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I've had this thread idea in my head for a while now (and may even have already done it once and forgotten) but, inspired by a comment on https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/whats-going-on-with-milk
I still shake full fat milk before pouring, out of habit despite it being homogenized these days.
I do the same. Even if it's skimmed milk.
The other habit I do, uh, habitually: it was drummed into me by my grandparents to walk behind cars rather than in front after getting out of them in case the driver sets off without seeing me. I still do this unthinkingly to this day, despite me being the driver.
What've you got?
Check STW each morning?
Check STW each morning?
I knew that was coming, though I wasn't expecting it quite so quickly!
Superstitions...got lots that I've inherited from parents/grandparents
Reading pointless news articles about horrible things that have happened over night.
"Superstitions…got lots that I’ve inherited from parents/grandparents"
Unlucky.
Clean the car / windows 🙄🙄🙄
Leave a cm of tea in the cup <b> </b>as my nan always used to do when she drank loose tea, my mum does it and I do having almost never drank loose leaf tea.
Always make sure the volume control on my radio is set to an even number - utterly bonkers but I have a (weird) thing about odd numbers.
I walk my dog in the same woodland every morning and always have to walk an anti clockwise loop. Any other time of the day I can walk in any direction, but in the morning I can only go anti clockwise.
GlennQuagmire
Contains 13 letters. 😱
Always make sure the volume control on my radio is set to an even number – utterly bonkers but I have a (weird) thing about odd numbers.
My partner will happily set things like car aircon to 19.5'C. The patio is on order.
I do the tea thing as well. Try so hard to break the habit, and always fail.
I don't know how smokers get out of their spiral of habits that are paired with actual chemical addiction, if I can't even break this little one.
I've picked up a few superstition ones from my mum. Salt over my shoulder if spill it. Spit and salute if I see a magpie - a right PITA on the motorbike with my visor down!
Now I'm a pretty rational person I think, I don't believe in any woo woo or supernatural bollocks. I know at an intellectual level that superstitions are nonsense, but I still do it! it's partly a connection with my mum I suppose, tipping my hat to her influence on my life and I feel a connection with her when I do it.
Avoid walking over triple manhole covers. If I do find myself on one I'll skip off to the side, even into the road!
Not sure where this came from, because I am in no way superstitious about anything else 🤔
...and another weird thing - if I'm driving and the hour beeps come on the radio, I count the first 3 and then whistle a harmony with the last three. Nothing bad happens if I don't, though I am a bit sad if I miss it 😁
My partner will happily set things like car aircon to 19.5’C. The patio is on order.
My daughter has that weird affliction. I turn the music volume or temp in her car to odd numbers to mess with her head. She's hilarious at filling stations, she has to ensure the fuel quantity AND price are on nice even round numbers or it really freaks her out!
I put a little line in the middle of the number '7' whenever I write it. I can't not.
I've tried not doing it and walking away, but even some considerable time later I have to go back and complete it, it's like I've left the digit unfinished and have abandoned it. Bonkers and completely irrational, I accept!
Always start shaving on the right side, I've tried starting on the left and it's really weird.
Rev the engine slightly before turning off the ignition, a habit from my dad; I think it was something to do with carburettor cars bitd.
If I use a match to light a candle or something, then like any other normal person I shake the match to extinguish it. I will then, almost without thinking, either dunk it in water or run it under a tap just in case - Of what; I'm not exactly sure, I'm pretty certain zombie matches aren't a thing.
Left arm first in to any jacket/shirt/backpack straps. If I try right hand first my left arm can't figure out which way to bend to find the other hole.
Always make sure the volume control on my radio is set to an even number – utterly bonkers but I have a (weird) thing about odd numbers.
You total ****ing weirdo
Is it not obvious that even numbers are only partly right. For sure, 12 is way better than 11 or 13 but who'd set a radio to 14 or 16, when 15 is clearly the right number?
Sort yourself out man!
Our car has separate heater controls for passenger and driver, I move them (on purpose) so that they are different, to annoy my wife. luckily our volume control doesn't have a numerical scale, otherwise, she'd have murdered me ages ago.
Say 'good morning Mr Magpie' to the first Magpie is see each day.
Pointless?? Or is it.....
"Superstitions…got lots that I’ve inherited from parents/grandparents"
As Larkin said "...they leave you with the faults they had, and add some extra, just for you."
I have a mate who mentally assigns a number to everyday objects around him. If he walks into a pub for example, his beer glass, the table, the rug on the floor or whatever will all be given a number in his mind. Apparently it's to do with the number of corners or surfaces or angles or somesuch! Weird AF! He says he does it instinctively and almost instantly whenever he's in new surroundings. If you ask him 'what about this ketchup bottle' he'll instantly fire back '7' or whatever. He's pretty normal otherwise!
When I am walking down the stairs in our house I always "bounce" my heels off the edge of the stair before placing it down on the next step. I used to do this when I lived in a flat that had a really dark staircase and it helped me to make sure I was putting my feet on the right step without having to turn the light on - say if I was getting up to fill a glass of water in the night. I still do it now even though I can see fine in this place.
Maybe less weird and just a general interest thing - I check MWIS - the mountain weather forecast - every single morning for the northwest highlands. Even though I don't live there anymore and haven't for years - and only go to the mountains maybe once every couple months.
@blokeuptheroad - kinda sounds like a weird version of synaesthesia. I have a thing where numbers and days of the week are all different colours and it'd really clear in my mind. Like if someone says Friday I always get the colour brown in my head, or Wednesday is pink.
4 is orange..!
I put a little line in the middle of the number ‘7’ whenever I write it. I can’t not.
I do this too 🙂 Zeroes as well. It's an engineering thing, isn't it?
creakingdoorFree Member
Rev the engine slightly before turning off the ignition, a habit from my dad; I think it was something to do with carburettor cars bitd.
Don't do this, it puts a load (a bit) of unburnt fuel into the bores which can wash the oil away leading to premature bore wear. *
* Probably (I did hear/read it somewhere way back and now kill the engine on idle only)
Whenever I finish a can of pop, I have to make sure that the opening is not pointing at me/nearest to me when I set it down.
Can't be doing with that spooky hole staring at me.
Say ‘good morning Mr Magpie’ to the first Magpie is see each day.
My mum used to do this - but only single magpies; one for sorrow, etc. Two or more together, and the bad luck is negated after all, two for joy). You had to say Morning Mr Magpie but that didn't get the luck taken away, that was just something you had to do.
So far so not abnormally weird, plenty have heard of or have similar superstition to that.
However, in my Mum's world - if the single magpie was seen by more than one person simultaneously, then the bad luck IS negated. So, she'd need to get someone else to see it - but you couldn't ask them to see it. It had to be sort of unsolicited. So many's the time as a kid I'd be working in my room or watching TV or whatever and I'd get an urgent call to come into the kitchen. But she couldn't say 'come into the kitchen and see this magpie'. Pretty soon I was aware what the Code M, Jonny to kitchen type call meant and would immediately scan the trees in the garden, but you had to be careful to not scare it away before having a firm visual..... she wouldn't stand for a pretend sighting. Even if I could describe it fairly accurately.
I'm still not clear on additive effects - if you see one, and then at a later juncture see another (assumed to be different; two single magpie sightings in the same garden a few minutes apart are assumed to be the same one obviously, despite evidence of seeing seven or more together from time to time) - I don't know if that counts as 2x1 so now two bad luck events incoming (unless obvs seen unsolicited by AN Other subject to aforementioned clause 3.b.1 above, etc) - or is that 1x2 and hence some good fortune is coming your way?
I miss my mum, even if she was a bit mad.
However, in my Mum’s world – if the single magpie was seen by more than one person simultaneously, then the bad luck IS negated. So, she’d need to get someone else to see it – but you couldn’t ask them to see it. It had to be sort of unsolicited. So many’s the time as a kid I’d be working in my room or watching TV or whatever and I’d get an urgent call to come into the kitchen. But she couldn’t say ‘come into the kitchen and see this magpie’. Pretty soon I was aware what the Code M, Jonny to kitchen type call meant and would immediately scan the trees in the garden, but you had to be careful to not scare it away before having a firm visual….. she wouldn’t stand for a pretend sighting. Even if I could describe it fairly accurately.
My mum did this! On car journeys - that's a nice tree/field isn't it? We all soon learned to look and acknowledge the black and white fella.
"any more and she would have started*" after any suitable fart.
Pointless.
But still makes me laugh.
(*Other phrases too. I just have to comment)
Always start shaving on the right side, I’ve tried starting on the left and it’s really weird.
Elsewhere on the Internet recently, there was a poll. Apparently there is a percentage of people who, when getting dressed of a morning, will put on one sock and one shoe then repeat for the other side.
I put a little line in the middle of the number ‘7’ whenever I write it. I can’t not.
I do this too 🙂 Zeroes as well. It’s an engineering thing, isn’t it?
It's a European thing (France, probably others). Sevens have strikethroughs because ones have a much more pronounced upstroke than we'd write, almost like an inverted V.
It’s a European thing (France, probably others). Sevens have strikethroughs because ones have a much more pronounced upstroke than we’d write, almost like an inverted V.
Yep they need to clearly differentiate the 7s from the 1s, especially in France
Bite my nails.... I start and then think "why not get the nail clippers out and do it properly".
put a little line in the middle of the number ‘7’ whenever I write it
I do this, but it's down to living in Germany for years. How've, I refuse to write a 1 like an upturned, slanted "V".
I do 7s like that, I'm not German but my Grandma was, my writing just evolved that way.
Also I'll join the even numbers brigade. The boy put the tv on thirteen the other day, I nearly throttled him. New car doesn't have a numerical scale for volume which I find massively annoying as I can't find a sweet spot without trying to remember the number of button presses.
"Apparently there is a percentage of people who, when getting dressed of a morning, will put on one sock and one shoe then repeat for the other side."
This is the way to go when dressing a baby or infant. Once you have got hold of a limb, dress it in everything, then move on to the next.
“any more and she would have started*” after any suitable fart.
Pointless.
But still makes me laugh.
(*Other phrases too. I just have to comment)
'More choke and it would have started' ISTR. See also
'More tea Vicar'?
'Keep shouting sir we'll find you' (as a young squaddie).
Try to be helpful. You'd think I'd learn by now.
Apparently, there is a percentage of people who, when getting dressed in the morning, will put on one sock and one shoe and then repeat for the other side.
Wearing shoes in the bedroom? Dirty gits.
If I have a drink which leaves a wet ring when moved, generally in a pub, I find myself putting down next to the previous ring after every sip, Building a shape of 'rings', that musn't overlap. I've been doing it for many years and only notice I'm doing it when someone asks what it means or why. I've yet to come up with a credible reason other that 'it's nice'.
I also do the 0 and 7 strikethrough thing, and Zs too.
Oh no, the rings have to be in exactly the same place (otherwise my family will die etc etc) I also do inverted V when doing a one, but I don't cross my sevens.
You people on the other hand; are all weirdos...
I count every repetitive motion. From climbing stairs to putting cutlery away.
Same tj, climbing hills - count pedal strokes etc
some of this, while pointless, is verging on OCD, which I'd venture is a rather different thing?
I've got a colleague who is similarly afflicted. Every morning she leaves the house, locks the door, gets into the car, starts the engine, and then - simply has to do it - gets back out of the car, leaves the engine running and the door open, while she nips 20 yards back down the street to double check the front door was locked. She fully acknowledges how ridiculous this is, and that she's asking to have her car stolen, but just can't not do it
Every morning, I get up. I go downstairs, after visiting the throne room, I make a coffee for me and a tea for my other half. I deposit tea at her side of the bed and take my coffee into the bathroom. I have a shower then carry my coffee downstairs so I can drink it while I iron my clothes.
Every day.
Why don't I just leave the coffee in the kitchen? Literally one of my hobbies is carrying a cup of coffee around the house for no good reason.
I am not sure if it counts as a habit but I like things to be straight on tables etc and am obsessed with coasters under drinks. The best thing I did was buy a round ish coffee table. So much more relaxing when nothing is off centre!
There can be a fine line between safety first and obsession. I have to take a picture of the stove when I leave the house but I did go to work once and leave the Bialetti on the gas flame so that's just a sensible and rational safety precaution.
Say something suggestive to the wife 🥺
My wife used to always refil and boil the Kettle after using it. Took me ages to get her out of the habit. Refilling fine, turning it on so it boils, complete waste of electricity. Her Dad used to do it. I figure it's a Country tradition where every house had an Aga type hob that took ages for the kettle to boil and would be hot anyway so no waste of energy.
Not me but Mrs C not only turns plugs off at the wall but unplugs them as well, it's a habit she picked up from her mother who would always unplug everything at night before bed and I mean everything.
It can take quite a while to leave the house at times.
Although a friend of hers flat did burn down due to an electrical fire caused by a faulty hifi left on standby, so I let her away with it.
I go to work. Seems pointless.
Give a damn about doing my job properly and with a level of conscience
Cleaning and tidying. I’m 1/4 of the house population and generate less than a 1/10th of the mess, so why am I the one that’s continually tidying up only to find more mess?!
Drinking alcohol. Pointless, but a hard habit to break sadly
Look in the mirror.
I'm never more attractive, only ever older looking. 🤷
just saw one on the way home. It's not specifically something I do (I don't think, I haven't been for a road run in ages) but a group all came up to a pelican crossing and then did stupid half jogging on the spot waiting for the lights. It looks silly, and in my mind is pointless.
Await someone to tell me there's an actual reason.
I think in reality I could have filed this in the 'stuff that irritates you' thread as well.
Closing of:
Drawers
Wardrobes
Cupboards
etc
Every. Single. Time. After the girlfriend leaves a room
Things you do out of habit which are utterly pointless
Procrastinate.
Nooooo...Wednesday is Green!
Every morning she leaves the house, locks the door, gets into the car, starts the engine, and then – simply has to do it – gets back out of the car, leaves the engine running and the door open, while she nips 20 yards back down the street to double check the front door was locked.
I do a lower grade version of this, when either going for a ride or going for a long trip away from the house. I have to check we've got everything, and that everything is switched off or locked up 2 or 3 times over.
Drives my family mad, however my justification is that a few wasted minutes is well invested compared to getting to the far away destination only to have forgotten key things or have the house burgled or burn down or whatever.
Also, the family's approach to preparation generally tends to be to half think about, rush around last minute and forget a load of stuff.
Two curves touching for an x in an equation - triggers a few classes who want to know why I do the funny "x". I like that!
Line through a z to prevent similarity with 2, ditto line through a 7.
I also sometimes need to use the symbol for zero which is pointless.
Occasionally I will still double de-clutch dropping from 3rd to second totally subconsciously. I had to do that in my first car when the synchromesh was on its way out. I think I got rid of that car in 1991 or 1992 😳
I obsess about wasting stuff to the point of it being completely wasteful. Like, I'm rustproofing a car right now, and that's something worth spending time over, that part's fine. But... The epoxy mastic topcoat I'm using came in a 3.5 litre tin, and yet I won't leave a drop in the mix cup once it's done, every bit has to go on the car. I hate having even a tiny drip, I can't stand having the paint run down the side of the tin, or having much left on the stirrer, every millimetre drives me crazy.
So I'm exchanging time, which doesn't come in a massive tin, for pennies worth of paint.
Reply to STW threads with pointless comments
Give up alcohol (does 3 months count as a "habit"?). Completely pointless as neither waistline nor fitness improved...
Im still crossing sevens 45 years after one of my maths teachers got me into that habit (to differentiate between 1 and 7) and, as a bonus, it used to annoy my geography teacher who complained about "kraut sevens" not being the proper British way...
I find the focus of so many of these examples impressive. I forget too quickly. As for counting pedal strokes I wander off track on a technical climb if i'm not careful.
I've always done 7s. But i'm a habitual serif writer so it comes with the territory.
Flicking my big toes against the next toe.
Muscle flexing/twitching (not overtly like a body builder) is something i've always done. Hamstrings, glutes, pecs, biceps. Don't even realise i'm doing it. One of my kids noticed the other day and i think it's the first person that ever has.
Arguing on politics thread on here🤣😜🙄😮
Whenever in the passenger seat with my mum driving, if she ever needs to brake at anything over casual pressure, she would reach over holding you back at the chest.
This came from an early car way, way back in the day where the seats would just tilt forwards(presumably to let people in the back) under heavy braking.
Still does it.
Respond to threads about PC problems before Cougar does. I should learn to just let him answer and then agree.