Seanan's Adventures in The OCD Porn Store.

[seanan_mcguire]

As I've discussed before on this blog, I have OCD, which manifests itself most specifically in pattern-formation and obsessive tracking. Oddly, you can use my tracking as a bellwether for my overall mental health: If I'm tracking, I'm good, and if I'm not, I'm probably getting pretty alarmingly de-stable, and should be encouraged to start counting crows and writing down my results as quickly as humanly possible. (I saw six crows yesterday, indicating gold, in case you wondered.) I am at peace with my diagnosis, and have learned to live with my idiosyncrasies just as much as "normal" people live with theirs.

Of course, part of managing my flavor of OCD involves keeping my tracking detailed, dependable, and most of all, consistent. Which is why I depend on Franklin-Covey's planner refills to keep me from snapping and killing everyone in an unformatted rage. Only there's one small problem:

Since they unexpectedly redesigned the "Blooms" planner pages in 2005, I've insisted on going to the Franklin-Covey store in person, to be sure that what I'm getting is something I can actually use. And both California stores have been closed in the last year, resulting in great dismay and sorrow on my part.

Enter salvation, in the form of Washington, and Ryan. Because there is still one store—one beautiful, wonderful store—in Redmond. It opens at ten on Saturday mornings. Which is why, at nine-fifteen, Ryan picked me up and drove me to that glorious wonderland I often refer to as "the OCD porn store."

On the way, we saw a bald eagle. Just sitting there. Being the stone-dumb symbol of our country. DUDE WHAT THE FUCK. I mean, seriously.

Finding the store was easy, and we were the first ones there, probably because we were actually there before they opened. The manager on duty was a friendly, well-groomed blonde woman, originally from California, who said we were lucky to have come when we did, as the store will probably be closing in January. My heart broke a little. While I can understand that high-end planner products are probably more economically sold online, I always spend more in the physical stores, because I can put my hands on things, and really understand why I might need them.

Case in point: a deeply discounted orange leather purse. I opened it. I peered inside. I commented on all the pockets.

"I can put my planner in here," I said.
"Yes," said Ryan.
"I can put my Netbook in here," I said.
"Yes," said Ryan.
"I can put Alice in here," I said.
"Maybe," said Ryan.
"What's an Alice?" asked the manager.
"My cat," I said.

Ryan produced his iPhone, and produced a picture, which we showed to the manager.

"Holy crap," said the manager.

I bought the purse.

It was a glorious morning, filled with victory (and later, with pancakes). We even saw the eagle again, flying over the water, looking for breakfast. I mourn for the loss of the OCD porn store, where I never feel odd at all, just really, really efficient. And Alice does, in fact, fit inside my purse.

Comments

[keristor.livejournal.com]

How massive is this orange bag-of-holding? And can you carry it with the planner, netbook and Alice all in it at once?

I do understand about the physical store, I'm much the same (not with folders and the like, mine is with bits for computers so I have more options of stores).

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Not that massive, alas, but pretty darn good-sized.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

Responses to you post, in no particular order:

There is a Franklyn-Covey store in the Prudential Mall in Boston.

Benjamin Franklin was against the idea of having the Bald Eagle be our National Bird, since they are stupid, smelly animals. He suggested the Turkey instead since it is a much more practical creature. This is why we eat it on Thanksgiving. (Ben Franklin is the Peron from History I most want to meet. I'd also like to meet Augustus Ceasar and Leo DaVinchi, but I know I could carry on a conversation with Ben. My Latin is crap.)

I understand about being OCD. I'm incredibly anal, and fight ADHD. I've discovered the secret to not falling asleep during meetings is to play Solitaire.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Benjamin Franklin was awesome.

[azurelunatic]

The other side of that -- if one, say, *loses* one's planner? If one is not OCD, one shrugs and carries on, with maybe some minor wailing and moaning.

With OCD*, it is time to roll a will save against a complete meltdown, complete with all the embarrassing public crying/screaming/gnashing of teeth/hair-pulling that is entailed in a complete meltdown.

(Reportedly. I am lucky enough to not have it myself, but I have a few friends, and yeah.)

[pyre006.livejournal.com]

there's nothing like buying a good purse. you must take picture of cat in tow.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I still need to deal with the pictures from Australia!

[shadowcat]

Oh thank goddess. :)

I'm the same way with tracking and organizing (tags on this journal are not the best indication, though.) I have spreadsheets and lists for almost everything I do. Before I buy a notebook for a new project, it has to feel right in my hands. I can't just write in any notebook I've come across. Therefore, ordering pens and notebooks off the internet just doesn't work.

Of course, the problem is, every time I seem to find pens and notebooks that I like, one or both of them ceased to be manufactured. :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

OMG YES.

I think there's an office supply conspiracy against us.

[all-ephemera.livejournal.com]

We can has ask nicely for pictures of Alice-in-purse?

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

I would like to second this request.

Save the OCD Porn!

[deanna rodriguez (from livejournal.com)]

Having just checked...at least one of the stores in the Chicago metro area is still going to be open - so we just need to get you booked at Chicago cons/events! Or a really long layover at O'hare...

Re: Save the OCD Porn!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

The issue is mostly that I only need refills once a year, and they need to be purchased after October, when the new year comes out.

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

<3!!!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Hee.

[valdary.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that you would find something you needed to carry in your new ORANGE handbag. I'm glad the notebook and planner will fit and you will be happy with your purchase. Alice might not appreciate being smuggled on planes in a bag.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

No, probably not.

[thornsilver]

And Alice does, in fact, fit inside my purse.

Which I am sure she proved as soon as the purse was put down. *G*

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yes.

Yes, she did.

[azurelunatic]

Apparently Southeast Alaska has a lot of eagles.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

"Oh, hi. We're just over here, being the bog-stupid symbol of your nation. Dead fish?"

[sheistheweather]

Marvelous pumpkin handbag! Hooray!

Ah, organization (when it works for me), how I love thee!

Er. Hopefully this comment isn't too dorky. :/ I never know.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It's not. :)

[professor_mirror]

There's a Franklin Covey store at Chesterfield Mall here in St. Louis. If you are not able to get to a physical store the next time you need to, at least I could go on a scouting mission for you.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

[mithriltabby]

Does she fit entirely in the purse, or just sit in it with head and shoulders and long fluffy tail sticking out? I’m trying to imagine Cleo fitting in a purse, as she’s an armload of cat...

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

The latter.

[jacylrin.livejournal.com]

Another vote for needing a picture of Alice in the bag. That must be one HUGE purse to fit a Maine Coon *snrk*

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Eventually.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

It's important, when choosing a bag, to see if it can in fact fit your cat and your cat's needs for hiding in it, sleeping in it, stealing crap you put in it and leaving it in random places, running off with it/dragging it around and sleeping on it in such a way that you're loathed to move them because they look so comfortable and cute.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Exactly!

[tygerversionx.livejournal.com]

It must be the year for acquiring large orange bags. I am not in that company, but I'm beginning to notice a pattern there. :D

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I call this a year for AWESOME.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

...yes, we should.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

According to the Franklin-Covey web site, there's a store in Novi, Michigan, about a twenty minute drive from the Conclave hotel. If it's still there next October, I can take you. (Will the 2012 planner refills be out by October?)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Assuming the store is still there; the manager at the Redmond store said all physical locations were being closed down.

[deire.livejournal.com]

Barnes and Noble has no Quo Vadis in the store this year. http://www.quovadisplanners.com/ I have used them since high school. MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRR.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Oh my god I would die.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

Just last week I had to call my sister to tell her I had found her date book refills that she prefers, and then I had to wait for her to drive to the store (guarding the selections I had pulled for her) and then point out the sale signage. We pretty much all have OCD in our family, but she has it more than others.

Of course, it does make it easier to screw with ones siblings.. grin.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

That was a very nice thing you did.

[kay-gmd.livejournal.com]

you're probably familiar, but it never hurts to check when you travel:

http://service.franklinplanner.com/store_locator

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I do. Constantly.

[argonel.livejournal.com]

Fortunately it is Alice in the purse and not the purse in Alice. After all that might upset her stomache and provoke you into saying "Mittens I tell you, soft, warm mittens".

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

So true.

[aliciaaudrey.livejournal.com]

I need a new planner. I keep screwing mine up. I'm a perfectionist, so when I screw them up I throw them away.

...

This is not necessarily a productive tendency. I use iCal, which since I can fix it on the fly works great. But it doesn't translate well to something I can carry with me.

I have been suspected several times of having OCD, but I don't *quite* fit and doctor types have been reluctant to slap me with the diagnosis because it might be the case that I developed an obsessive organizational and structuring streak because of my learning disability. If I am not fanatical about my details and how they ordered, I get confused and disorganized very, very quickly. That's a function of having a disability that involves a working memory disorder; I can only keep track of so many things at a time, so I have to create elaborate structures to "hold" data for me to work with later. That looks a lot like OCD. Not sure it actually is. Nobody's ever bothered to look into it too closely because it doesn't interfere with my functionality.

And I fifty-fifth the request to see the Pumpkin Maine Coon in the Pumpkin Bag of Holding.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

No one ever said all tendencies were productive ones!

[tintiger.livejournal.com]

Slightly misquoting ...

"While I can understand that [books] are probably more economically sold online, I always spend more in the physical stores, because I can put my hands on things, and really understand why I might need them."

Which is why I am incapable of walking past a bookshop, and why my children were taught at a very early age (by my husband) how to drag me past one! And I really have to save up if I'm being allowed to visit a 'booktown' - maybe as many as 38 bookshops in one town! :-)

At which point your new purse, or one very like it, would come in very handy!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

SO TRUE.