I’m getting old. I know that may be a surprise to some of you but it is true. As I am defiantly dragged into my twilight years I have become acutely aware that I’m a creature habbit. Sometimes I wonder if I’m becoming obsessive compulsive. Nah. I am, as other old timers will tell you, set in my ways.

This, mind you, can become irritating when something in your routine or that you’ve become accustomed to, changes.

As an example: I’m at my new job doing my thing first thing in the morning. Of course, my ‘thing’ consists of consuming copious amounts of coffee and soda. Earlier this week there was a slight change in the office. Over the weekend building maintenance had changed the urinal so that it had a light sensing, auto flushing mechanism rather than a handle. That was Monday. Today is Friday. I still reach for the handle after taking a leak. I look like a cat playing with a ball of yarn, aimlessly pawing at a urinal.

I love the people I work with and, luckily, they seem to genuinely like me, too.

I have a lot of irritating habits. I do things like wake up early in the mornings, no matter what my condition is. I could have been out until 3 in the morning and drunk as a skunk. Without fail I’ll wake up around 4am. It has gotten so bad that most of the times my dogs don’t even want to wake up with me. Why? Force of habit from when I was a paperboy at the age of 12 and I would wake up and deliver my papers at 2:30 in the morning.

Yeah I’m TONS OF FUN on trips because of that. I remember two instances when I woke up early during leisure trips. The first time was with Angela when we went to Veags. The second time was with Rob when we went to Atlantic City. Both times I left the hotel room at 3:30 in the morning because I was wide awake. Each time I wound up in the casinos with the other vampires.

Yes, I’m sure I have numerous other old and sometimes odd habits. Like locking the bathroom door when I need to use the bathroom at home. I do it because I’m afraid that evil ninjas, spies or terrorists will come barging in. Angela thought it was really stupid. Yeah, stupid…until I accidentally opened the door on her