My Condition ~ A Rich Idea

The word for it currently escapes me. (I think that it will come to me within two paragraphs). But I am semi-it.

I haven’t even had two sips of coffee yet and I don’t know that the brain is turned on. Although, when I was in bed, debating whether to arise, thoughts were rapid-fire but in a mellow feel good fashion, not frenetic. That may be the perfect state. In bed, all comfy, enjoying ideas a-flowing. Perhaps I should go back.

It’s quite ashame that we cannot reincarnate these perfect states. Life often seems to be about that, doesn’t it? This may need to be a top addressed forthwith…

But back to being semi-it. I need to remember what it is-join me. I sat down here with my laptop and, prior to penning, my coffee cup was not aligned with the ashtray. And now, as I look on the couch next to me, a book, “The Phantom Tollbooth”, is not arranged in parallel with the edge of the sofa, nor are my lighter and Marlboro lights situated serenely in my eye. However, the lighter and the book are parallel with one another, which is pleasing, but the smokes, the remote control and the DVD cover to “Happy Endings” are all incongruous. And this must be fixed.

The deed is now done. We have formed a rectangle with the smokes, the lighter, the book, and the remote control. The rectangle though, is to large, with blank space in between-I need a tighter rectangle. One sec…

Done. All done. You should see it. We now have alignment.

So, what is this? My affliction. No, my quirk. If we could all see things as quirks, rather than afflictions, we’d all be cute and curious rather than sick.

I’ve written a few paragraphs now but the word that describes my quirk still escapes me. A few of you out there now know the word and are silently shouting, “It’s < >, you big dummy”. What is it? I think of Rainman and his need for situational serenity prior to an event. Didn’t he watch Jeapordy all the time and everything had to be just right? But that was enhanced Autism, perhaps more than just a quirk.

Is my quirk mild-autism? I may have to google my quirk. I try not to access the Internet when I am writing because it is such a vast diversion. I may not be back until next week if I start googling right now. So, I will not google and I may not be able to think of my word.

My father was an actuary. Actuaries specialize in math, but must have some minor studies in law and medicine as well. One big thing actuaries do is create insurance rates, figuring out when people are going to die based on various behaviors. I believe, after he informed me of the behaviors, I fell into the “high-risk” category. I have “binge” personality. Again, not so much an affliction, but a small curse. Ooops-quirk.

The omni-present, omni-iceint “they” speak much to the fact that movement, physical movement, increases our mental capacity. I have just proven this fact. My coffee cup had runneth under and required a refill. This mandated a walk to the kitchen. For some reason, in my walk to the kitchen, three letters came to mind, letters that may have been on your mind several paragraphs past-OCD.

I have mild OCD, very mild. Now, what does it stand for? Ah, Occupational…no, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Oh, my–three such negative words. Those three words require medicine. How ‘bout Obvious Clarity Dominion. I like the Obvious Clarity, but dominion? I need another d-word. As I ponder the d-words, I am alarmed with their negativity. Dysfunctional. Disoriented. Disenchanment. Disorder. Displacement.

I might need movement again to come up with a better d-word. But now, the NFL is on. Yes, Saturday football. We’re nearing the playoffs kids and the world is a better place for it. Be back in a bit, the initial assestment of the game is one of my favorite parts…

It’s the end of March now, a few month later, proof that my OCD is alive and well. But, I tell you, it was one hell of a football game!

Other Notes and Resources for OCD:

I write this post as someone who probably “enjoys” the very mildest form of OCD. Usually, I am too busy to even think about all of the things that I mention in this article. But, when I sit down to watch a movie, and rearrange items on a table, people will often ask, “what are you doing?”. It is then that I tell them: “I’m enjoying my OCD.”
I, by no means, want to belittle this condition or claim to know what it is to have an extreme form of OCD. However, I do think it is important to embrace who you are and not let everyone tell you that you are sick. There are some great blogs mentioned below of people living with OCD. Through their shared stories, it makes us realize that it is not so much a disease but a condition that a lot of folks have and a condition that can be dealt with, if not enjoyed from time to time!
Check out the WikiPedia Page for OCD to get all the facts!

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Richard Cummings

Author at Obvious Conclusions

Richard Cummings is a writer, traveler, and web content developer.

Get your copy of his latest book entitled Obvious Conclusions, stories of a Midwestern emigrant influenced and corrupted by many years living in San Francisco and abroad. It just received its first outstanding review "...reminiscent of David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs" on Amazon UK.