List #104: Quirks and Habits

One of the best things, in my opinion, about getting to know someone is discovering their quirks. Sure, they may be the thing that bothers you the most a few years down the line, but who doesn't love to discover that a new person in your life only uses green highlighters or always puts 3 ice cubes in their drinks. It's a discovery.

But maybe this is because, at my core, I am quirky person. There are lots of little things about me that I've picked up along the way for reasons I can't completely understand.

My most severe habits?

• I only eat using "short forks." Meaning I only eat using forks with short prongs. I picked this habit up in in Greece; I think ate using the same fork in my kitchen for a whole year and contemplated bringing it back to the US with me. Since then, I've found a few amazing friends who understand this cutlery need.
• I overdose on songs. Meaning I play the same song over and over and over again until I've worn out its delicious hold on me. I don't mean that I play the top 40 hits like a radio station does until you can't take it anymore. I mean that I've been playing Wilco's Jesus, etc. all October and languishing in its sweet sound and memories. Also, in October I think I play Werewolf Bar Mitzvah at least once a day. 
• I have to sit facing the way I came in. When anywhere in public, I have to sit facing the way I came to my table. This doesn't mean I have to sit facing the door, just whatever path I took to get there. I'm not a mob boss, I don't fear that people are going to do terrible things to me from behind. But maybe I was in a past life. 
• I like sleeping with a fan.  And this is a habit that actually comes and goes. I've always had a hard time falling asleep so I like having sleeping patterns. Dark room, blanket on my eyes and a fan whirring in the background. I blame a few exes for the fan thing. I tend to date guys who like white noise and then fall victim to their brand of nightly ritual and since I'm a creature of habit, get sucked in and can't break it myself. 
• I think about stuffed animals feelings. Okay, so we've all seen Toy Story and been able to relate. But we have some literary character stuffed animals in baskets to encourage creative play at my library. Popular characters like The Cat in the Hat, Elmer and and the Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar. But the characters that "go" together? Berenstein Bears, Elephant and Piggie? I can't separate them. When cleaning up, I always put the family and friends together, so they don't get separation anxiety. 

Does this make me sound any crazier than already suspected? Perhaps, but I like to think these quirks just give me flavor.

So dear readers, what are your quirks and habits? Come on and share. We're all our own brand of crazy. Maybe we'll even find some like-minded souls.