Must You ALWAYS Cross Your Eyes And Dot All Your Teas?? YES!


photo-253Here is a fact:  If you have OCD (Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder) or are a Perfectionist or even just Superstitious,  (heaven help you if you’re all three!) you will waste spend a lot more time on your blog than the typical person.  There are even sub-sets of related problems that bloggers can develop and not ever realize they are afflicted.  Read on to see if you recognize yourself in any of these 10 maladies.

1.  The Compulsive Commenter Syndrome (extra 10 minutes)  Before you leave a comment on someone else’s blog, you absolutely MUST read what other readers have already said about it, otherwise you could duplicate their remarks or just sound terribly boring in comparison.  Add on another ten minutes if the person’s blog already has over twenty comments.

2.  The Crime of the Rhyme – – (extra 8 minutes)  You get caught up in rhyming, especially your titles. Kind of like this: The Lame Name Shame Blame Game!  Prior to blogging, this problem manifested itself in other ways – –  When you took a music course in college, your thesis was entitled, “Mozart: His Notes-art and Quotes-art!”  Or you admonish your kids for turning in a paper called simply, “U.S. History,” when it could have been called “The Blistery Mystery of U.S. History.” Consequences?  Nobody wants your opinion on anything anymore, and the only people following your blog also follow Dr. Seuss.  He’s dead.

3.  Paragraph Quotas – – (extra 13 minutes) You need to include a certain number of witty points or laughs per paragraph.  The number is usually 7 because that’s your lucky number.  If you count and find you’ve fallen short, you need to go back and funny things up. This is non-negotiable.  And sometimes just for good luckle, you need one extra chuckle.  (A humorous rhyming bit counts as two!)

4.  The Proof is In The Pudding Proof-Reader – – (extra 32 minutes)  You re-read everything you write at least eight times because you’re certain there is some slight typo or misspelling that has slipped through the cracks.  Wait!  Does misspelling have one “s” or two?  Tsk, tsk.  But that’s easily remedied because a spellchecker can catch those.  But what if you type “their” when you mean “they’re?”  Ahh, there, there.  Don’t worry so much.  Bloggers are a forgiving bunch.  Right?  Maybe.   Prior to blogging, you were a door and oven checker.  Because how do you know those latches are REALLY locked or the flames TRULY extinguished?  Better go look again just to make sure.  I’ll wait.

5.  The Cliche Police – – (extra 22 minutes)  You will seek and destroy anything you write that rings a bell.  Like that preceding sentence.  Or these next two sentences.   All your analogies must be “fresh as a daisy.”  Your metaphors “Like a virgin, touched for the very first time.”photo-255

6.  The Fanatic Follower — (extra 11 minutes)  Someone you Follow has not posted anything in a week.  Oh dear!  Are they okay?  Should you check on them?  What if something happened in real life and they never post again?   Ever.  You will never know why.  Even a spouse or next of kin won’t have their Password to come online and give a reason for their absence.  Which means you won’t be able to send flowers.  This is closely related to  #7.

7.  Patterns of Perceptively Paranoid People – – (extra 141 minutes) You analyze your Follower’s activity on your own blog, particularly scrutinizing for changes in the length or the intensity in the words people write with their comments to you. Sensitive to any decreases or increases in the frequency of their “Likes.”  Uh oh, “GlueStickMom” isn’t quite commenting with as many paragraphs as she used to.  Perhaps one of your posts has offended?  Or maybe you ought to go to her blog and comment a little bit longer, just in case she believes things have become too one-sided.  And what is up with some polite Followers (TyWood12?) who can be enticed to “Like” your blog, but will rarely say a word.  You can’t even get a “LOL” out of them.  Would he talk to you at a cocktail party?  You even resort to Reverse Psychology and customize your comment prompt to read, “Don’t Even Think About Leaving A Comment!”  But these are Pressing Questions.  Will Menomama3 ever come back to you?  Why did “Alfred Hitchcock Master” only appear once and then disappear?  That’s a true mystery/suspense. Can “Bumblepuppies” leave a comment without sarcasm?  Did “Message In a Fold” change her identity to see if you’ll still recognize her?  And what about all your Facebook friends?  You can see that they come to View you quite often, but then mums the word.  You knew it all along – – They hate you.  They really, really hate you.

8.  Alliteration Addiction Advocation– – (extra 18 minutes) You are highly in favor of post titles that sound like this:  Mathematical, Musical or Maniacal?   or simply refer to # 6 , #7 and #8 in this list and guess who needs a treatment center ASAP?

8.5  Topic Titillation – – (extra 31 minutes)  Yes that’s correct – – this is # eight and a half.  When you state upfront that you’re writing a list of “Ten,” then you cannot go over that amount, even if you think of one more really good thing.  Anyhow, “Topic Titillation” is when you realize that you have a wide range of readers, both age-wise and interest wise and you need to think of something to write about that gets nods from every single one of them.  Kinda like when you take all six of your kids (with a 14 year age range, mind you) to the movies.  How can “Frozen” please everyone?  That’s gotta be one great film.  And it is.

8.75  Image Imagination Implication — (could cause you to delay a post for 48 hours)  This is when you get so caught up (inside your own head) with how a graphic or photo will look on your post that the reality cannot possibly measure up to your expectations once you’ve clicked, “Add Media.”   Therefore you now have “Preview Changes” on speed dial and the sheer # of revisions (which consist solely of you resizing or switching the same image from left, to right to center) outnumbers the number of potential Future Followers for your blog through 2015.  Just take a break and head to The Happiest Place on Earth.

9.  Freshly Pressed Perfection – – (extra 82 minutes) If you read all the advice on WordPress and watch their tutorials about “How to Craft the Perfect Blog” and do everything just so, you WILL finally get Freshly Pressed.  It just has to work that way.  After all, you followed all the rules! (Oh wait, they’ve done away with Freshly Pressed?? Why must things change in life?? Nooooooo!)photo-254

10.  All’s Well That Ends Well – – (extra 11 minutes)  The perfect ending to a post must occur in such a way that the reader feels satisfied, but yet is left still wanting more.  And it must happen within a certain word count.  Currently that would be lucky number 821.  (This blog has gone over!) Studies show if you’re any wordier than that, your Blog will end up on someone’s “To Do” list. (Or maybe their “To Don’t” one.)

        1.  Buy kitty litter  2.  Play Candyland with Kids  3.  Have Sex with Spouse  4.  Read Little Miss Menopause’s Blog  5.  Cut grass with manicuring scissors

So what does it all mean?  I certainly am not making light of anyone who has these troubles, especially when they overflow from the Blogosphere into the real world and interfere with your everyday life.  And especially when I suffer with all of them (and more!) myself.  If you find you’re spending far too long composing a post or lingering on WordPress in general, remember there’s a 12 Step Program that can help you.  Simply recite their Serenity Prayer. (See below)

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/confused/

“Grant me the Serenity to accept the comments I’ve submitted that do not have an Edit Button, The Courage to Change my posts that are too safe and milquetoast (or is it milktoast?? Help!  It’s after midnight and I need to click “Publish” already!) and the Wisdom to know the difference between a WordPress Follower and a Real Life Stalker. Amen.”photo-256

140 thoughts on “Must You ALWAYS Cross Your Eyes And Dot All Your Teas?? YES!”

  1. I just knew I never should have read this! But here I am adding up the time I take to put a blog together, and then commenting, rethinking everything I do and say, plus admitting to being OCD and a perfectionist who NEVER achieves perfection Ahhhhh! Well off to Happy Acres, and its all your fault Stephanie. :O,

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  3. Pingback: An Open (Mopin’, Copin’, Gropin’ & Hopin’) Letter to the Internet: | Once Upon Your Prime. . .

  5. You realise that I’m now going to have to go and completely re-visit my approach to writing titles! Damn, Darn, and Dagnation….! Oh – wait a minute…. that’s OK, alliteration PLUS a made-up word…. Nobody said anything ’bout that being CDO!

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  6. Scanned half the comments and then I realized what I might be secretly developing so rushed to the end to type away whatever came to my mind first! Refreshing post and a much needed breather! Honestly, I don’t put in so much of efforts into my posts and now I am in a fix. Am I doing it the right way or do I need to do it this way so that something turns out to be right? Hmmm, still thinking.

    Great post, though!

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  9. Hi Stephanie. I thought I was the only one to take so long to post! (And yes, I’ve read that several times to check the grammar – shouldn’t it be “the only one who takes so long to post”?) Love this post. So true! 🙂 And I’ve started rhyming on my blog due to NaPoWriMo and writing a rhyming children’s book. Really finding it hard to hit “post comment” because I won’t be able to edit it. 😦

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  11. 1-5 7, 8, 8.5, and 10…do you think I have a problem?? I also did not inherit the cleaning gene…but between superstitions, OCD, and having been in band/marching band for several years I can tell you the number of steps between me and anywhere else in the house, the cadence and number of letters required for passwords, and the rhythm needed for each type of post.
    By the way, I prefer things in odd numbers…especially sets of 3 or 13.
    I also obsessively check my stats page and whine because no one comments on my blog posts…I haven’t even had a spam comment in over a week (and yes…I check spam comments three times a day!)

    Very humorous post! Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh…hopefully the appropriate number of times or else you have to start laughing all over again!

    About

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  15. Reblogged this on chloe leigh corin and commented:
    I don’t usually reblog posts but this just speaks to me on so many levels. This article explains why I only post once a week. Being slightly obsessive combined with having dyslexia, makes for long hours dedicated to writing. I spend way too much time stressing over one post. Glad I’m not alone! This FANTASTIC post made me laugh and I hope it does the same for you.

    Happy Thursday, my friend! 🙂

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    • I can’t thank you enough for the reblog and high praise. Really, I am very honored that you even took the time to read a piece that length and stopped in to comment. I am glad you took it in the spirit it was intended since it sounds like we are both VERY aware, this is a real issue!
      take care and thank you again,
      Stephanie

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      • You’re most welcome! You explained this real issue perfectly. So thanks for that because I couldn’t find the words. After reading your post, now my husband understands why it takes me forever to write:)

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  16. This is so funny! You’ve got me smiling ear to ear. Now you’ve got me thinking I’m afflicted! 🙂 I hope my paragraph is long enough and there’s no misspells. Great job on this one. This deserves to be Freshly Pressed.

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    • Oh my goodness, what an honor to read your that Freshly Pressed remark. It made my highly compulsive week entirely worth it! Thank you very much and yes, your comment passed OCD inspection, and then some!!! 😉
      take care,
      Stephanie

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  17. Well, you probably got me with the editing one. I go through my posts a good three or four times before putting them up. My mantra in college was, “my argument might be stupid, but hot damn at least it’s well written” which, in the past, was enough to bump my grade up a bit.

    And now I need to go listen to a certain Five Finger Death Punch song because your title put it in my head.

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    • And “Get a Grip” has such a nice alliteration quality to it! Doesn’t it?? Okay, now Stop that…. 😉 (that really is a big OCD for me!) Thank you for stopping in today and I hope you will enjoy blogging as much as I do. Meeting neat people….best part!!
      take care,
      Stephanie

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  20. Hi, this is the first time I’ve visited this blog, and I felt the need to comment here as this whole post rang so true to me! Thank you so much for posting this. It sounds silly to say it’s great to know other people who suffer from forms of OCD, but I guess what I mean is that it’s great to know I’m not the only person who does this.

    I fell under the categories of 1, 4, and 5. All of those are me. While in a way they have their benefits (you very rarely sound silly or uneducated in your posts, so that’s something, right?), it does seem like a time-waster when push comes to shove.

    Even looking back at just this comment here, I’ve reread it and edited it so many times. Ah, the joys of OCD, right? Haha.

    Thank you again, though!

    Sincerely,
    Jonathon B.

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    • Hi Jonathon! Wait….how were you able to edit your comment to me?? Tell me! I’m driving myself crazy leaving comments on people’s blogs and then the next day I think, “Oh I shoulda said such and such instead!” Or I mortify myself by not catching that I typed “hear” when I meant “here!” Anyhow, I didn’t think we could fix that stuff! Tell your fellow OCD blogger pal, if you know a secret!!

      Seriously, thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave such a nice and lengthy comment. It really is much appreciated and I will visit you when I’m done obsessively responding to these comments today!!

      Take care,
      Stephanie

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    • Is that how you got the name “GeeklyGirl?” 😉 And don’t you HATE it that we cannot re-edit our comments on someone else’s post once they are “out there?” I always think of something funnier and better I coulda said an hour later! Thanks so much for dropping in!
      Stephanie

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  24. Holy Guacamole! (I did a spell-check of guacamole just now.) I tried to not do number 1, but the comments here are too darn good to resist.
    And now, I’m scrolling up and down to see all the ones I’m guilty of… every one.
    Just love this post- thanks as always for the great laughs. My sides are aching 😉

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    • Thanks – – seems you and I have much in common. (or should it just be “We have much in common?”) It’s a wonder people like us ever make it to the “Publishing” part of any post, eh? So happy when you stop by!!

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  25. Oh oh, I have been away and am catching up on your blogs. After reading this one I tried not to even start reading the comments but had to…you know…have a peek! Eureka, I said to myself when I actually got myself to stop and went to ‘reply’ only to find out I stopped at the third last comment’! Does that qualify for anything?
    You are so gracefully articulate and put the not so funny in a heart lifting way, thank you.

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    • Third to last qualifies for everything! Every bit counts, right? I do hope you took this in the spirit it was intended. I hesitated on this one too as i know that anyone not used to my humor could be very unhappy with this perspective. Thank you very much for catching up on my blog. I know you must be very busy settling back in and I always am touched that some people really do take the time.

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  26. No. 4 & 5, guilty as charged- go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect 200 pounds! So, I didn’t bother to read all the beautiful comments before mine, it’s good to have one less disease 🙂
    I’ve had a good laugh, and oh. and the ecard at the end of the post, pure genius!

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  29. I totally see myself in #1 and #4 as well as the first part of #10. I often agonize over the perfect ending but I don’t worry about the word count! That’s one of the perks of blogging over writing for print publication. Wrote about that in my last post!

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    • I was making these up to be funny of course, but I’ve been amazed how many people are seriously confessing to the numbers they see themselves in! Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment – – much appreciated.

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  30. Hello. My name is Grace, and I have CDO, aka OCD, but that’s the least of my problems when everything is as it should be. My qualifications:

    Compulsive comment reader before I leave a comment (yes, I read all 100+ comments at “Who Was ‘She'” before I left each of my comments. But give me a break – Stephanie brings out great comments, and returns the favor. (Yes, artfullyadelie, I Liked your comment before I finished writing this one.)

    Pudding Proofreader who might possibly put this comment through a text-to-speech tool to make sure it will “sound” right. Blog drafts also go through several word cloud and grammar tools. On LinkedIn, I didn’t realize (until too late) that every time I edited my profile, it announced my “news” to my followers. Ugh.

    [Next on my To-Do list for last week: create a spreadsheet that records the amount of time that I spend on each blog task, to see how my actual times compare with your time estimates, and calculate the standard deviation. I’m stuck on deciding how many decimal places to use.]

    Virgin cliche writer. I’m not the virgin; my cliches are fresh as daisies, er, bulbs on my front lawn that haven’t bloomed yet because we are still weeks away from Spring.

    Fanatic Followee. Uh oh. Stephanie didn’t track me down when I didn’t show up here yesterday, nor did she respond to everything that I ever wrote in response to what she wrote. I hope she still loves me. Yesterday, I was responding to other possibly-worried followers, and trying to figure out how to stalk someone from Macao who found my blog.

    Comment Edit Button Fabricator wanna-be. I hate commenting on my comments when they post before I wanted them to post, especially when I didn’t click on the box for notification of follow-up comments.

    Stephanie, how can your OneSizeFitsAll blog fit someone like me who has found that one size does Not fit all? Well done!

    Next CDO Group Meeting at my house. Bring shovels.

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    • …nor did Stephanie link to my blog in this post, to get my attention, when she noticed that maybe I wasn’t commenting with as many paragraphs as she was used to. Absolute proof that I don’t matter any more. I wont’ evn bothr to proofread thsi coment sinc she won’t read it whn she saw that it’s from me.

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    • CLASSIC GRACE! This is getting freeze dried and going into the Wax Museum of Comments! And on the cover of the double album new release, “The Best of WordPress Comments.” And yes, I have been fretting that since I didn’t hear from you yesterday on this page that you either HATED my movie recommendations or you were unhappy to have your name show up in this blog. I was pretty sure I could eliminate the latter because I think you know my joking so well that you’re able to chalk any mention of you up to my just being a “Jest-Pest.” And your remarks (can’t keep using the word “comment” over and over and there’s no other synonym?) always add must needed Zest to my jest. Also, this comment of yours reads very well when spoken aloud so I feel it will be perfect as the opening song at the upcoming fundraiser concert, “We are the World..Press.” Millions of hugs (you won’t be able to count so stop trying)
      Stephanie

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    • Yet another reason Stephanie’s Blog is so funny . . . her followers! That was such a funny response that I forgot I was here to reply to Stephanie’s reply.

      “Next on my To-Do list for last week: create a spreadsheet that records the amount of time that I spend on each blog task, to see how my actual times compare with your time estimates, and calculate the standard deviation. I’m stuck on deciding how many decimal places to use”

      Four! Use four! That’s how many places I have set on my graphing calculator. 🙂

      Great comment!

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  31. Holy crackers & cheese.
    I have all of these.
    Brb, gonna cry.
    Am a terrible guy.
    Must stop using rhyme
    Before I can’t coin collective comments that make cringingly cooky sense w/o coming off as cocky.

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  32. I know with theatre there is a lot of superstition (don’t mention the M word! – title of the Scottish play). An actor I know did and had to take all his things out of the building walk around the block and enter anew. Part of this becomes tradition and binds us together as a community maybe but as your hilarious and comprehensive post points it, it’s quite time consuming!!!

    I love your post, your writing style and big bursts of brilliance on your super blog! Hurrah!

    Wishing you a great weekend.

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  34. #11: Turning on a (non)Ticking Timer
    Naturally with OCD comes the obsessive thoughts of trying to stay on time with getting the blog posted on time. This is where the microwave timer comes into play. Naturally it’s a perfect source since it doesn’t make that awful ticking noise that conventional clocks do that make you continually count the ticks and keep you up all night. However, OCD-like folk will constantly check that timer, and be sure to turn it off when it hits one second, for fear that something bad will certainly happen if the timer reaches 0. In the end, you actually end up adding on an extra 30 minutes to finishing the blog with all that timer-resetting.

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  35. Stephanie,

    I’m so impressed that you consistently write these long, involved, very funny posts. I can’t even imagine being that clever and funny, post after post. This one induced a good, hard laugh. So necessary for my sanity. I’m definitely guilty of #s 1 and 4. I’d also like to propose an 8.75: The Constant Refresher – obsessively refreshing your stats page at least 3 times in a row just to make sure WordPress didn’t forget to include that last viewer. I’m not proposing that because I’m guilty . . . I’ve just heard that some people do that, a lot, but not me, never me . . .

    🙂

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    • So we only got you on #1 and #4? I was thinking for sure #10 for you? And I’m impressed that you’re impressed enough to say that twice? The little thing you’ve commented on about my consistency thing….blush, blush. I seriously thank you for noticing. There may be no dinner on the table tonight, (because I couldn’t get to the store to buy the Cheerios and milk) but there’s a new, long, involved (all done up with a bow) post on my blog. My family will be so proud.
      ps. 8.75 COMPLETELY hear you on that!! Can we change its title to “The Redundant Remedial Refresher?” 😉
      hugs,
      Stephanie

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      • I find writing well in general is a daunting task, but to add humor that so many people respond to, and for a large age range, that is talent, and it’s hard not to notice and comment.

        “There may be no dinner on the table tonight, (because I couldn’t get to the store to buy the Cheerios and milk) ” I barked laughter at that, because that is SO my life right now. I’ve actually tried to get ahold of my husband twice already to tell him to stop by Subway on the way home tonight, ’cause guess who’s not cookin’? My oldest actually speaks wistfully of the time ‘when Mom used to cook us real dinners.’

        Your title for 8.75, way funnier. And alliterative. Now excuse me, I’m going to go refresh my stats page.

        🙂

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          • Absolutely! Seriously, if you are ever in the DC area I’d love to meet up. I know a fantastic sushi place (if you like sushi). I’d offer to cook, but we both know that just entails me sprinkling cheerios on the floor (yes, I actually do that with toddler and infant, since it all ends put there anyway, and no, my floors haven’t been cleaned in a while. Floor fuzz is protein, right?). That goes for Maggie and Grace, too. If any of you lovely ladies ever head out my way, give me a holler. We’ll paint the town fuchsia!

            🙂

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          • Fuchsia: a vivid purplish-red color like that of the sepals of a typical fuchsia flower.

            So, it’s both Red (as in paint the town Red) AND Purple!!! I’m so impressed with my own cleverness that I’m okay if no else is . . .

            “Gluteton free. (If someone sits on the floor, their glutes touch it, right?)” Snort-laughed at that, painfully. 🙂

            And random fact about me, I have four walls in my house that are purple . . . and none of them are in the same room. I love purple!

            🙂

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  36. Your post just happened to be on the top of my to-do list. Though, I started reading it with the intention of simply being entertained by your creative humor and quick wit. I laughed at a few and then….”Oh shit…that’s me!” Though, I find comfort in knowing I’m not the only person who does these things.
    Regarding #7, I was actually sad, like genuinely fatigued and mopey all weekend because a fellow blogger with whom I’d become better acquainted never replied to the comments I left on her blog…for like 5 days. So, either her or someone in her family had died, or I somehow managed to offend her (probably more likely). Nearly a week later, I went to re-read my unintentional offensive comments to find that she had, in fact, replied… not even two minutes after I wrote them in the first place. I must have overlooked the notification! It’s embarrassing how relieved and happy I was to discover that a fellow blogger didn’t hate me!

    Ugh, why did I admit this to you, and the other OCD bloggers that will read my comment before submitting their own.

    If it wasn’t for his, you would’ve never suspected me to have OCD…
    …assuming the alliteration in my username and my blog’s name wouldn’t have tipped you off.

    Your writing never disappoints! I just love you!

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    • Oh my goodness! That IS hysterical. When the Underground Writer comes here (and hopefully she will) she can comment on this “issue” – – I’ve checked back on her blog so many time and for so many weird reasons and OCD plaguings. She doesn’t know me from Adam, but I know she posts on Sundays only – – So when she missed a Sunday, I was immediately there asking “So??” And then another time just recently, same thing as you, she didn’t comment back to my comment like she usually does, so I came back hunting her down and saw that she DID in fact comment, but instead of hitting reply to my own comment, she had inadvertently started a new comment so it didn’t go thru “notifications” to alert me directly. Are you following that? Of course you are – – we’re exactly alike! (except for one teeny tiny, minor difference, you’re a gorgeous, young, talented blonde.) But I just love you back!
      Stephanie

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      • See now, if there were blogging restraining orders, I think you and I might have some filed against us by now.Thank goodness we can stalk people so discreetly! 😀
        And your little comment made me blush. Although I might have a fewer years on this planet and my hair might be slightly lighter, nothing is superior to the saucy and sharp-witted babe you are! 😉

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  38. Another hilarious post Stephanie. I can relate. Not because I have OCD…noooo…I’m so laid back I mosey everywhere. My husband needed a memo with a two week lead time to move his pencil cup from one side of his overly organized desk to the other.

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  39. Wow, that was fantastically funny. . . In fact I will be reading it more than once, too many laughs for just one run through. . . (831) The prayer at the end was great, that would make a fun bracelet. I wonder if there is a support group to encourage bloggers to keep writing despite the paralysis of analysis – – – Something like “write on and on”. Keep up the brilliant writing you are great!!!!

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  40. Dear Little Miss Menopause,

    Thank you for this great post. Should I be worried if I don’t have any of those maladies or show signs of any of the symptoms? Can I train for these things and if so, have you got some advice for me?
    Keep those great posts coming. No matter what people say you have, I dig you and the way you think.

    Arthur

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    • Oh and to answer your question, Arthur – – my advice for you is to keep doing what you’re doing because you’re so terrific at it, and I will say a little prayer that you don’t become plagued with bizarre writer’s rituals.

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      • Dear Stephanie (I’ll try my best to remember I can call you that),

        Maybe it’s those who are plagued with bizarre rituals who are the best writers. Has anybody ever done research to writers’ brains? Maybe it’s because there’s a screw loose that writers write wonderfully well. I dunno. And I should say the same about you, please, oh please, keep on writing.

        Arthur

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  41. I have OCD and I consider myself a perfectionist. Whenever I write a post, I leave it up on my computer for a few days and continuously edit it until I basically force myself to post. Hopefully this makes my posts better/interesting/good?!

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    • I think taking your time with a post always helps it to improve. It’s the people like me who cannot delay their gratification and hit Publish too soon and then spend an hour clicking “Edit” who feel ashamed of their impulsiveness.

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  44. Guilty as charged of 4, 5, 6! (But what if you actually take pleasure in it?) And what’s up with the fact that obsessive commenters and bloggers (like us!!) who follow all the WordPress rules never get Freshly Pressed? Just the clever WP marketing forces at work, sigh.

    Hilarious post! Here’s one more item to add (or for a follow on post): for the design-obsessed (me), you can triple the time spent.

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  45. I’m also glad in not the only one to think, ‘why didn’t my work of fundamental genius in line with all WordPress advice NOT get Freshly Pressed.’
    Mind you, just some followers would be nice. Although I’m quite at home talking to myself (and you, Steph – always over the moon when I get a comment. X)

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  46. Oh, yes, yes, yes! I am a paradox myself: a lazy obsessive. Things have to be perfect ONLY if they’re low maintenance (such a matching my pegs to the clothes I’m hanging on the line). Which means blogging OCD is perfect. No actual physical effort required.
    Although 3) on the imaginary person’s list: ‘Have sex with spouse.’?? Do people DO that? (Have sex once married, that is, not have a list – life would be nothing without lists.) I would definitely rather read your blog first, no matter how verbose!

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  47. Dr. Seuss is DEAD?? (and please note, I scanned all of the comments prior to mine to make sure no one else was a clever and witty as me.) Yes, OCD is my middle name as regards blogging. Except, I don’t rhyme. Not this time.

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    • Thanks! I sure hope nobody gets offended. I had to fight the urge to put a red disclaimer on top saying how this was in jest and that I know very well OCD can be quite serious, but in all honesy, putting up a disclaimer has started to become another blogging OCD for me!

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      • OCD (DCO forever after) got a hilarious and sympathetic portrayal with the series “Monk.” And I identified with him in certain quirks–I’d see him unwind his phone cord and fall off my chair laughing because I’ve asked people to hold while I stood on a chair and suspended the cord high enough to let gravity unwind it. Then came the cell phone, and I was at a loss.

        You got me on most of these–there will be 60 revisions on my edit page, often just moving images around, then my partner who edits the copy will brush it up in two. He does writing for a living. But I don’t get too wrapped around comments except in this way–If I start reading them, I must not quit until the very end. Ever. Even to go to the bathroom.

        Thanks for the morning laugh.

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        • Ha! EVEN to go to the bathroom? You’re my kinda OCDer! I’ve seen Monk as well and laughed far too hard with identification! That’s hysterical with the phone cord thing!!
          Thanks so much for coming here today and taking the time to read and leave me a lengthy fun comment!!
          take care,
          Stephanie

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          • I hope you noticed that I got the letters mixed up–that has been bugging me all day, as it should be CDO, and I don’t see an edit button anywhere. It’s diabolical, this blogging thing. I will be following your blog–I love the way you write!

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