Part 2 I Am A Fanataneatisolic

Note: Read Part 1 below first

I am MZ and I am a Fanataneatisolic. I absolutely must have everything and everyone in its or their place at all times. Nothing out of order. Not a speck on the wall or floor. This chair I am sitting in tonight is reserved for me. No one in this meeting would dare to take my place. Third chair from the right in the 2nd row every Tuesday, rain or shine, holiday, birthday, anniversary, it doesn't matter. This program has saved my life.

I'm here to share my experience, strength and hope so here it goes.

I got married at a young age, only 20. But it was the thing to do. I wanted to be just like Mom. Get married, have kids, be a housewife. It didn't exactly work out that way.

I got married and got a husband who threw his dirty clothes on the bedroom floor every night. And, every morning I promptly picked them up and deposited them into the hamper. His hamper, not mine. No way I could make it to the bathroom or coffee pot without picking up that stuff. Straightening the bathroom towels, seeing the toilet paper was hanging exactly one inch from the bottom of the roll, putting the cap on the toothpaste and lining up the toothbrushes were automatic pilot tasks. Then the coffee, beans ground perfectly fine, filter placed with wrinkles evenly distributed, matching coffee mugs. Exhausted before I even dressed for work.

Then one day I couldn't do it anymore. I left the clothes on the floor and marched into the bathroom. It was all I could do not to pick them up. The piles got taller each day. By laundry day, I had to climb over the massive piles with my own personal laundry hamper to make my way to the washer. Result: very upset husband that his laundry didn't make it into the laundry room. The next week he picked up his clothes.

Gradually I gave up the other habits, letting things fall wherever. It drove me to near complete insanity, to the point that I had to wear imaginary blinders when I walked through the house. I absolutely couldn't stand to be within those walls anymore. I needed help. You can't change others, only yourself. So today I sit in this chair. I follow the twelve steps.

1. I admitted I was powerless over the misplaced items and my life had become unmanageable.

2. I came to believe that a higher power could help me

3. I made a decision to let him

4. I stomped all over the inventory (misplaced items)

5. I called charitable organizations to pick up the inventory

6. I humbly asked for less stuff

7. I got less stuff

8. I made a list of stuff I walked all over

9. I promised not to do it again

10. Today I do these things every day

11. I consciously walk over the stuff

12. I tell others that I don't care where they throw their stuff

And now some promises are coming true. I have less stuff and more money. I live alone so whatever stuff there is, happens to be my own stuff. I don't fear tripping over stuff anymore. I intuitively know to stay away from other peoples stuff. I'm not baffled, just alone. Is this an extravagance? I think not. It's exactly what I asked for.

When the basket comes around, kindly place your clean, crisp one dollar bills in an even stack with the "In God We Trust" side up.

Keep coming back but don't you dare sit in this chair, the third chair from the right in the second row. It's mine...