Just a thought.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that we often parade the condition of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder like its a virtue? I hear statements like these a lot, "I'm a little OCD about the sheets"(me), or "I guess I am OCD about the kitchen sink" as if OCD is a good thing, or it makes your weird ticks about how you like the counter wiped down sound like its secretly a good thing. Its like complaining about never gaining weight. People don't often complain aloud about things in themselves that they truly think are bad. We use OCD as if we are giving ourselves back-handed compliments.

But think about it, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a real problem for people. It is crippling and debilitating to those who truly suffer from this illness. Most true OCD sufferers* have a hard time relating to the rest of society and many feel that they are imprisoned by their own habits and fears. Yet we take this condition and wear it like a badge of honor. We would never say, "I'm so bulimic today," or "I guess I'm a little anorexic during breakfast time." Yet somehow OCD is acceptable to claim without any sensitivity to its true sufferers' plight. We do not have OCD when we like all the switches to be flicked down. We don't even have it when it bothers us that all the screws on the switchplate aren't turned to the same direction. Those are preferences, because most of us can walk away and not give those things a second thought despite their annoyances.

I just thought I'd throw this up here. Trust me, I'm not going to give you this same speech if you refer to yourself as 'having OCD' about something now. I might, however, feel really sorry for how that one thing is taking over your whole life and hampering your daily activities. Ok, not really. I'll know what you mean.



*There is a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder that is a little less severe.

On talking too much.

I read this post.

I could say that the first quote from Calvin sums me up pretty well--if I replaced the word 'write' with the word 'talk'. I am a very verbal person, and I am usually thinking things through as I am saying them(definitely not a good thing) which leads to many, many regrets. I have put my foot in my mouth too many times to count. Sometimes it can be a good thing, though. Dirk can get the best of a book without having to actually read it because I like talking about what I am reading or learning about. This can be advantageous to him as he doesn't have much time for reading for his own pleasure. I have a few friends who start off our conversations with, "What have you been reading/learning about?" because they know it will open a floodgate of what is swimming around in my head.

I digress.

My point in that rant(I promised many of those, didnt I?) is that I talk a lot. I'm thinking that's not a good thing all the time. If I have another outlet for ideas and thoughts maybe I won't have the need to speak everything that is on my mind. I have been inspired by a good friend to start journaling. That is truly a discipline that I have yet to master. I have tried multiple times, in fact, I have a shelf of half-empty notebooks where I have started with a gusto and then petered off. I'm thinking this might be a better attempt since I have the idea that this is a discussion--and that others(just a few) might read it and answer back. Maybe it will spark a conversation, if not with me than with someone else. And it will thereby satisfy my desire to interact and those within earshot won't have to beholden to all my thoughts and opinions.

Make sense? Maybe not.