instead of "leaning."
The Bug--Heavens. You Southerners are so odd. LOL. Certainly we Yankees have no dialectical weirdnesses at all in our everyday speech. ;-)
DeleteMy worst habit is assuming the worst of everyone before I've ever even met them.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your habit of leaning - we used to have an uncle-in-law (?) who, whenever the family would get together, would ALWAYS stand and lean on a counter, tabletop, etc. He became known in our family as "The Leaner." A couple of years after my aunt died, we found out he was remarrying, to a really young woman. So my one brother-in-law sent a telegram (this tells you how long ago it was) to another brother-in-law that said, "Leaner to marry young girl!" Except they transcribed it incorrectly and the received telegram said, "Loaner to marry young girl." We have laughed about this for years.
Bridget--I had the same habit, assuming the worst of people, for years. And years. I will tell you that teaching Creative Writing helped tremendously with that. The kids that showed up to that class and then turned out such incredible work really helped break me of that bad habit.
DeleteLove your story about The Leaner! Your family anecdotes never fail to make me laugh. They're the best.
Oh, I am the same about sitting. It's painful to sit normally for a long time with both feet on the floor. Bo accused me of rocking on the ladder back chairs at the counter recently. I immediately retorted "I never do that!" Well, guess what? I actually do do it, when I'm adjusting my seating. If I want to cross my legs while sitting, I rock back in the chair so I can fit my leg under the counter and reposition it. Sigh. Also, my sofa is my everything-but-normal position spot. I'm most comfortable that way.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while I'm not a leaner on people, I am a leaner on things. The counter, the hall wall, etc. I swear that women's bodies are not meant for hours and hours of standing. I used to marvel at how guys could stand for hours and hours at parties back in the day and I was always looking for a seat.
Rick is such a great guy. I'm sure that Smokey would readily share my worst habits. Being too judgmental, being overbearing, and trying to be in control too much. He taught me so much in those regards but that doesn't mean I completely eliminated those issues. And being judgmental during these last 4 years has kind of felt like a given if I'm being completely honest.
I'm all over when it comes to sleeping position but I sleep best when I sleep on my left side in a fetal position. Ironically, I still sleep in the same spot on my half of the bed. Dozer is happy to occupy the other half though. ;-)
Anyway, to get to the point, probably my worst habit is procrastination. Although many times, procrastination has led to much better timing IMHO.
Shirley--I know Rick and Smokey would have gotten along famously. They'd have had a great time together.
DeleteBeing judgmental and a control freak were two bad habits of mine that I worked very, very hard to break. Once in a while I feel them rising, and I remember how damaging they were to my Happiness and my Zen. I cannot go back.
There's procrastination and then there's Not Jumping The Gun. You and I--people who (used to) value control, can sometimes want to act immediately and seize that control or the advantage. Other times, waiting for the perfect moment is called for. OR--I know that I tend to work better under pressure. And sometimes, we simply luck out.
One of my sons merely employs St Patsy's Procrastination Theory: Just wait long enough and the choice will be made for you, either by someone else or by circumstance.
That, I hate.
The thought of Rick and Smokey together makes me smile. They really would have had so very much to talk about!
DeleteAll excellent points on procrastination. I don't much care for St. Patsy's Procrastination either, unless it works out that the issue is magically removed.