Borderline OCD, perhaps(?)
Well I've finally nearly finished the new karaoke books. This seems to have taken even longer than usual this time, but I am determined to the point of obession to dot all the i's and cross all the t's.
Putting these things together causes considerable problems, you might think it's easy cutting and pasting the track names in each month but there's all sorts of pitfalls. For example, you may have tracks by "Beatles" and "The Beatles", that's helpful for a punter perusing an A-Z. And numerous other idiosyncracies that I could mention if I wanted to bore you from reading any further into the article.
I do worry I feel about things that may be somewhat trivial, as when compiling an A-Z you also have to consider numbers which generally come before letter in an alphabetical list. Hence the proliferation of cab firms with names such as the one below in an attempt to be first listed in the yellow pages.
Now this is where things get a bit tricky. We can all agree that Abba comes before Aerosmith but how do you handle numbers. Let's take a couple of songs. 1999 by Prince and 22 by Lily Allen. Now which should come first? Some would say "22" as it's a lower number, but others might say "1999" as it begins with a 1 which is lower than 2! Why am I worrying about such trivia - does anyone even care?
In the end I got Excel to sort it, and stopped worrying about it. However, it has become clear to me thanks in part to my current house guest that some of my obsessive behaviour about number may not be normal. For example, on casually remarking that the 2nd February 1988 was a Tuesday, it has been pointed out to me that knowing what day a certain date was on a certain year is not something that is considered normal by most people. Equally knowing that the Top 3 on this day in 1984 was 1. Band Aid, 2. Wham, 3. Madonna is somehow deemed impressive. I just assumed that anyone who was around and into music at that time would have retained this information but it seems many don't.
Having now done some research into OCD and other such apparent "disorders" as they are described I can't see a problem, most symptoms seem quite normal to me. Now that I've become aware of this issue, I can forsee a happy winter ahead full of exciting projects such as re-organisng my musical library chronologically or lining up my tins of soup in the cupboard in alphabetical order:
Now that lot above needs sorting out!
Anyway an obsession with numbers is not a bad thing if you know your facts, taking Tesco to the cleaners over mistakes on their labelling as previously blogged is something I exploit on a daily basis. Then there are the bookmakers being taken to the cleaners on a frequent basis for posting overly generous odds on a horse. 8/1 when it should be 5/1? - thank you very much Mr Bookie, you can pay me out from all the profits you make from your mug punters in the shops who all backed the favourite that lost.
Had a lovely touch this week off BT. Now if you know your facts you can play dumb on the phone, let Mr Cool salesman think he's pulling the wool over your eyes, and then reap the benefits.
Having been on standard BT Broadband for some time, Option 3 with unlimited GB (useful if you are a power user) they were trying for some time to convert me to Infiniti, which on the same package is more expensive. Eventually a salesman called claiming it was cheaper, £18 a month. Now I know for a fact the £18 month package has a limit of 40gb download a month - not enough for me. The package I want (unlimited) is £26. But knowing that all calls are recorded I clearly asked if the £18 package came with unlimited GB, using my best thicko country bumpkin voice. He assured me it was. I knew it wasn't but agreed anyway. His mistake, I am an innocent victim.
A month later, lovely fast BT infiniti installed and sure enough along come warning emails telling me I've exceeded my 40gb allowance. With all details recorded by me of the original sales call, date, time, salesman, I call up to complain, they investigate etc etc. Eventually, "we've listened to the call, you are right, very sorry, our mistake, you can have the top package for the next 18 months for the price of basic package - result £100+ saved.
So being obsessed with numbers not so bad, eh?
I'm about to say goodbye to my lovely best friend who has been living with us for the last 10 days. She returns to her family for Christmas. I have so enjoyed having her here for this time (if that's the right way to put it bearing in mind the circumstances in which she arrived). Well regardless of those negative circumstances, we've got to know each other, warts and all as they say, in a way you never would if you didn't actually share a house with someone. The thing about Lynda is - I don't feel I have to make any pretences around her, that's a mark of true friendship. I hid nothing - she's seen the wolfing down of cheese balls, the eating of ham directly from the fridge, the obsessive behaviour over countless things - TV schedules, mealtime routines and such like, battles with the kids. There's been tears, laughter, all sorts of ups and downs, and what a time it's been. I will miss her being around. But the time's come for her to return to her family, me to settle down to a good family Christmas with mine, and we all live happily ever after! Well that's the plan, we live in hope!
If you have enjoyed reading this blog, please take a look at my books on Amazon (Paperback & Kindle), where you can read lots more of the same! Click here.
Putting these things together causes considerable problems, you might think it's easy cutting and pasting the track names in each month but there's all sorts of pitfalls. For example, you may have tracks by "Beatles" and "The Beatles", that's helpful for a punter perusing an A-Z. And numerous other idiosyncracies that I could mention if I wanted to bore you from reading any further into the article.
I do worry I feel about things that may be somewhat trivial, as when compiling an A-Z you also have to consider numbers which generally come before letter in an alphabetical list. Hence the proliferation of cab firms with names such as the one below in an attempt to be first listed in the yellow pages.
Now this is where things get a bit tricky. We can all agree that Abba comes before Aerosmith but how do you handle numbers. Let's take a couple of songs. 1999 by Prince and 22 by Lily Allen. Now which should come first? Some would say "22" as it's a lower number, but others might say "1999" as it begins with a 1 which is lower than 2! Why am I worrying about such trivia - does anyone even care?
In the end I got Excel to sort it, and stopped worrying about it. However, it has become clear to me thanks in part to my current house guest that some of my obsessive behaviour about number may not be normal. For example, on casually remarking that the 2nd February 1988 was a Tuesday, it has been pointed out to me that knowing what day a certain date was on a certain year is not something that is considered normal by most people. Equally knowing that the Top 3 on this day in 1984 was 1. Band Aid, 2. Wham, 3. Madonna is somehow deemed impressive. I just assumed that anyone who was around and into music at that time would have retained this information but it seems many don't.
Having now done some research into OCD and other such apparent "disorders" as they are described I can't see a problem, most symptoms seem quite normal to me. Now that I've become aware of this issue, I can forsee a happy winter ahead full of exciting projects such as re-organisng my musical library chronologically or lining up my tins of soup in the cupboard in alphabetical order:
Now that lot above needs sorting out!
Anyway an obsession with numbers is not a bad thing if you know your facts, taking Tesco to the cleaners over mistakes on their labelling as previously blogged is something I exploit on a daily basis. Then there are the bookmakers being taken to the cleaners on a frequent basis for posting overly generous odds on a horse. 8/1 when it should be 5/1? - thank you very much Mr Bookie, you can pay me out from all the profits you make from your mug punters in the shops who all backed the favourite that lost.
Had a lovely touch this week off BT. Now if you know your facts you can play dumb on the phone, let Mr Cool salesman think he's pulling the wool over your eyes, and then reap the benefits.
Having been on standard BT Broadband for some time, Option 3 with unlimited GB (useful if you are a power user) they were trying for some time to convert me to Infiniti, which on the same package is more expensive. Eventually a salesman called claiming it was cheaper, £18 a month. Now I know for a fact the £18 month package has a limit of 40gb download a month - not enough for me. The package I want (unlimited) is £26. But knowing that all calls are recorded I clearly asked if the £18 package came with unlimited GB, using my best thicko country bumpkin voice. He assured me it was. I knew it wasn't but agreed anyway. His mistake, I am an innocent victim.
A month later, lovely fast BT infiniti installed and sure enough along come warning emails telling me I've exceeded my 40gb allowance. With all details recorded by me of the original sales call, date, time, salesman, I call up to complain, they investigate etc etc. Eventually, "we've listened to the call, you are right, very sorry, our mistake, you can have the top package for the next 18 months for the price of basic package - result £100+ saved.
So being obsessed with numbers not so bad, eh?
I'm about to say goodbye to my lovely best friend who has been living with us for the last 10 days. She returns to her family for Christmas. I have so enjoyed having her here for this time (if that's the right way to put it bearing in mind the circumstances in which she arrived). Well regardless of those negative circumstances, we've got to know each other, warts and all as they say, in a way you never would if you didn't actually share a house with someone. The thing about Lynda is - I don't feel I have to make any pretences around her, that's a mark of true friendship. I hid nothing - she's seen the wolfing down of cheese balls, the eating of ham directly from the fridge, the obsessive behaviour over countless things - TV schedules, mealtime routines and such like, battles with the kids. There's been tears, laughter, all sorts of ups and downs, and what a time it's been. I will miss her being around. But the time's come for her to return to her family, me to settle down to a good family Christmas with mine, and we all live happily ever after! Well that's the plan, we live in hope!
If you have enjoyed reading this blog, please take a look at my books on Amazon (Paperback & Kindle), where you can read lots more of the same! Click here.
I'll miss you too bestie & your wonderful family, it has been an absolute pleasure staying with you all & you have been the perfect hosts too! In the words of the Golden Girls... Thank you for being a friend! xXx
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