Some Esoteric Idiosyncracies

“You’ll have a bad time if a black cat crosses your path.”

There are so many such superstitions that people have which leads them to do strange things. Here is a list of some that have me in their grip. None of them have been adapted from popular folklore and all of them have almost become involuntary in my daily life.  Some are childish, others out of experience and still others which are downright silly. 

•   ‘The last step while climbing a flight of stairs should be with the right foot.’ 

I do not know how this developed but I inadvertently count the no. of steps, especially one that I am going to use frequently. Over time a set pattern develops, the first step, number of hops and jumps and finally reaching the top with my right foot and a feeling of accomplishment.


                                          

• ‘Wearing socks or shoes on my left foot first.’ 

This originated from a silly observation that the day passed in a particularly lousy manner when I wore them on my right leg first. It developed when I was about ten years old and the habit has stuck with me ever since.

•  ‘No books!’ 

 This stemmed in the first year of my college life, when my grades were especially bad and this was true for subjects I possessed a book of or borrowed from the library. I know that if you are in possession of a book, you should do better in that subject, but somehow the exact opposite happened to me, over and over again. On the other hand, I scored well in the subjects I didn’t have a book of. This led to my ‘No course book policy’ later modified to ‘Go to the library and study policy’, the latter of which, many have construed (wrongly), was for “other” reasons.

• ‘Need for company while sleeping’ 

No, it’s not what you are thinking. All it refers to is the fact that I cannot sleep well without a bolster (masnand or kol-balish, if you like). It gives me a sense of security, hugging my big bolster while I sleep.

• ‘Fetish for organization’  

Someone recently called me “organized guy” in a manner which, to me, seemed mocking or derogatory. But I can’t help it. Everything needs to be at its proper place. If something isn’t, I am fidgety till I put it right. I accept I go overboard sometimes.  My mail inbox has to be clean with all e-mails segregated into appropriate categories and archived. The only icon on my desktop is the Recycle Bin.  All my photos need to be in the proper folders. All my songs need to be rated as 5-star, 4-star etc. Sometimes, I feel I am more ‘Sheldonish’ than I give myself credit for.

• 'Blueprint for Everything’  

 Anything I do needs to be properly planned with step-by-step procedures. This lack of spontaneity is something I regret about myself. Its difficult for me to do something on the spur of the moment without giving a proper thought to it. I even plan out what I’m going to wear in the next seven days. So, you can imagine how bad the situation is.

TIlunilu calls these activities of mine OCDs or Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. In other words, he thinks I am mad, which I probably am. Nevertheless, they give me a feeling that I am doing the right things. So, I guess I’ll stick with them. That's just thte way I am.

P.S. I invite people to write some of their idiosyncracies in the comments section.

Going back to an empty place

Hello, I'm back. I have been away from the blog scene for several months now. And the accusation from certain quarters is that I used to write just to fulfill my ulterior motives of getting the object of my desire, and since now that has been fulfilled, I don't write anymore!!! WTF?

Whatever.

Anyway, I'm all set to return to another year of college. “Finally in final year”, after many many years. One of the professional hazards of being in a five-year course. I expect this year to be lonely and boring, with only a handful (but really close) friends. Add to that prospective placement opportunities and it just gets a little bit more scary.

The absence of some of the people I have lived with and enjoyed so much of the last four years will leave a huge void, but it got me thinking. The only thing that is 'permanent' is 'change'. Quite a cliched paradox, but very much true nevertheless. People will come into our lives, do wonderful things, enlighten us, spend some of the most memorable moments and then go away, never to meet again. Lord Alfred Tennyson said it with respect to a brook, but it is equally true for us humans.

“Men may come and men may go, but I go on forever” (till I die of course).

Of course, the advent of technology (read Twitter and Facebook and Orkut) means I will still know that person A had 'Barbeque Chicken' today and that he's now in a relationship with B and that B had gone shopping today and that 67 people like this fact. But, who really cares about what 'A' ate and what 'B' bought, especially when you are miles apart. Evidently, the only interesting thing that you get to know through these networking sites is who is now “in a relationship” with whom and who just broke up and is single again and is possibly on the lookout for a prospective mate. But, I am digressing from the point here.

The point is that nothing you do will make those times come back (unless you invent a time machine). And you just have to learn to move on and make new friends and acquaintances. I'm not saying you forget people. By all means keep in touch. But it is no longer possible to barge into their room at any time or nick some food from their cupboard or just sit around gossiping all day long; because they are gone.

Ohhh! I miss everyone so much.