Just for Fun: Are You Normal or Nuts?

Well i'm far from normal. =)
I'll share one since you don't have all day to listen.
When I go to rinse something real quick and only *need* to get one hand wet with the rinse, I feel off and need to get the other wet as well. I have tried to just dry off the one hand and go on with it, can't i have to get them both wet.

haha! too funny. no one is normal, everyone has a little bit of crazy LOL!!

Me, I've been told by many people, therapist included, that I have OCD. Eh, whatever. I'm a counter too! I remember as a kid counting the amount of lines on the clock (like the number 2 has 5 lines in it), I was a terrible sleeper and would count the number of lines every time a minute passed. So, yeah, I guess I am a little nuts too!!

Aren't we all a little nutty? I've always been told I march to the beat of my own drummer. If only I were wealthy then I would be eccentric instead of just odd. Probably one of the stranger things is that I have to be "balanced." If something happens to my right side I need it to happen to my left as well. And, like you, I also count things. So does my sister.

Hmmm....when I see a certain type of spider I smell tomatoes.

I think I'm normal, but the voices tell me otherwise :)

What's normal?

I think we're all nuts...

ok - more of a pet peeve??? the store is nordstrom .... not nordstroms ..like ralphs is ralphs and rite-aid is rite-aid - not rite-aids ....coffee-bean is coffee-bean - not coffee-beans ... when people say they are going to nordstroms it drive me silly ...... no, you are going to nordstrom .... anyone???

In my not so humble opinion: One of the defining aspects about the human species is our absolute need for taxonomy (heck, frogs may do it too, but I don't speak frog). We look for ways to describe things ((the "labeling" argument... as in "not doing it" cracks me up... as a species (who are part of a genus, which is part of a family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, and domain) we NATURALLY try and find order, groupings, similarities and differences in EVERYTHING. From cooking (spices, herbs, oils, sweet, hot, bitter, acids, etc.) to chairs, cells to medicines, art to architecture. Look ANYWHERE in life and we have systems of classification. Babies, toddlers, children, adolescents.... shapes, colors, measurements.... heck look at a college campus. Schools of similar subjects in colleges of an overriding subject, in universities.)) We SEARCH for patterns, we create them. They're soothing, invigorating, and absolutely NECESSARY.

Those who are unable to create or repeat those patterns as quickly as others (language, reading, math, movements, etc.) are considered delayed. Those who create or repeat those patterns faster than most are considered gifted. Those who are able to do it in ways most aren't are considered talented (artistically, scientifically, engineering, musically, etc.). Those who do patterns in ways that don't make sense to others are considered to have a disorder.

It's ALL about patterns. Social interactions, education, physical accomplishment... it's how we create or replicate patterns, how our brains perceive them, that determines out niche in society.

<grin> So I don't think ANY of it is quirky. :) I think it's human.

PS... The letters as colors thing has it's own classification it's call synesthesia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

PPS... I have so many quirks I have my own "disorder", known as ADHD. But my actual talent with patterns happens to be human interaction... I'm a fiction writer. If this then this if in this situation given these variables and these backgrounds. Also known as psych classes are easy A's. And also known as I have entire worlds spinning in my mind at all times. People having conversations is the least of it. I have *hundreds* of "voices in my head" ;) at all times. I just happen to enjoy it rather than be disturbed by it. My son has something SIMILAR... but he uses it practically... which means that he's known as "charismatic" because he uses the patterns of social interaction in how he relates to other people. He's a raging extrovert and a natural "host".

I've noticed that 2 groups of people tend to "count" things (like flower petals, cars, etc.). Visual artists, and engineers. It seems to go along with people who have an innate sense of BALANCE.

LOVE this q :) :) :)

Yeah, I am nuts too.

I am also a counter. I had many, many quirks as a kid and as an adult when I realized they were not that 'normal' I tried to quit doing them...I succeeded with most but the counting remains.

I count my steps. Unconsciously, every time I walk. I know exactly how many steps it is from almost every place in my house to the next place. Not sure how or why I do it, but I do it...I guess it would be really useful if we had a fire or something and I couldn't see to get us out of the house...but whatever?

I successfully ended my need to eat my M&M's by color and lots others...the only one besides the counting that I do and am not really aware of the fact that I am doing it, while I am doing it, is when I have the remote control and I am changing channels I push the volume control up one time, down one time...over and over again really fast? I never even noticed it til my nephew pointed it out a couple years back and hubby piped in "she's done it the whole time I've known her, I noticed it the first time we watched TV together"...I was shocked! I had no clue! Even now, I do it but only catch myself and try to stop it once I am already done and satisfied with how many times I do it?

But oh well, who cares? We are all nuts anyway, right?

Hi S H I count things too, it's not nuts it passes time, I'm normal and nuts, when I"m sitting at the nail salon and my nails are drying I count the bottles of polish on each shelf, but first i guess to myself how many are on there then i count them. I'm not one to just sit and do nothing. J.

When I was a kid (about age 7-14) I had all sorts of weird quirks, but I told nobody about them. I had to take an odd amount of steps to the bathroom. If I ended up using an even amount of steps, I would go back to my room and start over. Turning on or off light switch had to be done three times in a row. Always had to step from carpet to linoleum with a certain foot.

Later on I had a severe driving phobia; I would have panic attacks when driving. Luckily I outgrew those as well!

These days I don't really have any phobias. I am a very clean person and have a hard time sitting down if there is something that could be cleaned. I am also a bake-a-holic :0) I told my hubby yesterday he needs to padlock the oven, because I end up baking something every day and I can't ever resist eating it!

I like to find patterns in liscense plates and phone numbers.

I too am a counter, mainly steps! If I'm going up or down a flight of stairs I count. If I sing I'm counting how long I hold the notes while I'm singing. I count how long I wash my hands for or how long it takes me to do a small task. If I cut brownies, I count how many. If I make a batch of cookies, I count how many I made. I'm a counter, always have been and always will be.

Sometime things can become an obsession. When I was younger and worked as a secretary - I learned to type really fast - I found myself counting the letters of words - for example "normal" - four letters with the right hand, two letters with the left hand - and comparing which hand did the most typing, etc. It was all in my head and totally unnecessary. But I did it. I have no idea why. Eventually I stopped. I rarely do it anymore. LOL

Hi S H.
I love the fact that I am a little nuts and quirky.
I think it makes life a way more interesting.
I can read the energy in places and from people brilliantly. People might hear me saying " oh there is a heavy energy here " or I hold my head if someone near me has a headache or I can't be too near anyone with major issues that they are trying to hide ( some control freaks). Also I cannot bear the energy at our local supermarket, in a certain area I feel something very bad happened there years ago before the shop was built. So each time I am in that area I am whispering prayers and practically running past .
Thats fine when its around family and friends but around strangers I say some think I 'm a major nut job!!
Funny post!
B. k

I spell words in my head as they are being said or translate things in Spanish in my head, when English is my primary language lol I also trace words in handwriting in my head, weird once you put it out there lol I remember as a kid I played softball and I always fingered songs from playing flute on my leg as I would lead a base.

I'm nuts. I love to pluck my eyebrows! I don't go crazy and ruin yhem or anything, but I find it very relaxing! I also enjoy counting things and finding number patterns in seemingly random things. Long division is a favorite thing to do in my head!

Oh I'm nuts. Definitely.

I can be driving down the street, reading the newspaper, or just looking at print/words and instantly notice if a word is misspelled (especially this week when so many mom posted on this board the word 'principle' referring to the lead administrator at a school - ugh!).

I use 'well' and 'good' properly. If someone asks you "how are you today?" you reply with "I'm doing well, thank you" not with good. I also am a stickler for adverbs.

When I go for a run outside, I count cars in categories. One day it will be luxury cars, the next it might be Toyotas, and another it might be bikes.

If I have to do something in a repetitive manner, it has to be an even number and preferrably divisible by 4. For example, when I would mix my child's formula bottles they always got 80 shakes. Without fail. If I accidentally went over because I wasn't paying attention, I would always stop at a multiple of 4.

I can solve most number puzzles in just a few minutes. Sudokus are a breeze - it is like I don't even think; my brain just 'knows' and I do it. I don't know why.

Yes I think I'm rather odd.

I arrange all of my cigarette butts on one side of the ash tray and dump it after 5 or 6 cigarettes. i also have to wash my hair 2 times in the shower if i do it less I feel like I havent showered. I also have a major phobia that no one wears my socks or shoes but me. my so can change socks with his son and shoes all the time but I can tell if someone wore my socks even one time. they dont wear them right and they feel nasty afterwards If I notice
someone has been wearing my socks I throw them away even if they have no holes in them.

I tend to nearly always (since I was a child) step two steps inside each sidewalk square. I'll pace my walking so that I don't step on the cracks and still get two steps inside each one. lol

Everyone has little "things" they do which to others may seem a bit odd. It's what makes us unique creatures.

I like to add and multiply numbers. it relaxes me triple digits are my fav to do. and I personally think normal is the abnormal and the abnormal is the norm. thanks for the question though. lol

When I get a paper towel from a dispenser it has to be 3 pieces. 3 pumps of the soap dispenser if it's foam. I click my car clicker 3 times when unlocking or locking. For me it's 3's. Start with my left leg - putting on shoes, pants, shaving. But when I take off my shoes it's my right. Weird - never really noticed that one until now....LOL. Thanks....

Anyway - I think we are all normal we just have a certain routine for things and things to do when passing time.

i'm not really a counter. but my colored candies have to be eaten in pairs of hte same color. i have a certain amount of paper towels i have to use depending on how they are dispensed. things have to be a certain way for me, like i can't stand a hair being on someone's shirt, i will pick it off. i sometimes wish i didn't have these things, but oh well. they make me who i am i guess. and my fiance doesn't seem to mind them, even if he gives me a hard time about it sometimes.

NUTS--- I am not sure if it is a phobia, but I dislike social vices; drinking, smoking, drugs. It isn't that I just dislike these things, I don't want to be around them at ALL. I didn't want to even attend college because I didn't want to be around ANYONE who does these things. I have learned to tolerate it, but I could happily live in a world without these things.

AND I HATE it when the words Forte and Momentarily are misused or mispronounced. Recently, the dictionary changed Forte because SO MANY people pronounced it incorrectly...the E is silent. I don't think that the dictionary should appease people...

Oh yeah, I'm totally out there! I arrange things in their place in a store if its out of place. If something is off just a bit, I put it back in place... I mean what is that? I do it at home too, but I'm not clean control freak either. I love patterns in things too.

Love this question...my quirky thing is when I pump gas, I hate having the change anything but a multiple of five. Use to try in 10 cent increments but I'd always have the classic over flow. So I compromised to a multiple of 5 ie. $10.50 is perfect 10.51 not so much. So I'd pump that extra .04 cents just to see $10.55. Weird and time consuming, I know.

My hubby's quirk drives me insane. He sees letters in colors. Said it has something to do with the ABC border in kindergarten. Not a problem until we started trying to pick names for our kiddos. He wouldn't like a name because the "colors" didn't look good or flow right! Are you kidding me?

Guess you can say there are definitely some really weird people out there, huh?

Updated

Love this question...my quirky thing is when I pump gas, I hate having the change anything but a multiple of five. Use to try in 10 cent increments but I'd always have the classic over flow. So I compromised to a multiple of 5 ie. $10.50 is perfect 10.51 not so much. So I'd pump that extra .04 cents just to see $10.55. Weird and time consuming, I know.

My hubby's quirk drives me insane. He sees letters in colors. Said it has something to do with the ABC border in kindergarten. Not a problem until we started trying to pick names for our kiddos. He wouldn't like a name because the "colors" didn't look good or flow right! Are you kidding me?

Guess you can say there are definitely some really weird people out there, huh?

My daughter tells me I'm not a normal mom, but normalcy is overrated.

hello SH,

I line up colored candies .. like M&M's .. actually .. I think I have a color coordinating thing .. everything is organized by color.

And, when I eat, I have to finish one thing at a time .. like all the broccoli THEN the chicken.

toally normal ;)

I type things (mentally) with my fingers as I think or say them. I think it started in college when I was working on improving my typing skills.. It also helps me with spelling... it's become a habit.

I don't do it always... I used to do it more (when I was working) but I do notice that I do it often. Maybe two or three times on a regular day.

I've never told anyone that I do it either... I just shared it online. How nutty is that... and I type wicked fast. :)

When I talk, and when people talk to me, I see the words running through my head like a sentence. I see it spelled out. Does everyone do that?