Tuesday, July 28, 2009

OCD does not become me

What happened to me? Seriously, I need to know. I have always been an OCD class organizer. Mess? Not a problem. Dirt? Really didn't see it. Heaven forbid I find a lego in the cars box though! I can clean. I can even clean well. The only problem is that I detest it. So...I try to wrangle as much help from the troops in that department as I can. The help from the troops, in addition to supplementing those troops, has led to complete and utter chaos.

The chaos has led to a total breakdown of my genetic code. I have always been programmed to organize the heck out of everything and put everything in the designated spot, all the while ignoring the muddy paw prints decorating every square inch of my living room. Lately though, I can see the paw prints, but, I can't even begin to fathom where anything actually belongs. Ugh! I am like an amputee trying to learn to walk again, painfully struggling to regain what I've lost.

The problem is compounded because I am unable to move on to the next task until the first is completed to my satisfaction. Unfortunately, I am like a bird, throw something shiny and I forget what I was on about to begin with. For example, I need to do laundry. I am very behind in our washing, but, I can't actually make myself load the washer until the laundry room is organized the way it should be. So, in my attempt to do a load of laundry (or five) I've spent two days organizing my laundry room, which still isn't completed...so I haven't done (any) laundry.

This goes for unloading the dishwasher too because I have to sort through all the silverware that my husband mixed patterns in their drawers and all the dishes which are now thrown pell mell into the cupboard with little to no regard for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Mind you, I can't even start on the dishes or silverware until I've cleaned off the counters and put the photos that I got in the mail into their correct albums and rotated and fronted the pantry and fridge so that my children can clearly read the labels and that they are opening the oldest products first.

Think I'm crazy yet? Well, I am. This particularly peculiar brand of OCD that I exhibit is actually kind of a good thing though. One of those things that I need to regain hold of and once again make work for me instead of against me. Unfortunately in my current lock down mode I can't seem to figure out how to open the circuit and stop going in circles. I need to get a grip, and soon. Otherwise, things like having to sterilize baby bottles because she is drinking out of her last clean one will make me stark raving bananas.

Can you 'come down' with ADD at this point in life? Maybe that's my problem. Probably I won't give this too much more thought tonight because I noticed that the kids mixed the regular Uno cards with the Cars Uno cards, and, sadly instead of doing laundry, I will sit here and separate the decks...before I can finish the laundry room, or even go to sleep.

3 comments:

  1. You're not crazy...you have six kids! It's bound to be some kind of survival mechanism.

    You understand, I only comment so boldly because, I've:

    (a) unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher because the dinner plates and the salad plates were mixed up/in the wrong position;
    (b) cleaned and organized the entire computer desk because I was looking for a PARTICULAR Sharpie with with to write my daughters' names on something;
    (c) gone without doing laundry/dises/vacuuming/etc. in order to reorganize the girls' hairbow containers...by color, size, and type, of course; and
    (d) stayed up til way past 2am looking for the cow puzzle piece from the farm puzzle.

    So, whatever you have, if it's ADD or OCD or whatever...you aren't the only one! May the Force be with you!

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  2. Hahaha!!! Let's not talk hair bows...'kay? But, I get it. Really I get it.

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  3. I am starting to cry because... the two of you understand me! You really understand me, and now I feel less alone!

    Why is my house a pigsty? Because one of the pieces to the baby's Farm Animals match game has gone missing, and it has been bothering my brain for months now and I am flipping stuck until I find it.

    And I have the SHINY OBJECT! attention span as well. I start a project, get distracted, start another project, get distracted, kids undo the work I did on the first project, I get depressed, want to give up, possibly shed a tear...

    It is painful to be this way.

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