It never ceases to amaze me the places your brain can go.

Such as, what makes you randomly think of something one day?

I don’t have the answer to that primarily rhetorical question but I do know that the human mind is a unique and wondrous thing.

Just the other day, my brain went to a spot where it started to catalog all my various – for lack of a better word – idiosyncrasies. Such as having to put on both socks before I put on my shoes. And always the left sock first, then the right. Same with the pants legs, left first, right second. Many times, I have tried to change that up but I just can’t. It doesn’t feel right.

And while it may be more OCD than an idiosyncrasy, I have to check and then double check every door at night before I go to bed to make sure they are all locked. It doesn’t even matter if I locked it earlier or saw someone else in the house lock it. I just have to make sure. Who knows, it could have magically unlocked itself so it’s always better to check.

My daughter used to roll her eyes at me when she was younger, could not understand my compulsive need to check the locks. Pretty sure she does the same thing now.

Plus, of course, there is always the famous toilet paper roll. It must come over the top. If it comes from the bottom, the ‘under’ side, there’s a chance it could brush up against the wall and pick up some germs. Great Scott; even to me that sounds silly, but I can’t do it any other way. I have also been known to switch it if someone else at work or at home puts the roll on the ‘wrong’ way. My apologies to any ‘under’ people I may have offended.

This one might be as much superstition as idiosyncrasy, but please don’t ask me to change my Friday night football outfit. Same shirt, same jacket, same hug on the Escalon sidelines with assistant coach Kyle ‘Frosty’ Van Houten before kickoff … some things you just don’t mess with.

My niece brought up an interesting concept one time while we were visiting and stopped in for lunch at a favorite fast food spot. She said she had read a study about those who wadded their wrappers and those who folded. I was so intrigued because I had never even paid attention to that before. Not that I remember what each behavior was supposed to mean, but that’s beside the point. When we were done eating, without even realizing what I was doing, my food wrapper was being folded. I tried to wad the second one but it was not possible. I wadded it and felt so guilty I had to un-wad it, flatten it out and fold it. All this just to throw it out. Maybe I think it takes up less room folded? Maybe it’s a subconscious need to stay organized? That’s possible; though sometimes I wish if that were the underlying theme of a folder that it would transfer out of my subconscious and arrive at my desk. If I could only be as neat and tidy in my workspace as I am at the fast food table, I wouldn’t spend so much of my time digging through piles looking for that tiny scrap of paper with very important information on it.

That, however, is a regular lament of mine and a behavior I could and should change. Being more organized is a familiar theme and also a familiar downfall. Oh well, maybe 2023; there is always hope.

Marg Jackson is editor of The Oakdale Leader, The Escalon Times and The Riverbank News. She may be reached at mjackson@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.