What interesting habits / quirks do you have?

[Sophie 24,412]

I like things to be on a schedule. I do things in 30 minutes segments. Going to bed? Needs to be at XX:00 or XX:30. XX:37? Guess I'm staying up a little longer! 

If a volume setting is represented by a number it must be a multiple of 5. My TV is on 10, my sound system upstairs is 25. Seeing it set to 12 for example makes me uncomfortable. 

When I am stressed I play with my hair a lot and bite my lip. If I am angry I get a twitch in my right eye. 

I get incredibly attached over inanimate objects. I've burst into tears because the zip on my backpack broke. I have cried because I have lost a pencil case. I have been gifted kits with consumables and not used it because I didn't want it to run out. For example, I was gifted a knitting kit when I was a young girl. It came with wool, needles and instructions. I went out and bought wool instead of using the ones it came with. Same with a BB gun I once had. I went and bought my own "bullets" instead of using the small bag of included ones. I used to have packs of unopened pencils because I didn't want to use them. I would become attached to a pack of ballpoint pens that cost £1 for 10.

I don't like bleeding. I'm not scared of blood or anything, I won't faint, but if I cut myself and start bleeding I get very sad. I'm fine with the pain, I'm fine with my monthly, huge bruises don't bother me but if I cut my finger or something I will be very upset until the bleeding stops. 

In a similar vein, I cannot deal with splinters (slithers) in my fingers. The act of squeezing my finger to force it out has left me feeling very sick and light headed. My ears ring and I don't feel happy at all. There has been times where it has become infected because I am so bad with it. 

I hate doors being left slightly open. If they are slightly open, like touching the door frame but not closed properly, I must close them. I cannot help myself. 

[Peenicks 864]

I have an oral fixation that I'm still not totally over so I end up idly putting stuff in my mouth that I probably shouldn't (here come all the dirty jokes in the replies, lol). Ironically I'm also something of a picky eater. I have a thing about food textures (might be an ASD thing) that makes me apprehensive about trying certain foods.

I crave physical touch for validation, I love hugs, cuddling, backrubs, etc. But I'm also ridiculously ticklish everywhere. I'm like the most literal embodiment of the hedgehog's dilemma other than actual hedgehogs.

I also have a very addictive personality. Only things I've formed an addiction to have been caffeine and possibly pornography (might be over it by now, hard to say). I probably couldn't get hooked on tobacco though, the smell of it alone is enough to give me a horrible headache 🤢

1 hour ago, Sophie said:

If a volume setting is represented by a number it must be a multiple of 5. My TV is on 10, my sound system upstairs is 25. Seeing it set to 12 for example makes me uncomfortable. 

I have a similar habit but I include even numbers. So 25 and 12 are fine settings but odd numbers like 11 make me uncomfortable

[gldenwetgoose 21,498]

This is a really insightful topic - and actually I guess can be quite a gut-wrench to confess some of these things.  Even to ourselves, things we don't want to admit.  But suppose then it's easier to confess to things to a virtual loving community who we never have to look in the eye.

I'll try and have a think of anything particular - I don't think my first two are at all interesting, or even quirky for that matter.

First is I guess being a creature of habit in a lot of things.  For example I was photographing a charity medical conference this weekend which included corporate head shots - naturally lit with a window at one side and some fill-in flash at the other and a third source of light from behind to give some feature lighting.  I looked at a few locations, chose one and then realised - I always have to have the main light to the right.  I looked from the opposite perspective of window on left and literally couldn't bring myself to consider working that way.

Similarly I realised a couple of weeks ago on my way into the day job office - since lockdown workwear has been a lot more casual, but I've literally worn jeans, the same trainers and same jacket each time I've been in for months.  Partly an engineer thing I guess - clothes are functional, they stop you freezing to death and getting arrested for indecent exposure. And I do make sure it's a different T shirt every day.  I really should make the effort to vary myself a little.

My second quirk is obsessing over detail in future plans at the expense of things I should be doing now.  I'm currently planning a European road trip for the end of July next year for eight people and I've found myself fantasising over Google maps over details that don't need to even be considered yet - streetviewing the route out of the Channel Tunnel complex and the camping site.  When one of the folks mentions it I'll be 'oh, I did have a quick glance...'   I could say I just like to be organised, but it's something planned for 9-10 months away and doesn't need thinking about.  That reminds me - let me just check if the Channel Tunnel prices for July 2023 are up yet....   Be right back...

[Bacardi 10,134]

11 hours ago, Peenicks said:

Ironically I'm also something of a picky eater. I have a thing about food textures (might be an ASD thing) that makes me apprehensive about trying certain foods.

Myself and one of my kids is the same way. I was so stoked to try Boba tea cause everyone loves it but the first time I sucked one of the little balls through the straw and it sat in my mouth with the tea I just couldn't stand it. Having to chew tea? I couldn't swallow it. It was bad. I let my husband have the rest lol.

My habits and quirks are I have a very mild speech impediment that I cover up basically by not speaking at all, and I tend to pull my hair out when I get overwhelmed or nervous.

[Kupar 13,341]

First: I've put a 'hug' reaction to these posts, not because I think you are all in need of care and hugs, but more because you are all so honest about revealing these things, and it makes me want to hug you. I guess, that might be a quirk of mine. And - full disclosure - I did smile at Goose's confession about his travel planning, having had the benefit of it myself on a few occasions 😉 

Second: I had quite a long think about the question, and while the people who know me might be able to come up with dozens of my quirks and habits, I'm struggling to think of very many. Maybe I'm blissfully unaware of the quirky things I habitually do. 

I suppose there are a few. So whenever the word 'seal' is mentioned, in whatever context, such as "We probably need a new seal for the fridge door", I always say "Arp! Arp!" Or If I am running late for something I will always say "Moo!" or "I'm, all moo." (This is because I'm all behind, like a cow's tail ... but the expression has simply become shortened to 'moo' over the years.) I have an unpleasant habit of picking at my toenails rather than cutting them with scissors or clippers. Sorry, you probably didn't want to know that. And I sometimes leave the bits on the floor. (Sorry K.) I talk to the birds in my garden. And I do tend to try and get ahead with things: sometimes I will have made our evening meal before mid-morning, including doing all the washing up, drying up and putting away as I go along. 

I used to straighten other people's pictures and rub out other people's incorrect apostrophes, but I am more relaxed about this, and about very many other things these days. Maybe I'm finally chilling out a bit.

Thanks for the post @Sophie - it's fun 🙂 

[mickymoist 3,515]

These are really interesting,I don't really have any that I'm aware of but will have to study myself more to see if there are any. @Kupar I definitely do the straightening of pictures, I really can't cope with things not being straight, probably from working in printing when I was young. 

I am probably the messiest person I know, I just let everything get more and more cluttered until it completely gets on my nerves and then have a massive tidy up. Also an olympic class procrastinator 😁

[steve25805 126,150]

When I wake up in the morning, after the inevitable visit to the loo, the first thing I do is make myself two mugs of tea or coffee, because one is never enough to start the day and get my brain into gear.

I guess I am an indoor nudist by habit, though only when home alone. I tend to spend all my time at home with nothing on. Though the cost of heating will force me to wear clothes when the colder weather hits this year. I am sitting here with nothing on right now.

When stressed or agitated, I tend to find that going on politics forums and arguing about politics with the biggest arseholes I can find is strangely therapeutic and relaxing. I think it is because it engages my brain in a way that connects with my ideals and stops me stressing about personal shit.

Sometimes in the summer I will drive to the beach on my own and go into the sea but only up to my waist. I am hindered by the fact that I have to hold my cars keys in my hand out of the water. Everything else of value can be locked in the car except for the damned car keys. So anyone observing would see a fat old twat in the sea up to his waist holding his car keys in his hand, lol.

I hate looking in mirrors in bad light or in the dark. I have an irrational fear of some unseen evil looking back at me. I cannot enter a room with a mirror in it unless the light is on or it is daylight.

I cannot stomach drinking through straws. For some reason it just mildly grosses me out. If I buy a drink that comes with a lid and a straw, I discard both lid and straw and drink straight from the cup.

I like salt and vinegar on my roast dinners instead of gravy. But I do love mint sauce, though don't limit it to lamb. I love it on pork and beef too.

[Sophie 24,412]

18 hours ago, Bacardi said:

My habits and quirks are I have a very mild speech impediment that I cover up basically by not speaking at all

I also have a speech impediment. I cannot create the "th" sound. 

• Thread - Fred
• Three - Free

People must fink I'm fick! 

[likesToLick 10,216]

9 hours ago, steve25805 said:

So anyone observing would see a fat old twat in the sea up to his waist holding his car keys in his hand, lol.

Used to be able to pin them to your trunks with a safety pin,  but I guess the modern electronic keys would not like that.

[likesToLick 10,216]

I have an instinctive but major distrust of strangers.  When I meet a new person for the first time,  I feel unreasonably hostile to them and try to avoid interacting.  It's some kind of deep seated reaction that makes no logical sense,  but I have to make a conscious effort to overcome it in social situations.

Edited October 11, 2022 by likesToLick

[Bacardi 10,134]

5 hours ago, Sophie said:

I also have a speech impediment. I cannot create the "th" sound. 

• Thread - Fred
• Three - Free

People must fink I'm fick! 

Idk how to describe mine. It's like I forget what I'm saying midsentence and completely freeze up. My eyes go all wonky until my brain turns back on and shit. Sometimes I end up saying the previous word multiple times instead. It happens most of the time when I am nervous, and I combat it by just not talking often lol.

[Peenicks 864]

16 hours ago, Bacardi said:

Idk how to describe mine. It's like I forget what I'm saying midsentence and completely freeze up. My eyes go all wonky until my brain turns back on and shit. Sometimes I end up saying the previous word multiple times instead. It happens most of the time when I am nervous, and I combat it by just not talking often lol.

My childhood friend had a similar impediment. Also I totally get whatcha mean about pulling hair when you're stressed. I'm always messing with my hair, even on occasions where I've had it cut super short. 

[LovesToWet 3,803]

I'm apparently get worse for things like this.... according to my wife.

I love drawing and I have multiple sets of coloured pencils, all of which are kept in their original boxes but what makes its odd is I have numbered each pencil so that when I use multiple pencils at a time, I can put them back in their correct place. My wife jokes that she'll mess them up and that freaks me out, they CANNOT be out of order. It's the same with my graphite pencils too, there have to be in grade order - 9h to 9b

I have to make sure the pan or kettle is centred on the hob, all cutlery has to face the right way in the draw. Our knives on the magnetic holder have to be in line. 

I hate things that are not in symmetry...random patterns are a no for me.

I recently freaked out by a sticker on a van not being straight. It's not hard to take a bit more time to get it put on correctly!

I cannot walk into a room at night without turning on the light first. That comes from my childhood where I thought turning the light on would scare away any monsters.

There's probably loads more that I don't realise I do as it's just the norm for me but others will think it's odd. I guess we all have things like that.

[oliver2 4,419]

On 10/10/2022 at 12:05 AM, Peenicks said:

Ironically I'm also something of a picky eater. I have a thing about food textures (might be an ASD thing) that makes me apprehensive about trying certain foods.

(Curiously) what sort of food textures are unappealing? 

[Peenicks 864]

4 hours ago, oliver2 said:

(Curiously) what sort of food textures are unappealing? 

Certain kinds of sauces and stews are the main ones. I feel like there's a lot of sauces that I would enjoy if I couldn't feel their texture in my mouth.

[Gotah 2,382]

I noticed a few years ago that whenever I get nervous or feel irritated I start whistling. I only realized that after my mother once pointed it out because my father apparently does the same lol

Another (bad/annoying) habit of mine is than I never learn from my mistakes straight away. I always need to do the same mistake twice if not more until I finally realize that what I did was wrong.

I also spend alot of time daydreaming about random stuff and when those dreams are especially intense or entertaining I start to act them out irl. It's fun to do when I'm all by myself but once it happens at work or in a place where there's people around it's a bit embarassing. I've been caught several times moving my lips in silence, randomly smiling or laughing out of nowhere just because I was having funny thoughts.

[Peenicks 864]

5 hours ago, Gotah said:

I also spend alot of time daydreaming about random stuff and when those dreams are especially intense or entertaining I start to act them out irl. It's fun to do when I'm all by myself but once it happens at work or in a place where there's people around it's a bit embarassing. I've been caught several times moving my lips in silence, randomly smiling or laughing out of nowhere just because I was having funny thoughts.

Oh my God, I do this too! It's mostly when I'm writing something and I'll sort of go through the motions. Couldn't tell you why, maybe acting it out helps me describe the physicality of certain actions more clearly

[Sophie 24,412]

Another one I have just remembered - I link a lot of memories to music, but they are usually the most boring and mundane things.

For example - When I hear Shanks & Bigfoot - Sweet Like Chocolate, I remember sitting in the gravel car park outside a garden centre about to go inside. It wasn't a particularly interesting day and I don't think we even bought anything, but whenever I hear the song I think of that because it was on the radio at the time.

When I hear Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me, I think of driving home from the shop after buying a tablet and my husband buying a laptop, just because it was on the radio at the time. I even remember the exact section of road I was on.

When I hear LeAnn Rimes - Can't fight the moonlight, I think of driving my husband to the hospital for a routine checkup because it was on the radio.

All of the above examples nothing interesting happened, it was nothing memorable, they were many years ago, but I still remember them because of the song I heard at the time.

[gldenwetgoose 21,498]

Amazing how a single sensory stimulous can trigger such memories, and somehow music seems the very strongest of them - a single line of a song taking us right back to a place, a time or an experience.   Absolutely amazing and wonderful.

[Kupar 13,341]

7 hours ago, gldenwetgoose said:

Amazing how a single sensory stimulous can trigger such memories, and somehow music seems the very strongest of them - a single line of a song taking us right back to a place, a time or an experience.   Absolutely amazing and wonderful.

Yes! Quite incredible. I love the idea that this kind of creates a soundtrack to your life (well, some scenes anyway).

K does this too, but with food. Her ability to link specific meals / dishes with events in her past is weird and amazing, just like your song memory @Sophie. 

[Chrissy89 1,208]

I have lots of interesting quirks:

- just like @Sophiei link a lot of things to music 

- I like to do things in a routine. For example I go to bed at 21:30. I get up at 6:30. Breakfast at 7:00. Go to the supermarket at 10:00 every Saturday.

- I always have to chew gum when I drive.

- I hate lights being left on unnecessarily.

- I have to pre plan what I’m going to wear. 

- I don’t like lots of people in small spaces (elevators, queues, etc.)

[gldenwetgoose 21,498]

How many of us, when putting fuel in the car try to stop the pump on a round number price - for example £20, £30, £40 and zero pence - or equivalent in those countries using cents or any other currency.

Even though at current prices, that extra penny is maybe a teaspoon or less of fuel, but instead if we miss our target we go around put in an extra pound or ten ?

(I know some pumps let you pre-select the amount, but they're not that common in the UK - so instead we play pump blackjack)

(I also know I'm not the only one to do this - although usually in my wife's car who only wants £20 to get her fuel gauge out of the red).

[Chrissy89 1,208]

1 minute ago, gldenwetgoose said:

How many of us, when putting fuel in the car try to stop the pump on a round number price - for example £20, £30, £40 and zero pence - or equivalent in those countries using cents or any other currency.

Even though at current prices, that extra penny is maybe a teaspoon or less of fuel, but instead if we miss our target we go around put in an extra pound or ten ?

(I know some pumps let you pre-select the amount, but they're not that common in the UK - so instead we play pump blackjack)

(I also know I'm not the only one to do this - although usually in my wife's car who only wants £20 to get her fuel gauge out of the red).

I’m like that. My BF doesn’t care and he just fills it. I have to get it bang on or I need to round up! 

[Kupar 13,341]

1 minute ago, Chrissy89 said:

I’m like that. My BF doesn’t care and he just fills it. I have to get it bang on or I need to round up! 

I'm with your BF lol ... but I understand how your way is a thing 🙂 

[Chrissy89 1,208]

2 minutes ago, Kupar said:

I'm with your BF lol ... but I understand how your way is a thing 🙂 

It’s so satisfying when you get your desired amount right on!

I’ve set my bank account up to send the change to a savings account so it’s usually a nice round number in there too. 🤣