Strange Things We Do

[Riles]

I'm a people watcher by nature and I never stop marveling in the odd things (to me) that others do. As I sit here in a darkened home, keeping a dead body company at the request of it's former loved ones, my mind starts to replay some of the similar odd situations I have been witness to. Thanks weird people.

Surely others have amusing stories to share? I will post some of mine as they come back to me.

 

[Riles]

I watched a man the other day eat a meal and with each bite he would then turn his plate clockwise so the next portion was facing him, take a bite, turn the plate, next bite, turn the plate. He never mixed the portions and he masticated with exaggerated motion.

I was so distracted my soup went cold. Fascinating, weirdly wonderful people.

 

[Que]

I was on a late-night foray to dumpster dive my neighborhood Walgreens. I hung back when I saw a bearded transient lingering. I watched as he went to the ashtrays in front and fished him out some smokable butts. He then sauntered back to the intersection and made himself comfortable on an irrigation grating that was about bench height. I noticed his guitar was wrapped in a clear plastic back like Walgreens uses for their trash and assumed he had already hit the dumpster.

I waited him out and reflected. On the one hand I had a comfortable home and did not "need" the bounty that I often found in our wasteful consumer driven society. I reall didn't need for example any more "big-mouth Billy Bass" fish. We had sorted, cleaned and donated a lot of usable items to various shelters. A battered woman's shelter got 150 bottles of nail polish from one dive.

I saw him as competition, but didn't want to deny him the right to subsist as his needs dictated. Some dumpsters I had frequented were despoiled b non-courteous divers either ruining items they didn't need or worse, attracting the attention of store personnel that then set up impediments. I did not want him to realize that this particular dumpster was regularly sorted by me, since I figured he could probably beat me to it most days.

So I waited. And he left with his few, odd butts.

I scurried to the dumpster to see what if anything of value he had overlooked. Apparently he hadn't bothered. There were a dozen unopened boxes of cigars.

 

[Riles]

I had to think on this one, but it was recently asked of me why I rinse a glass or mug before I use it. Straight from the cupboard, dishwasher or drain board, I always fill it with water and dump it before use.

I'm odd too.

 

[Riles]

I was on a late-night foray to dumpster dive my neighborhood Walgreens. I hung back when I saw a bearded transient lingering. I watched as he went to the ashtrays in front and fished him out some smokable butts. He then sauntered back to the intersection and made himself comfortable on an irrigation grating that was about bench height. I noticed his guitar was wrapped in a clear plastic back like Walgreens uses for their trash and assumed he had already hit the dumpster.

I waited him out and reflected. On the one hand I had a comfortable home and did not "need" the bounty that I often found in our wasteful consumer driven society. I reall didn't need for example any more "big-mouth Billy Bass" fish. We had sorted, cleaned and donated a lot of usable items to various shelters. A battered woman's shelter got 150 bottles of nail polish from one dive.

I saw him as competition, but didn't want to deny him the right to subsist as his needs dictated. Some dumpsters I had frequented were despoiled b non-courteous divers either ruining items they didn't need or worse, attracting the attention of store personnel that then set up impediments. I did not want him to realize that this particular dumpster was regularly sorted by me, since I figured he could probably beat me to it most days.

So I waited. And he left with his few, odd butts.

I scurried to the dumpster to see what if anything of value he had overlooked. Apparently he hadn't bothered. There were a dozen unopened boxes of cigars.

Dumpster diving and cig butt extractions? Love it!

You crazy boy.

 

[PeteHulbert37]

Typically, I find that Walmart or the near state fair or festival are great locales for "people watching." Highly entertaining at times.

Also, not to be over-looked is the boat ramp of the nearest reservoir or lake on a busy Saturday afternoon in July. lol

 

[dolf]

the plate turning thing... I do it when i'm spoon feeding people, so that they always get a cooler but from the outer edge, to avoid a burnt mouth. but I do not do the weird masticating thing whilst I do so.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Knowing that you people are watching me, I'm glad I have no oddities.

 

[pete]

Typically, I find that Walmart or the near state fair or festival are great locales for "people watching." Highly entertaining at times.

Also, not to be over-looked is the boat ramp of the nearest reservoir or lake on a busy Saturday afternoon in July. lol

i've always enjoyed people watching. they're endlessly fascinating.

best places are:
the mall, on a non-holiday weekend ;
boardwalk at the beach ;
a workday in the city, on a busy street

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Knowing that you people are watching me, I'm glad I have no oddities.

*snerk*

 

[sufisaint]

This was a few years back but I watched a whole family get out of a junky car and watch the father cut down a little scrub pine down off the railroad tracks for their Christmas tree...i wonder if they knew it a felony charge on railroad property.

 

[marshalt]

I used to people-watch, then I thought about what I was really doing. Sitting back, making judgements about people based only on a few seconds of their life. I don't do it anymore.

 

[phrodeau]

I had to think on this one, but it was recently asked of me why I rinse a glass or mug before I use it. Straight from the cupboard, dishwasher or drain board, I always fill it with water and dump it before use.

I'm odd too.

Did you grow up during the Dust Bowl years? That was pretty necessary in those days.

 

[Mr Noone]

I had to think on this one, but it was recently asked of me why I rinse a glass or mug before I use it. Straight from the cupboard, dishwasher or drain board, I always fill it with water and dump it before use.

I'm odd too.

I do that too, actually. Sometimes things are dusty.

 

[islandman]

I kept a dead body company once as a med student. At some point I nodded off and woke up to find that I had rested my half-eaten sandwich on his chest.

I was hungry, so, you know...


Strange thing that I do....I always take a few face-towels when staying at a hotel for home use. They're great for wiping down the bathroom sink after use.

 

[Aquagal]

Years ago when I lived in a cabin with an outhouse, I wouldn't close the door. It was on 6 acres and I could just watch nature.

I don't think I did exhibitionist peeing on purpose.

 

[Sinny]

I add up the numbers on car licenses in front of me while sitting in traffic.

 

[Aquagal]

I cannot sleep unless my hair is in a high ponytail or flung above my pillow, or it feels like it is strangling me.

 

[Saint Peter]

I add up the numbers on car licenses in front of me while sitting in traffic.

What do you do with the variables?

 

[Sinny]

What do you do with the variables?

Divide them by pi.

 

[bluebell]

It used to be that every time I even thought about washing dishes, I instantly had to pee.
Now it's switched to whenever I brush my teeth. Stupid bladder.


I also sleep with a beach towel draped across my pillow, because I like the texture on my face. I stole that from a college roommate. Super weird thing to pick up, especially since we stopped contact a bajillion years ago.


I hate when fabric things are put on the floor. Like pillows, blankets, clothes, coats, clean sheets, towels, etc. Even if I've just vacuumed and Swiffered, the floor seems like such an icky place, I don't want to be shaking crap off things that didn't have to be put there. In other places, you can't even vouch for the cleanliness of the floor, so double squick for me.


Which makes me think of another one...I shed any loose hair into the garbage can several times a day. I hate when people lose hair and then drop it on the floor all willy-nilly, especially in someone's house (or mine). I also hate when a loose hair is tickling my face or caught on my clothes, and then it tickles my neck or gets in my mouth. Oh baby jeebus, deliver me.


Reading this over is very odd to me.

 

[bluebell]

Oh, I also have instant bug-radar. If there's a bug in the room, I will know exactly where it is within 30 seconds and its death will likely be my main life goal until I see buggy corpse (depending on what it is- most of them need to die).

If I don't see buggy corpse, I may not sleep for a few nights, convinced it's still alive and will wind up in my bedroom.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Riles]

I hate when fabric things are put on the floor. Like pillows, blankets, clothes, coats, clean sheets, towels, etc. Even if I've just vacuumed and Swiffered, the floor seems like such an icky place, I don't want to be shaking crap off things that didn't have to be put there. In other places, you can't even vouch for the cleanliness of the floor, so double squick...

You are right to feel this way, the floor of anywhere is and should be considered the dirtiest of places.

In facility and home care, I cringe when I see staff dropping dirty linens and soiled products on floor during care. My inner voice screams, I WALK ON THAT FLOOR!!!

 

[desertslave]

I kept a dead body company once as a med student. At some point I nodded off and woke up to find that I had rested my half-eaten sandwich on his chest.

I was hungry, so, you know...


Strange thing that I do....I always take a few face-towels when staying at a hotel for home use. They're great for wiping down the bathroom sink after use.

Several years ago I worked at a large hospital doing medical transcription. For a while I was assigned to Pathology (home of autopsies and other fun things). We had one pathologist who would dictate while eating his lunch. I could hear "squishy" sounds in the background, followed by rattling instruments and interspersed with chewing! Dude had a strong stomach.

My most noted-upon quirk is my compulsion to always arrange items by ROYGBIV color order. New boxes of crayons will keep me busy for hours.