DVDizzy Forum

How do we all live our lives? We can't just barge through our existence without taking care of the "little" things, or we may just feel like a fish out of water in our present society.

And yes ... we're here to discuss our hygiene and hygienic practices, and perhaps, er ... our lack of hygiene.

Personally, I'd classify myself as a hygienic person. I've always been brought up to wash my hands before dinner and to make sure to stay away from germs. Perhaps this has made me a trifle extreme. A couple of years ago, at the peak of my OCD, I'd wash my hands constantly, afraid not only of infecting myself, but as posing a threat to other people who may come in contact with my germs. I have retained some of these qualities, and in fact still wash my hands vigourously multiple times a day.

Unfortunately, when I enter the outside world, I meet some people who seem ot be, er ... less thorough in their washing. This strikes me as rather odd, since as a community, we the Maltese have always valued cleanliness, and most children are brought up and educated well in this regard.

For example, this week I was using the public transport. An elderly man boarded the bus (if you can call it such ... it looked more like a World War II relic) and sat next to me. I had to spend the rest of the journey with my nose stuck in the window, because the stench of sweat emanating from this individual was incredible. Thing is, it didn't smell like "fresh" sweat. On the contrary, I figured this old man hadn't showered for about a fortnight. Hopefully I'm wrong about that estimate.

Oh, and a couple of weeks ago, I was at a festa (Maltese for "village feast", a religious but very lively celebration in a particular town or village. Usually comprises of a number of brass bands, joyful crowds, and spectacular fireworks). I needed a drink, and so went to buy some Coca-Cola from a kazin (a place dedicated either to a sort of club relating to the feast, or the home place of the brass band or political party - has an area looking a bit like a pub), only to be met by a sweltering bar tender who had persipration dripping from the end of his nose. Now let's be fair here. It was a stifling day, and the doors of the kazin were open and as such, there was no point in switching on air conditioning. I can understand why the bar tender had sweat dripping from his nose, but I really felt grossed out to see him handling my drink, and suddenly lift his sweaty T-Shirt (exposing a very hairy looking belly) and wipe his face with it. I made a look of disgust which I couldn't stop in time. He didn't notice though.

So ... what do you guys think?

Wow, I feel deeply sorry for your interactions with those two people JC. I personally am quite hygenic, and I am most definitley OCD about it. I pretty much wash my hands or use antiseptic/anti-bacterial hand and skin cleanser multiple times a day, I'd say, oh, about 30 times. I am probably one of the cleanest people in my family, and I can be made fun of for it. Now, I don't rub my hands raw with soap and boiling water, but I do what I can to keep myself from being exposed to germs, though that is inevitable. In fact, I'll wash my hands right after I use this here keyboard (you never know who has touchd it.)

TheSequelOfDisney wrote:In fact, I'll wash my hands right after I use this here keyboard (you never know who has touchd it.)

Hey! That's exactly like me! Though in my case, I'm the only one who touches my own keyboard - but still, I sometimes get sweaty hands and I don't like touching other stuff after using my PC. It's straight to the bathroom for me.

Disney's Sequel wrote:...and I can be made fun of for it.

I can soooooo empathize. I remember having a guy at home once. He had a packet of crisps to eat, and proceeded to lick his fingers after having eaten it. He then farted, scratched himself, and commenced the delicate operation of removing some scabs from his foot and toes.

When I tentavley asked him if he would like to wash his hands (praying he'd say "yes"), he didn't really want to. After I forced him to, he said "It is with great effort that I do not roll my eyes."

What does he expect? To contaminate the entire house? Might I add that before he washed his hands - they having been in contact with crisps, his saliva and the dirt and scabs of his feet, he used our TV remote, used my PSone controllers and opened my family's fridge in the kitchen multiple times (without permission).

Ewww... Some people.

I checked the first one, although I am not a hypocondriac as it says in the description. I do shower daily, which is not excessive. I do wash my hands at lesat once for a 'number one' and at least twice for a number two. Sometimes more if need be. I have wiped excessively, when needed and as described. There ya go. Oh my, the stuff we post online. Maybe I shouldn't have selected the first option? Oh well, I dunno.

Maerj wrote:I checked the first one, although I am not a hypocondriac as it says in the description. I do shower daily, which is not excessive. I do wash my hands at lesat once for a 'number one' and at least twice for a number two. Sometimes more if need be. I have wiped excessively, when needed and as described. There ya go. Oh my, the stuff we post online. Maybe I shouldn't have selected the first option? Oh well, I dunno.

Well, that post made me laugh, Maerj, for some mysterious reason.

Regarding your saying that you wash your hands at least twice after a number two: I feel pretty much the same way. Somehow, I don't feel one wash can suffice. If I don't wash the second time, I might feel "dirty" or "contaminated".

I chose the second option because...I did.

I take a shower every night,using lots of shampoo and lots of conditioner.
I always wash my hands after using the bathroom. And I ALWAYS wash them in school because theres quite a few of those extremely sloppy/messy kids who all hang around the bathroom/water fountain in a bunch and stare at you...all dirty looking...as you walk into the bathroom. You just KNOW they did something in there so I always make sure I'm fully clensed before walking out. =p

^ I made sure to never use the school bathrooms, I was always able to wait until lunch when I went home to eat, or until after school.


Personally, I'm borderline between options 1 and 2. Ever since my uncle gave me the flu a year ago I've become very careful of any and all interactions with people who I know are sick, or have been sick recently. For example if my Dad is sick, then I go and stay at my Mom's house until I'm sure he's better. If for whatever reason I can't avoid someone who has been sick recently, or is starting to get sick I make sure to shower really well.

Yes I'm crazy but I still say if it wasn't for my uncle I'd be less extreme, although I do think I strayed off topic a bit Oh well.

I fall somewhere between the first two options. While I'm not a hypochondriac, I do have OCD. I have washed my hands until they were raw, but I've never wiped my ass until it was raw.

I've definitely got hand issues. I don't like my hands to be sticky or dirty. When I am painting, I wear platic gloves to keep the paint off my hands. My hands must be clean at all times, which is why my biggest pet peeve in high school was the lack of soap in the restrooms. That drove me nuts thinking about all those dirty hands touching the desks in each class. It got to the point where I would carry around a bottle of liquid soap in my backpack, just so my friends and I could have clean hands.

CJ your not the only one with "hand issues". I hate having my hands dirty. I also tend to avoid public restrooms if at all possible because of things like you mentioned.

I wasn't always like this either, but over the past few years I have developed a little OCD on somethings. Mainly bathrooms and keeping my hands clean.

At least it seems like we are all clean people, that's a good thing I'd say.

Im not quite as extreme as some of you, but i do shower at least twice a day (in the morning, and after i run 4 miles at night) , and keep germ x at my desk at work and use it liberally.

I'm certainly no hypochondriac - I rarely have problems with sickness, neither real nor imaginary. But I am somewhat "particular", although within what's rational, I hope... I'd place myself between the first two options like quite a few others here.

Research has shown, at least in my country, that people think they're very hygienic since most shower frequently. One problem is, though, that too much showering and soap isn't good for the skin. Another problem is that people still don't wash their hands as frequently as they should.

Julian Carter wrote: An elderly man boarded the bus (if you can call it such ... it looked more like a World War II relic)

The old man or the bus?

candydog wrote:

Julian Carter wrote: An elderly man boarded the bus (if you can call it such ... it looked more like a World War II relic)

The old man or the bus?

The bus, silly!

I'm also pretty borderline between the first two, but I chose the first one. I mean, I always wash my hands after using the bathroom, and, um, I wipe too much...

Yeah. I do get sick often, though, so I'm not as cleanly as I should be (thanks to other people's germs).

Meet Joey the Germ.



He's pleased to see you.

Hi, Joey! You're cute and all, but we probably should wash you away...we need to stay CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the other hand (pun not really intended, but it works...), one "shouldn't never" be exposed to germs either - moderate exposure upgrades your immune system.

That's why it's not a bad thing to let your kids play in the dirt. They need it to build their immune system.
It is kinda gross though.

Now I've given Joey a smile. And since you're all rambling about the immune system, he says he's ready to infect one of you on demand and bolster up your old white blood cells and antibodies!

It's really very kind of him. He's commiting suicide.