Not that my life is any of your business, but just to let you know you are wrong on all counts. So I guess you are not as smart as you think!

Well except for the one who corrected my spelling - you are definately a much better person than most.

Parenthood does not cure germ freaks; my mom raised two (relatively normal) kids and nevertheless is one of the worst. Probably not OCD, cuz she's not into senseless repetition. But she won't use library books and in restaurants she cleans the silverware with alcohol wipes that she always carries in her purse. I don't think she's touched a public doorknob wth her bare hands in years.

Leave annabelle alone. She is entitled to hr opinions, she was just answering diazkris questions.
It is interseting though to see all the comments from everyone.

Yes - I CAN READ - it is not that you are afraid of catching something, it is just disgusting (see - proof that I can read!)

That said, it must be very difficult for someone with this fear to go anywhere or have anyone into their home. Every aspect of our lives is filled with disgusting germs.

And as far as distinguishing between high priced hotels and Motel 6 - as a community health RN, I find that there is not a difference between someones economic status in life and their level of pigginess - in fact, most homes of people of very limited means are more super-scrubbed with Pine Sol (I can smell it) before they know I am coming that those in million dollar homes.

Um - Annabel - the word is spelled "definitely", not "definately".
Sorry. :)

There were several articles written in the 1890s warning people about dirty library books -- not books with smutty content, but books that could spread the dreaded MICROBES from person to person! The concurrent rise of public libraries and the popularization of science and germ-theory prompted a rash (so to speak) of worries that people were getting diseases from libraries.

The more things change......

(By the way, many who study the epidemic levels of asthma note the higher rates in cities and are far more worried about generic, industry- and car-created air pollution and decrepit old city buildings than they are about household cleaners, although household cleaners are not entirely out of the picture.)

Annabel, I'm fine with your neurosis but would you please keep the graphic descriptions to yourself?

I have a weak stomache and your descriptions are freaky.

We defunitly discust this thurally.

I asculutaley aggrree wit yu, mrwunrful.

Mee twoo!

You all are being mean...

Tess,
she started it!! LOL~

Actually, anyone going into such nauseating details about bodily functions and secretions, can hardly be a delicate flower, now can they?

Scarlet,

I feel like I'm listening to my kids bicker--'She started it!!' 'Bodily secretions, bodily secretions, nah nah nah!'

Tee hee :-)

Exactly :D

Well, let's see now:

I do wash my hands after I've petted a dog or a cat, if it's possible. That's because I'm terribly allergic to their fur. But I love dogs and cats! :(

I also carry my own slippers. It's because they are more comfortable than bare feet for me. A lot of hotels and motels don't offer slippers.

I never take a bath. I only shower. Even at home.

I love tripled sheeted hotel beds, love the big fat thirsty towels, and do try to use only the plastic cups that are plastic-wrapped, so I'm the only one using the cup.

Having stayed in hundreds of hotel rooms, I try not to touch too many surfaces. The comforter and the blanket don't bother me. I'm not touching them. Only the sheets. They have to be very clean. I lay out all my clean clothes on the sheets, so they don't touch the blanket nor the comforter.

My entire family opens public bathroom doors with the paper that we just dried our hands with. We've become expert basketball players when tossing that paper into the waste container. :) This is a family habit.

I take the same precautions whether it's a four star hotel or the Calcutta YMCA with it's bedbug-filled mattresses.

Do all these precautions make me some kind of freak or half-freak? :)

I think the answer lies in if you believe in bipolar toilets...Annabel says that she flushes the toilet (a few times) to get rid of the germs, then says to beware of flushing toilets because they shoot doo-doo twenty feet in the air.

wolfshin: Annabel does close the lid every time.
easytraveler: you are about a quarter freak, maybe less; maybe diazkris is only a half freak, considering Annabel.
Tess: not being mean, just answering the questions.

This thread is a hoot. Reminded me of my mother's experience at her local library. She was returning a bestseller and told the librarian that it was the dirtiest book she had ever gotten from the library. She said it was so disgusting she almost couldn't finish it. The librarian was perplexed and said that they hadn't had any other complaints about the book. My mother opened up the book and started showing her all the filthy (with food and who knows what) pages. They both then realized what the other was referring to and had a good laugh.

Germs are all over, but I do try to avoid them especially when I travel. I try to wash my hands frequently and avoid touching doorknobs, handrails, etc. One of the worst experiences in my opinion is to catch the 24-hour "flu" while you're on a trip...

I wish I'd never read this thread. Before I did I'd never heard of "ass germs" before. Now I'll never be able to sit down on anything again. Thanks a bunch!

Boy did I pick the wrong thread to start off my week while eating breakfast!

Half the time I'm getting grossed out. The other half I'm snorting my cereal thru my nose laffing!

I guess my habit of licking the keys in an elevator and the remote control for the TV is a bit "freaky"? :-?