Being in self quarantine means spending a lot of time with……well….yourself. Inevitably this will lead to at least some self analysis. Over the years those who know me best have suggested that I have an obsession with avoiding waste. I have to disagree. I think my behavior is perfectly normal.
For example, if there is a light on in a room with nobody in it, I am compelled to get up and turn it off. Wouldn’t anybody? If there is a TV on with nobody watching it, I simply must shut it down. My young grandkids have Ipads on which they watch cartoons and play games. Often they will set the Ipad down still playing and wander off to do something else. I just can’t sit there and watch the batteries run down with nobody watching it. I have to pick the thing up and turn it off. Nothing obsessive about that. In fact, I’ll bet you’re right there with me. Take this waste obsession survey:
Does running water drive you crazy? If someone in your house is taking a shower, do you find yourself timing it? Do you wash dishes in the sink because you can’t bring yourself to use the water it takes to run the dish washer? Or better yet, do you just stick to paper plates and plastic silverware?
When temperatures drop below freezing, do you let your faucets drip overnight to avoid the pipes icing up? Are you then unable to sleep all night because of all that dripping water going to waste? When brushing your teeth, do you squeeze every molecule of toothpaste out of the tube before disposing of it? Do you use toothbrushes and razor blades until they disintegrate before moving on to new ones? Do you save unused paint for years and yet remain shocked when you pry open the can and find it has morphed into something resembling asphalt? Do you keep that comfortable old pair of slippers until there are so many holes in it they function more like sandals? When the kids pick at their food and leave most of their french fries on the plate, do you feel somebody has to eat them up? And by somebody do you mean you?.
When you do decide to cut loose and overspend on some sort of guilty pleasure, can you do so without feeling you have to cut back on something else? For instance, if you want to go out and eat at an expensive restaurant, do you think “Fine, but no fast food for breakfast or lunch this week?” Are you collecting a pile of pennies in your car but can’t bring yourself to spend them on anything? Do you keep scooping from a jar of jelly until you can see your reflection in the bottom?
If you answered yes to these questions, you are just like me. Personally, I think we are just being smart and economically responsible. So just ignore those who think we have become obsessive.
Okay, I have to end this now. I just noticed the dogs haven’t eaten all of the food in their dish. I need to pour it back in the bag. I’ll see you at the therapist office.