• casaper@discuss.tchncs.de
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    2 days ago

    I am dual.

    That paradox of requiring predictability/routine and novelty equally has brought up some funny traits in me during the approximately statistical half-life I’ve spent.

    I have revolving daily things, like toothpaste for example:

    Two dozen toothpaste tubes arranged in two rows on a glass bathroom
shelf, featuring various brands with predominantly blue, white, and
green packaging, with no duplicated products. The tubes are upright
standing on their lids.

    There are no duplicates within the two dozen toothpastes. When I brush teeth, I take the first one on the right side, and place it on the left side afterwards. When the tubes have no more room on the left side, I shift all of them to the right side, maintaining the order. The order is maintained, but it’s not the point. As long as it doesn’t change all the time, reorders are fine. It’s all about the impossible thing: predictable novelty.

    It’s ridiculous, I know.
    But somehow it makes me calm to maintain my little toothpaste revolver, and knowing that I’ll only use the same make again after 12 days.

    I’m glad to be able to let go of this quirk when I’m not at home, because I’m travelling. Carrying 24 tubes, 10 pairs of shoes plus 72 t-shirts along would be a bit of a burden, wouldn’t it? 😆

    • TheBluePillock@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I love this. It’s exactly the kind of thing I would do. I have so many detailed routines that give me the right mix of planned variety, freedom for true novelty, and security from familiarity.

      Also diagnosed dual, but still doing a lot of thinking about it.

    • joulethief@discuss.tchncs.de
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      2 days ago

      Wow, that’s something I have never heard of but it does make a lot of sense in my mind! Do you maintain similar strategies with anything else besides toothpaste/shoes/shirts?

      • casaper@discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 days ago

        Just syrups come to mind.

        If this expands too much it might presumably turn into OCP. It’s fine as it is now, but a life built entirely on revolving staples would lack novelty 😜.