Got Quirks?

Image via WikipediaI suppose we all have our quirks. I never realized some of my own, until I started to really think about it.

This morning, while eating a bagel, it dawned on me that I always eat the bottom of the bagel first; I leave the top of the bagel for last. I have become Robert Barone!

He was the character played by Brad Garrett on the vintage hit comedy, Everybody Loves Raymond. Robert's quirky habit was to touch his chin with his food before putting it into his mouth to eat it. I always thought that was weird. I'm not much different, since I now realize that I have to look at the underside of my bagel before deciding which is the right side to eat first.

I do have a method to my madness, however. The bottom of a bagel is usually bigger; it is crispier when it is hot, fresh from the toaster. The top is smaller, and less dense, so it stays crisp longer.

I started thinking about it and realized there are some other "rules" that I happen to live by:

• When eating a hot dog, the opening of the bun has to be on the left side. I have no idea why, but it just doesn't feel right the other way.

• The toilet paper always has to roll from the top down. My daughter describes this behavior as a family trait. Apparently she has inherited the 'toilet paper from the top' gene.

• When eating corn on the cob--and this is tricky--the kernels must be eaten from left to right, one row at a time. When holding the cob the large side must be on the left.

• If there are two pieces of candy, and one is bigger than the other, I will always eat the smallest one first, savoring the best for last.

• The same holds true for crackers. The broken ones are eaten first, leaving those fully in-tact for last.

• When cooking, I always use is the right front burner.

• When putting on shoes, first both socks, then both shoes, right one first.

• I prefer pizza cut into squares, rather than like pieces of pie.

I'm sure there are many more examples of my own quirky behavior, but I'm at a loss as to what they are right now. I wonder how many people think about these things? I asked my husband his thoughts on the subject.

He rolled his eyes a bit and said simply, "I don't pay any attention."

Do you do things every day that others might consider quirky? Have you ever thought about such behavior? Let me know. I'm really curious.