obsessions, fixations and the need for Lists.

I am a man of obsession; Not in an obsessive-compulsive way, I fixate on things.
Randomly, things will be come extremely important to me. I have no control over what things will suddenly interest me.


Whether it be a period in history, an object, a machine, a philosophy, or a subculture.... whatever it is, I'll learn everything I can about the subject: The history of it, the purpose and functionality, the practical reasoning behind the decisions, the mythology...Everything. It will become all I think about. Nothing else will matter.



These fixations will change, evolve; I'll be interested solely on one thing, and become an expert on the subject, and as soon as another fixation comes along, forget most everything about the previous. This usually happens abruptely.



Even when I'm not obsessing about some new fixation, Art is always a constant for me. I chose a career in art because it affords me time to be alone, I can work doing what I want, in the comfort of my own home. However I have to be careful, I will be so emerssed in my artwork, that I will forget to eat, sleep, and even lose track of time to the point of not knowing what day it is. I wake up and imediately get to work, and I fall asleep doing the same.

This brings us to lists. My mother learned when I was very young to give me lists of what I would need to do, what to take with me when I left the house, and even my hygene and eating routine.
This is something that, even now as an adult, I have to do for myself in order to function daily.

I follow a set routine, I have certain things I always do, and carry with me. A well regimented schedual, and To-do lists
are very useful to me. Further, always carrying the same objects with me is a comforting, and often useful habit to keep. On my person, at any time, I keep a pocket knife, a zippo lighter, my wallet, phone, shop towel, and keys. these are things I put in my pockets every morning, before I brush my teeth. They're on the list, and if I forget even one of them, I find myself oddly thrown off by the entire day. I suppose I crave consistancy.