Small Town News

Isn't life strange?

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Wise and Otherwise

We all like to think we are wise, but I do believe we all have little habits, superstitions, and/or quirky behaviors that make us otherwise, too.

"Idiosyncrasies" is the fancy name, and if you have enough of them, you might be diagnosed with obsessive/compulsive disorder.

I'm not going to share my mental diagnoses with you— there is only so much space for the column after ail-but I will share some of my otherwise with you as well as some from my friends. I'm not using names to protect the guilty.

Your columnist here does practice the required amount of personal hygiene so as not to be a social pariah. When I get ready to take a shower, you know how you stick your hand in to check the temperature of the water? Well, I do that but I must dry my hand and arm off before I get into the shower where, of course, it is just going to get wet again. Don't know where this habit came from, but it is now routine.

Like number usage, I will use the number four whenever possible. I set my alarm to go off at four past the hour not on the hour. I order things in fours and will look to see what the Number 4 meal is at a fast food place.

After I lock a door, I push and pull on it four times to make sure it is indeed locked. Thirteen, however, is avoided if at all possible. No can do! I have tris-kaidekaphobia I guess. Now, I have a friend that loves the number thirteen as she was born on a Friday, the 13th!

Colored candies seem to bring out the otherwise in us, too. Skittles and M&M's are arranged by color, eaten in certain orders, or not eaten at all because of the color of the candy.

Speaking of arranging things besides your snacks, many folks have to have cabinets, the dishwasher, and/or the pantry arranged in a certain order.

There are certain ways to wear socks, flush the toilet, make the bed, sleep in the bed, and handle the money in your wallet or purse.

For those with light switches at both ends of a room or close, those switches have to be in the same position otherwise you will cross the room or closet to make sure that all are down or off or up and on. Crazy, friends, I know; they probably don't dry their arm off before taking a shower, either.

One of the biggest otherwise quirks we have involves rolls of toilet paper. The age old "over or under" question is still alive and well. I've had friends admit they'll go in and change those rolls themselves, so it is "appropriate" even if not in their own home.

In my bathrooms, I have two double-roll holders, and I put one over and one under. I can't invite these people to my home, ever.

What are your quirks? I hope one is enjoying the "Wise and Otherwise" column every week. After all, in the past two week's I've made you look up the definitions for tuffet and triskaid-ekaphobia, so this weekly piece is not just fun but also educational; another little idiosyncrasy of mine.



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