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Showing posts from May, 2013

You've Got Mail

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It was a beautiful morning, so I decided to go for a scoot while Earl went for a bike ride.  He added a purposeful element to the outing by needing to mail two large envelopes. Tammy: "No problem.  I can do that." Earl: "Is the post office accessible?" Tammy: "Of course.  It's the federal post office.  Duh." The local Post Office is on one of my familiar downtown routes, so I felt confident that I knew where I was going.  I remembered there being a handicapped ramp up to the doors.  However, the federally mandated ADA compliance stopped there.  When I got to the post office, I looked around for the 'Push to Open' pad for the door—nothing.  I looked around for a person to open the door—no one.  Not a creature was stirring.  Eventually, someone did come up and she was happy to hold the door open for Skeeter and me.  I scooted inside to the outer self–service lobby, as the inner staffed area was closed on Saturdays.  Most everything I need

Hi, I'm ... and I have OCD

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Actually, I probably don't.  As my psychologist daughter-in-law (and fellow organization–searcher) explained, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder.  Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (didn't even know there was a name for it) is a diagnosis as well, but a different animal altogether.  If you care, look it up in Wikipedia. In my 'tammy–as–a–verb' blog, I did talk about the over–use of the OCD label in this country and that most people probably lie on the downside of the spectrum.  That said, how does one differentiate between the two diagnos e s ? –Repetitive, irrational, behavior caused by intrusive thoughts?  OCD –P reoccupied with neatness and detail? OCPD –Need order at any cost? OCD –Perfectionistic, controlling, need things 'just so'? OCPD  –Ritualistic behavior disrupts one's life?  OCD –People think you're annoying and weird; y ou think you're fine, but behavior bothers significant other; o rder makes

A Little Help from My Friends: Blog vs. Book

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One of the best parts of blogging is posting and then getting feedback–any feedback, from readers.  Like most people, I prefer positive remarks, but I'll take anything. Even negative comments give me food for thought.  I'll post and then wait to hear– thumbs up or thumbs down, out of the ballpark or barely out of the dugout.  I know I shouldn't care what anyone thinks, but there is still that girl in me who wants all A's.  Blog feedback "Are you talking about me?" "I don't get it." "Good quote.  I can relate..." "I never thought of it that way..." "I don't think of it that way..." "You never know where you might find an idea." Blogging gives me a continuous opportunity to correct and clarify.  Because of reader input, it's a rare post that looks or reads the same five days after first appearing online.  Toward the end of the conversion to book, I was too close to be objective.  Onc