Okay, so I probably should get this checked out--but since 1978, and I'm being totally serious here, on average I probably think of the first two lines of "Roxanne" 5 days a week. Not kidding. I don't know what it is about that song.
"Roxxxxaaaanne! You don't have to put on the red light,
those days are over, you don't have to sell your body to the night"
I know there is such a thing as ''musical psychosis", where people have musical halucinations where they hear symphonies or have an earworm of an endless loop of a particular song in their heads 24/7 for sometimes decades. This isn't like that.
It's just that I think of, or sing that one little lyric nearly everyday.
Since, 1978.
Most of the time, it's early in the morning. And, usually I'm in a pretty good mood. But usually, I'll sing it out loud. I did it this morning. My family has even joked about it for years.
But, since 1978.
Holy shit!
It's not a distraction really. Just something I do.
Now, here is something I've not ever shared here:
I wonder if it has any thing to do with the fact that I have a mild case of Tourettes? When I was five, I had pneumonia and nearly died. I was in a coma for about a week. I developed a fever that shot up to 105.6, and I had a Petit Mal Seizure as a result. This led to childhood epilepsy. From that time until I was about 12, I had three more seizures and had to take anti-seizure medication. I eventually outgrew it, thankfully.
Right after the first seizure at age 5, I started this really bad nervous tic where I would clear my throat constantly. My throat would get raw I did it so much. The docs at the time thought it was a side effect of the meds. So, I went through a slew of meds to no avail. My mom made the connection that it happened when I was really tired, excited, or nervous. Over time, friends started noticing and started picking on me for it. So, I stopped doing that, but the tics manifested in this thing that resembled finger drumming instead. But over time they noticed that too.
For most people with Tourettes when they have a tic, they're usually not aware of it. It's like breathing in a way. It's not something you can control. I'm INCREDIBLY lucky. Mine is a very mild case. I was diagnosed officially when I was 17. But over time, I have learned to mask the tic. When I have a tic, I'm not aware of it really, UNLESS someone points it out to me. If someone brings it to my attention, I can stop it immediately. But over time what developed was that when I get really excited, stressed, or tired, I subconsciously count my teeth with my tongue. First the top, then the bottom. Over and over and over again. I think this was my subconcious way of not being singled out socially. I still occassionally make this throat clearing, almost wheezing sound sometimes when I'm super tired, or really involved in something exciting, or stressful. People ask me often, "Do you have a cold?" Or, "Do you have asthma?" rather than explain, I just say, "No". And I usually get a strange look.
I occassionally make this sort of clicking sound in the back of my throat too. In a sort of rhythmic pattern. Sometimes, I'll be in my study writing, and my wife will pop in and ask me if I'm okay. I'm always surprised by the comment, and then she'll tell me that, "You were really clearing your throat, I was just checking on you. Are you stressed?" And I can explain what I was dealing with at the time. It's always something about the writing.
Because I know that many of the people, and especially kids who have Tourettes are mercilessy picked on, it is one of my favorite charities, for obviously very personal reasons. I have volunteered my time with kids with the syndrome in the hopes that they can understand that they can have normal and productive lives as well, and to know they're not alone.
But, I'm slightly convinced my "Roxanne' earworm has something to do with my mild condition.