Human personalities range from super laid back to extremely picky and everything in between. But even the chillest among us have something we’re particular about—that “thing” we can’t stand or that has to be a certain way whether we have a logical reason for it or not.
Some of us have multiple “things,” but precious few people have none.
We asked our audience what they were weirdly finicky about and the answers ranged from food to bed sheets to grammar. But what was fascinating was to see how many people’s “things” overlapped.
Check out some of the most popular answers and see if any of these resonate with you:
Removing the egg chalazae
Don’t know what a chalazae is? You probably do but didn’t know you know. It’s that stringy thing that we often mistake for an umbilical cord that connects the egg yolk to the white in a raw egg. (Don’t worry, I didn’t known it was called a chalazae until I looked it up. Perfect spelling bee word, though.)
Anyway, many people shared that they have to remove the chalazae before they can use an egg for any purpose.
“I have to take the ‘umbilical cord’ off of the egg before I use it – for anything.” – Sande H.
‘We call them squigllys and, yes, they must be removed.” – Jan J.
“Me too!!! I call them goobers. There are two per egg. Ugh.” – Jess M.
Food = no touchy
A whole lot of people do not want different foods to touch on their plate.
“Mine is that certain foods can’t touch, no matter how many people tell me that it all goes to the same place.” – Janice C.
“I like a plate with dividers because I don’t like for my food to touch one another.” – Pat. W.
“I love pickled beetroot and I love mashed tatties. Can’t have them on same plate – nooo pink tatties!” – Sheila D.
Line up those $ bills
Some people need their Abes and their Benjamins all facing the same direction, preferably in ascending order, in their wallet.
“My money has to all go in the same direction in my wallet. When a cashier gives me change I have to put the bills all the same way before putting them away.” – Michelle M.
“I don’t carry cash much these days, but I can’t stand if it’s not all facing the same way and organized smallest bill to largest.” – Josh C.
“Paper money that comes out of the ‘Hole-in-the-wall’ has to be sorted so the notes are all the same way and then kept like that until they are spent. I can’t bear them to be upside-down and back-to-front with each other.” – DA O.
Where the table is in a restaurant
This one was interesting. Several people commented that they can’t sit in the middle of a restaurant.
“I have to sit next to a window or wall in a restaurant. Hate sitting in middle of the room.” – Reed K.
“I dislike being seated where people pass behind me while I eat. I also prefer an end seat while rehearsing or watching a show. I like to move around.” – Judy J.
Improper spelling and punctuation
There were a lot of grammar police in the comments. Some complaints betray a lack of understanding about different English dialects, but some things are universal no-nos.
“I have a physical reaction to apostrophes being used for pluralizing words.” – Sarah R.
“Must have correct spelling and punctuation.” – Annette L.
This one was just hilariously specific:
“Being able to spell the breed of the dog you own.” – Amy P.
So much bed finickiness
“Climbing into a bed that has wrinkles and isn’t tucked in with hospital corners.” – Yvonne M.
“My pillowcase open end has to face the outside edge of the bed.” – Karen M.
“Having my sheets straight when I go to sleep. I hate having one side long and the other side just barely covering the other foot.” – Laura H.
The ‘right’ way to load a dishwasher
Believe it or not, there is a right way to load a dishwasher. But some folks make it their mission to have it done right.
“Dishwasher loading: Can you PLEASE wash the pots by hand, put the glass and heavy things on the bottom, and fragile, or noteworthy (heirloom/souvenir) items on the TOP RACK. Gee… help a sister out.” – Charlotte T.
“How I load the flatware into the dishwasher, handles up. Safe because when unloading you only touch the handles, not the business end that goes in the mouth.” – Kim D.
“Stacking the dishwasher, I re-stack it if it’s untidy.” – Joanne O.
Flatware and cutlery having to feel just right
I get this one, personally. I have a thing with the size of spoons (can’t stand the big ones). Apparently, I’m not alone.
“My husband’s pickiness about silverware and its length, weight, and balance. He’s not really OCD either. It’s weird.” – Diana M.
“Matching cutlery. I can’t stand a mismatching knife and fork.” – Tracey M.
“Forks , they have to be long and lite weight.” – Leona S.
That wasn’t all. Lots of people also commented on washing hands before handling food, keeping countertops spotless, closing cupboard doors, putting things back where they belong and other cleanliness/organization dos and don’ts. Some people joked about having the list of things that they aren’t finicky about being shorter. But the main takeaway is that whatever you’re particularly finicky about, you always can find others who understand because somebody, somewhere shares the same “things.”