[Squeek]

Does the word even exist? If not, you get my meaning anyhow.

At work, I have a squeeze bottle of hand sanitizer. I wash my hands regularly, and always before meals. I actively avoid people that I know are ill, and will go so far as to tell my friends to stay the hell away from me if they are under the weather. You could eat off my kitchen counters and cooking utensils, and if you ever eat my cooking, you can be sure that I prepared it with the utmost care.

I know it is not a healthy *mild* obsession. I know that my immune system needs exposure to germs to practice on. I know that outside of the operating room there is no such thing as a "sterile environment".

I have issues eating at other peoples houses. Not all people, just those that I have reason to question their sanitary practices. For example, one friend of mine, his wife often invites us over to eat. However, a few years ago, I looked in their fridge for a drink and noticed a brown crust (for lack of a better term) around the top of the orange juice jug. Meaning, it seems they just kept mixing new juice in the jug whenever it was empty, never washing the jug before the next refill. I have not been able to bring myself to eat anything she has prepared since.

It is not a crippling affliction. I still eat from street vendors when I leave the country, and it does not prevent me from eating at restaurants.

Does anyone else do these kinds of things?

 

[mrdelayer]

Hate to burst your bubble, but hand sanitizer isn't really meant to be a replacement for real soap and water. It's also a fire hazard.

Cleanliness, though, however obsessive, is hardly unhealthy, I'd say. Doesn't seem to be controlling your life like some germaphobes.

What about your keyboard and mouse? And your headphones?

 

[Squeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdelayer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hate to burst your bubble, but hand sanitizer isn't really meant to be a replacement for real soap and water. It's also a fire hazard.

I know this. It is for when I am at my desk and can't wash them with soap water. I don't care that it is a fire hazard. Sadly, open flames are not readily available at my work station. When I get my dream job as a Luau "pig pit" attendant I will be concerned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdelayer /img/forum/go_quote.gif What about your keyboard and mouse? And your headphones?

Yeah, I wipe those down with anti-bacterial wipes. My television remotes, games controllers and cell phone as well.

 

[xnothingpoetic]

I believe I have a very slight case of it.

I have to rinse and some times clean my plates/cups/ext. with dish soap, before eating off of them because I don't trust the dishwasher and they could have been collecting dust!

And before I sit down I wipe my seat down and the table, even in public places.

But outside of the food world, it's really not that bad for me. And that is why I could NEVER work in a fast food restaurant.

 

[mrdelayer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squeek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sadly, open flames are not readily available at my work station. When I get my dream job as a Luau "pig pit" attendant I will be concerned.

I laughed out loud at that one.

:

 

[Squeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnothingpoetic /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe I have a very slight case of it. I have to rinse and some times clean my plates/cups/ext. with dish soap, before eating off of them because I don't trust the dishwasher and they could have been collecting dust! And before I sit down I wipe my seat down and the table, even in public places. But outside of the food world, it's really not that bad for me. And that is why I could NEVER work in a fast food restaurant.

We should be friends. We can go out for dinner and wipe down everything together. It wouldn't seem weird if we did it together.

My GF thinks I'm a freak, though she'd drink toilet water if she was thirsty enough.

 

[Computerpro3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squeek /img/forum/go_quote.gif We should be friends. We can go out for dinner and wipe down everything together. It wouldn't seem weird if we did it together. My GF thinks I'm a freak, though she'd drink toilet water if she was thirsty enough.

I must say, I'm quite satisfied with the cleanliness of those RS-1's I bought off you a year or so back. This thread makes you and xnothingpoetic my top two people to buy used gear from

 

[The Actual]

How long has it been going on for you?

It sounds like at least a "few years." Is this like five or two and a half?

During high school I was really dirt phobic. Not germs so much, but for example I didn't want to touch door knobs or whatever and then go touch my own stuff (headphones, whatever) since tiny tiny bits of doorknob dirt would get on my stuff and be hard/impossible to clean off.

I still have this a little. I try to touch public stuff like faucets, doorknobs, handles of any kind in weird place like the side or close to the end or something where hopefully not as many people have touched it.


Over the past three or four years though it has really stopped being such a big deal to me. For you though, I don't know if this will be the case.

One issue I ran into a lot is that people would sometimes try to reason with me about it, but the problem is that there was just no way to use legitimate facts against my phobia which is so psychological. I'm not really worried about actual dirt as much as perceived dirt.



Do you think it is at the point now where you stop yourself from doing fun/socially-healthy stuff? Doesn't sound too crippling at all from what you've said.

 

[Squeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Actual /img/forum/go_quote.gif How long has it been going on for you? It sounds like at least a "few years." Is this like five or two and a half? Do you think it is at the point now where you stop yourself from doing fun/socially-healthy stuff? Doesn't sound too crippling at all from what you've said.

I guess a few years. It's not crippling. I don't feel like I have missed out on anything, I guess I am just exponentially more careful than the average Joe.

 

[GlendaleViper]

I **** where I eat!

 

[vagarach]

I would be careful with overzealous use of antibacterial agents. Bacteria just become stronger and even more dangerous as a result.

 

[diction10]

I wouldn't say its that weird at all.

I wash my hands regularly and always before meals as well.

One weird habit I have that some people get a kick out of is that I don't generally eat what I physically touch with my hands. For example, when I eat some french fries, I take a bite down to my fingers and throw away the little end I hold in my hand. However with something like a burger, or something I have to get my hands all over, I'll just eat the whole thing. But whenever possible I try not to eat what I have to physically touch.

Now that I actually type it out, it does sound crazy

...

 

[Squeek]

Maybe I'm not as weird as I thought?

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squeek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe I'm not as weird as I thought?

I suspect that I'm probably up about 20-30% on that particular weird-o-meter.

 

[necropimp]

while skimming over the topics i read this as germanaphobia....

i was thinking "why would someone be afraid of germans these days?"