A Few Eccentricities, Compliments of My Life With Fig

[bookofmirrors]

If any of you have ever talked with me in an online chat utility, I often open conversations with "Hey, baby", and always close them with "xoxo".

Never "oxox". I'll correct this "misspelling" if I accidentally type it in.

There's a reason for this.

When I lived with Fig, we had a write-on-wipe-off board on the fridge. A couple, actually. One was for the Quote of the Time Being (formerly known as the Quote of the Week, but we didn't update it that regularly), and the other was for leaving messages to each other. When I write things out by hand, for whatever reason, I write "oxox". Fig one day asked why I wrote "ox, ox" (as in cattle) on the board after my message. No, he wasn't being dense, he was just teasing me.

But it somewhat amused me, and ever since then, I never wrote "oxox" anymore. It was always "salamandersalamander", or "birdbird", or "velociraptorvelociraptor" - whatever animal struck my fancy at the time. Of course, it all meant the same thing, but it was kinda this cute little thing I did with him. And now, to see "oxox" in print strikes that cord with me, and I have to "fix" it.

Kinda sad, but poignant for me.

Another thing I noticed a few months back. I was driving wyzard_vyrnahnn's 4Runner home, 'cause he had rented a van, and needed me to take it home while he and liljuice drove to North Carolina. It was the first time in a long time I'd driven a vehicle like that. As I was driving it, I burst into tears on more than one occassion. I recalled, then, that the last time that I'd driven a vehicle like that was Fig's Blazer. I drove it a lot after he lost his license, and being in that position, that particular height from the road (my car is very low to the ground) and that particular configuration of car gadgets, put me right back into that place, driving Fig's Blazer around. I've known about muscle memory for years, and I totally believe it's true, but I hadn't previously been aware of a nerve memory. There is a type of nerve, I don't remember what it's called, but it has to do with your sense of placement. It keeps you oriented and upright. At least, I'm pretty sure it's a type of nerve. Could be a type of something else. At any rate, it would be respsonble for one's sense of placement in relation to the road in, say, a 4Runner, vs. a Cavalier.

Funny how these things strike me.

Comments

[ydnic.livejournal.com]

If I were to drive a 280 Z, I'd have the same kind of weird feeling as you describe in this post, courtesy of the horrible relationship I had with a guy who drove one of those autos. Even when I *see* one I'm catapulted back there. There are other odd memory triggers of the pain I went through (certain songs, certain verbal expressions, etc.). I don't know if it has to do with the intensity of feeling I had at the time, or what.

[bookofmirrors.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. Thank you. That's very validating! :)

[zydee.livejournal.com]

I've always written it "xoxo". I didn't realize that "oxox" was a valid variant, actually. I also end my chapters, when I write, "XXX", but that's not the same thing (nor is it an indication of the MPAA rating by any stretch ALAS).

I have long known about muscle/nerve memory. I get odd flashbacks at the strangest times when laying in certain positions or doing certain tasks. "Body as hard drive" is a fascinating topic for me.

Cas

[bookofmirrors.livejournal.com]

lol It honestly never occured to me that there was a PROPER way to write that out!

[isarma.livejournal.com]

I loved this post...Thanks for sharing.

[lizzielove.livejournal.com]

The oddest things remind me of my seven year relationship in hell. That relationship is one reason I don't want to wear the big, white, sequined wedding dress. I got rid of the guy, but I still have the farging dress I bought.