I leave a tiny amount of wine in my glass as a sort of libation, though I've been known to cheat when the wine is particularly fine.
I leave tiny amounts behind with every liquid. I have a glass of eggnog with less than a centimeter left and I have lost all interest in drinking it. I do this so often I don't even consider it as strange until you reminded me.
I do this with a few things for a reason. Namely with tea, coffee, and wine there are usually dregs in the last sip making it unpleasant. I also try to avoid sitting in a public place where my back is to the majority of traffic or the door. Generally I try to sit with my back to a wall. It kind of bothers me to have people walking behind me. I also move a lot when I'm not concentrating on something. Either by tapping my fingers or feet, or shaking my leg or something. I like to be moving fairly constantly.
There's no reason for me to be paranoid, but I've picked up old habits from friends with unhappy pasts. When I go into a restaurant I sit facing the door, check all the exits, and keep an eye on the windows. I often keep a blues harp in my pocket because it works well as a blunt-force weapon (I don't know how to fight with a knife). If I'm on a coffee shop porch and a car drives by twice, I'll pick it out, and I can usually describe the car driving behind me when I'm on my way home in the afternoon.
I used to flip a coin in my youth every now and again. If it came up tails, everything was dandy. If it came up heads, I'd be on guard for some imminent catastrophe and prepared to deal with it.
So basically you were one tragedy away from becoming one of Batman's villains.
There's no reason for me to be paranoid, but I've picked up old habits from friends with unhappy pasts. When I go into a restaurant I sit facing the door, check all the exits, and keep an eye on the windows. I often keep a blues harp in my pocket because it works well as a blunt-force weapon (I don't know how to fight with a knife). If I'm on a coffee shop porch and a car drives by twice, I'll pick it out, and I can usually describe the car driving behind me when I'm on my way home in the afternoon.
I do all these things. I also immediately size up guys I don't know and guys who are visibly giving my female friends a hard time in case there's going to be a fight, as well as scan my surroundings for things I can use for offense or defense if shit gets hairy.
I save papers, no matter how inconsequential; every few months, I purge the archives of White Castle receipts and ATM slips. I triple-check doors that I've locked. I impulsively check reflective surfaces while walking to ensure no one is following me. When I'm really drunk, I take evasive action while walking to try to lose anyone who might be following me.
I have forced myself to become nearly OCD about checking my personal belongs with me. I will often feel my pants for my phone, my wallet, and keys. This has saved me a couple times because I am very forgetful.
I wrote a song about me writing a song about not forgetting my wallet, keys, phone, and sunglasses when leaving the house, written from the point of view of my wallet, keys, phone, and sunglasses. In the song they say how I sing this song as I walk out the door, so I pick up my stuff. I now sing this song every time I walk out my door. It helps.
Oh my gosh, I am the exact same way. Like, if one sock gets lost in the wash, I feel sorry for the remaining one, and I apologize to computers and cell phones if I say mean things to them for crashing. Toys are especially subject to this, but I apply anthropomorphism to lots of stuff. That Ikea commercial with the lamp hits the nail on the head.
Stuff like this, representative of much of the media I consumed as part of my early development, doesn't help in resolving the pathetic fallacy:
I have to make for damn sure my car door's locked. Usually I'll check the door within a few steps of it, but I've walked back five minutes just to be sure.
I wrote a song about me writing a song about not forgetting my wallet, keys, phone, and sunglasses when leaving the house, written from the point of view of my wallet, keys, phone, and sunglasses. In the song they say how I sing this song as I walk out the door, so I pick up my stuff. I now sing this song every time I walk out my door. It helps.
You should record the song and make it available on the internets. I also before I leave my house will do a self inventory check. Car keys, wallet, phone, etc. Sometimes I will do the check a few times if I'm distracted by something. Your song might come in handy for this.
I have a system where my left pocket contains my wallet (and in it, keys) and my right has my phone. If I need to take anything besides that in the future, I lay it on top of my wallet, so I would have to interact with it when taking my wallet.
Let's see, some I still have, others I still kinda have, and some I've grown out of:
-I have to touch everything a second time if I graze my wrist on something, if not, I get the feeling that a cord attached to my wrist is snagged in the place.
-If the floor has a pattern, I will not step on one of the colors, if the tiles are small, I will only step on the tile and not the line, and if it's a random pattern, I'll pick a color, and only step on lines parallel to that color
-I keep every box for a year, just in case I need to return, or sell something.
-I feel bad when I have to dispose of shoes or sandals.
-I only own 2 pairs of pants, and ONLY TWO.
-I have to walk on the side closest to the street on the sidewalk.
-I triple check that my I leave the car in park and the e-brake is on.
-I double check locks, sometimes triple check.
-I can't have anyone touch my head if it's wet, or just out of the shower.
-No one talks to me if I'm eating alone, or I get really REALLY annoyed.
-I have to pile coins by size if there are some at my desk, and feel annoyed when the number is uneven.
-I place everything in a box formation in the conveyor belt at the super market.
-I wear stuff until it's basically falling apart and still have a hard time at throwing them away.
-I cant see a zit, black head, white head, or scab, without the need to yank it out, so I have lots of small scars on my arms and legs. (it's got a name, but I can't remember it)
-I rub my nose with my upper lip when I'm thinking.
-I like to pinch the skin on the sides of my nails, then push it underneath the side of the nail and squeeze.
-I rub my thumbs cuticle against the edge of my ear when I'm bored.
-I put my ear inside of my ear when I'm cold, and my ear lob inside my ear when I'm bored.
I'm a compulsive nail- and cuticle-biter. I also gnaw on the skin right in front of my nails. It's an oral fixation.
I gnaw only certain pens. None of that Bic Crystal shit, where the plastic splinters and shatters. Those pens are to an oral fixation as Thunderbird is to drinking alcohol. My budget choice are Bic Round-Stic Comfort Grip (less resistance to biting due to the softer plastic). They are akin to a nice Johnny Walker. Pilot Uni-ball Vision fine points are both excellent pens to write and sketch with, and have nice, discrete, soft chew zones. They are the Lagavulin 16 of pens, and my chosen writing utensil.
I don't chew anything non-edible other than pens. This includes pencils (I am not a beaver), and other artistic drawing implements (as if I could bring myself to soil the spectacular triumph of writing and drawing engineering that are Uniball Postas, Krink Inks, or Staedtler Fineliners with my need to chew things).
Usually I can avoid all of this with the aid of two more socially-acceptable things; namely, cigarettes and my pipe. When I remember my pipe, I will often just bite on it without smoking to keep my mouth filled, or smoke it if I so choose. I don't like smoking cigarettes often and they irritate people, but if I do have one, I'll generally keep from chewing or nail-biting for a while. However, indoors I'm unable to smoke and having a pipe in your mouth appears bizarre outside of a place friendly to smokers, so I often resort to pens. And if there are none or if I'm tempted, my nails and cuticles. So it goes.
I still do the sign of the cross at times when I feel like I could use some good luck or anything like that -- old habit from being raised Catholic.
I also have this need to look at all the food on my plate and determine what order I would eat each particular item of food (protein, followed by vegetable, followed by starch, more or less) and then eat said food in said order.
I used to think I could talk to an invisible sky man, and dead relatives (hey, it IS in flamewars after all...) through prayer.
I've also started noticing my particular behaviors. I itch myself a lot, even when I'm not itchy. It's usually a nervous thing. I also chew my lip a good bit more than I should.
I find myself believing/expecting that all mentally healthy adults are capable of being respectful, generous, thoughtful, and kind; in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
I genuinely hope for an after life and I talk to dead relatives sometimes when I am on my own, just in case they can hear me.
I have various bottles of lotion located at the most common places I am at: office, table next to the couch, computer room, and in my purse.
I lotion my hands several times a day, after I wash my hands, and just because they feel dry. I hate seeing my cuticles dry, so I have a special Clinique lotion just for that.
I sometimes find myself praying for good fortune whenever I encounter a risky situation.
Whenever I have a pen in my hand, I will start to twirl it between my fingers and on top of my thumb.
I buy lottery tickets and scratch tickets on occasion.
I'm not a bhuddist, but I do tend to follow many bhuddist principles. A non-spiritual zen bhuddist, if that makes sense.
I refuse to talk to babies like children, if I talk to them at all. Or animals, though I'm quite confident my dog doesn't really know the difference.
I don't pray, so much as occasionally shout at "huey". Which is basically either talking our shouting into the sky for various reasons, sometimes for good, sometimes for ill. Odd habit I picked up when I used to surf more often.
I feel terribly uncomfortable wearing shorts. Kilts/skirts, fine. Proper pants, fine. Naked, no worries. Shorts? No, thankyou.
Yeah, fuck comfortable clothes! I wanna be uncomfortably hot when I'm at the beach, biking, running, hanging out in the summer, or exercising in any capacity!
Yeah, fuck comfortable clothes! I wanna be uncomfortably hot when I'm at the beach, biking, running, hanging out in the summer, or exercising in any capacity!
I don't want to buy clothing. I want to buy equipment. With statistics. Wind resistance, cold resistance, heat resistance, stain resistance, scratch resistance, water resistance. I want to go into a store and purchase the best gear for the job.
I refuse to talk to babies at all, ever. I think I actually try to make the situation awkward so I don't have to be around small children.
In the completely opposite direction, I talk to children as though they are fully conscious adults. In fact, the younger the child - and thus the less likely they are to understand - the more elaborate my speech to them. It amuses me greatly.
Granted, I'm not actively attempting to teach the child to speak. If I were, I'd probably communicate using a simpler vocabulary, but still forming complex thoughts.
Comments
I also try to avoid sitting in a public place where my back is to the majority of traffic or the door. Generally I try to sit with my back to a wall. It kind of bothers me to have people walking behind me.
I also move a lot when I'm not concentrating on something. Either by tapping my fingers or feet, or shaking my leg or something. I like to be moving fairly constantly.
I save papers, no matter how inconsequential; every few months, I purge the archives of White Castle receipts and ATM slips. I triple-check doors that I've locked. I impulsively check reflective surfaces while walking to ensure no one is following me. When I'm really drunk, I take evasive action while walking to try to lose anyone who might be following me.
I also before I leave my house will do a self inventory check. Car keys, wallet, phone, etc. Sometimes I will do the check a few times if I'm distracted by something. Your song might come in handy for this.
-I have to touch everything a second time if I graze my wrist on something, if not, I get the feeling that a cord attached to my wrist is snagged in the place.
-If the floor has a pattern, I will not step on one of the colors, if the tiles are small, I will only step on the tile and not the line, and if it's a random pattern, I'll pick a color, and only step on lines parallel to that color
-I keep every box for a year, just in case I need to return, or sell something.
-I feel bad when I have to dispose of shoes or sandals.
-I only own 2 pairs of pants, and ONLY TWO.
-I have to walk on the side closest to the street on the sidewalk.
-I triple check that my I leave the car in park and the e-brake is on.
-I double check locks, sometimes triple check.
-I can't have anyone touch my head if it's wet, or just out of the shower.
-No one talks to me if I'm eating alone, or I get really REALLY annoyed.
-I have to pile coins by size if there are some at my desk, and feel annoyed when the number is uneven.
-I place everything in a box formation in the conveyor belt at the super market.
-I wear stuff until it's basically falling apart and still have a hard time at throwing them away.
-I cant see a zit, black head, white head, or scab, without the need to yank it out, so I have lots of small scars on my arms and legs. (it's got a name, but I can't remember it)
-I rub my nose with my upper lip when I'm thinking.
-I like to pinch the skin on the sides of my nails, then push it underneath the side of the nail and squeeze.
-I rub my thumbs cuticle against the edge of my ear when I'm bored.
-I put my ear inside of my ear when I'm cold, and my ear lob inside my ear when I'm bored.
I guess those are just a few of them.
I gnaw only certain pens. None of that Bic Crystal shit, where the plastic splinters and shatters. Those pens are to an oral fixation as Thunderbird is to drinking alcohol. My budget choice are Bic Round-Stic Comfort Grip (less resistance to biting due to the softer plastic). They are akin to a nice Johnny Walker. Pilot Uni-ball Vision fine points are both excellent pens to write and sketch with, and have nice, discrete, soft chew zones. They are the Lagavulin 16 of pens, and my chosen writing utensil.
I don't chew anything non-edible other than pens. This includes pencils (I am not a beaver), and other artistic drawing implements (as if I could bring myself to soil the spectacular triumph of writing and drawing engineering that are Uniball Postas, Krink Inks, or Staedtler Fineliners with my need to chew things).
Usually I can avoid all of this with the aid of two more socially-acceptable things; namely, cigarettes and my pipe. When I remember my pipe, I will often just bite on it without smoking to keep my mouth filled, or smoke it if I so choose. I don't like smoking cigarettes often and they irritate people, but if I do have one, I'll generally keep from chewing or nail-biting for a while. However, indoors I'm unable to smoke and having a pipe in your mouth appears bizarre outside of a place friendly to smokers, so I often resort to pens. And if there are none or if I'm tempted, my nails and cuticles. So it goes.
Man, I really wish I could stop this.
I also have this need to look at all the food on my plate and determine what order I would eat each particular item of food (protein, followed by vegetable, followed by starch, more or less) and then eat said food in said order.
I've also started noticing my particular behaviors. I itch myself a lot, even when I'm not itchy. It's usually a nervous thing. I also chew my lip a good bit more than I should.
I reposition my glasses when I'm nervous or bored. I even attempt to do this when my glasses aren't on.
I chew my lips sometimes. Occasionally this causes bleeding.
I genuinely hope for an after life and I talk to dead relatives sometimes when I am on my own, just in case they can hear me.
I occasionally play the lotto.
I lotion my hands several times a day, after I wash my hands, and just because they feel dry. I hate seeing my cuticles dry, so I have a special Clinique lotion just for that.
I sometimes find myself praying for good fortune whenever I encounter a risky situation.
Whenever I have a pen in my hand, I will start to twirl it between my fingers and on top of my thumb.
I buy lottery tickets and scratch tickets on occasion.
I refuse to talk to babies like children, if I talk to them at all. Or animals, though I'm quite confident my dog doesn't really know the difference.
I don't pray, so much as occasionally shout at "huey". Which is basically either talking our shouting into the sky for various reasons, sometimes for good, sometimes for ill. Odd habit I picked up when I used to surf more often.
I feel terribly uncomfortable wearing shorts. Kilts/skirts, fine. Proper pants, fine. Naked, no worries. Shorts? No, thankyou.
Granted, I'm not actively attempting to teach the child to speak. If I were, I'd probably communicate using a simpler vocabulary, but still forming complex thoughts.