Saturday, May 17, 2008

Six Unspectacular Quirks Meme

My friend Shauna Roberts has tagged me for a meme. Here are the rules:
  • Link the person who tagged you.
  • Mention the rules in your blog.
  • Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
  • Tag six bloggers by linking them.
  • Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.
1. I love animals, especially cats and dogs, and can't remember a time in my life when I didn't have pets. Currently, I have three dogs, three live-in cats, and two neighborhood cats who visit daily. One of my favorite websites is Cute Overload, which I visit every day just so I can be cheered up by viewing photos of cute animals. (The pic at left is from Cute Overload, in fact.)

2. I dislike talking on the phone. I put off making phone calls, especially business- or repair-related, for as long as possible, sometimes causing myself great problems because of my procrastination.

3. Speaking of which, I'm an inveterate procrastinator. This sometimes causes me serious difficulties (but we won't talk about that now). The procrastination also helps me produce my best work. It's amazing how being up against a deadline makes my brain kick into gear and start clicking away like a well-oiled machine. Even when I start projects well ahead of time, they stretch out to fill the time available--until, once again, I'm up against the deadline and have to complete everything in the next 24 hours.

4. I love to clip articles from magazines and newspapers. Sometimes it's self-help stuff or practical information, but a lot of times it's quirky oddball factoid stuff (like the article on the Velcro 5oth anniversary celebration I mentioned in my last blog entry). I have stacks of clippings stashed away in various places around my house (not, unfortunately, properly sorted or filed away).

5. I like alphabetizing things -- lists, books, canned goods, etc. I find it soothing. I've been known to start alphabetizing other people's books in their homes or offices--by author if fiction, by subject/title if nonfiction. Usually they're amused, but occasionally someone is irritated and I have to apologize and reshelve the books the way they were. Yes, I realize it must be OCD....

6. I despise brand-name snobbism. To be specific, I'm appalled that people want to wear clothing or other items with the designer's name marked on the outside, especially when it's splashed all over. I disdain those who feel they have to prove their affluence by buying/wearing/using clothing or other items for their brand names. Their whole purpose is to show off, which I find contemptible. ... It's okay to buy high-quality products--it's sensible to buy the best quality one can afford. But why show the world you lack a sense of self-worth by covering your body/home/etc. with these signs of insecurity? Why be a walking billboard for designers or manufacturers?


After reviewing what I've written, I realize I sound curmudgeonly--rescued only by my love of animals. Ah well, by this point in life I've earned the right to be a curmudgeon!

Oops, almost forgot I'm supposed to tag other people for this meme. Don't know that I can come up with six, since others already tagged some I would have chosen, but here goes:
  1. C.S. Harris at Candy's Blog
  2. Charles Gramlich at Razored Zen--oops, no good, I see Lisa already tagged him.
  3. Steve Malley at Full Throttle and F**k It--oops, I see from the comments following his latest post that someone else already tagged him, too.
  4. Timothy Hallinan
  5. NOLA Notes
  6. Pontchartrain Pete
(I won't be offended if the taggees decide not to participate--memes can be time-wasters as well as fun. But it's interesting to find out these things about one's acquaintances.)

11 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

I share some of that dislike of talking on the phone with you and Shauna. And I alphabetize my books within genres. But so far I've been able to avoid doing that in other folk's homes.

Anonymous said...

I alphabetize too! Drives my hubby nuts for reasons I can't imagine. I'll try and do this meme soon.

Steve Malley said...

Butler and I share your love of animals. Well, in my case it's more a fondness. But Butler, he *really* thinks animals are great: fish, birds, various small woodland creatures, he loves them all...

Oh, and I've done my meme!

Sidney said...

I'm with you on pets and talking on the phone. I'd rather e-mail or blog.

Lisa said...

Whoa! I'm with you on everything, with the exception of the article clipping -- although I have gone through phases of that too. Kudos to you for saying (writing) #6. Steve M tagged me for this, although I've already done it once, but I considered doing it again. I loathe people who buy into all that stuff. Maybe I just don't get it. No, I get it. I just think it's stupid too. Maybe I'm a curmudgeon myself ;)

Andrea Eames said...

I hate, hate, hate talking on the phone too! It got even worse when I was working as a journalist and had to call people for quotes or phone interviews ... I would have mini panic-attacks before each one and put it off until the last possible minute.

I'm also with you on the alphabetising (although I'm also a fan of colour-coding) and the animals. You don't sound curmudgeonly, by the way :)

Timothy Hallinan said...

There's nothing wrong with hating the phone. We should all hate the phone more than we do. We put up with it, answering it like it's paying us to do it, even when it's someone we'd rather run a car over than talk to.

And you and I have a lot in common. Except my list is a lot more curmudgeonly than yours.

cs harris said...

If you're curmudgeony, than so am I, since I could have posted the entire list--although the only other person who's books I've alphabetized is Steve.

Rae Ann Parker said...

I like to clip articles, too. Knowing that I will never use most of them doesn't stop the scissors from making an appearance.

Sphinx Ink said...

Thanks to you all for commenting. It seems like the most common shared trait among us is the dislike of talking on the phone. Makes sense, since most of us are writers, and written communication is primary for most of us over oral communication. I suspect, too, that many writers share an underlying shyness. The second most common trait is love of pets, particularly cats. And I'm glad to find a few other compulsive alphabetizers!

Cat of Impossible Colour, welcome to my blog. I haven't seen your name before, and it's always nice to "meet" another blogger. I shall check out your blog, too...I want to find out what your screen name means!

Lana Gramlich said...

You & I seem to share many traits. I hear you on all 6. That picture is ADORABLE, btw!