Are you routine oriented?

[hakuna matata]

And if so, disturbed if someone or something disturbs that set routine?

I was thinking of that this morning at the gym. We go right when they open up, and there is a core group of about 15 people, and for the most part, each person seems to park their car in the exact same spot in the parking lot...EXCEPT one woman, she parks willy-nilly and sometimes parks in a spot where someone else usually does. So you see her park there, and the regular person pulls up, and you can see this mental confusion cross their face as they are forced to park somewhere else! No one has ever said anything to her, but I can tell by facial expressions and dirty looks, that is bothers some people.

Me--she has parked where I normally do as well, and I just pull into the next spot and go about my day. I am routine oriented but just roll with it if something disrupts that routine. I mean it is only a parking space

I used to see it on the ferry commute too. People would sit in the same spots and some rookie would get on the boat and take 'their' spot. There I have seen some arguments over it. People got pretty ticked off, and I just never understood why they couldn't roll with it. I think it has to do with getting your day off to a start the way 'you' want to, and when something disrupts that, it sets your whole day up poorly. But that is just a guess on my part.

Obviously Hakuna Matata is a good moniker for me as I never let stuff like that bother me. Do you? No judgements, just curious as to how people react to people messing up their routines!

 

[easysurfer]

I'm sure a lot of food fights started in high school when some kid sat in a spot that wasn't his regular spot

When I was w*rking, I was more routine oriented. I used to commute by train to w*rk and would have a regular sitting area most of the week. Many left at a certain time and had a certain seat and hung out with friends who did the same thing. People are creatures of habit.

I've slacked off (probably too much) a routine since retiring.

 

[Meadbh]

Not at all. Little things like this are not worth worrying about as far as I am concerned. However, a former work colleague of mine used to get very offended if "her" seat was taken at a regular weekly meeting, to the extent that everyone else knew to avoid that seat unless she was on vacation.

 

[Cassie]

I too have slacked off a tad....however I go to weight watchers every Saturday morning and sit in the same location. And so do other regulars. When I was working it was the same in the board room for morning report. Now that I think about it I have new routines....for example...I won't lounge on the sofa until 4:00 for Judge Judy.

 

[EastWest Gal]

To my knowledge, not one of these people actually purchased or even rented that parking space or that chair at the meeting, so they don't have a "right" to the spot in the first place. At work when I step away from a chair or a computer terminal and someone asks permission to use that location, I just laugh and say I didn't buy the chair or make a joke that I'm charging rent for it...


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[pb4uski]

I'm not routine oriented at all except... at home I have certain places for certain things and if I'm looking for that certain thing and it happens to have a specific place I expect it to be there... unfortunately, DW isn't quite so structured at home

 

[Walt34]

... at home I have certain places for certain things and if I'm looking for tat certain thing and it happens to have a specific place I expect it to be there... unfortunately, DW isn't quite so structured at home

Same thing happens here. Or she'll decide to "straighten things up" and move things to a new location and not tell me. So sometimes things "just disappear". Doesn't happen often though so not a biggie.

 

[MBAustin]

The "you took my seat" phenomenon is very common in churches. Every once in awhile our pastors will encourage us to sit somewhere different and remind us to welcome the visitor who sits in "our" seat.

 

[freebird5825]

I'm very routine oriented at home, but not out in public. That makes no sense by definition.

Mr B's office is a no-fly zone for me, by my choice. I will occasionally go in there to vacuum, with him present moving stuff out of the way for me, but other than that, it is his man-cave and I respect that. He does his own organizing and [-]disturbing the sedimentary layers[/-] dusting off the glass top computer desk as needed.

My plant growing room is the smaller bedroom right next door, and he stays out of my room also. The house is relatively small but we like having our own little personal space to be as routine oriented as we want to be.

We each have our own recliner in the living room. Mine has more back support than the cushy leather one he prefers.

The downstairs room serves as a common storage area because there is no true basement in a raised ranch. The kitchen area is also a shared space. I am very methodical about where I store things, so if he doesn't know where to put something, he leaves it on the counter for me to file away.

He's an accountant, I'm an engineer.

It is a peaceful household.

 

[aja8888]

Both DW and I are routine oriented. I won't bore you with the details.

 

[Lakedog]

I guess my only routines are with respect to my dog (feeding/exercise) and meal timing but not so much otherwise. I was more routine oriented prior to retiring, but now change doesn't bother me much.

 

[Silver]

The "you took my seat" phenomenon is very common in churches. Every once in awhile our pastors will encourage us to sit somewhere different and remind us to welcome the visitor who sits in "our" seat.

I have occasionally come across people who behave as if a specific seat was
"God Given" to them. Nice to hear that disputed.

 

[imoldernu]

Interesting topic...
From my own perspective, routine is age related. Much easier, making for more happiness and contentment.
Not so, in earlier years... Then, the excitement and challenge made for more satisfaction.

 

[retguy]

At the gym I go to shade is a limited commodity in the lot. I have a dog whom I walk with after my workouts on MW&F.

Invariably if I am even one minute late this one person who knows I have a dog in the car and that I come every MW&F is parked in the last shady spot. One they know I use to shade my dog.

If I come earlier a class of older women has ALL the shady spots. If I come later it's too hot to leave the dog in the car to get a workout done ( I leave windows partly down, water in a bowl and two fans blowing on her) while I workout.

I live twenty miles from gym so leaving her home isn 't an option. She wants to come.

So yes I am routine oriented and routinely pissed off at the shade thief. I once left a note to the effect that I am sure that nothing is more important to them than their own personal comfort, even a suffering animal. No different behavior occurred. They always give me a little s<#t eating grin if we encounter each other inside.

There, I feel better!




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[pb4uski]

....Mr B's office is a no-fly zone for me, by my choice. I will occasionally go in there to vacuum, with him present moving stuff out of the way for me, but other than that, it is his man-cave and I respect that. He does his own organizing and [-]disturbing the sedimentary layers[/-] dusting off the glass top computer desk as needed......

I'll need to have you explain this to my DW... she doesn't get the concept.

 

[Badger]

If I come later it's too hot to leave the dog in the car to get a workout done ( I leave windows partly down, water in a bowl and two fans blowing on her) while I workout.

If you did this in Florida someone would call the police and/or break out the car window to rescue the dog.

I live twenty miles from gym so leaving her home isn 't an option. She wants to come.

This is because the dog was trained to this behavior. Maybe she should be trained to stay home while you exercise.

So yes I am routine oriented and routinely pissed off at the shade thief. I once left a note to the effect that I am sure that nothing is more important to them than their own personal comfort, even a suffering animal.

It was your choice to bring the dog and place her in a potentially life threatening situation. Don't blame someone else for your irresponsible actions.

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In just the last couple of weeks there have been a few reports on TV about this very thing and the owners have been fined for cruelty to animals. In some cases the dog was taken from the owner. Leaving an animal in a car regardless of cracking windows, putting on a fan, and leaving water doesn't necessarily address the danger to the animal. Dogs pant to cool themselves off and when the temperature rises their bodies are trying to cool off with hot air. They cook from the inside. This is irresponsible behavior for an animal owner. Of course most who do this will try to rationalize or make excuses.

There I feel better.

Cheers!

 

[Amethyst]

I'm curious. How would you react if someone left a note on your car, accusing you of stealing the shade which s/he needs in order to keep a child or elderly, disabled parent in the car?

I once left a note to the effect that I am sure that nothing is more important to them than their own personal comfort, even a suffering animal. No different behavior occurred. They always give me a little s<#t eating grin if we encounter each other inside.

 

[BBQ-Nut]

I have occasionally come across people who behave as if a specific seat was
"God Given" to them. Nice to hear that disputed.

 

[Amethyst]

That was usually a territorial, power-grab sort of thing, more than love of routine per se. A certain group of kids always sat in the seats the farthest from where teachers could get at them. Loners and brainiacs keep out, or wear your own lunch!

Amethyst

I'm sure a lot of food fights started in high school when some kid sat in a spot that wasn't his regular spot

.

 

[Which Roger]

I'm somewhat routine-oriented on the micro level (when I'm working on something, I'm focused, and don't like to be interrupted). But I'm not routine-oriented on the macro level; Since I ERd, I don't like to plan my days or weeks ahead of time, and structured days are more of a hindrance than a help.

 

[robnplunder]

I have my favorite seat in my megacorp shuttle bus to work. Most everyone has. But no one minds when another person take his favorite seat. I say the person who thinks the seat (or parking spot) belongs to him has a loose screw and not the others. First come, first serve.

 

[hakuna matata]

I have my favorite seat in my megacorp shuttle bus to work. Most everyone has. But no one minds when another person take his favorite seat. I say the person who thinks the seat (or parking spot) belongs to him has a loose screw and not the others. First come, first serve.

I would agree, however I have seen folks on the ferry up here get a bit violent and upset over it. Those who get upset by it or irritated by it--I was just wondering why? One guy I recall almost came to blows with another guy over 'his spot'.

I personally think it relates to how the rest of your day goes. You know, like when you wake up, and the first thing you do is drop your coffee mug? And then the rest of your day goes to sh*t I think those folks that get upset are anticipating the rest of their day is just going to get worse. Or alternatively maybe they have a screw loose.

I realize most people are somewhat routine oriented--I was more curious as to how people react when that routine was interrupted. I think they are probably wound a bit tighter than I am as I just roll with it. My older brother is like that, a bit wound too tight. I have seen him get upset over things that I wouldn't even register, let alone get upset by. I like my approach and my blood pressure better!

 

[Amethyst]

Quite a lot of people are just [-]spoiled brats [/-]competitive, who have to have their own way in the smallest things. Depending on personality (bold or cautious), they might get red-faced and angry, or they might leave notes on people's windshields. I think "screw loose" applies when people pull out weapons or fists.

The rest is probably, as you surmise, the human reaction to a day gone suddenly pear-shaped. Or, people's feet or backs or relationships might be hurting them and making them crabby. I try to keep that in mind so I won't get so annoyed at them (storing up karma for when my scoliosis acts up and makes me crabby).

Amethyst

I would agree, however I have seen folks on the ferry up here get a bit violent and upset over it. Those who get upset by it or irritated by it--I was just wondering why? One guy I recall almost came to blows with another guy over 'his spot'.

I personally think it relates to how the rest of your day goes. You know, like when you wake up, and the first thing you do is drop your coffee mug? And then the rest of your day goes to sh*t I think those folks that get upset are anticipating the rest of their day is just going to get worse. Or alternatively maybe they have a screw loose.

I realize most people are somewhat routine oriented--I was more curious as to how people react when that routine was interrupted. I think they are probably wound a bit tighter than I am as I just roll with it. My older brother is like that, a bit wound too tight. I have seen him get upset over things that I wouldn't even register, let alone get upset by. I like my approach and my blood pressure better!

 

[robnplunder]

I think "screw loose" applies when people pull out weapons or fists.

Nah. Those guys' screws are "missing," not just loose.

 

[John Galt III]

I like to park far away from the cars in a parking lot, to avoid the all-too-common door dent, and the rolling shopping carts. But lately I see some other folks have also started parking in "my spots". Getting harder and harder to find that "safe" spot.