during some LATE NIGHT LUDICRISY from whatever wednesday, i accidentally confessed the following:
i feel the need to share that i sleep with both sheets, three blankets, and four pillows.
and drew hangs off the bed.
its true. i’m a very high maintenance sleeper. and, it gets worse:
i CANNOT handle wrinkly bedding.
and i HAVE to have socks on - tight ones that hug the inner arch of the bottom of my feet.
and i need white noise
and stillness
and i DEFINITELY wish i wasn’t like this
and constantly apologize to my husband - who practically hangs off of the 6 inches of mattress he has left.
so. in what area of your life are YOU high maintenance.
and don’t even act like you’re NOT. i know better.
80 responses so far ↓
Kristiapplesauce // May 2, 2008 at 8:09 am
Totally high maintenance in the way I wash and dry my clothes. I almost never ever ever dry my clothes. Especially jeans, unmentionables and pj’s…this isn’t a problem now that we don’t own a dryer and line dry everything…but when we came to the States for Christmas and people were trying to “help” us with things. Oh my gosh…I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. Seriously. DO NOT DRY MY CLOTHES! Dang. For reals Yo.
adam // May 2, 2008 at 8:34 am
I like to have lime with my Diet Coke when I go out. Usually that means a trip to the bar for the server. I’m sure that gets annoying after a few refills!
Daniel Underwood // May 2, 2008 at 8:45 am
my study time (total quiet, own room, no distractions whatsoever, lots of time - i’m a slow and distractable learner)
Kristiapplesauce // May 2, 2008 at 8:47 am
So Adam…I gotta know…do you drink your diet coke at home with lime, or only when you go out?
Kristiapplesauce // May 2, 2008 at 8:47 am
What about when you go to friends houses…do you bring your own? I am so nervous.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:35 am
and Kristi: what do you do when its raining? and do you use fabric softener in the wash? or just have crispy jeans!? i’m getting stressed out just thinking about it. seriously.
Dan: good thing y’all don’t have kids! (you don’t right? did i miss something?)
Leslie Brooke // May 2, 2008 at 9:42 am
I was told last night that I was high maintenance because at Joe Muggs I bought a Diet Coke in a bottle and asked the girl for a cup with a lid and ice. I don’t see it
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:44 am
Brooke: that’s totally southern! that’s not high-maintenance. duh.
Cindy Beall // May 2, 2008 at 9:45 am
I suppose I’m kind of high maintenance, EGR, as we call it (Extra Grace Required), in the “please put your things where they belong” category. I like a picked up house and when the menfolk in my house leave their things strewn about, it almost sends me over the proverbial edge.
I’m up for Mother of the Year, you know.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:47 am
Cindy: you’d have a NERVOUS BREAKDOWN if you came to my apartment. remind me to never ever ever invite you over. he he he!
Heidi // May 2, 2008 at 9:47 am
I’m alot like you in the sleep department. But my sheets have to be ice cold and 1 quilt.
I’m very high maintenance in my job. I have to be in the top 3. I’m very competetive and I want everything right. Since I work in a man’s world (don’t get mad here men) but I estimate cars and I am in bodyshops with men whistling and so forth, although I weigh a ton. BUT… I get so irritated. I’m there to do a job, a good job, and whatever you do don’t tell me about parts on a car, I know already. They try to give me special considerations because I have the boobies, but… a car is a car. just get out of my way LOL
Okay I’m done ranting now….
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:49 am
Heidi:
Kristiapplesauce // May 2, 2008 at 9:50 am
Okay, so we have drying racks for when it is raining or cold (for the inside)…and for some reason (I think because we have like the 3rd best water in the world) our clothes don’t get hard. they are always soft. I sometimes use softener but not because of the “soft”…I usually only use it when they are going to be dried inside because that means that it is going to take 2 days to dry, and I don’t want them to have that musty smell. Yup. And there continues the saga of me and my clothes.
Leslie Brooke // May 2, 2008 at 9:52 am
I totally agreed, Mandy, but no one else wanted to give me any credit! Oh Well.
Michelle // May 2, 2008 at 9:54 am
Y’all are funny!!!
I must have luke-warm water with lemon when I go out (everywhere, actually)- If it’s not possible, I can’t understand WHY it’s not possible, just go to the tap - then I must have a straw!!!
Sensitive teeth, y’all
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:55 am
Brooke: my mom puts roasted peanuts in her bottled coke. that is SOOOOO old school country. ever heard of that?
Kristi: wow. i woulda never guessed it. is there some particular reason why you don’t dry your clothes? are you just old-school? like to smell like the great outdoors? hippie energy saver?
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:57 am
Red: me too. i’m a lukewarm water drinker. we keep a pitcher of filtered water on our counter - not even in the fridge. but today i walked up the hill for a meeting - and my meeting person got me a cup of iced water and it was the best thing ever. i was sweating. yes. in 44 degree rainy weather - i was sweating. i think i’m outta shape!
Michelle // May 2, 2008 at 9:59 am
I read somewhere that lukewarm water absorbs better - the icey drinks make your muscles contract and you don’t get the relief as guickly. Who knew?? I just like it warm.
lori // May 2, 2008 at 10:01 am
K…bath towels. Why is this so hard poeple!!! You put the corners together when you fold them, it’s not a big deal! Just do it right for pete’s sake!
And you know, I put stuff in the kitchen where I..emphisis: I..want it. Don’t go moving it. If you don’t know where to put it away, then ask! The drawer is organized for a reason!
Now, the toilet paper MUST unroll from the top. Listen carefully while I spell it out…T O P….is that SOOOOO hard? Don’t know where the top is? Well then, start the roll before you put it on the holder! It’s simple!! UGH!
Michelle // May 2, 2008 at 10:02 am
I sweat sitting still - must be hard work just typing!!
uh-oh, wrong use of
I’m NOT having “issues” - lol
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 10:17 am
Lori: um… wow. but i heard (i think on oprah - back in the day when i actually watched) that we save toilet paper if we roll from the back. i started putting them on the roll like that & drew couldn’t take it. so - we’re back to wasting toilet paper!
Red: yes. lukewarm is better when working out & stuff - for those exact reasons. body absorbs it quicker. and you should only be typing fast on wednesdays. rest on the rest.
gchyayles // May 2, 2008 at 10:33 am
I am really high-maintenance when it comes to drinking water. Our tap water is very unpleasant tasting and I am very particular about bottled water too. No Aquafina fuh sure. Dasani tastes funny to me too. Ice Mountain will do on desparate days but EVIAN is the truth!!!! I absolutely love Evian and have a very hard time when I go to restaurants or people’s houses [I sneak a bottle with me in a purse]. The worst thing is it’s expensive and my hubby keeps telling me I have to acquire a taste for something else but nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I LOVE MY EVIAN!
I don’t know if this is considered being high maintenance or just plain obsessive but I cannot stand things being in the wrong place in the house [shoes on the floor, jacket on the couch, stove covers on the dining table etc]. I am constantly getting up from the couch to pick this that or the other, it’s quite funny. We’ll be watching a movie and BOOM I am off the couch running around the apartment [my hubby just looks at me like ---> :shock:]
PS Somebody teach me how to do other faces otherwise I’ll be like Joey from FRIENDS in that one episode where he’s using ” ” incorrectly but in my case, it’ll be the googly man/woman/whatever he/she may be!
lori // May 2, 2008 at 10:34 am
gchyayles // May 2, 2008 at 10:34 am
and the face didn’t even work–what did I do wrong?!?!?!?!
tam // May 2, 2008 at 10:34 am
I can only drink water from a straw. No Straw no drinky.
I dont like to drink after people. So dont ask me for a sip.
when i DO have soda I CAN NOT drink it from a can. It makes me gassy. sorry. it’s how God made me. Blame him princess!
I don’t like it when my faucets have spots on them. A shiny faucet can make all the difference. IMCO.
Heidi // May 2, 2008 at 10:46 am
Oh Tam,
You let out my secret. I hate spots on my faucets too.
But I thought it was OCD, so I didn’t want to mention it.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 10:56 am
Lori: naptime, honey, naptime.
gchyayles: yeah. i learned the emoticons the hard way. you gotta put a space between the special code & anything else. so that last bracked ruined it…. sorry girlfriend. try again! ps: joey = cracks me up! you came in a week late - i just posted that i completed watching ALL TEN seasons of friends in 7 months. and i was a friends’ virgin. absolutely clueless about the whole entire show. wow!
Tam & Heidi: y’all’d go into a conniption if y’all came over. sorry ladies. i’m all spotty…
Michelle // May 2, 2008 at 10:56 am
WW and FIF will never see me involved - can’t go that fast even when I’m rested.
gchyayles // May 2, 2008 at 10:58 am
Mandy: I did that last year! I wasn’t a friend’s virgin though hehe I had caught quite a few of the episodes but not necc in order. It was so much fun watching season 1 through 10 in a row. I had a blast!! I don’t think I had consistently laughed like that in a long time!
gchyayles // May 2, 2008 at 11:00 am
PS Mandy: did you get my email?
lori // May 2, 2008 at 11:01 am
Water: room temp
Soda, iced tea, iced coffee: cold, very cold but:
Soda: no ice unless it’s from a bottle or can that isn’t already cold. If there is ice, I’ll need a straw, otherwise I’m good.
Iced tea, iced coffee: ice and straw, and i usually drink it really fast because i hate when the ice melts and dilutes it…
Iced coffee: sugar
Hot coffee: equal…not the yellow one, or the pink one…the blue one.
sheesh…no wonder my husband is confused. (sorry hunny!)
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 11:03 am
Red: well - as long as you stick around for the rest, we’ll be ok. you make me laugh too much.
gchyayles: me too. me too. it was what my heart needed. phoebe is my favorite. http://mandythompson.com/2008/01/17/confess-i-dang-near-wet-my-pants/
Lori: a “tour” post is coming later today. because i heart you THAT much.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 11:04 am
gchyayles - yes. will reply. i’m so obviously stuck moderating here right now!
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 11:05 am
gchyayles: the coming “tour” post will answer MUCH of your questions. meant to say that in comment #33.
lori // May 2, 2008 at 11:06 am
Awwwww!!! I heart you too, Mandy! Thanks for makin’ my day!!
Becca // May 2, 2008 at 11:36 am
I have to fold my clothes immediately after they come out of the dryer. I hate to have to leave them in there…
I’m obsessed with blue pens, and I must turn the cap so that the tip is in line with the writing on the actual pen (make sense?)
Unless it’s 70 degrees or higher, I hate ice in my drinks.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 11:40 am
Becca: folding? that’s not high maintenance! that’s efficiency! no wrinkles to iron. but the pen. well. um. yeah.
Sean // May 2, 2008 at 11:53 am
Okay reference was made to OCD!!! Guilty on all counts, I get dressed the same EXACT way every day, shower with the same EXACT way every day. No one else can fold clothes, I have unfolded drawers in dressers in my house because I knew clothing was there that was not folded correctly! … Hi everyone, my name is Sean and I have an OCD problem.
Oh, and the cold sheets thing mentioned earlier?… I LOVE cold sheets, wife calls me a freak but oh well!
Brandy // May 2, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I’m high maintenance when it comes to getting ready to leave my house. If I am leaving the house I HAVE TO have my hair and makeup done….. to perfection. HAVE.TO. My husband HATES this and is constantly whining for me to “hurry up!” when really it doesn’t take THAT long
and when you factor in three kids bugging me while I’m getting ready, and hour and half really isn’t that long. 
For real though, w/o kids bothering me, it only takes about an hour. BUT, it has to be perfect, or else I am NOT HAPPY. And then it ruins my day. 
When I am home all day though, I couldn’t care less.
Kelly // May 2, 2008 at 12:08 pm
mandy-you are the only one here allowed to come to my house! LOL! High maintenance, hmmm. Only for my husband. I am such a laid back, low maintenance personality, but my husband is wound tight and likes things “just so”. If something has my attention…it has ALL of my attention. That means when I am reading something, on a writing spree, praying, worshiping, whatever it is…that is ALL I am doing. Then I have to cram all of the mundane everyday tasks in to “super power hour” and hurry and get it all done at once! Which means I sit typing furiously, or reading with my head totally stuck in the monitor, oblivious to the disaster site around me, until my husband comes home and says “what happened??” ….ummmm….nothing? oops.
I oversee an online e mail prayer chain, and my husband will be talking to me while I’m clicking furiously away at the keys oblivious to a word he is saying. Finally I stop, “Um, hello? I’m PRAYING here?!” LOL! Yes, I could sell cd’s….like Monk’s worship and their chanting, but mine would be World Wide prayer….to the tune of “clickety clickety clickety click, tappy tap tap, tappy tap tap” LOL!!
Gosh I need to get off of this computer
I do have two quirks that may be a bit strange I suppose, but isn’t our “strange” really our “normal”? So hard to tell!
Coffee…it MUST not get warm. Has to be hot. The moment it’s not, I have to dump the cup and refill. After years and years of wasting so much coffee, I’m trying desperatly to get into the habit of just pouring less than half a cup at at time. But then, the more coffee, the warmer it stays.
Also, I can NEVER pay for something that cost’s more than a dollar, with all change. My mom had her own quirks to say the least, and used to send us down to the Newspaper Machine on Sundays to buy 10 papers at a time so she could have all the coupons (hate those too!), which meant $10 in change. One quarter at a time. Or she would send us to the store to buy $10 or $20 worth of stuff, with ALL change! AHHHH!! My little sister hated this so bad she refused to ever touch change when she grew up. She would get change back, and throw it away!! Not anymore though. Also, long ago when I was a dirt poor silly run away teenager, I had to scrape any change I could find to pay for my McDonalds, Cigarettes and Coke (duh, why I was so broke! LOL!), so to pay for anything more than a dollar with change, just makes me feel as poor as dirt. I’m trying to get over it….work in progress. Maybe if I start paying for everything with gold coins instead??
Other high maintenance issue…I don’t know how to write anything short. I’m trying. If I would just get all of my books out of my brain and onto the computer…I probably wouldn’t have so many unruly words jumping out without invitation all the time!! Ugh!
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Sean: there’s room for OCDers here. we all ain’t right, so stick around!
Brandy: wow… bless your husband’s heart!
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 12:10 pm
but brandy, what about if people knock on your door & you’re not all fixed up? then what happens???
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Kelly: you seem normal!
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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just kidding.
LOVED your honesty. made me smile. hope you get those books written. either here, or on your blog, or somewhere!
Becca // May 2, 2008 at 12:15 pm
it’s high maintenance in college, let me assure you. Haha.
Brandy // May 2, 2008 at 12:17 pm
If someone knocks on my door and I’m not all fixed up….well, it depends on who it is, but I’ve been known to hide and stuff the kids in a room with me until they go away.
That’s bad, huh? 
Okay I just finished reading through all the comments and one thing that stood out to me was gchyayles….b/c I am a WATER SNOB. BIG TIME. I refuse refuse refuse to drink tap water. REFUSE. I hate it. And I can taste weird water and how alllll water has something “different” to it. I’m so sensitive to the taste of water, it’s annoying. I have to drink bottled, and even then it depends. I’m very picky. At restaurants, when I order water, it has to be ICE COLD b/c sometimes the coldness will hide a funny taste, but not always. WHEW, there’s my water rant. Sawreee.
THat husband you spoke of, he’s whining right now.
We have to go look at that cockapoopoo today and I’m still in jams and messy hair and no makeup. *sigh*
OH! Mandy,I gather from your comments that you are a messy girl in the house?? If so, I think I love you.
tam // May 2, 2008 at 12:17 pm
“but brandy, what about if people knock on your door & you’re not all fixed up? then what happens??”
Trust me.
that would NEVER happen!
EVER!
Brandy // May 2, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Oh, I just remembered a story that you might find….amusing.
Last week the movers forgot to have us sign a paper so they called and said they’d be there in an hour to have me sign it. I BOOGIED as fast as I could to get a shower, do my hair and makeup and get dressed…..all to sign a piece of paper while I stood at my front door.
Brandy // May 2, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Tammy:
HAHAHA!! Love you! 
tam // May 2, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Oh - I got another one. you’ll LOVE this Mandy
I have an electric hand held yahtzee in my bathroom. When I am “waiting” i play yahtzee to relax me. I can’t travel without it.
sorry.
but you asked.
tam // May 2, 2008 at 12:23 pm
OH - and I have to floss ALL the time. I keep floss in my purse and my car. I don’t have straight teeth…as you’ve noticed from our vids
so lots of stuff get stuck in them. Can’t stand it. Gotta floss. A LOT!
Brandy // May 2, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I hate flossing.
Brandy // May 2, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Okay I’m done for the day. Tam, I’m sorry love but I have to skip FIF
. MUST GO GET READY……
Pete Wilson // May 2, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I’ll pray for your husband!
Leilanni // May 2, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Gotta have coke (that would be Texan for any kind of carbonated beverage) in a can or off the fountain - NOT in a bottle. Ewww. Totally does not taste the same.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Leilanni: that would be SOUTHERN for any kind of carbonated beverage! YES MA’AM!
Pete: he needs it. bless his heart.
Tam: yes. we all know you are high maintenance when it comes to the potty. thank you for reminding us. really.
Brandy: um. my house is NEVER EVER EVER clean. and… goodnight!
Becca: oh girl! when do you graduate!?!
edfromct // May 2, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Like Sean I am a member of the OCD club and that makes us very high maintenance. If you look at the table my computer is one the screen, computer, printer are all perfectly centered. When I dust the table I must put everything back exactly where it was before.
Clothes in my closets are perfectly aligned and arranged in order by type and color.
When I make a sandwich all the ingredients are perfectly centered on the bread which I then cut into perfect squares.
Needless to say no women has been able to tolerate living with me for more than six months. They usually run screaming out the door after hitting me with a large object.
I am must clean up the pieces of the large object before I go to the ER. 
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Ed: HA!!! you clean up before going to the ER. that’s awesome!!!!
tam // May 2, 2008 at 3:46 pm
and Ed has been to the ER A LOT!
Sean // May 2, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Ed, EVENTUALLY the rest of the world will catch up and realize we are totally RIGHT and they have all been WRONG! Nothing wrong with systems.
Kelly // May 2, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Becca-”if someone knocks on my door and I’m not all fixed up….well, it depends on who it is, but I’ve been known to hide and stuff the kids in a room with me until they go away.”
I have SO done that!!! I have recently been getting better at that though, as I have posted a “warning” LOL! http://boggledbrainyisms.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/housekeeping-disclaimer/
Tam- I’m a 3 time-a-day flosser at least! Same here, teeth not so straight, can’t STAND stuff in there! Gonna be brave and get braces this year!
Mandy-My house is clean for about 15 minutes every day. Well, maybe 3/4 clean. Okay, the floors are picked up and vacuumed once a day and it stays that way for 15 minutes. LOL! Only because all of the kids have jobs as well, and that’s part of their list. My laundry (for 7 people mind you) gets caught up once every 3 months, I’ve finally grown to accept that. They wear faster than I can wash, dry and put away. The two girls change their clothes 387 times a day. Dishes, well, we live in a house with no hook up for a dishwasher for the past 9 months. Enough said. I just look at my husband when he comes home and say “Sorry honey, the maid never showed up today. I think we should fire her.”
water issues- must be Dasani. Nothing else. Not tap, any other bottle, nothing. I try, but it comes from “aversions” to every kind of water except Dasani through 5 pregnancies (aka puking!). Some things just never leave you even when the baby does.
all of you OCD people- Could any of you possibly come live in the corner of my basement (sorry, it’s small) and like the cobblers elves, sneak up every night and take your disorder out on my house??!! PLEASSSSEEEEEEE??????!
edfromct // May 2, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I have the local ER on speed dial. We are on a first name basis.
Sean // May 2, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Kelly - You should have seen my Blue picture, I would have been perfect for living in someone’s basement, coming up at night and cleaning! haha
tam // May 2, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Yes. Sean use to look like a smurf and umpaloompa mated. It was great! Love you bro! You KNOW i do! OH - and I got your message today. Funny! Yours is still worse!!!
Kelly - Yay for you!!! If we had dental and could afford it I would SOOO get braces! My MIL got hers when she was 50 - she loved it! I’m so excited for you!!!
Mandy - I didn’t guess you as a messy person. You seem so anal about things. hmmm… i’d drive you crazy! THAT would be fun! Not saying I don’t drive you crazy already
Kevin E // May 2, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I have to have the house clean. I can’t stand stuff laying around. What makes this hard is I have 2 little sisters. It gets weirder. I am fine if my room is a wreck. I will be fine but if the rest of the house is messy I start make my family walk on egg shells
tam // May 2, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I think I’m gonna start calling Ed, Monk and Sean Monk Jr.
You all know who Monk is right?
edfromct // May 2, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I am more like Monk when I am in my condo, out in public I can ignore the mess, I embrace the mess.
Out doors is supposed to be messy. I also wouldn’t mind having a hot babe assistant like he does. 
Michelle // May 2, 2008 at 8:38 pm
If I see a sharpened pencil I MUST draw, the slightest dullness and I’m sharpening again to finish the drawing…I hate pens and only use them to write checks or sign documents.
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Kevin: seriously? WOW!!!!
Red: scary… you MUST. you have no choice? ever?
mandythompson // May 2, 2008 at 9:48 pm
i just fell asleep on the couch @ 9:00 on a friday night. with the lights on. and drew moving around while watching a DVD. but i can’t sleep without straight sheets.
i don’t get me.
tam // May 2, 2008 at 10:42 pm
me either
Kelly // May 2, 2008 at 11:10 pm
“i just fell asleep on the couch @ 9:00 on a friday night. with the lights on. and drew moving around while watching a DVD. but i can’t sleep without straight sheets.
i don’t get me.”
I think we are infecting you.
edfromct // May 2, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I can’t sleep in a seat, like on a plane or train, but if I can streach out I am okay. The most unusual place I have sleep is on top of some washers and dryers in Wildwood, New Jersay, waiting for a bus back to NY.
mandythompson // May 3, 2008 at 8:40 am
Kelly: there’s definitely SOMETHING wrong with me!
Ed: washers & dryers? really? you are one interesting dude!!!
Michelle // May 3, 2008 at 12:59 pm
“Red: scary… you MUST. you have no choice? ever?”
Sure, it’s a bit like seeing a guitar and you MUST play (it is guitar you play, right?). Then if it’s not in tune, first things first, and you’re good to go…scary?? Naw, totally normal!!
mandythompson // May 3, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Red: ahhh…. makes sense! except, not really. at all.
mandythompson // May 3, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Tam: btw - i SO noticed that “me either” - ha……………
alece // May 4, 2008 at 1:42 am
i have TONS of high-maintenances. (were you around for my OCD post???)
the stegalls take columbus [late night snack] « a life of perpetual transition // May 10, 2008 at 3:06 am
[...] 10, 2008 by cathi stegall I, like my newfound friend, am a hight maintenance [...]
cathi stegall // May 10, 2008 at 4:11 am
ok. i’m convinced.
let’s be friends.
Best of “Hi, My Name is Mandy.” « mandythompson.com // December 23, 2008 at 2:05 pm
[...] Original Post: 5.2.08 [...]