Friday, February 13, 2009

Do You Count?


As you’re performing repetitive, routine tasks, I mean. 2,3 There’s something I do on a weekly basis, 4,5 that requires me to put eight different things in a container. 6,7 I set up my workspace the same every time. 8 3 I even have a little shuffle, sway I do as I work. 1,2 I let my mind drift to everything and anything. 3,4 But at some point I generally notice I’m counting again. 5,6

The harder I try to distract myself the more obvious it becomes. 7,8 4 As I assemble these packages, 1,2 I put them away in lots of six. 3,4 That’s how many I can carry at once so I have to count the total I have ready as I go too. 5,6 Today I tried writing this inside my head as I went. 7,8 5 You can tell it didn’t work at all to make me quit. 1,2

I also noticed that I scoop up the items on my left with my left hand. 3,4 And the ones to my right with my right. 5,6 The ones directly in front of me are a toss up. 7,8 6 There was no distinguishable pattern for them. 1,2 I wondered why but then I decided it must be because I’m equally comfortable using either hand. 3,4

So what about you? 5,6 Do you have things like this you do? 7,8 1 Perhaps you count the number of times your turn signal blinks as you’re making turns. 1,2 Or how many pieces you chop your veggies into if you have to dice something. 3,4 How about how many jelly beans you’re about to eat to make sure you have an even number? 5,6 Hm, do you have to buy the same amount of items at the grocery store? 7,8 2

What’s the weirdest thing you count? 1,2 I asked that question today and the best I’ve come up with so far 3,4 is how long you touch the light switch when turning it on and off. 5,6 Can you top that? 7,8 3

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Um no, I don't count like that...maybe I will 3,4

Sommer Marsden said...

no. but my man does. he sets his clock so many time. money must be facing the right way. this must be even but three is lucky.

not me. numbers are not my friend. they bring me no comfort. the closest i can get to that is typing. when i have found myself typing out my words in my mind when i think. like the word think. the t will be left pointer finger up, h will be right pointer finger, i will be right hand middle finger, n right hand pointer down, k right hand middle middle row. think is mostly a right hand word.

but i am not weird.
shut up.
xoxo
sommer

Anonymous said...

B,

Great blog. I laughed my butt off. I don't have a numbers thing either. My sister was that way though. Money had to all be facing the same way and she'd constantly count it. I mean, like an addiction. Down to the penny. One time I told her to get some money out of my wallet and she looked at the bills, all backward, foreward, some crinkled, looked at me and said, "This is ridiculous." She was serious, too. I still laugh at that.

Regina Carlysle said...

Nope. I'm not a counter. I live with a 'counter' though. Money all facing the same way, must be smoothly perfect in his money clip. I am compulsive however about how I put my dishes in the dishwasher.

Molly Daniels said...

Drives you crazy sometimes, doesn't it? I don't do it all the time, but when I catch myself doing it, it's hard to stop!

Happy Valentine's Day:)

barbara huffert said...

Hm, must be weird. I count but my money is always a jumbled mess.