August 25, 2008

I Might Have OCD

A friend once taught me how to make these little chairs from the cage the holds the cork in a Champagne bottle. I discovered that making them provides the perfect interval for tasting Champagne. I open, pour and taste the wine. Then I make a little chair before going back to the glass. This allows the wine some time in the air. Time that it likely wouldn't otherwise get. Especially if it's any good. In which case, you have to be quick yourself if you expect to get any. Good Champagne doesn't last long at the Lab.

Apparently, obsessive-compulsive disorder is a chronic anxiety disorder sometimes characterized by obsessive rituals and tasks (like, say, making tiny chairs). OCD is often confused with OCPD, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder which is characterized by a general psychological inflexibility, rigid conformity to rules and procedures and/or excessive orderliness. One look at my desk and you know this is not my problem.

But I fear the tiny chair making is getting a little out of hand. I'm starting to get some weird looks in the halls.




4 comments:

David McDuff said...

Do I sense a new line of doll house furniture in the works?

Stu Jakub said...

Can you post instructions on how to make the chairs. I have OCD as well and this looks like a great way for me to fidget while tasting as well.

Director, Lab Outreach said...

Stu, Maybe we'll see each other at one of the meetings?

In the meantime, here's a sort of helpful "how to".

Anonymous said...

Nah. Sounds like you've just found a good way to kill time, unless you place excessive importance on making those chairs such that not making a chair causes anxiety.

Plus, OCD is not a thing, and so cannot cause "OCD" behavior. OCD is a description of a collection of observed behaviors that have, let's say, a comorbidity with each other. There many be a number of causes, but I assure you it isn't an affliction per se.