Information overload!!

Rohini tagged me. I am required to list 8 things about myself that you don't know. So here goes...

1. I didn't have any friends till 7th grade. I was incredibly shy but don't remember feeling lonely. In 7th grade, I morphed into this confident, sociable girl who was popular and had lots of friends. But even now, I am a little shy with new people and perfectly comfortable being alone.

2. I don't mind asking for help if I am stuck with something but I get extremely irritated if someone forces help on me. Not gracious in those moments at all!

3. I used to be very "obsessive compulsive" about a lot of things. Loading the dishes a particular way in the dishwasher, counting things (yes, counting!) like my daughter's building blocks etc. Yes, there was a time when I remembered exactly how many pieces EACH of her toys had! And she had MANY, believe me. Perks of being an only child. Folding laundry was another - it HAD to be folded a particular way or I would re-fold it. All this made it very difficult for J or S to help me out with household chores. Once I started working full time and realized that this behavior was stressing me out, I tried setting priorities and sticking to them. So, getting the dishwasher loaded was a priority, making sure that all the items were lined up by size was not! Well, my OCD hasn't gone away completely (I still like to sort out spoons, forks, knives and such before running the dishwasher :D) but is well under control!

4. A few more "eccentricities" that are borderline OCD - I don't like to keep pens without their caps. If I lose a pen's cap, I throw the pen away. I like full sets of things. So, if I lose say, one spoon out of a whole set of 64 utensils, I start thinking about buying another set. Thankfully, this (and the previously mentioned compulsion of counting things) also means that I rarely lose things. In my 8 years of housekeeping, I have lost one knife (I know where I lost it! It was hundreds of miles away from home in Pennsylvania, otherwise I'd have gone and picked it up from the trash can I accidentally threw it in:P) and one spoon (well - I haven't written that off yet. I am still hoping to find it buried under some stuff). Yes, I still have the set that knife belonged to but I AM buying a new one next year! And the cutlery set used to be the one I used for special occasions (when entertaining guests) but ever since I lost the spoon, I have taken it out for daily use and will be buying a new one soon. I am obsessive compulsive, but I am also VERY concious of our budget - so I plan for buying these things. (The knife set I am looking to buy is $200 and the cutlery set that I would like to buy is somewhere around $100).

5. I have ZERO interest in fashion. I could care less if the dress I am wearing is from 3 years ago and is no longer in style as long as I am comfortable in it and it looks good on me. Part of it is due to the fact that I DO NOT like to follow others. So, if everyone else is following a trend, guess what will I be doing? That's right! NOT following it :D The only part of my appearance that I am particular about is my hair "style". I like keeping my hair short - very short. If it starts touching my collar at the back of my neck, it is too long! And I am so particular about the cut that I drive 90+ miles to Piscataway, NJ to get my haircut from the owner of one particular salon. I know. C-R-A-Z-Y!!

6. I don't know how to apply make-up. ***GASP***!!!!!! Now the secret is out! The only "makeup" I indulge in is perfume. (I ***Heart*** "Opium" from St. Yves) I do know how to apply lipstick and mascara. But I prefer applying vaseline on my lips and the mascara always runs or I rub it out within two hours of applying it. I do own a few sticks/vials of lipgloss that I use occasionally. I apply nailpolish very occasionally and end up removing it before the week is out.

7. Dishwashing is a comforting activity for me. I like doing it specially when I need some time alone and need to think over something. The soap suds and the warm water soothe my senses and so does the realization that I am CLEANING something (there's another OCD for you!).

8. For all the technical knowledge I possess about computers and other related equipment, I still can't do TWO things online - shop and read a newspaper. I am a shopaholic and like the excitement of trying/touching/seeing things before buying them. And I HATE reading electronic versions of newspapers. Give me the traditional newspaper with a cup of tea please!

There! You know a lot more about me now. Feel better? :D

Here's a bonus tid-bit: I can wait years to buy something that I want if it doesn't fit our budget right then. But I will NEVER ever buy something cheaper just because I want it and can't afford the one I want. Take this fridge for example. I WANT it but am willing to wait another year or so before we buy it. Maybe by then there will be a better product in the market :)

Oh, and I am also required to tag 8 others. Since this tag has been doing the rounds for quite some time now, I don't know anyone who hasn't been tagged except Anurag and Anisha. So, Anu and Anisha? TAG - you're it!