ok, I’ve decided (by way of free therapy) that from time to time, I may do a little post on an oddity that I have discovered about myself. This is the first official post in thus said tone. Don’t judge me…I just feel like this was a place created to be perfectly honest about my world and in my new normal, this is just something I want to do.

• I’m addicted to my google reader. it stresses me out on Monday’s when I’ve not checked it all weekend. Every time I go to my homepage, I’m drawn in to checking it, but I try to wait until the end of my day. It is an easy way for me to waste time on the Internet, and I want to be productive while I’m at work. I used to check it first thing after I checked my email in the morning (which is the first thing I do when I sit down at my computer). Then, I would check it when I sat down after lunch. But, I realized what a distraction it can be, so I hold 5:01 as my moment to be glued to my google reader. Also, I have tons of things in my google reader…its pretty random I must admit. But, if there is a blog or site that I run across that I don’t want to forget about, I just add it. I guess that’s the point. Also, I used to go to my blog everyday and click on all the link that I have listed on the right side. When my friend (who probably doesn’t even know she changed my life) introduced me to google reader, my world was turned upside down. I feel like it was my own free personal organizer. Can you have a time organizer? If so, that was it.
• I now play a gasoline game. When I’m on the road, I always look and see what gas prices are around me. If I see a cheap one, I stop and fill up, but only if my gauge is under half. If it is above half, then I think it is too full to fill up. Although this week, I started thinking about a gas reward program. Any good ideas on that? Surely I can get something back for as much gas as I put in my car in a month on the road.
• Also, I used the play the “top off” game when I was at the gas station. It stressed me out to not have a round number (that’s a whole different oddity). But, I decided that when I go to a restaurant, they don’t round off the number of my bill and when I buy groceries, they don’t round off the number of my total, so it was not like gas was the only non round # I had. So, now, when the pump stops, I’m finished. It was very liberating.
• I do have a strange thing with round #’s. And, if I could give you a good example, I would. But, it is not completely OCD where my world stops, but round numbers do make me feel calmer. (as does the marmalade scented candle at Maggie’s).
• When I travel, I always refold my clothes at the end of the night and keep the worn clothes in a pile outside my suitcase. Then, when I get ready to pack up and leave, I put the worn pile on top, so they are the first thing I take out when I get home.
• I like (well, I don’t try to create it, but I don’t mind it) flat soda. It always tastes sweeter to me and it doesn’t burn. And, this really only applies to Coke and DP. Also, I prefer to drink a soda over ice instead of from the can and I really don’t like to drink out of a plastic bottle. I think it burns more from a bottle.
• I never put a “visitor counter” on my blog when I first set it up b/c I knew it would be a number that I would obsess over, always checking to see what it was. Now, I kinda would like to have one, but I don’t feel like it would be a true picture of visitor activity since I’ve had this blog for 14 months and I’m guess the activity has dwindled since I’m out of C-ville (Praise GOD!!!)So, I’m really struggling with this…like its something I think about probably once a week. What does it matter? But, there are some really neat opportunities that I’ve heard about that I would like to be a part of and a couple of them are blog based and related to # of “hits” or visitors you have. See my point. Also, along those same lines, some people track activity by the # of comments people leave. And, to solicit such comments, they always end their post with a question. But, I kind a like Big Pitt Stop, being just that; a place you stop. Not, a place you sit and pull up a chair and drink your coffee and hang out and leave your dirty dished behind (wait, that sounded like I’m not interested). I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t expect this to be a place you have to give. Its an outlet for me and in that, a place for you to just stop by, to frequent, to stroll through, to pass by, to meander. I don’t expect you to come and gather or to fell obligated to stop by. Maybe curiosity keeps you coming back, maybe you care, maybe you are anxious to see what crazy thing I say next. For me, this is home. A place where my thoughts and feelings can be expressed. Where, I can lay my heart on the line short or long, poetic or pronounced, thought through or thoughtless (which is most often the case). Either way, I’m really working through my purpose of “Big Pitt Stop”. For now, it will continue to be my journey. Journey of life. Journey of thoughtless ramblings. Inner monologue. Outer reflection.
• In case you are wondering, sometimes I re read through my thoughts,but most often I finish, Hit spell check (to catch the big stuff ) and then hit “Publish Post”. I feel like my ramblings are more raw, less planned or perfected when I don’t work back through them. Something about proof reading your journal goes against all of the organic, authentic nature of sharing your heart. Plus, its a little game for you where you have to figure out what I was trying to say!

I’ll leave you with this thought as the DISCLAIMER to my current and future “oddities” posts:I know I’m a cook-y little creature. I know I stress about senseless things. My Type A personality gets me tied up into a bundle of mess. I worry about the oddities of this world. I wonder and contemplate things that just don’t matter. I think through things too much and I try to find a lesson in everything. But, the positive side of each of those negative traits are some of my greatest gifts and the best things that I bring to my personal and professional life. To use a season analogy, I really do feel like a jack-o-lantern sometimes (one with a smile ). Only God can take something so plain and common, with its imperfections and place His light inside and make it useful. For that grace along, I’m grateful. That’s all for now. There will be more, I promise. I’m full of them. Man, That was very therapeutic.