In Gmail, the Google Hangouts icon showed I had a new message. If there is an indicator of something new, then I must clear it. Not an obsession or a compulsion, but it makes me uncomfortable to have unread things laying around.

The conversation list only showed old items. There were a couple near the top which looked bold, so I clicked on them. Neither cleared the green “1” indicating I had a new message.

So… I clicked on ALL the conversations.

Now the icon says I have SIX new messages.