I’ve always considered myself to be flexible, a person open to new opportunities, unafraid of change.

Imagine my surprise to discover this isn’t true.

The first hint of this was when I discovered it was impossible for me to  read the LIFE section of the newspaper “out of order”,  the advice column first, then the comics on the right page before those on the left.  As soon as I recognized my problem, I tried to read the funnies on the left side first.  I felt incredibly uncomfortable.   Oh, I could have done that, but it didn’t feel right.  Why put oneself under stress when reading the comics?

The second was when I discovered I couldn’t fall asleep if I lay on the “passenger” side of the bed.

The last strike was yesterday as I wrapped a package to mail.  I used one of those envelopes that has a handy tab to tear open.  However, I never trust the postal service, an unfounded lack of trust I know, but I’m certain anything I send will burst open and the contents will litter  the conveyor belt, my personal life spewed out before strangers  in an unknown city.  For that reason, I use several feet—sometimes yards–of tape to make sure that won’t happen.  Sadly, it makes the package difficult for the recipient to open.  This time, I even taped over that handy little tab.s

Don’t even get me started on my problem with sliced bread.

For all these reasons, I have to admit, I’m not adaptable in certain situations, more of them than I  like to confess.

What about you?  Do you have certain ways you have to do things?  Won’t you share them with us?  Does this bother you or those you live with?  Can you laugh at yourself about these?

If you confess, it will make me feel much better.

(This blog was originally written for the Avaloners blog, a site for those who wrote for Avalon.  Now that Avalon is now part of amazon.com, this is an homage to my Avalon books and friends)