2023, home, Mysteries, Uncategorized

Bad Habits

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I bought my house in 1991. 

The bathroom light switch was on the wall OUTSIDE the bathroom.  I don’t know why.  But for 30+ years I have switched on the light before I go into the bathroom and switched it off when I come out of the bathroom.  Also for 30+ years, anytime a guest has used the bathroom I have cautioned them “the light switch is on the wall in the hall”.

Since the entire inside of the bathroom got ripped up for the remodel, including the wall where the electrical box was located, I figured we might as well move the switch to the inside of the bathroom.  The electrician also moved the fan switch and overhead heat lamp switch over as well, so all three switches now live together. 

Here are the three switches in their new location:

This is where the switch used to be:

It’s been two weeks.  I still try to turn the lights on/off outside the bathroom at least 5 times a day. 

How long does it take you to change a habit?

36 thoughts on “Bad Habits”

  1. I lived in Taiwan for 39 years, where bathroom light switches are ALWAYS outside. That is, in part, because bathrooms are basically “wet rooms” where anything can get splashed everywhere. Floors are ceramic tiled and have drains in the corners. So as much of the electricity as possible is outside. There’s usually a light up high someplace, but sometimes there’s no outlet for anything you might want to plug in.

    Retiring 5 years ago and purchasing a house in the USA, I had to get used to the switches inside. BUT, we had not only changed houses, but nations, and a lot more. So, we adapted rather quickly.

    Were I in your house, having to get used to repositioned switches, I’d paint the spot where they USED TO be with something easily washed off. There will be hand marks.

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      2. Good idea
        . In my apartment the switches for the two closets are outside the closets. Of course, you say. Both are large walk-in closets and one you walk through to a bathroom I still expect after a dozen years the switches to be in the closets.
        Clyde

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  2. When we first moved into our house, a lot of the light fixtures still operated with pull chains, even the one in the bathroom, despite the fact that previous owners had over eighty years to update that. I replaced all the pull chains with switches and also added a fan in the bathroom (on a timer switch so it turns itself off). I don’t recall having trouble adjusting to the new switches but then we hadn’t been using the pull chains very long.

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      1. I have several that have pull chains but are also controlled by light switches. But now that I think about it, they are all also ceiling fans..,,,

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  3. Rise and Shine Baboons,

    Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) research says it takes 3 weeks to break a habit, or to build a new one. This would be especially true when I worked with people who ruminated excessively. They had to have a three week period to devote to the process: 1. Identify. 2. STOP 3. Replace (with different thoughts).

    So, VS, just time it out. I will bet that in 3 weeks it is all good again and the switch on the inside will be a habit.

    After placing the roll-out devices in my kitchen cabinet last week, I am midway through the process of opening the right cabinet (new behavior). And it is heaven! (Reinforcement=pleasurable feelings) The pot lids stay put instead of falling on my head (negative reinforcement or relief); the skillets sit snuggly in the drawer where I can see them (positive reinforcement); the colanders are easily retrievable; the cake pans stand up smartly on their sides, practically saluting me. But I still open the wrong drawer to find the plastic storage stuff. 10 days left to learn that one.

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    1. Well, as my son the LPCC said about his dad just this morning “rumination isn’t for quitters”. Husband has been fussing and fussing over various sourdough rye starter recipes and techniques and it is driving me nuts!

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  8. Aaahhhh, now WP likes me again! I’ve posted a few times today, but my comments went into cyberspace.

    Habits – I’m not a good person to ask. I have trouble changing my habits. Somebody mentioned biting their fingernails when I was in first or second grade. I’d never thought of doing that. Out of curiosity I gave it a try. I still do it occasionally although only if my hands are clean. Usually I just pick at my cuticles now, especially if I don’t have anything to keep my hands busy. I really like to keep my hands busy because it eases anxiety.

    I have a light switch on the left side of the door as I enter my walk-in closet. That’s really the wrong place for it. I have lived here for going on eight years and I still reach for it on the right side, inside the closet door. I do the same thing when I leave the closet. Why in the world did they put it there?

    I was thinking about “excessive rumination” too. It sounds like something a cow does. Just kidding. I really do know what it is. I’d like to know how much rumination is actually excessive. I will ruminate sometimes but not as often as I used to. If I do, it’s usually about an interaction with someone that I didn’t think was positive.

    Well, I had the rest of my precancerous lesion removed from my left arm today. I had the mole removed in August and it was sent for biopsy. Then it was sent to Mayo for a second opinion, which was when I realized it wasn’t just a benign mole. It was one step away from melanoma. They described it as “severely” precancerous. I didn’t realize how much tissue they were going to take out of my arm today. I thought they would just take about a half inch circle. I have a 2” incision with two layers of sutures on my left arm now. I think I can see about 10 stitches. Hopefully they got everything out that doesn’t belong in there.

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    1. After they sold the name Hungry Mind they became Ruminator Books. I never did go to the Mpls. one. Why would I when the original store was much closer to where I live?

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  11. OT: We just got Wordle on the first try! Husband always chooses our start word, as he seems to be a little intuitive about this game. I hesitate to print it here, unless anyone is still going to play. This is the second time this has happened – we have 4 start words that we use…

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