I like to think there’s a little bit of OCD in all of us (some more than others).

I could look it up, and do actual research, to find out the medical or psychological explanation for Obsessive Compulsive Disorders and what causes them, but that would be too politically correct and diligent. Instead, let’s do the Weekly World News/Cosmo survey/Cracker Jack toy, style of medical investigation that you’d be more likely to find in paid advertising on late night TV, to diagnose ourselves. It’s much easier that way, and saves me a lot of typing and hyperlinking to Wikipedia.

We all have patterns we follow throughout the day as we live our lives. Society practically forces it upon ourselves to develop these patterns. Some people depend on their routines to get them through the day. I absolutely must enter through the same door at home every day after after work, put my shoes in the same place I got them from, drop my keys, wallet, watch, and change in the same tray, and hang my coat in the same closet, every night if I ever expect to function the next morning. I think we can all agree that’s fairly normal. A lot of people have their morning rituals. It’s an efficiency thing. All humans develop it from a deep seated, primal urge, to sleep in as long as possible and still get to work on time.

My Reader’s Digest understanding of Psychology tells me that’s different than OCD. To me, OCD is a habit you develop out of a desire for order and control rather than, for instance, efficiency. OCD is the poster-child for anti-efficiency. Basically, I look at it as a habit that you have to do for no real rhyme or reason, and if you don’t do it, it will bother you until it gets fixed (that last part being the most important).

Like I said, I think it has to do with having things in order or being in control of something. I don’t think it has anything to do superstition, you know, like watching baseball players go through their set of rituals (that’s a whole other thing).

So here are mine (and these are really tame, mind you):

1) When changing the volume on a TV, if it has a numerical display, I always have to leave it on an even number.

2) You know those bubble gum packs with the plastic bubbles and foil backing? I always take two at a time, and the pattern that remains has to be symmetrical.

Now, if someone else mucks about with the volume on the TV, or I offer up some gum to someone, it doesn’t bother me so much, but I will “correct” it next time I use them.

3) I can’t walk by something that’s only slightly closed without making sure it’s fully closed. So that’s things like closet doors, drawers, container lids, etc…

How ’bout you?

Happy Bobtoberfest, everyone!

Oh yeah! The Big Three-Oh, beotch! w00t! w00t! and all that nonsense…

You might have been wondering how I was going to fit two grades of school pictures into one day, and the answer is simple: I don’t know where my Grade 11 picture is, so all you get is my Grade 12 picture. Not a great picture to go out on, but beggars can’t be choosers. This one and the last one really showed off how crooked the bridge of my nose is (it drove my optometrist nuts). Can’t really see any sign of the red mark on the cheek anymore, either. Too bad I’m not really smiling.

Hey, I just got an e-mail from Newsarama.com wishing me happy birthday. I already got some early birthday wishes a few days ago which were great, but this is my first official one on this day. Thanks, Newsarama. You looked deep into my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined. It’s the little personal touches that make it all worthwhile.

Hey, here’s another. Sorry, Kent, Newsarama beat you by 6 minutes. But thanks, I will have a nice “Bobtoberfestalapaloozaweenakah.” Stay tuned for Kentmas festivities coming soon, dear readers, in a couple of weeks over at Kentcer.com.

Back to school… My two favourite classes were Physics and Chemistry, with Calculus a close third. I didn’t count Computer Science because I pretty much knew it all already, so it was kinda boring. I ended up getting the Grade 12 Physics award at my school. Even ended up getting a little plaque, which I might not have been able to keep, I don’t remember. My name’s on a larger plaque hanging in the halls of my school. At least I hope it’s still hanging there. I chose not to take Economics, and I avoided Biology (it seemed kind of messy, and not at all interesting). I got conned into taking Art for all three grades (10, 11, and 12), but I don’t know why. It didn’t matter how hard I tried, or how well I did, or even how poor I did; I’d always get 75. Others might have been quite happy to coast through with a 75, but it was always my lowest mark. Still bothers me that I kept taking that class.

It may (or may not) come as a surprise to you, but I took Home Ec., too, instead of Shop. I could give a real guy-type of reason and say it was to meet girls, or I could give a mature and sophisticated reason and say it’s because I love to cook, but that would just be hiding the truth. The real reason was because, once a week, Shop class became Phys. Ed. class, but Home Ec. was Home Ec. all week long. Yes, I taught myself all the finer intricacies of bias tape, bobbins, and baking crepes, just to get out of an extra fifty minutes of physical activity a week.

It was a Catholic school. Remind me later to tell you some stories about Christian Ethics class… They’re no where near as good as the stories Dad has about his school days being taught by nuns, but c’est la vie.

Today’s the last day of Bobtober, and the first day of the rest of my life… *yecch!* Gag me with a spoon, and gross me out the door…

Here on wqoq.com, we don’t pussyfoot around taboo subjects. We ask the really hard, tough-nosed, investigative questions.

Like why do women get a whole month for breast cancer awareness, and us guys only get a week for testicular cancer awareness?

Warning: the following link is NOT for children! Nor is it for adults who act like children. Instructions showing men how to examine their jingly-janglies.

Yeah. A week might be too long…

“The geologic column is the bible for the evolutionists.” Aw, that’s super.

In that case, from now on, I’m going to make sure there’s a science textbook in every hotel room I go to (or leave one there if there isn’t). Or better yet, maybe the Gospel of the FSM.

The opening reminds me of The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, where the lead keeps referring to himself as “[doing] science” or finding something that could mean “advances in the field of science.”

It’s “Unbeblievable!”

Update (27 Feb 2006): And almost a year to the day later, an airline loses their dog.