Creatures of Habit Do Not Conform

You can call me crazy.  You can call me old fashioned.   You can even call me a martyr.  I call myself a creature of habit.  I dance to the beat of my own drum and I don’t conform easily, if at all.   I have a method to my madness so when I find a way that works, I see no reason to make changes just because there may be a new approach to accomplishing the same task.  To me, it’s simple:  If it ain’t broke… Don’t fix it.

For instance, while most people are paying their bills via online banking, I have absolutely no desire to do so.  Hell would have to freeze over before I would chose to give up the satisfying feeling that comes over me when I take out my checkbook, write a check, record it in my ledger and seal the envelope.

 

If that wasn’t gratifying enough, it’s almost oddly abnormal how much pleasure I get out of putting on the stamp and dropping it in the mailbox.   I do however, think it’s ridiculous that it costs close to 50 cents to mail one letter, but that’s still not enough of a reason to make me give in.

If you are ever in need of a stamp, it’s safe to assume I’m one of the few people who will always have a book of them in my wallet.  You can count on me to share my stash.  I’m happy to help and free of charge!

Speaking of Books…

Reading is a great way to check out of your own nonfiction story and dive head first into a fictional one of your own choice.   It seems everybody is reading books on their Kindle or iPad or whatever other pocket devices there are these days.  I can’t read like that.   NO WAY.  NO HOW.  I tried it once just to see what all the hype was about but I HATED IT!

If I’m gonna read a book I want to do it the old fashioned way.  I want to pick it up with my hands and hold it.  I want to touch it.  I want to physically turn the pages myself and use my fingers as a placeholder to gauge where the current chapter will end and the next one will begin.  I want to be able to turn down the corners of a page and use it as a makeshift bookmark when it’s time to take a break.

My need to touch and feel remains the same as it applies to newspapers and magazines too. Reading the newspaper online?  Sorry, I’m not into it.  Give up the excitement of waiting anxiously by the mailbox for my monthly issue of Elle to arrive? Never!  I’m a creature of habit, therefore I do not conform!  You can be sure the Newsstand app on my iPhone has yet to be used.

You wanna read a book?  Don’t download it from iTunes.  I hate paperbacks but I probably already have the hardcover version.  You’re welcome to borrow it,  just remember to return it when you’re finished!

Speaking of You’re Welcome…

I’m not Emily Post.  Hardly!  I don’t always have the best manners but I try to do the right thing.   I’m a stickler when it comes to saying, “Thank You” and by saying “Thank You” I mean sitting down and writing a note by hand.

If someone has gone above and beyond and/or has given me a gift, the least I can do is take the time to express my gratitude.   I want them to know that their thoughtfulness has not gone unnoticed and it’s important they understand how much I appreciate their kindness.

 In today’s world a lot of people say thank you via email or text message and that’s great.  I guess it gets the job done, but that’s just not how I roll.

Obviously for most, the hand written note is a dying gesture and is sadly headed toward extinction.  Still, I don’t see myself taking that quantum leap and sending out a group text as a way to say thanks.   I won’t stop my routine of mailing hand-written notes.  It’s all I know.  It’s part of my plan.  And after all,  it’s not like I don’t have the stamps!

Speaking of Plans… Let Me Check My Calendar

Brace yourself folks!  This is probably the most antiquated and dinosaur-like method of all time.  The funny thing is that it’s my favorite creature of habit way to do things!  I get hazed non-stop but there’s not the slightest chance that I would EVERRR swap it out for a more current modus operandi.  Despite everyone’s two cents, it’s my greatest tool for organization.  I am rarely far from my beloved calendar.

ME:  “Oh, you wanna make plans?  Okay great.  Let me check my calendar.”

EVERY SINGLE PERSON I KNOW:  “THAT’S your calendar? “

ME:  “Whaddaya mean?  Yeah, THAT’S my calendar.  It’s how I do it.”

EVERY PERSON I KNOW IN UTTER SHOCK:  “That can not be how you keep your schedule.  You’re kidding me.  Seriously, that’s NOT your calendar.”

ME:  “No, it totally is.  This is how I do it.  I need to see it all laid out.  I’m visual.   I love it.  I can’t do it any other way.”

 EVERY PERSON I KNOW DYING TO TRY TO CONVERT ME TO A MORE EFFICIENT WAY:  “You can keep your whole schedule in your phone.  You know that right?  There’s a calendar feature.  I do it that way.  I’m obsessed.  You’ll love it.  It’s like how you do it, but better.  I can’t believe that’s how you keep your schedule.  What if you lose it?  That’s NOT really how you stay organized is it?”

ME:  “It’s totally my calendar.  It’s my bible.  I’d never lose it.  Never.  I’m not using my phone as a calendar.  No way.  I’ve been doing calendars like this for years.  Everyone tries to convert me.  I’m a creature of habit.  I’m not conforming!

I’ve been keeping my schedule by way of 8×10 paper for decades.   With a little help from one of the online photo stores, I use the most current pictures I have to fill up the pages for each month of the year and look forward to using my yellow highlighter to mark the important dates I don’t want to forget.  You can be sure I don’t need Facebook to remind me when it’s my friends’ birthday!

My calendar is not just my favorite thing, it’s my everything!   It lives in whatever bag I’m carrying for the day and it’s seldom that I would ever leave the house without it.  Dinner dates,  lunch plans, basketball practice, teacher conferences, yoga class, doctor appointments, family obligations and trip itineraries are just to name a few.  You name it, it goes on the calendar.

It only takes until about mid March before the corners are frayed and the pages start to become undone from the coils that bind the whole thing together.  By December the calendar is on life support as it barely hangs on by a thread but it’s gotten me through the entire year so don’t expect to hear a single complaint from me.  My method is proven.  It’s tried and true.  I’m not changing my ways.  Why would I?  I’m a creature of habit and I will not conform.  If it an’t broke, don’t fix it!

AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW… I have a handful of other creature of habit idiosyncrasies that I doubt I’ll be giving up anytime soon.  That said,  I’m always open to hearing about the new and improved methods the rest of the world adheres to.  You just never know… It would have to completely blow me away to conform to a better system but if I’m convinced to make the switch, you can be sure I’ll be sending you a hand-written note to say, “Thank you!”