JOIN USHumans are a sanctuary of strange and quirky habits. You may have them and not realise it until someone points them out to you.
I have a number of them which I’m trying to discard. Have you paused while reading this to figure out what your unusual habit is? Please continue reading this first, for, I am sure, yours won’t figure in this list.
I have this bizarre habit of sleeping with many pillows by my side. If I go on a holiday, I carry them along with me. I don’t really know how I acquired this weird practice. I eat my coloured candy in a particular order of colour. Chuckle away because I know these are indeed, outrageous habits. I also use the word “actually” very often. It must be embedded somewhere in my brain.
My daughter always paints her ring finger with a different colour from the rest of her nails. Maybe, someday she will start a trend. My sister has a habit of ironing her hand kerchiefs, folding them into perfect squares, spraying them with perfume and neatly placing them in her cupboard.
My mother (may her soul rest in peace) used to cover herself from head to ankles, but leave her toes sticking out of the blanket.
I’m convinced that you may have seen many stroke a beard or twirl a mustache. Forget about gestures like twisting a necklace whilst in conversation or gesturing while speaking on the phone. Have you ever come across anyone who uses a magnifying glass to check for feathers on a broiler? Dusting elaborately carved furniture with a toothbrush? I had a hearty laugh when I witnessed this, because I thought it overshadowed all my odd ones. But then again, I may be wrong.
Some have an aversion for certain colours and some a fondness towards them. I know of a friend who will wear only black skirts and another who doesn’t like any attire in white. Read on, for this is wacky.
My childhood friend reads an English novel from the last page to the first and I really don’t know how she can figure out the story. Heard of anyone eat ice-cream with a fork or do dishes in the order of plates, cups, saucers and then cutlery? Don’t we live in a bizarre world?
Ever noticed that a majority of people, who use a telephone, wipe the earpiece instead of the mouth piece?
I have also observed many guests in my office, reading the newspaper aloud and the most hilarious part is that they haven’t a clue of their actions.
Can anyone mention a spiral staircase and not make a circular ascending action? Check this out the next time someone is speaking to you about one.
How could I forget to mention this unbreakable habit of mine? The first thing that I do every morning is brush my teeth and then apply my lipstick, irrespective of whether I am going out or not. Sometimes, I even go to sleep with my lipstick on, just in case I meet Richard Gere or Brad Pitt in my dreams.
Is there a thin line between having a peculiar habit or just being downright obsessive and compulsive? Before I end, let me share some famous ones. Queen Elizabeth II has her lavatory seat carried wherever she goes. And hold on to your seat; Johnny Depp had a fascination for collecting Barbie dolls. Now don’t get ideas, he is a straight guy. He now collects them for his children. Did you know that Angelina Jolie collects knives? And George III of UK was so obsessed with the word “peacock” that he insisted on ending every sentence with it.
For now, my list is complete. Let me end with this adage from Frank Clark “A habit is something you can do without thinking, which is why most of us have so many.”