Arbitrary & Particular

According to my handy dandy electronic dictionary/thesaurus, addiction is the compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

Of course we’re all familiar with drug addictions and alcohol addictions, both practically diseases in their own right that can cause bodily harm and/or death and pretty much ruin lives.

But what about other kinds of addictions? Maybe less serious ones and definitely less morbid ones (yay for humor!) but addictions nonetheless. I’d like to discuss a few of my own personal addictions.

Chapstick - Yes, I’m addicted to chapstick. And not just chapstick but any kind of lip gloss or lip salve, really. But I hardly ever wear lipstick. Strange, yes? At this precise moment, I have three different chapsticks in my purse. And another sitting within arm’s reach of me on my desk. At home I have four different lip moisturizers strategically placed around my room so I’m never more than a foot or two away from full-lip hydration.

Hockey – Of the Philadelphia Flyers variety to be exact. I really think hockey takes up at least 80% of my daily conversation. How sad, yet epic. I probably know more about these boys than they do. And I experience immense joy when I declare something before sports commentators and analysts do. Shows I know what I’m talking about if the pros are discussing the topics that plague my puck-loving’ mind. Alas, off season will be suicide-inducing.

Lotion – What can I say? I like to be moisturized…yea, that sounded dirty. Dry skin and chapped lips gross me out. Seriously, I probably have the softest elbows of anyone I know…of anyone you know. I have a basket full of lotions in my closet, though I favor C.O. Bigelow’s lemon body cream. At work, I go for Curel’s Targeted Therapy hand & cuticle lotion because it’s fast-absorbing and doesn’t leave a residue. Lotion applications occur after the morning shower, whenever I wash my hands through out the day, and before bed. It’s a sickness, you see.

Reese’s Peanutbutter Cups – I cheated here a bit because anything Reese’s is a favorite of mine. Except those nasty wafer snack bar things. Oh and white chocolate. Oh and the inside out Reese’s cups, because really, why mess with perfection? Needless to say, I always have Reese’s on hand.

I wonder if there are 12-step programs for any of these. I doubt it. But I’m glad, because I couldn’t live without them. And I wouldn’t want to.

- Pam