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Rants >> Rant 280

::Today's soundtrack: Belle & Sebastian "Beautiful" ::


I have a bit of a problem. I'm what many people would probably call "a neat freak." I wouldn't go so far as to say I have obsessive compulsive disorder, as I have never felt the need to tap the door knob six times before leaving a room or anything, but I'm definitely very clean and tidy.

Every day, I clean something. The bathroom mirror, the floor, wipe down the bath tub, vacuuming the stairs, something. This will often lead to cleaning something else, because I took out the Pledge and rags so I may as well wipe down the furniture in the hallway while I'm at it kind of thing. As a result, I'm constantly cleaning things which are already pretty clean.

I take my shoes off at the door and I'm pretty strict about any houseguests doing the same, though I kinda feel weird asking them to do so. Is that weird? Asking people to take their shoes off at the door? I mean, it saves from making a mess, but I'm practically compulsively cleaning things whether they need it or not, so is it such a big deal to track in a little dirt? Yet I feel as though I will have an aneurism if I watch someone walk around my house tracking dirt everywhere, however.

I'm neurotic about cleanliness to the point where an impromptu drop-in by a friend makes me want to practically make them wait outside while I tidy up. The phone rings: "Hey, William, I heard you got that new video game. Is it okay if I come by and play a few levels with you?" In my mind I'm looking around, freaking out thinking "This place is a mess! I can't Have a guest over!!" and in reality this horrifying mess is probably my lunch dishes in the sink, a couple of comic books in the living room and an overturned magazine. I know, scary. So I calm down and usually tell them to give me ten minutes before coming by.

It's odd that I always feel as though people are silently judging me as being disorderly and dirty when they come to my house, but I know I never  do that in my own head when a guest at someone's home, so I don't know why I think that. It's not my house, so whatever. Live how you want. I don't care. Why do I think other people care so much when at my house?

Well, I suppose there is a degree of uncleanliness where it will become gross. I mean, if somebody thinks it's okay to leave like half eaten sandwiches lying around for a week, that's kind of disgusting. Or any sort of mess that is wet left right where it is without wiping it up at all can lead to heavy mold, become sticky, and smelly and discoloured. That's pretty yucky, I think we can all agree. But the sort of "mess" as a result of day to day living? I don't think anyone will mind if I go a week or two without vacuuming, so why do I stress out about it?

Am a sociopathic clean freak or is this sort of thought process normal? Is this weirdness somehow linked to the social anxiety I think I have? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? How dirty is too dirty? How clean is too clean? Is there such a thing? No wonder I'm losing my hair (yeah, that's it. that's why. yup.).

William the Bloody (washing his hands)

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