I play games with myself. Do other people? Looking for an image for this post, I found this very amusing picture of a kitty who seems to enjoy playing Solitaire. Looking around at other people's blogs to see what they are writing about, I noticed that some people tend to play games with themselves, just like I do. Sometimes it's to get psyched up to exercise, or stay on a diet, or keep some other New Year's Resolution. I would guess it's pretty common, but I don't know for sure.
I went into the kitchen just now to get myself a glass of wine. I don't allow myself more than one, because I know I will just keep going if I don't have a limit, and feeling good from a glass of wine is great, but getting drunk is a real bummer. So I play a game with myself: I will get four glasses from one container, and I don't fill the glass to the top. If I am really stingy for three days, when I pour the wine into the glass on the last day, it will be a little more, and I am pleased with myself. If I've been unconsciously giving myself a little bit more, on the last day I will have less.
Smart Guy asked me why I don't just put a line on the glass, but that would take all the fun out of it. I am on Day Two today and when I poured the wine, I intentionally gave myself a little less in order to have more later. That's just one of the games I play with myself.
Board games often seem boring to me, but I have family members who love them, and sometimes when I am visiting my family I will play one and have a great time. Scrabble is fun, but I have intentionally kept myself from downloading it onto my iPod for fear that I will end up spending way too much time in that activity. So you could say that's yet ANOTHER game I play with myself: keeping myself focused by limiting my diversions.
Now if I could just find a way to keep from always counting stairs. It doesn't matter how often I go up or down them, I count them every single day. Is this a game or a compulsion? Just wondering if I'm alone in these activities.
:-)
It probably would be best if I not discuss the games I play with myself. lol
ReplyDeleteLol cute picture, I could see my cat doing that sort of thing !
ReplyDeleteI know when I had a fish tank screen saver, he would be right up there pawing at the screen.
I seem to play games also. I reward myself with that extra delicious cranberry orange scone for doing the weekly grocery shopping, I dislike grocery shopping.
I reward myself with a Bailey's Irish Cream, although I sometimes have to make up an excuse what the reward is actually for ;)
I don't play mental head games. I already have OCD and I would probably drive myself crazier than I already am if I did that. I play video games instead. My grandsons have me hooked on them. I am probably the only near 60 year old shopping for my own video games.
ReplyDeleteyes, I hear a little bit of obsessive compulsive behavior in your games....(hugs)...but we all have a little of that in us, don't we????
ReplyDeleteI used to laugh in college because when I went to my classes the first day, I chose a place to sit and then looked to sit in the same spot every day after in the same class....if someone else sat there, I seemed unbalanced or something..weird, hey?
I count stairs too! I count a lot of things, you're not alone :)
ReplyDeleteI don't play games like you do, but we're a huge game family. Once a month we get together to play various games at different rooms set up all over the house. My favorite game is Scrabble!
ReplyDeleteAs I'm writing this, I'm trying to think about what other kinds of games I could play...mind games. Your post might just be dangerous! lol!!
Love the photo!!!
No, you're not alone in this DJan. I think most everyone plays mind games with themselves even if they don't realize it. The "if I do this then I can have that" is probably pretty common. Like Rae, I love video games, the more action the better.
ReplyDeleteI think most people play games of some sort...mine tend to have more to do with chocolate.
ReplyDeleteAs a family we love actual games as well. It's good to be silly and laugh or to stretch our minds. It all depends on the games we choose to play. I love to play word games on the computer as well:)
I like word games and suduko. I count lots of things..sometimes I count the clothing as I fold..sick I know. Lately I have a game..no lunch until after I have done my exercises for the day..it works for me..I love lunch!! I had to laugh at The Retired Ones comment, I did the same thing in College..sat in the same seat..it was like it was mine!! OCD to the max then..I am much better and mellowing out with age:)
ReplyDeletebrickbreaker is a dumb game on my blackberry that is like crack.
ReplyDeletei completely understand :)
I don't play actual games, but play them with myself in my head all the time. In most games there has to be a winner and a loser and I am usually the loser.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jan, counting steps (especially every time) is a sign of OCD.
I guess OCD helped make me a good writer/editor and must have been the reason I loved to compile indexes for books! For some reason, counting the steps gives me a small measure of comfort, because they are always the same! :-)
ReplyDeleteGames? Oh yes, I'm a compulsive Sudoku player - it goes with my coffee after I've finished reading the paper. The crossword puzzle comes right after dinner. I'd count the stars if I could see them!
ReplyDeleteWuh oh. Now I'm going to be examining every little thing I do, I just know it!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I can't stop myself doing is counting when I assemble programs at work. Thing is, the components I assemble come in packs of twenty five - I have absolutely no need to count them, and I keep thinking that surely my brain could be finding something more productive to do!
I count stairs, I calculate miles and minutes, I calculate number of days until I retire, number of days until my age combined with Phyllis's age equals exactly 100 years, etc. Sometimes I spend WAY too many minutes on some stupid, irrelevant mental calculation that occurred to me out of the blue. So don't feel too bad about just counting stairs.
ReplyDeleteNo you are not .........we are all strange in our on way:)
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