My Assignment for the Day

My assignment for the day was to go to the grocery store and not to walk on cracks, lines, threshholds, etc. I felt like Jack Nicholson. I felt off balance, like I was going to fall. I don't know which looks sillier - stepping on them or not stepping on them. Between our home and town there is a stretch on the highway that has lots of horizontal cracks where the concrete was poured. I have noticed the last few days when I drive over the cracks I mentally "step" on each one.

A big chain opened a store in Houston, not too far from us, and had a big sale today. We have been sooooo slow lately (usually we are swamped this time of year), that we are going to have a sale of our own next Thursday - Back to School Spectacular to see if it will help us pay some bills that are piling up high.

No word from the website people today.

Here is an interesting article which I think sums up OCD pretty well in a short and simple manner. I have inserted where I fit into the spectrum.

What is OCD?
OCD is the fourth most common psychiatric diagnosis. The onset of symptoms is usually gradual, but some patients report a sudden onset. A few people recall a precipitating event, while others do not (me). Precipitating events can include emotional stress at work or at home (me), increased levels of responsibility(me), health problems and bereavement. Pregnancy, the birth of a child and termination of pregnancy may be linked to the onset or worsening of OCD symptoms.
The DSM-IV-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) states that "the essential features of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are severe enough to be time consuming (i.e., they take more than 1 hour a day) (me) or cause marked distress (me) or significant impairment. At some point during the course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable (me)." Adults usually realize their obsessions and compulsions are unreasonable or excessive, but children are not as likely to recognize this.
Obsessions are persistent images, impulses, thoughts or ideas that are experienced as inappropriate and intrusive, and cause marked anxiety(me). People with OCD have a sense that the thoughts are not within their control and not the kind of thoughts they would expect to have(me). We are able to understand that the obsessions are products of our own minds and are not imposed from without.
Trying to ignore the thoughts or impulses, or to neutralize them with other thoughts or actions, people develop compulsions (me). Compulsions are mental acts, such as repeating words silently(me), praying (me)or counting, or are repetitive behaviors such as ordering, checking (me)or hand washing. The goal is to reduce or prevent anxiety, not to provide gratification or pleasure. The person usually feels driven to perform the compulsion to prevent some dreaded situation or to reduce the distress accompanying an obsession (me). Compulsions are either not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive.
Almost everyone worries, at times excessively. OCD is considered as a diagnosis if it interferes with one's life or causes distress. The worries of OCD are usually irrational. Ignoring them makes one feel anxious and nervous. Excessive worrying that is rational, but excessive, may be a symptom of depression. Many people are compulsive, but do not have OCD. They give careful attention to details and procedure. The compulsions of the people with OCD are useless, repetitive behaviors and are performed to dispel the anxiety that accompanies an obsession.
People with obsessive thoughts or compulsive rituals that are not distressing or particularly time-consuming may have subclinical OCD. They have OCD symptoms that are of concern, but are too mild to diagnose OCD. The same principles used to treat OCD may be helpful for subclinical OCD.