Tagged out of my doldrums

I’ve been tagged to describe six strange things about myself. I think everybody considers him/herself to be strange on some level; at least we’d like to think that we’re unique. I had thought that this would be an easy task, but as I’m sitting here thinking about it, I’m finding it quite difficult. And I’m prolonging having to start typing about my “weirdness” by going on and on with this introduction. One of my fears is that I would be discovering that my unique mix of strangeness might not be so unique after all. Then, there is that parallel fear that maybe yes, I am indeed crazy. (Okay, enough rambling, and onto the task at hand.)

1. I name a lot of things in my life, as in inanimate things that have no way of responding or communicating. I’m not going to reel off most of the things I have named, but will give you the more “romantic” examples. I have names for the trees outside my parents’ house. The cherry tree outside my bedroom window is “Blossom,” while a tree around the corner is “Boo” (after To Kill a Mockingbird). I used to talk to the trees at night, before going to bed. I mean literally – talk out loud to them. I also have a name for the moon, but, strangely enough, not for the sun. (And, I know, trees are not “inanimate” -- far from it.)

2. There must be an electromagnetic field that surrounds me. I’ve been known to turn on electrical devices by simply entering a room. I had freaked out a roommate by turning on my computer thus, without even touching the computer itself, or the desk that it was sitting on. I also beep whenever I go through airport security. I always try to guess which body part it would be, because it’s different almost every time. I expect one of these days, I’m going to be strip-searched before being allowed to board a plane. Clocks within my house always go out of whack, not because of the batteries dying or anything. For the longest time, I was convinced that I had a “clock ghost” that followed me around and tinkered with all of my watches and clocks, but now, I’m attributing it to my strange electromagnetic aura. At least, that’s what I tell myself. Until someone comes up with a better explanation, this is all I have to go by.

3. On that slightly paranormal note, I admit that I have heard music in my head before. Not as in having a song stuck in my head all day, but actually physically hearing music that is not there. I have, on more than one occasion, gone into my room to turn off my stereo, thinking to myself, “Now who had gone and turned on my music?” Then, I would realize that it was all in my head, that the stereo wasn’t even on. I could even have said which CD and track had been playing. And no, I don’t have fillings in my teeth that could have picked up radio signals. (I’ve never had any cavities, which in itself is strange, especially considering that I don’t take very good care of my teeth, and I definitely do not watch my sugar intake.)

4. Have I freaked everyone out yet? How about a weird food one now, before you all run from me in horror…. When I was little, I used to eat Kraft singles slathered with peanut butter, not on bread, but just like that – peanut butter on processed cheese. I also went through a phase where I made everyone give me the skin off of his/her chicken, and ate only the skin, sans the meat. Nowadays, when I’m down, I eat nothing but chocolate ice-cream and stoned wheat crackers, preferably unsalted ones. And, people who know me well would know I’m in a mood based on the way I nibble at my crackers. I guess the only way to describe it would be that I “pare” away at the corners with my teeth, working my way in. I take forever to eat a single cracker when I have the blues.

5. I’m painfully shy, and do not do well in social situations, but I love giving presentations, even in front of large crowds. In high school, I adored having to do oral presentations, and would always go over the time limit and overwhelm the class with my barrage of diagrams, audio-visual aids, and many a time, my watercolours. (I liked to use my school projects as an excuse to paint, and would find some way to incorporate watercolours into my English, Social Studies, and Science presentations.)

6. Phew, last one already. Whenever I need to de-stress or calm myself down, I would write out poems that I had memorized through the years. I have a mini library of poetry in the back of my brain, always ready to be channeled from mind to hand to page. I’m not sure why this activity always makes me feel better, as though the chaotic world is not that chaotic after all.

* Yes, I’m back after my doldrums. I can never resist a meme.