We all have them. Things we can’t let go of. Call them passions on a good day, but in all honesty, they’re obsessions. Some are minor eddies that we explore as they come up. Others are full-blown whirlpools that suck us down. When caught in one of these, it’s best to hold your breath and keep your eyes open as you’re being pulled to the bottom. No sense in letting it dash you apart on a stray rock.
I’ve cycled through many eddies and whirlpools of obsession in my life, including drawing; fiber arts (I dare you to find one I haven’t tried); astrology; natural medicine; dream interpretation; self-help books (I let this go when I realized they made me feel worse about myself); searching for signs from the Universe (a particularly mind-bending exercise); Christopher Moore books, Neil Gaiman books, darned near any book, really; writing; human creativity; and quite a number of musical acts, including Duran Duran, Ultravox, U2, and Dave Matthews Band. I’ve barely scratched the surface of the obsessions I’ve catered to in my life.
But, enough about me! Now it’s time for a meme. List five things you’ve been obsessed with in your life (not including family and friends) and one way in which one of your obsessions left you embarrassed. (I read once that the things you love choose you, so don’t be too embarrassed about either your obsessions or any embarrassment caused by your obsessions. It’s not completely your fault. 
)
Okay, back to me, fulfilling the meme I’ve just created.
5 Obsessions (Don’t bother throwing a rope while these suck me into the vortex. I’ll surface on my own when I’m done exploring.)
1. Entropy
2. Copyright law
3. Alternate reality games
4. NIN’s music
5. Capturing the essence of music in my fiction
One embarrassment caused by an obsession: While I was in high school and caught in my Duran Duran obsession, I entered a contest sponsored by the band in which fans could ask for something from the band. I asked for Simon LeBon’s fedora and his accent. Sheesh!
Now it’s time for tagging. I’m gonna tag a bunch of you, both bloggers and non-bloggers. Non-bloggers can leave their answers in the comment section. I’ll let you bloggers decide how many people you want to tag.
You’re It! – Kim, Joanne, Ryan, Erin, Manoj, Jody, Alice, Rianna, A.K., and O.W.
10 comments
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January 22, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Alice Smuda
Gosh Mary, you are really making me think about this one.
1. Oh, now I know..you’ll remember this one. On Annie’s day off I was obsessed in getting copies done on the “Accession Book “she left for me to do. Everything was flowing so nicely and I was almost finished when I remembered the copies were to be on yellow paper!!! YIKES! All that wasted paper and ink! I was so embarrassed, but you came up with the solution of cutting to size for our use as note paper.
2. My friend Donna and her boyfriend arranged a double date between me and her boyfriend’s friend. It was a blind date and a big mistake. I was very shy at that time and he was too. Neither one of us could think of anything to say to each other. Donna and her boyfriend were trying to get us to talk to one another, but it just didn’t happen. We both talked with Donna and her boyfriend, but were too shy to talk to one another. Geez, I still get embarrassed over that, especially after all the planning we did before hand.
It’s taken me 45 minutes to think of two! I’ll have to owe you the other three.
Ali
!
January 22, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Ryan
Fantastic meme!
I responded… at length… on my blog!
Thanks!
January 23, 2008 at 7:19 pm
woowooteacup
That’s okay, Ali, I’ll take a raincheck on the other three. You don’t have to mention something embarrassing with each of your obsessions/passions. You can just list the obsessions.
Does Ben know about the blind date thing?
No worries about the paper!
________
Ryan – I’m glad you liked the meme idea. I was going to simply post this as some great revelation about my obsessions, but thought, heck, why not ask everyone else what they’re obsessed about.
By the way, people, Ryan’s response to this is fabulous. He starts out with defining obsession and a reason for why it may be something human beings may need to have. If you haven’t read it, shoot on over to his blog: http://reevadubois.livejournal.com/120499.html
January 23, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Erin
Ok, I’d like to say that Mary WROTE a meme (who does that?) and then Ryan showed her up by writing his best in a long time.
I have been writing about poop.
But this is a fun meme… I have to think about which ones I want to admit to, and whose definition I want to use.
January 23, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Alice Smuda
Yeah, Ben knows how obsessed all my friends were to fix me up. It’s how I met him (another of my friends dating Ben’s friend, another double date. Have to say tho, he was tops when I met him and he gave me that sexy smile. I suddenly became a “chatter box”. The rest is history.
Ironing is another of my obssessions.
Now I’m curious to see what Ryan wrote, going to pop over there to read his meme.
Ali
January 23, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Ryan
Showed up Mary? I did nothing of the sort.
Mary, you’re an amazing thinker… and so many of your blog posts are inspirational. Keep ‘em coming!!
January 24, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Rianna
1) Gilmore Girls. I’m addicted, and I will admit it. I have more then once copied Rory Gilmore’s haircut, and have followed her life from first romance to graduating from college.
2) Email. I will sit and refresh the page, which is horrible I know, but I can’t help myself.
3) Jane Austen. Nothing will improve my mood on a given night faster than Pride and Prejudice.
4) Coffee. I have been drinking it since the age of eight, and despite quitting a few times for homeopathics, I ALWAYS come back.
5) Aussie. The only beauty product that controls my curl, without stifling it. I am addicted.
Okay, so these are really more addictions, but still.
And I suppose the most embarrassed by my obsession I’ve ever been would include the gazillion times I have had to walk around with coffee spilled down the front of my shirt.
January 24, 2008 at 6:22 pm
woowooteacup
Well, Ali – I guess becoming a chatter box was your sign of true love. Mine was finding myself utterly comfortable around my husband when I was dating him. The other boys I liked in middle to high school made me jumpy. With Hubby, I could be myself without being self-conscious. He also brings out my truest self, which I believe is the sign of the perfect relationship.
My heavens, Ryan! Such high praise! I’m delighted with the compliments, but I have to agree with Erin. Your explanation of why we might need our obsessions was truly original. Bravo to you!
Hey, Rianna – I enjoy watching Gilmore Girls, but, alas! It’s not an obsession. If I were younger & had more time to watch, it might be. I’m addicted to my email, but obsessed with my blog. Did I mention that in my post? If not, that’s another one. I agree with you on the Aussie. Nice stuff. We won’t quibble about addictions vs. obsessions. Sorry about all the coffee on your shirts!
February 3, 2008 at 11:50 am
Manoj Sterex
God! I’m sorry Mary. I was pretty much caught up with ‘nothing’ and was busy. (Wait, I’m yet to understand it myself!
) I’ve not blogged the whole of January and was off the PC for quite a few days in a row! (Which of course is amazing for a person who usually spends at least 4 hours everyday in front of it.)
I’ll surely make time to tag you sometime.
Regards,
Manoj
February 4, 2008 at 2:57 pm
woowooteacup
Hey, Manoj – No problem on not catching this, or on not blogging for a while. Life outside of the computer calls. You’ve got to engage with it sometimes. Periodically I get to feeling I spend too much time on the computer and not enough outside. Easy to do in Minnesota in the winter. Come spring and summer, I will be out more.