Our Neurotic Routines

Neurotic!

I have come to realize that as we get older, so much of what we do is so routine based. It has helped me to understand that if someone is their 40's and single, it is much more difficult to merge households in a relationship than someone say in their 20's. You are much more "set" in your ways ... or routines. Maybe you can't teach an old dog new tricks, eh? Or it may just be a bit more difficult.

The routines which drive me have been established over years of a repetitive nature. It is a comforting and relaxing. My routines may seem a bit neurotic to others, but to me they give me peace and allow me to continue parts of my day stress-free. Other's routines I may find downright odd but I accept them nevertheless as they are what drive themselves. I guess we shouldn't judge another's routines! Accept theirs because yours maybe be a bit quirkier. LOL

Sometimes you may find a friend in your life that you are in sync with and what a wonderful feeling that is. My friend Annie and I both are addicted to our paper planners and lists. When something changes, we "white it out" in our planners so we can then write over it. I remember when we discovered that we both did this and it was like we were connected on some spiritual level. LOL ... we were connected all over Wite-Out!  I once tried an electronic planner when they first came out but had a mini-breakdown when I lost all of my info over a dead battery. NEVER AGAIN.

After further discussion, Annie and I found that we are both list writers.  Lists are another comforting habit. I just love writing lists out of what I need to do. It relaxes and puts me at ease. I create a daily list of what needs to be done but I also have a master list AND a monthly temporary list. The master list has three columns labeled A, B, and C denoting the items importance. As something gets completed, it gets crossed off.

My temporary monthly list are items which I know won't get done on the daily list but are not important enough yet to be transfered to the master list. Neurotic? You BET! Me? Absolutely! Who needs Xanax when I have my lists to comfort and relax me.

I get my neurotic list writing behavior from my Mom. Every morning over coffee, she would transfer yesterday's "items to do" to that day's "items to do." That was her daily routine done over coffee and the morning talk shows.

Routines are established and followed, sometimes blindly. They can help serve as a memory crutch if we happen to be forgetful. I have my morning and evening routines.

My morning routine is planned down to the second. It's like a finely tuned machine. It takes me 45 minutes to complete before I go to work. In truly exhuastive detail:  I get up, use the bathroom, pet the cats, feed the cats, take my pills for my various ailments, make coffee, shave first then hit the shower, brush my teeth, apply some sort of goop to the hair, inspect the face, turn on the iron in the laundry room, throw the pants into the dryer with a wet washcloth to get out wrinkles, run upstairs, get lunch together, run downstairs, iron shirt, grab Moxie who has followed me down and take her back upstairs so she doesn't get stuck in the basement, run downstairs, takes pants out of dryer, unplug iron, get into clothes upstair, get morning coffee ready, pack lunch bag, get my messenger bag, double check cats are upstairs, grab keys, grab wallet, grab cellphone, DOUBLE check the coffee pot is off and then DOUBLE check that the iron and dryers are off. After a quick good bye to Max who is now sleeping in his favorite spot on the guest room bed, I make my way to the front door where Miss Moxie is crying incessantly because I am leaving. I give her an extra petting and I'm out the door!

Now this routine, including the visits with the cats and the OCD moments of checking and rechecking the iron, coffee pot, and dryer are perfectly timed out. There are even other things I do but just failed to mention. I can and do get it done within 45 minutes or less. And luckily the cats are completely in sync with the morning routine.

But if John gets up and starts moving sleepily about the hallway or kitchen, it throws me completely off!  Our house is just a bit cramped with all of the antiques. Throw in two sleepy guys and two hungry cats, the morning routine is thrown out the window.  The cats don't know who to get food from. John and I are like bumper cars in the kitchen knocking into each other, each vying for the microwave, fridge, or coffee pot. Cats are getting under foot, getting more anxious and excitable with each passing minute. My finely tuned machine breaks down and I end up needing an extra 15 minutes to deal with the ensuing madness!

The evening routine involves feeding the cats, cleaning the litter box, doing dishes, a spot of laundry, and working out. I won't go further into the night's boring routine but I will say that it is just as neurotic and usually involves a nightcap or two and several creams to keep me looking young and wrinkle free. LOL...yeah right! I then sleep very well at night, as long as the machine doesn't break down!