We all have our little idiosyncrasies. You know, those quirky, peculiar things that you do that make you who you are. It took me a while to accept these things as “normal.” I have now come to the point in my life where I can actually celebrate these and even laugh at them. Because they are just me being me. And we all have idiosyncrasies. It took me a while to acknowledge that it is part of being human. We all have this idea that quirks are not “normal.” But it is “normal” to have quirks. So here are a few random factoids on my brand of quirkiness:
- I get up ridiculously early (between 5 and 5:30 AM), but I need to just putter around for like 2 or 3 hours before I can get dressed and go out. I CAN go out before that, but it is not pleasant. For anyone involved. In fact, if you see me out before 8, you might want to run the other way. Just saying.
- I love to read–not unusual. What is weird is that I usually have like 3 or 4 books that I am currently reading. I kind of bounce around in a schizoid, multiple personality kind of way. Usually have a fiction book, a biography, some type of cookbook, gardening, whatever.
- Cannot stand the sight of an unmade bed. Can’t stand it. And I do not go to sleep at night in a bed that has not been made. And clean sheets make me sooooo happy. There is nothing like the feeling of sheets that were just washed and put on your bed.
- I need to do yoga every day. Seriously NEED to do it. If I don’t, I feel totally crappy. And I am really mean when I don’t do yoga. Not going to lie–it took me a really, really long time to understand the entire “surrender” and “relax” thing. Because I am not a surrender and relax kind of woman. And just because I understand it, does not mean I can actually “do” it. But that is part of the challenge and why I keep doing it.
- When I photograph events, I totally forget that I hate crowds and large parties. I feel like when I have my camera, it is like having the Harry Potter invisibility cloak. I especially love photojournalism and watching people when they are not aware they are being photographed. Kind of voyeuristic, right? Good thing I found a job that actually pays me to do that in a healthy way.
- When I am procrastinating about something, I will clean. Have no idea why. Or cook.
- When I come home from photographing a wedding, I cannot fall asleep until I have downloaded my images and backed them up in two places. The idea of not doing that gives me major anxiety. If I need to stay up until 2 AM, that is what I need to do.
- I am an introvert, so when I have been with a lot of people, I need to make sure that I spend time being silent and alone. I need that time to process things.
I have many, many more–but I think this is really enough. Wouldn’t want to totally destroy my feminine mystique–LOL.
