Day 12: Something I Am OCD About

Conversation I just had with Mom:

Me: What's something I'm OCD about?
Mom: Is this your question for your blog?
Me: Maybe...
Mom: Seriously?
Me: Yes.
Mom: Shall we make a list?
...a few "list" items later...
Mom: Maybe you should just pick one. Do you really want to broadcast how OCD you are to everyone?

Yup, that about sums it up. But if you need a list of some specifics, I am prepared to oblige:

• Folding my clothes.
• Hanging clothes in my closet: I not only organize my blouses, pants and dresses by color, but I have a separate color of hangar for blouses, pants and dresses.
• Putting utensils in the dishwasher: The "mouth" part goes up on everything except sharp knives - they go point down so you don't poke yourself. Naturally.
• Putting everything else in the dishwasher.
• Putting dishes and utensils away (Mom & I disagree on where some things *should* live).
• Shampoo & conditioner: Same brand, same smell. Period. None of this "mixey-matchey" with whatever happens to be left over in the shower, unless I happen to have some Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo. Then it's whatever conditioner.
• The way I drive to work: I've noticed recently that I definitely have a pattern, not just what roads I take, but what lanes I drive in too.
• Everything has it's place (this may actually surprise those of you that have seen my room): Everything. Even if that "place" is in a stack of papers on my bedroom floor. I know where everything is. I do not lose things. If I misplace something, it will drive me absolutely crazy until I find it (if you don't believe me, ask someone who was around when I accidentally left my phone and iTouch at a friend's house this last February... it wasn't pretty).
• I alphabetize my books by the author's last name and when I have finished reading a book I write the month and year in the back flyleaf.
• Jewelry box: I use two of those tackle/craft boxes with tons of slots to keep things separate - one for goldish jewelry and the other for monochromes and other colors).
• Music: All of my iTunes have complete file information, right down to the cover art... I'm currently working on genres. Each song also has specific playlists it belongs to.
• Pictures on my computer: Organized by year, then by month and date or date range, followed last by a brief description of what I was doing or where the pictures were taken. And that's just the folders. :0)
• Email at work: My first day on a new job is very critical. I have to set up all my folders and basic filter rules. I was never more grateful for this particular "anality" than with my current job where I literally get hundreds of emails a day.
• Folders at work: Basically the same system as my pictures... Most companies have naming conventions for files and locations of corporate date. I have my own naming conventions for files.

So, I'm sure if I spent more than 15 minutes typing this up it would just get scarier. Mom and I laugh all the time about how we are both particularly OCD about one thing or another (alas, poor Dad). For me, I try to look on the bright side... I wouldn't be nearly as good at my job (proof reader, copy writer and copy editor for hundreds of marketing pieces each month) if I didn't have a little OCD in me. Plus, because I know what my tendencies are, I can laugh at them... and at myself.

And I find that wonderfully healthy. :0D